SA2009

I think 12-hour shifts are dangerous unless you have an adequate break to relax your mind and body; having said that, I used to work them and also loved when you get more time off in a row. Have you considered, however, that for hospitals 12-hour shifts are great, reducing the work force (and overhead cost) by 1 nurse per day. If the support and breaks were there, 12-hour shifts would be great, but the savings that go to the hospital should carry over to the nurses doing those extra hours a day as, in the end, their health and licenses are on the line.

Good for you!! ... should've thought about that .. oh well! :)

Wonderful! It's so exciting...

What a relief - some friends of mine went to nursing school in another state. Their clinicals started 2 weeks after they started school and they spend the 1st day of clinicals alone ... one of my friends felt very lost and really didn't know what to do. They were not asigned to any nurses. I'm very happy to hear that your experience has been a good one :)

I'm so glad to hear that. What was your first day of clinicals like?

Yes, the schedule was sent to us. I am with Ms. K. at BUMC.

Yes, you can buy used books. The bundles is $650 at the BHC bookstore $120 for Fundamentals. You also can rent the Fundamentals.

Thank you so much, Joseph! I definitely can use that break. BTW, don't buy scrubs yet. They have changed that from before; everyone has to buy them from Majors. Also, Ms. Klocko has already opened Blackboard :)

I'm very happy to hear that - thank you escape

Try Krogers ... I went to the one on Mockingbird/Greenville and it was somewhere around $125.

Actually, I went up to the Nursing Dept yesterday mainly to find out about the Fundamentals book. I was told that there is a very slim chance that the fundamentals book is being changed for Spring 2013, so I will take that chance and get it on Mon, so I can start reading. The bookstore and Majors both have the packages for the nursing classes 2013 posted and available for purchase. I also registered for fundamentals because there is only one class offered. If someone registered for the other classes, it can always be changed.

Amen, that was my first thought when reading this.

Thank you for the info! Just put the books on order... Another question regarding scheduling - how did the summer semester look like from schedule? That's probably one of my biggests worries as I will have to work part-time (most likely).

Laffitte, which foundations book are we using? Have you already bought all your books?

BTW - I got CPR cert in August at Brookhaven... it said the class will be until 4 PM (on a Sat) but we got out at 11:30. Does anyone know when Success Camp is? Also, if you have registered, the classes are already showing up on Blackboard, but they are .... totally empty! I think the clinicals go will be scheduled via lotto, though, is that correct? But hey, it won't hurt to have it in there for now

Thanks Childers7!:)

Hi there, I've been reading along on this post for a while, so I wanted to let y'all know that I was accepted too and am totally thrilled (with knees shaking!). I'm looking forward on meeting everyone as well. Does anyone know that happens next?

I feel so grateful to have come across this particular thread, because this will be my greatest challenge as a nurse. For me, the cultural difference will show; I grew up in a more sober environment, more serious and much more introverted, and even after living here for 20 years, it still shows. To top it off, I also grew up in a dysfunctional household and a lot of this "nice warm fuzzy" emotional stuff is still foreign to me. Having said that, I have worked as a special ed teacher, both with kids and adults, so I know I can compensate, but it can be a little rough, but when I look at all the firsts I will encounter.... first Code Blue, first crying family members, etc. Again, for me it's just great to know that there are others like me out there; it helps tremendously!!

First of all, you have to work up to $85000 and here education is not free, so first invest. Secondly, I'm pretty certain 45% was not only for healthcare, so how much was actually for healthcare? In OH, my tax was much higher (without healthcare) because I paid local, state and fed tax, but in TX, I only pay fed tax (without healthcare). Also, with pre-existing conditions, a healthcare insurance forces you to pay an increased premium and they will not pay for treatment/meds of your pre-existing condition in the first year. Also, your insurance can actually refuse to pay, which the healthcare insurance in Canada or Europe cannot. Also, insurance definitely can refuse to pay for meds, determine what meds you get or lower whatever percent they pay for meds. So, great you have a savings account - now, you lose your job because your employer does not like the color of hair (right to work states). Can't get a job because you're older, have not the required education, etc. What are you going to do now? Having lived under universal systems I came with the same belief here, but I learned really quickly and saving accounts can deplete very, very quickly because medical care is not cheap, even if you pay cash, particular if you are hospitalized.

I don't understand how this is a bailout ... again, right now you are paying insurance premiums to for-profit organization and their profit is giantic ... so, in a universal healthcare system or systems like Canada or Europe, you pay to one institution that redistributes the fund ... it's the same principal. One difference, you cut the competition out and, if I remember from my economy class correctly, demand increases price = increases profit... Why exactly is it in the health insurances best interest nowadays to get us healthy, or keep us healthy through preventative medicine? One distributor for our premiums, be it the government or another institution, cuts out the competatition and, thus, increases in premiums for profit. Ever looked at profits from health insurance companies? If I remember right, they were ranked in the most 20 porfitable business entities in 2011, right along the oil companies. Again, I grew up with universal healthcare and I just wished you would experience for just one year, perhaps y'all feel differently. Having said that, and I think I said that before, to compare other countries' systemt to the US is dangerous because so many other factors play in, i.e. mentality and culture.

cdsga: No cable, need internet to work, don't eat out, seldom watch movies (prefer to read, work 2 jobs, school = no time), don't play games unless it's a board or card game, never had manis or pedis, no smart phone still old flippidiflip, color myself, short hair/curles = styling not needing - going without shampoo too because don't want to pay that money either, buy clothes seldomly because I like a little more pricey so saving up for it. My medication alone cost at least $200 a month w/insurance and $800 without insurance, mind you not that my meds for my condition are not covered the first year if they are covered all or only to 60% or whatever; private insurance starts $300-400/month and up... (quality of life = work to pay insurance??) - working so much results in stress results in exacerbation of illness. My solution at this point is school to get a job that allows for insurance (how much is that for freedom of choice?) and make lifestyle changes to minimize exacerbation (rather challenging). I'm not the only one affected in this manner; actually, I'm fortunate enough to be able to work with the ilness I have. A lot of people I work with are barely scraping by, laterally working 7 days a week, and that in itself is not healthy in itself. Unless it will happen to you, it is hard to understand that, yes, you can fall and that really, really quickly, and then what?

Currently, I continue to work and still don't have healthcare, and that is true for many people who cannot afford current insurance rates... I'm not talking about the unemployed. People with chronic illnesses or people with cancers to whom treatment is refused or people who are discharged before they are well enough because the insurance will not take longer...

So do I, and I don't mind at all if I give up a little of what I have, even in my current position, to ensure that I (which I now don't) and other people in this country can afford to take care of their health.

Great that it work for you. One thing that is missing for many is a solid family, which means supportive relatives and/or friends plus who promote education. Family and immediate social network is Key 1 and and education Key 2. As you are starting now to deal with generations where a large population has neither Key 1 or 2, or only Key 1 (still a better chance) or Key 2, you have a problem. Healthcare is one part of the problem, but it is not the whole problem. I have taught kids and adults, and you can tell some of them will make it and some won't, but look at this: In parts with an overflooded employment market... bring jobs back!! well - that won't work.... or tell me how can you bring jobs in steal mining, coal mining or the assembly lines in the automobile industries back? These people will not find jobs in the computer industry or other jobs that are now needed because they don't have the schooling... They may not even feel comfortable working at computers or telemarketing, etc. ... bring jobs back from overseas!! ... seriously, the companies increased their profit margins hugely by taking them overseas ... so, that won't happen until those countries smarten up and raise their labor cost and as we made ourselves dependent on them (not only the US but also Europe), this will create a host of other problems. So, just to say "I grew up poor and I made it," is nice for you, but other people may not be equipped with the stools you had, i.e. willpower, discipline, strive, etc. Some kids never see that in their surroundings or they see it is there but it won't help. ... one of my teachers in law way back told me that you must see society just like a family and neighborhood because that is exactly how they interact, so if the family does not function right, someone has to step in and has to put the foot down and say these are the changes we must make to do better.

I disagree in regards to paying/hours worked for teachers, at least at the schools where I have worked (public schools and Title I schools). Of course, if you work as instructors on college and university levels, it looks different, but I think public school teachers really would disagree with you. Having said that it really surprises me again and again, how Americans continue to tell me they do not trust their government but yet, you are the government. This is a democracy, correct? It just amazes me on how often I hear this. Lastly, all I can say that if you had ever lived under the umbrella of universal healthcare and lived with the security that you and your family will have healthcare, no matter what, you would feel differently. No system is perfect, but there is a better way than what we currently have. People are literally dying in one of the most richest countries in the world because they do not have healthcare, and I don't care what party you are or what country you're from, but that is just wrong. Come to think of, if you do it on a state level, did you ever consider what you do with people who will move to that state which provides good healthcare? What does that do to the economy, state-wise and nationally, if people from TX, for example, get up and go to CO, for example, because they will their health taken care of in CO? (may be a silly example, but do you understand what I mean?)