bluejeanbebe

Not sure if you're still listening as you posted in April, but I took A&P I and Lab all online from MGCCC. The course is a bit more expensive than a regular course, but if you work full time like I do, it may be your only option, plus you save on gas. I had to go in 2- 3 times to the computer lab to take tests, and that's it for actual attendance. Everything else is online- yes even the lab. Online attendance is monitored by when you log on, which is required. You buy the book, which comes with a CD and a lab book. You log onto the online 'classroom' and will meet your instructor and classmates. No 'required interaction with other students' as I've found with other schools online classes. You get your entire schedule for the semester at the beginning. You have assigned readings, lectures to read and many quizzes and a few tests. Same thing for the lab. For the Lab portion, you have a lab book and look at photos/drawings/animations of portions of the body. The CD leads you to an online learning center with optional and non-optional exercises. You can't take the tests until you have received a certain grade on your quizzes. You can retake quizzes up to 3 times. The tests you go to the school and take a multiple choice test online with a proctor observing. You can't bring anything other than scratch paper. The quizzes are not timed if I remember correctly, but they aren't easy either. The tests are timed, but you have a good bit of time to take them. The last Lab and Class test you can take at home (therefore open book) but it is timed also. I didn't try REAL hard and I missed an 'A' by a point or 2. I think there were a few extra credit points available. All in all, your counselor may not recommend it (due to all the 'busy work') but I think it works well if you can't attend a campus class.

I don't know how much I could express this but: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Gooooooooooo! This is mostly me, telling my 22 yr old recently graduated self from years ago, but yes, please go. I don't know your situation, but after you settle into a job, get shackled down with mortgages, bills,kids, husbands, etc etc etc; it will be about near impossible to go. If you have the means, please do. I myself graduated and plowed straight into what I thought I was supposed to be doing: pursuing a career. It really is the only missed opportunity that I truly regret. If anything, maybe you could volunteers somewhere in SA in the medical field? That would like fantastic on a resume I would think.

thanks vbmedic52- how do people still work full time? unless they just worked somewhere that had really flexible hours or their NS was at night? my school is a day-time course- so i'm not sure how that would work?

Hello everyone! Bit about me- I already have a Bachelor's in a science, but unrelated to nursing, field. I also have a full-time job/career. But I am very unhappy with it and certainly don't want to do this forever. Currently I am unmarried and have no children- which as it pertains to this, may be a good to bad thing. I have decided that I would like to go to school to pursue an ADN to become an RN, particularly in NICU, and maybe even become a Traveler one of these days (that last part is just a maybe- guess it depends on if I'm ever able to settle down at some point). My dilemma is nursing school- I have already talked with a counselor with the local community college and know what I have to do to apply to get in and such. I only need one pre-req course (A & P) before I can apply to get in. I can take it online this fall and continue to work. After finishing that, I can apply for NS, but would have to wait for the Fall 2010 class. What I'm worried about is the finances- I have a pretty good job, but have alot of responsibilties that I alone have to take care of (mortage, etc). I'm pretty sure that I could save up for the cost of NS between now and next fall. And of course, there are scholorship and financial help available- a hospital nearby has a scholarship that you can apply for that is full-ride for NS, with a one-year employment commitment to the hospital once you are done with school. So there's that- but I'm thinking- what about living expenses? I can't imagine just stop working and going back to school. I'm in my late 20's, so I'm not being supported by my parents, nor do I have a husband to support me; how do people do this? When I asked the counselor if it was possible to continue working, even if just on a small, part-time basis while in school, she looked at me like I was crazy and said that it really wasn't a good idea, nor possible and that the program is really that intensive that you just don't have the time to work. So I don't know what to do. A friend of mine that I went to college with, also went back to school to become an RN, but she just moved back in with her parents and I guess was more or less supported by them while she went to school. My parents live out of state from me, so getting into a program near them would be kind of iffy, and our relationship over the years has been a bit strained, plus mom is going back to school for teaching, she's seperated from my step-dad, it's all a bit unstable at the moment; so long story short, I'm sure my mom would love to have me, but I'm not so sure that it's a good idea, nor really possible. I'm also worried about insurance! What about that!? If you aren't working, nor have a husband to carry you on his insurance, how do you have insurance while in school? ahhhhhhhh! And I guess my last concern would be balancing my desire for pursuing this career and having a family someday. I'm not sure if I should do this now, and push back having a family later; or should I continue what I am doing with my current job, hopefully meet someone and settle down and have a family and then go to NS later? Which would be harder? NS later or kids later? I'm just so afraid that if I go after this now, that, say 5-6 years down the road, when I go to start trying for a family, that conceiving is less probable, and I've given up my chances of having a family for the desires to be a nurse. It's not like I can start a family ~this second~ anyway- but these are the things I worry about. I would appreciate any advice. Thanks so much. :)