heatherhammy

Hello, had a question for all of you wonderful people :) I am about to graduate (yay!!!) and I am submitting applications for all available positions I am interested in. One of my instructors recommended that I also directly email/call the managers for units I am interested in, even if they aren't any job postings available. Though this will take me way out of my comfort zone, I think it's a good idea. Only thing is... how on Earth do I get their contact info? I'd like to start with emails... I checked the hospital websites but no luck there :/ any suggestions?

I'm supposed to start there this fall!!! :) Anybody else about to start or already in the program? How do you like it?

I feel like such an idiot. I'm supposed to start a BSN program this Fall and I completely forgot to turn in my paperwork for the fingerprint clearance card... Now it's 3 weeks out from class start and there's not much chance I'll get it in time. So I won't be able to start clinicals, which means they may recind my admission . I'm hoping that they still let me start since I'll probably get it within the first couple weeks of class (and clinicals are only once a week so maybe I could make them up?). I tried so hard to get in, and now I may not for something stupid. Ugh, maybe I wasn't cut out to be a nurse anyway

Nicole- that was a good idea! I guess I was freaking out about nothing. I called the school and they said that as long as I've APPLIED for it I can start :) It's only an issue if I get denied! Well, at least I learned a good lesson about keeping up on things...

I'm just trying to get a feel for how difficult NS will be... How did you do in NS compared to your pre-req's? And it how were the classes similar/different?

That's the reason I am wanting a LOA... I know the general consensus is to wait until after nursing school to have children/more children but for a number of reasons it makes more sense for us to have another now. I can hopefully time it to be due over the summer between my 2nd and 3rd semesters, but my third semester is when the 12 hour clinicals start AND my husband is supposed to be out of town for that entire semester. I'm worried about that with the kids I have already, let alone with a newborn. So I was thinking of taking a LOA for that semester and taking my 3rd semester in the spring. I've been debating with myself on how to find out if I can take one. I was thinking that I should wait until just before I would actually start trying to get pregnant and ask about it and say that I "may be pregnant and was wondering..." and pass it off like I accidentally got pregnant. Or just tell them I'm planning on it, but I'm afraid they will be less willing to work with me. Or try to ask annonymously without giving a reason. I tried emailing and they thought I was trying to take the FIRST semster off and were ready to withdraw my application . Any ideas on how to find out this answer before I get pregnant and end up being screwed?

I'm starting my BSN program in August and I need to buy shoes for the program... Any recommendations???

Eek, that is a good point about double checking the dress code. I knew they had to be white, but here's what is says about shoes: Shoes must be white and clean. Open-toed shoes, sandals, clogs, or canvas shoes are not permitted. Okay, I will admit I am rather shoe-challenged... "open toed and sandals" are obvious, but how do I tell what is a clog and what is made of canvas?

I'm sorry if this is a random question-but I figured this would be the best place to ask! Is there a special salutation for NP? I know a doctor I would refer to as Dr. Whoever, but I wasn't sure about a nurse practitioner... Would it still be Ms/Mrs/Mr or use Dr.? Thanks!

I was thinking the same thing reading through this post!

Hey do you guys know how many people they accept off the alternate list? On average at least...

I took Bio & phychology (not that I can spell it) over the summer last year. It wasn't bad! I didn't have any other commitments though, besides my crazy kids lol.

I do something very similar to what DarineMarine suggested... I always go through and answer the questions I know first and then go back and attack the harder ones. Sometimes it seems like answering the easy ones puts my brain in the right frame of mind for testing and I start to loose my nervousness. Another thing I do is to not study the day of the test. When I was in A&P I would always see the other students gathered around the classroom before a test and frantically studying. For me, it didn't help because I would start to freak myself out! I would sometimes skim through the book or something. Otherwise I would just hang out and relax. It helped so much with anxiety.

Did the other students in your class get docked points too? Or are they really unhappy with the NS you are referring too? If you could get some of the other students to lodge a complaint with you it would probably be taken a lot more serious.

I'm still waiting to start this Fall too, so I can't give you a 'looking back' perspective :) I'm brushing up on A/P too. Not really studying, just going back and refreshing it in my mind. I'm going to read a couple nursing study guide books too. I don't expect to remember anything or really learn anything, but I just want to get exposure to the topics so at least I won't be seeing them for the first time in nursing school. I know a lot of people recommend you relax, but I've got the whole summer off. My husband is going to be busy doing landscaping projects so I'm going to be stuck inside with the kids so I might as well do some reading! I also plan on getting my house all organized like others suggested.

Eeek! I didn't even think of this! Good question... I have heard some good things about something called a "diva cup" (I can't remember the webiste, but it's probably divacup.com or something like that, you can google lol). It's supposed to last 12 hours without leaks. I haven't tried it yet, but most of the reviews I've read say that it really works.

Is that for the Trad program that they said they will be notifying people next week? And do they notify different locations at different times, or will it be all at once?

I just found out I was accepted to the BSN program at the university here. It's 4 semesters. I looked up the schedule for this Fall semester and used previous semester calenders to get an idea of what the other semesters are like. 1st semester- 2 days/week lecture from 8-4:30; 1 day/week clinical from 7-4 2nd semester- 2 days/week lecture from 8-3; 2 days/week clinical from 7-3 3rd semester- 2 days/week lecture from 8-3; 2 days/week clinical, one from 7-4, the other from 7-7 (THAT's what's going to kill me, I have young kids too and no night care, and my husband will likely be deployed then) I couldn't find the classes for the 4th semester, maybe they changed the name of them or something. Like I said, this is a BSN program, so I don't know how similar the schedule is to an ASN. Hope that helps!

I just got accepted to start a 2 yr BSN program this Fall (yay!). My husband and I were originally planning on trying for another baby this year and timing it so I would be due the summer between the 1st and 2nd year. Well, I just saw how intense the schedule is for the third semester (3 eight hour days and 1 twelve hour day) and I couldn't imagine doing that with a newborn. So I was thinking that maybe we could time it so I was due early next year and I would take the spring semester off. I suspect this would delay my schooling by a semester, but I'm okay with that. But can you do that in the nursing program, or is it once you take a semester off you have to start all back over? One issue I thought of with that is that I would find out I'm pregnant before I started this Fall, would they still let me in knowing I'm pregnant? My other option is to wait until I would be due after I graduate. Logically I know that would make the best sense, but I really want my kids to be closer in age. Also, I'd like to start working soon after I graduate. Anybody have experience with this? Or know how it works if you take a semester off?

Hi, I am a nursing (BSN) student right now but I would like to get into L&D as soon as possible. What route would you recommend I take? Also is there anything I can do now to build experience? I can't become a CNA (not enough time while in school) but would it help any to volunteer with a birth center/hospital even if it's not direct patient care? Any other advice on this :)

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but what is precept? We should do clinical rotations (I just got accepted to the program, haven't started yet) so I'll ask about jobs then too. Thanks!

I've lived in the Tucson area for a few years now, and I like it here! I actually live down in Sahuarita (SW of Tucson) right now and I love it. It's especially great if you have kids as it's a very family friendly area. It's about a 30 minute drive to the UA from here. It seems kind of far, but I think it's worth it for the area.

Wow, this was a very informative thread- thanks for asking OP! I'm learning quite a bit here :)