cbacheld

Hi BRP RN, I recently moved from Chicago to Austin, so before moving I looked into the Versant program. I've been selected for the October cohort (and got the offer about a month ago - so I bet if their open spots aren't filled yet, they will be soon). The number one thing I can tell you is to go to the open house (to really have a good chance you have have have to go). This is where most connections are made. You meet nurse managers on the floors and get their contact information at that time and can set up shadowing on the unit you're interested in. I will say that you have to be a bit aggresive (I'm not sure if this is the right word, but sometimes the managers have 5 prospective employees talking to them at once). Most of all, make the managers remember you, find out what sets you apart from everyone else there. You also have to be persistent. If you can, make contact with a specific person in HR. Follow up with them frequently and find out what you can do to make yourself most desirable for Seton (I made a trip to Austin and set up an appointment to talk about the program with someone in HR about the program, and I had them go through my resume with me). Not to discourage you, but I think in June they had 1200 applicants and took 120. So you have to make yourself memorable, valuable, and different from everyone else. Especially for out of town applicants. Volunteer experience, experience in any health care setting, or if you're a recent grad (like I was) talk about your clinical experience. A lot of the hospitals in Chicago have great reputations, let them know if you spent time in them. These are the things you should focus on telling the managers in the open house. I made contact with my hiring manager at the open house, and emailed her shortly after to say "nice meeting you" kind of thing. We set up a time for me to come shadow, I met other nurses on the unit, and had an opportunity to speak with them privately about what the job entails. After that, I continued to remain in contact with the hiring manager (we talked at length a few times), and eventually got the offer (in the beginning of Sept). Also, if there's a specific unit you want to be on, don't give up - I wanted ICU and even though I was told it would be almost impossible as a new nurse applying to the Versant program to get ICU - but I did. I know how discouraging the application process can be, but it's possible. Be confident and persistent...it'll be worth it. :)

Hi there, I moved from Chicago to Austin about a month ago. I graduated with my master's in nursing from DePaul in June, and have yet to find a job. I've been talking with a nurse manager from Seton and St David's but have yet to get an offer. One thing I will tell you is that when I talk to nurse managers and they see I did most clinicals and my internship at Northwestern, they ask me WHY I would have ever left (this has been annoying). On the other hand, Austin is great. But if you're primary focus is on your career, Chicago has more options for you. I wish I would have researched this more before I moved as most of my classmates in Chicago have jobs already. hope this helps!

I would also apply to UIC and DePaul's MENP programs. It took me 3 years to get into nursing school in chicago. I had an undergraduate degree in Chemistry (much lower GPA - a 2.75), volunteer work in hospice, and 4 years experience working at a doctor's office. With excellent recommendations and GRE scores, I got into DePaul's program and graduate in June. Don't let anyone tell you your GPA is too low. Be confident...you have excellent and diverse experience, and for many, that is just as valuable as a 4.0. If you really want to go to nursing school, it will happen (I am a perfect example). With that being said, Rush and UIC seem to be a bit more particular with their applicants related to their GPAs. If the counselor sounded positive...that's a good sign, but it's never a bad idea to have a couple of back-ups. Best of luck!! You can do it!!