SA6847

Rachie Roo - If you do really well on the NLN, I would say that you would have a chance. I know at least one person who had similar grades to you and got in. I would definitely apply. No, getting accepted to SW does not guarantee admission to the nursing school. MSTURN - Why do you get on every SW thread and criticize people for going to SW? We all know that you are going to U of M. Why not focus on those threads? There are several different routes to the RN and everyone has to find the one that works for them. I chose SW b/c I needed a nights and weekend program. I intend to go straight for my Master's as I already have a bachelor's. My employer paid for SW, will hire me as a nurse here, and will pay for my master's degree. This was the best route for me. One could ask you why are you going to U of M? Why would you not go to Union's accelerated 2nd degree BSN? Why not go to UT's direct entry MSN-CNL? You would have a Master's degree in 2 years? Why waste your time going to U of M for just a BSN? I realize that you are probably trying to be helpful, but having a friend in the program does not make you an authority. Criticizing people, again and again, for their choices does not add value to these discussions, either.

They were on a hiring freeze, but found funding so I think things are loosening up a bit a there. As for it being ghetto, which would not be a word a use to describe it at all, they do see a higher number of medicaid patients than other hospitals in the area. When I was there, it was mostly UT medical students and the nurses were similar to nurses at Baptist or Methodist. They do have problems with money but who wouldn't when you treat uninsured patients from Arkansas and Mississippi with zero help from those states? Their trauma and burn units are some of the best in the nation. More than one person has told me that if you work in the trauma department at the Med you will never have a problem finding a job throughout your entire career.

The NLN exam is 10% not 10 points. I got a 144 (97th percentile) on it so I had 14.4 points. I think technically you can get as much as 200, but 150ish is what they say is considered a top score (99th percentile). I had A's in all my classes.

I would say that as long as you do ok on the NLN you are in. My total points were 65.1. I know that there were many well below me that got in.

Both are in the process of applying for magnet status. St Francis is very open in telling you that they only take new grads for the Versant residency. You must have a BSN only to apply because they are trying to become magnet.

I know of new grads that got on at Methodist Germantown, Methodist South, Methodist University, Baptist, and Crittenden County Hospitals. St Francis and St Jude are BSN only due to Magnet status. Unfortunately, I also know a lot U of M, Baptist, Dyersburg, and Southwest graduates that can't find jobs either. You have to just keep trying. Good luck and know that you are not alone!

I was concerned about this as well. I have 2 degrees already so I chose to get my ADN, then bridge to a MSN. We have one hospital in my area who has said BSN's only. There are in the process of applying for magnet status. But, I have a friend who got her ADN and knew someone who worked there. Low and behold, she just started a few weeks ago!! They told her that for the very first time they can be picky and it just is one way to weed out applicants. They just switched to BSN's only in the last year, long after they started the magnet process. But, that is one hospital. I certainly can't speak about every hospital in the country. I found this link from the magnet website. http://www.nursecredentialing.org/Magnet/ProgramOverview/Magnet-Characteristics.aspx As you can see, the average for magnet institutions is at least half or slightly less than half, have a ADN or diploma degree. Also, from the ANA website - "In 2005, Associate Degree programs were 58.9% of all U.S. basic programs". Add to this the percentage the diploma programs as well. There are far more non BSN graduates out there so there is no way the majority of hospitals can say BSN only. I personally plan on getting my BSN immediately after I graduate so I just won't have to worry about it. Thank god for tuition assistance and online classes!!

Last year they graduated a total of 51 students (out of 120) with a NCLEX pass rate of 100%. I am in the 3rd semester and we have about 35 in classes (only 13 from my original group). I already know of at least 5 that will not go thru to ADH2. ADH2 should claim several more so about 25 graduating a semester sounds about right. I think the biggest complaint that you will hear is the fact that they are not consistent or organized. Things change at the last minute. Our clinical day got changed at the last minute. (When you are in a nights and weekends program, that can be a serious dealbreaker!!) We have 3 exams in 4 days. Things are on tests that aren't covered in class or on the syllabus. I have never been told to wear white only shoes to clinical. When you complain, no one cares. I think these type of situations defeat people and breed negativity. I work full time and have never been at risk for not passing. I do study and nursing school has consumed every drop of free time I get. So, it is possible.

But nursing is the only profession that discounts previous education. A person with a BS in Management, then an ADN in nursing would technically have more college hours AND have a more diverse education and background than a BSN. Oh wait, except for those handful of classes you take in an online RN-BSN program. In my area the RN-BSN program is research, health assesment, and community nursing. In my career, my diverse educational background has always been a huge plus. I ,like the person above, am in an ADN program b/c of the nights and weekend option as well. I naturally assumed my previous education would count. I would get my RN then go straight for my master's degree. I don't need another bachelor's degree. Well, what no one tells you is that there is this thing called Magnet status and that means no ADN's please!! I can't get into the MSN program unless I am working as an RN. If I had it to do again, I would have chosen the accelerated BSN program.

Tennessee has four major cities, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, and Memphis. I would recommend the Knoxville or Chattanooga areas based on your interests. Memphis is one of the most dangerous cities in the country.

Yep. They should change it to nights/weekends/days. ADH1 - Clinical orientation on a Friday, Health Fair on a Wednesday, had clinical at the Med - computer class on a Wednesday. OB - had some stuff during the day but it was optional. Mental Health - Court Observation choice of MW or F 10:00 or 1:30, class is in Collierville - have to take the HESI downtown at 12:00 on Tuesday then be back out in Collierville by 5:00 for exam Peds - observe a daycare from 7:30 - 12:30. There is a field trip that is also during the day. I am not so sure about ADH2 but I know they also do another health fair as well.

The application says that they take 120, but is actually 60 each semester. Right now, there are 41 of us. At least 6 in my class are from the LP/RN group which is completely separate from the class of 60. Like I said earlier, 15-20 of my original class have made it to the 3rd semester. (Mind you, a few left for personal reasons.) As for treating you like a baby, I won't argue with that. I work full time and even though I am in a nights/weekends program, nights and weekends mean nothing!! We are asked all the time to do things on weekdays during the day. For ADH1, we were told that we all had to be at school Friday (Labor Day weekend) for clinical orientation (my clinical day was Saturday). We had 2-3 days notice. It can be hard to take off the Friday before a holiday with 2-3 days notice!! When we complained to the instructor, she said to the whole class and I quote - "School always comes first. I do not care about your job. Time to take your pampers off and put your big girl panties on." Don't ever let anyone tell you that things get easier because it doesn't. However, it does come together and starts to make sense. My grades have been higher than they were in Foundations. In clinical, you really won't get to do too much so I wouldn't worry about not being prepared. I will say that my clinical experiences have been pleasant. They want you to try and don't expect you to know what you are doing. When you get to ADH1, the clinical mirrors the class so you are able to apply what you are learning. It made things much easier! As for the nurses, it has been hit or miss. Some nurses have been great, others not so much. Some are relieved that you are taking their patient , others want you out of the way!!

STCC took all of my classes that could be applied to a degree program (sciences, humanities, math) from my first degree 1993-1998. They are on my transcript and calculated into my GPA. I even called to get some taken off that did not apply to my nursing degree directly and was told no because at the time my transcript was evaluated, I had not been accepted into the nursing program yet. (I retook A&P and Micro at STCC so that is what she means.) As for A's or it getting better, I really don't mean to be negative, but the answer is no. OB and D&S is the only class I know that someone got an A in. A few people have gotten B's. So far, and I am in my 3rd semester, we have lost half each time (Not always b/c of failing, some dropped for personal reasons. I would say that there is ~20 of us who have moved through without having to repeat.) . I was told Mental Health is the easiest class. We had our first test last night and I bet at least half the class did not pass (me included!!)!!! At least half of my ADH1 class did not pass the class. Once you move through you only have class for 7 weeks, so that means that you have an exam every other week. The comprehensive final is 2 days from exam #3, plus the HESI. That is a lot to study in a very short time. Some sage advice: Do really well on exams 1-3, b/c from here on out you will see that the finals are impossible!!! I had 90's on all three ADH1 exams, 1100 on the HESI, then a 74 on my final. In OB I had 96 on all 3 exams, 1000 on the HESI, and an 82 on the final!! How does that happen? Simple, there were things, like drugs, on the final that we were not asked to know and that was not in the objectives!! Our Foundations teacher told us that in her 20 years of teaching, she has only known one person who got an A in ADH2. Personally, if there is not 1 single person in a class who gets an A, then something is wrong. I use the Reviews and Rationales books and love them. It simplifies everything in outline form. I also use the Saunders NCLEX review book. I don't find this to be helpful because the questions in there are way too easy. That is sad to say but true!!

I am in the exact same boat as you. I have a science degree and am pursuing my ADN. I currently work full time and chose the ADN program b/c it was the only one that offered a nights and weekends option. After looking at the RN-BSN programs in my area, it was 3 different classes - Health assesment, evidence-based practice, and community nursing - online!! Really? With all of the other stuff I have under my belt, these 3 classes matter that much?? I could see if they offered a significant amount of clinical experience, but they don't. I too plan to bypass the BSN and go straight for my MSN. I don't need another bachelor's as I have been fully educated from an outstanding university. I can pick up those super important classes on my way to my MSN. Truthfully, I never believed I would have a problem until I started reading these boards. For each person that says you have to have a BSN, there is another right behind him/her saying no you don't. For each person that says ADNs can't get jobs b/c they don't have a BSN, there are loads of ADN's telling you that they aren't having any problems. For each person that says other degrees don't count, someone else is saying yes they do!! I even read a thread where someone said that she works for a hospital that says "BSN only" and the latest group of new hires was composed mostly of ADNs!! Each region, city, hospital, floor, and hiring manager is different. Every single nurse I have talked to both socially and in my clinicals say that this is the same story that has been going back and forth for years and will continue to go back and forth for many years to come!! My ADN program has a 100% NCLEX pass rate whereas the 3 BSN programs here are at 86-90%. I think that speaks volumes, personally. Also, I have met several new grad nurses from my ADN program working at my clinical sites. I have yet to meet any new grad BSNs. I am NOT saying there aren't many out there because I am sure there are plenty, more so even. It just reinforces, to me at least, that there will be opportunities available to me when my time comes! I think you have to take the path that works best for you and just have faith that everything will work out. I would encourage you to talk with the nurses/nurse managers at your clinical sites. They will have more insight for your area. This may also help you make contacts for the future. My philosophy is and always will be - take everything you read on the internet with a grain of salt!!