lizv

well it depends. the program I am in looks at overall GPA, and if you meet the requirements, then they rate you by quality points for just the required pre-reqs...before admitting students. So you might be wasting time and money if you take other classes...unless you need to up your GPA, I would call up the school and see how they rate applicants....good luck!

It's just a warning. I went into it thinking there was so many jobs in nursing. A lot of people have that misconception. But then with the recession people go back into nursing, some put off retirement, and new grads are churned out every year. It's costly to train new grads who then just move on...its just reality, hospitals would rather hire people with experience. Just saying. We can only hope the job market gets better. well thats really a personal question you should ask yourself. I have been a caregiver for awhile. Doesn't mean I don't want to puke, turn away, and not do it. It's a part of floor nursing whether you like it or not. Colostomies, blood, bodily fluids. As a nurse you will see it. Whether in clinicals or in the future on the job. CNA's do a lot of the ADL's but that doesn't mean you won't EVER do it. You'll definitely be required in school. Bed bath's, changing dressings etc. If you can't get over being close to someone and looking at "gross" things you might be setting yourself up for failure.It's not a glamourous job by any means.

job listings are for nurses with EXPERIENCE. Look up the ad's and they will usually say. At least 1 year or 2 years experience. It's the same as you described, like a catch-22. Just type in new grad nurse job. You will see how bad it is in some areas... I believe mass (if thats where you are) is hit pretty bad too...just saying. I'm nervous for when I get out....

no problems! Any other questions, just ask! I usually come on here every couple of days when I'm bored! :)

It's easier to work out a schedule in the summer, when you get to lectures/clinicals it's much tougher to hash out a work schedule, especially the half semesters. In the summer, you will have may-june to complete the nursing skills course. If my memory serves me correct you will have lecture monday, about 3 hours from 9-12 to go over the material, right after you rush to the ETAS buiding where they post sign up sheets and you pick a time to check off (Thurs or FRI from 8-12 or something like that, it's been awhile! Can't quite remember). And then you have a sim lab assigned to you either Tues or Wed to go over the material with an instructor and practice, times were 0830-1230. And then the VERY nerve wrecking check offs which don't last long, I forgot how much time they give you to complete the check off skill, I think 15 minutes? They won't let you go over and they will tell you that, since they are so exhausted from so many student check offs lol. I'm sure they see so many nervous, trembling students fumbling around!! Also, you will have a med admin test which you have a few chances to make 10/10. You must score perfectly and they will have times for you to go in and take it. The math is NOT hard at all. They make it seem like it's calculus but it's really simple simple math questions/conversions. Don't stress at all. They give you a date you have to score perfect on or else you fail out - don't remember how many times you can take it since I got perfect my first time. It's multiple test times you can pick, outside of your lectures/sim labs. You will be so good at it by the time you get to your 1st semester. Don't worry too much guys, they will go over EVERYTHING in orientation. Just relax and enjoy your time off, maybe brush up on anatomy/physiology. Once school hits, you will be stresed the whole way through. It's tough and they make you jump through a lot of hoops, it's overwhelming the amount of material you must retain, and the 78% or higher in a class to go on, so you will be studying a lot! The material I don't find so hard to learn (not like math, physics, chem etc) it's moreso being able to retain the info and spit out signs/symptoms, drug info. It will FLY by so just RELAX before school begins! Enjoy your time off, spend it with family, friends, loved ones before the onslaught.

I actually got my CPR certification at work so I didn't have to do any CPR training. When you go in for orientation, or something...can't quite recall but they will have sign up lists for classes. You can always call the UALR Dept of nursing so they can refer you to a certain program and get a discount if you want to get it done now. Just make sure it's the Health Providers CPR, I think it's the American Heart Association. They want you to have a certain one done so don't just sign up for any CPR course or you will have to do it over again. It was chaotic because you have a lot of things to turn it, you need to purchase a handbook about the policy and procedures. They accept 200 students so they aren't as organized as I wanted them to be, and it gets confusing. You have to turn in shot records, transcripts, get your CPR, TB tests, etc. And also sign up for courses. The nursing essentials course will STRESS YOU OUT. It is basically a skills course where you learn a certain skill set (ex. catheterizing, med administration, sterile dressing, vitals, etc) And then you sign up for a spot after lecture at the ETAS building (ppl will be RUNNING FOR SPOTS! So be careful!!). At the end of the week you test with an instructor, you get 2 chances to correct yourself, and if you still mess up or didn't correct yourself, you fail. And you have ONE more chance to successfully check off - if you do not pass that you are out of the program. So stress level is high, you could be out before you even started!!! Luckily, I didn't have to check off more than once. It's actually not bad, just be sure you are well prepared, you use your time well in sim lab to practice, and ask any time you need clarification. The instructors are very nice and they try not to let you fail, but they are also strict in the procedures. I think we had around 20 or so that failed out of the nursing skills course. But each semester, students fail out and the classes get a little smaller and smaller. It's very stressful.

aww congratulations guys! I remember being in your shoes last year. The first orientation steps are a little chaotic, just remember to get everything in on time. I was scared to open the letter as well, it was such a small envelope. lol! It's a good program and I'm very happy with it so far. Good luck!

aww good luck! Also, if you're not already a UALR student, you have to apply to UALR separately and be admitted and then also apply to UALR nursing. It's a bit tedious! I'm not sure when you will need to do this...I'm not aware that the nursing dept accepts a spring class so you might want to clarify with the nursing dept first before you apply. I know UALR has like a $50 application fee, don't know how long you have until you have to reapply does that make sense? For example, you get accepted in the spring but you don't enroll in classes, I'm not sure if you have to reapply for Fall, etc. And take the HESI sooner so if you perform well, you'll get extra points on your application! I imagine you have some time to take it - they will have plenty of dates for you to pick from. :) I hope everything goes well for you!

Yeah I was surprised they have such a big group of students. They have three sites for classes though: Benton, St. Vincents and UALR. I'd suggest just apply ASAP and cross your fingers! I understand about not wanting to prolong going into school! Worst case scenario (besides not getting in =/) is that you get into the traditional route. I think your GPA is good enough to get in...unless you score very poorly on the HESI. I'd suggest making an appointment early for advising with the nursing department. Good luck!

Hi!! I am responding to your post as a UALR RN student. Just helping you out a little. :) I'm currently in the program and I just started this fall. First, if you want to get into the accelerated, you should apply EARLY, as in ASAP because i believe they only have 40 spots for accelerated and the rest are traditional students. Our class has about 200 that got accepted. about 180 currently because you have to pass a summer course and if you don't you fail. And to get into the program, it's a first come first served basis w/ the points system figured in. They keep accepting past the deadline till they have 200 students along with a waitlist. Hope I'm making sense. Based on your GPA...I think you will get in with no problems! You might even have a good chance at UAMS granted you have fulfilled their reqs. I will say my GPA is lower than that and I applied wayyy after the priority deadline (last resort, I wanted a BSN and applied UALR last minute as my "back up") and I still got accepted!! You have to have a minimum of 2.5 overall GPA. Then you are ranked on a points system based on the pre-reqs for the program. The more pre-reqs you have completed the higher your points, the higher you get rated. (points added for higher grade, points taken away for failed/ retaken courses etc). I believe they have a list of courses you must have completed prior to admission and then a couple you can take after you are accepted. They have group advising sessions and I recommend you go to one of those, before you apply u have to go in for an advising appointment anyways. Those are listed on their website. It's helpful and they will go over the points system. Also, the admissions test is the HESI EVOLVE A2 and if you score high you get added points to your overall score. (again, i don't remember the pts exactly but they will tell you in the group advising session). I think my avg was like an 86....it's math, english, anatomy, physics, chemisty, etc. The test isn't very hard. The math is like elementary math. Just study the book they tell u to get and you should be ok. I am currently able to work FT along with school. The good thing about UALR's program is the classes aren't extremely long ( i see some programs have 9-3 classes etc). If you have fulfilled all the pre-reqs then your looking at about 8-10 credits per semester. Currently I have class 2 days a week and clinical, my classes are 3 hrs (i.e 0900-1150) each and clinical is 6 hrs. I believe this changes to 12 hrs( option of two 6hr clinicals or one 12 hr clinical) once you advance on. I don't have kids or even a husband, but I know several peers have kids and are in the program. I imagine it will take a good support group, flexible schedule ( the nursing instructors don't care - its their schedule and u must abide by it) and a lot of multi-tasking to make it work but I'm sure plenty have done it so you shouldn't be the first! Hope this helped you! Good luck. Any questions just ask, I'm still pretty new to the program though. I like it so far.

congrats! I know how grueling a process it can be!

those shape ups are soo ugly. sigh. but they do seem comfortable when i tried them. better than the easy tones.

It is possible and exists at my program. I think we have to take it before our 2nd year...or something and have to have the chairperson's approval. I'm in an ADN program and just started so I haven't really looked into it. You might ask your current program and see.

how the rest of us pay for school. Loans. A lot of us aren't gifted scholarships/grants. You can take out federal loans that will pay interest if you qualify. As far as states that will pay for your education in exchange for you working for them, i'm not sure it exists? I think some hospitals have a program that exist only after you have graduated and if you commit a certain number of years to them, they'll help you pay off your loans.

Just a heads up but I tried to apply to st. kates as an out of state applicant for their nursing program. When I talked to someone there, they told me that St. Kates has this thing where you have to take all of the prereqs at their school for the nursing program. So definitely contact someone there and ask them beforehand to make sure courses from other places will transfer in. Hope this helps. :)

I am so nervous to start an ADN program right now for fear of not having a job when I graduate. I really hope for all of us it won't be much of an issue!! I already have school loans from a previous degree. =/

This book is great! I need to re-read it. :) I know a lot of med students are required to read this as well. I have a soft spot for this book because I am also Hmong.

Bachelors is a 4 year program, undergraduate. You have to have a BSN (most US programs require this, correct me if I'm wrong." Then u work in ICU for 2 years or so before you apply.

well it depends on where you want to go. In my area, Arkansas we do have a couple programs that are still accepting applications if you are willing to move to a whole new area and stomach the out of state fees If you are interested in this hick state, lol! Obviously, AR isn't a hot spot and it's not to say we don't have a lot of competition here, but if you have a decent GPA, good grades you might have a shot. I know in places like CA, there is stiff competition. But I've read that some people apply 3 or even 4 times before they get accept. Thats another year or 2 wait if the schools accept a cohort every semester.... Here in Arkansas are a few that I looked at and was thinking of applying... University of Arkansas - Fort Smith is accepting BSN applications until the 15th so get a move! You will have to apply to the school and also to the nursing school. They also offer an ADN program and accept until May 15th. But you have to take the NLN-PAX, and I'm not sure if they want you to take it here on site...which would make it difficult. I'm in Little Rock and I was going to have to drive there to take the test..but got accepted to a different school. Also, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro has a couple of ADN programs in various areas and also a BSN program where applications aren't due until June 15th. Either way, maybe you should look at surrounding states or smaller states and go ahead and apply if you really want to get in. I was so lucky I got in. I applied after the application date because I was sure I wasnt' going to get in to the BSN (too much competition, 460+ apps for 160 spots) so I applied to my ADN program and got accepted three weeks later, whew! Anyhow, good luck with your nursing applications!

this won't really answer your question but maybe you should consider applying to some not as popular, out of state programs? I applied last minute to a program ADN and got accepted because I was rejected at a BSN program. Good luck, I'm sorry to hear that

Hi thanks for the reply. I've done my own soul-searching on my decision to go into nursing. I have my own reasons and I don't need to justify them here on this board to everyone. I think we have reasons as to why we want to do something, career-wise. If we could all do what we wanted to do and not worry about job security and salary, we would all be happier. If I could sit on a corner and sell peaches and apples for a living, I would. But I would not be living a life I always thought I would, and be able to support my parents and I and any future children. Isn't the goal at the end of the day is to be able to put food on the table? Are you saying you didn't pick nursing for a salary? Job security? As I said, nursing is a lucrative field. The salary is not bad, but I'm sure you are worked like a horse, get no respect, get stepped all over work long hours etc. Therefore there IS a nursing shortage because the turnover is so high and people leave the profession. I don't expect nursing to be my career, but a stepping stone to my career. I work with nurses in a clinic, I've scribed in a hospital ER, I've volunteered at a hospital alongside nurses, I know what the work entails. It is not sexy work, and people leave nursing due to the stress and everything in between what goes with nursing. Regardless, my issue in this thread is not about my decision to go into nursing so lets not get into that, I don't need any lectures. I have thought about this to no end, and it's a personal decision. :) My issue is that I don't want to invest in something if it is unstable. Why would I major in psychology, rack up 20,000 student loans and only make 10 an hr? But like i said, there really is no telling when the economy will get better, I was hoping for some answers to make me feel better...money rules everything around us. I guess I just need to take some risks!

I live in Arkansas, my parents whisked us away due to poor job opportunities and I have been stuck here for over 8 years. I am so ready to move out, live life, and explore! I have looked around for job openings, and most hospitals in this area are only hiring RNs with ding ding ding! 1+ yrs experience. I graduated from college and by some miraculous luck, found a decent job. I like my job right now, I have a lot of autonomy, sometimes I get a lot of downtime, but there is no room for advancement. It was an entry level position so I am barely making enough money to support myself!!! After graduating, I had to relocate...I didn't know anyone, had to get a new car, etc so I was living paycheck to paycheck with $20 in the bank after bills. I don't mean to bore you guys with my situation, but my point is, monetary compensation is a major motivating reason as to why I decided to pursue nursing. I would never be able to enjoy the finer things in life (and believe me I am NOT a materialistic person) I think it's safe to say, job security and monetary compensation are BIG factors but not the only ones in deciding career paths although there are exceptions to this. Anyways, I have always had a keen interest in healthcare. I took a medical assisting course and I LOVED the little things we were able to do. Of course the scope of practice is very minimal, but I think I would love to have more hands on with procedures. Nursing is such a big field and there are so many opportunities in it that I don't think it would be a limiting field so much that I wouldn't be able to find my "niche." Ultimately, I would want to pursue an advanced degree in the future. I don't think I would be too picky in specialty, with experience I can choosy. I would just avoid LTC at all costs. I was a CNA for a short bit, loved socializing with the residents. But I hated the nurses/cnas, the system, the environment. I would never put my parents in such a place and hope I never step foot in a nursing home again. I am single, no kids, none anytime soon (this i am sure lol), not getting any younger so I do not want to delay any more time in my education and career. I am 24, almost 25 and I would like to have kids one day. If I delay this, I am sure I would never find the time to go back to school... I think a lot of people have preconceived notions that RNs don't ever have problems finding jobs because of this professed "nursing shortage" we always hear about, which makes nursing such a lucrative career choice. I myself didn't think it would be a problem but when I hopped onto the boards, so many were having a tough time and that is definitely worrisome. I just didn't want to make the wrong choice, rack up on even more student loans just to graduate and be jobless, it would be devastating! I guess there is really no way to be able to tell for sure if this is the right decision to make, I was hoping to get some of my fears cast aside, but I know that no one can tell for sure if the job market will improve. Heck, a lot of college graduates are having a tough time period! I hope for everyone the economy improves. Good luck to us all and thanks for the replies! :)

Hi all. I know this has been discussed so much recently on the hiring freeze of new grad RN's due to the struggling economy, budget cuts, etc. I already hold a BA in Biology and have a job in which I consider to be very stable and secure. I am contemplating returning to school to become an RN. I am unhappy at my current job, I do not see it as a career, I want to be able to make more $$, and there are so much more opportunities in the field of nursing. Long story short, I applied to a couple BSN, ADN nursing programs in my area and got accepted into an ADN program. I decided to go back to school because I thought that as an RN, there would be so much more job opportunities, I would be able to relocate easily, find jobs w/o any issues etc. When I started reading all these threads, MANY new RN grads are having a tough time finding jobs and they graduated LAST YEAR! And that has me worried. We all have bills that will not go away on their own. Is now the right time to even go back to school if I am not guaranteed a job? I already have school loans amassed. Does anyone think by the time i graduate in 2-3 years, job scarcity won't be an issue and again we'll see RN's getting signing bonuses again? I know new RN's face the challenge of getting experience, but no one wants to hire them because they have no experience. Such a headache!!

I applied for Fall 2010 at U of M- TC, don't think i'll get in but am hopeful anyways. They sent me an email to my u of m email and said that there were so many applicants it will be at the end of April before they make decisions. Also said they will notify you via the email you provided in the application on their decision so I don't think they are sending out letters... Good luck!

awww good luck! They called me last week and told me they are selecting their last round of applicants, so I'm sure you should find out soon! ag.wade! Maybe I'll see you around if I do go. I'm waiting on a couple of other places, I'd rather get my BSN...but as of right now UALR is it! My email is ednvang (at) gmail (dot) com. I'm excited for what is to come, but also a bit nervous. I applied to nursing school on a whim...I hope its not too stressful and I end up loving it...