luclmarie

I am a nursing student and I'm very interested in OR nursing. I just finished my senior practicum in the OR and I love the job. I had no problems at the beginning of the term, but for the last several weeks I have had increasingly itchy, bumpy red, excoriated patches on my forearms and hands. At first I didn't know what was causing it, but now I'm pretty certain that it's the scrub solutions I've been using in the OR. My dermatologist diagnosed it as atopic dermatitis and prescribed topical triamcinolone. Has anyone else experienced extreme allergies to products used in the OR? If so, how do you deal with it? Can allergens successfully be avoided? Is it worth pursuing a career in the OR or should I look elsewhere?

I just checked OHSU's site - they're having an information session and tour on May 21. http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/schools/school-of-nursing/admissions/visiting-campus/information-sessions.cfm

I just got my OHSU acceptance too! The problem is - I've already sent my deposit in to Walla Walla, already told my job that I'd be switching to part-time next month (Walla Walla starts in the summer), and already mentally felt set on going there. I visited the school, met some students, sat in on some classes, and felt a good vibe there. Walla Walla gave me a great financial aid package, the majority of which is grants. Most terms I'd actually wind up getting a refund! And, it's right around the corner from my house. But... OHSU is also an excellent school. It definitely has a more recognized and respected name. At this point in my life, I feel like I need to consider my future more than just "what feels right." If I move out of state after nursing school (which is highly likely), are employers and graduate schools more likely to accept a student from a school they've never heard of or one from one of the top schools in the country? So, now I'm back to trying to decide which school I should go to. Apdxstudent- I visited Linfield and I plan to visit OHSU next week. I highly recommend doing the same. Don't take someone else's advice about which school is right for you - go and see for yourself. I regret not sitting in on a class at Linfield; I would have gotten a more complete picture if I had. Linfield's cirriculum, strong focus on community health and holistic nursing more than technical skills, and the overall feeling I got from being there made me feel like it wasn't right for me. But that doesn't mean they're not an excellent school and that they aren't right for you. Visit both schools and insist that you sit in on some classes and then decide!

I didn't know about Walla Walla until I started researching nursing schools. I wonder if the fact that it is so unknown is actually going to be detrimental to me finding a job after school, especially if I leave the state. At Walla Walla, they said that they rely mainly on word-of-mouth to recruit new students. The one year that they did advertise, they got far too many applications to deal with. Honestly, before I visited, I didn't know much about it and it was my last choice. Going there and seeing the school in action really changed my mind. It seems ideal. The only possible down sides are their relative obscurity and their strong religious focus (they are a Seventh-Day Adventist school). I am not particularly religious and it seemed odd to me when the teachers started each class with a prayer. Also, there are required religion classes and "assemblies" (it sounded like these were church services). But that doesn't deter me. Overall, it seems like an excellent program.

I'm sorry I don't know much about UP myself. I'd like to hear from some UP students too. I said before that I really had my heart set on Linfield and yes, there have been some great endorsements. Thank you all for your advice. After visiting Walla Walla last Monday, however, I am seriously considering going there instead. I got such a great feeling being there, even more so than at Linfield. I sat in on a couple of classes and the instructors seemed very friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and well-organized. The students were also very friendly and eager to talk to me and tell me how much they loved their school. I liked how their clinical sites are more centralized in the Portland area instead of spread out from Ridgefield to Salem. They generally have a higher pass rate on the NCLEX than Linfield's non-accelerated programs. Also, it costs less and is much closer to my home.

Welcome to Portland! Downtown near the school is a super nice area, but it's very expensive. I live out in SE near 205. It's alot cheaper out there and it's a pretty quick commute by highway. I've found every apartment I've had here in Portland on craigslist. I'm still agonizing over my decision about where to go, but I'll most likely see you there at Linfield. Good luck finding a place! Lucy.

Thanks, OregonBSN. Your comments help alot. I'm currently a CNA and I work with a nurse who is a recent Linfield graduate. She pretty much confirmed everything you said. She did get sent to many different clinical sites, some far away, but she learned something extremely valuable from every place she went. There were some places she couldn't go because of having to coordinate child care. I don't have any children so, really, I could go anywhere, anytime. I was just whining about the prospect of a long commute, but I see that it is temporary and very worth it. She also said that because of the relatively few clinical hours in the senior practicum (compared to other schools), she felt her skills were somewhat lacking when she started working. Linfield stresses patient care and assessment skills. I'm a quick learner and I know I'll get the technical skills one way or another. Learning how to be a good nurse (care/assessment) are a huge priority for me. One more thing I'm thinking/worrying about is that I plan to go back to graduate school later and become a nurse practitioner. I was also accepted to UP and they have graduate programs (Linfield does not). I wonder if I would be more likely to get accepted into their graduate program if I did my undergrad nursing there. hmmm...

Apdxstudent, congratulations on getting into Linfield too. The student that was supposed to do the tour couldn't make it, so Mindy from the admissions office gave the tour herself. This was somewhat unfortunate because I didn't get a real student's perspective, but she was so nice to spend an hour and a half with me, showing me the whole place and even took me to some offices to get info on financial aid and health insurance. The whole complex is just two buildings, which are mostly full of offices and dorms. There aren't many classrooms at all, but that's okay because it's such a small program. The buildings seem old but the labs are incredibly up-to-date. They have all of the most high-tech equipment you could imagine. I couldn't get over how genuinely nice everyone was - and it wasn't just a fake nice as if they were only trying to sell their school. I got my first bachelor's at a small, intimate school and I much prefer that friendly, supportive atmosphere to a large, impersonal university. Some things that I'm still worried about: - The cost! Even with scholarships and loans, it's going to be difficult. I need to work at least part time for rent and food money, and I'm not sure I can fit that in with the grueling accelerated schedule. - Clinical sites: Even though the school is right next to Good Sam Hospital, that doesn't mean that your clinicals will be there. Mindy said they have many clinical sites, some as far away as Salem. That is one possible deterrent for me: I don't want to commit myself to such a long commute for more than a year. - The program itself: Looking at the names of the courses in their curriculum, it's hard to compare it with other programs. They don't have any traditionally-named courses like pharmacology or pathophysiology. It seems to be much more focused on how to care for and communicate with patients, which I agree is extremely important; I just worry that they might downplay the technical knowledge and skills that are also very important. ...but their accelerated program recently had a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX, so I'm sure they must teach you what you need to know! Hope that helps! I'm meeting with Walla Walla on Monday just to compare, but I feel like I already have my heart set on Linfield.

Hi SD22. Yep, I'm pretty sure I'm going to Linfield too, so I'll see you there. I'm actually just leaving for there right now. I'm taking a tour just to see the place and make sure I like it.

Thanks fuzzybuddyRN. Everything I hear about Linfield is great. I think I'm set on going there. I've already dropped the extra classes I would have needed for Walla Walla and UP :)

Thanks so much, OregonBSN. That's definitely a good endorsement. Even though Walla Walla is steps from my house and would be very convenient, I'm leaning towards Linfield because of their great reputation and they gave me a scholarship! I couldn't believe how much UP cost. With the scholarship, Linfield is much more affordable and it starts and ends sooner.

Yes, I just heard today. I got the package in the mail about an hour ago. I have a friend that got her accetance a few days ago. I was worried that I hadn't heard yet, but then it was there in the mail today. Seems like they're not sending them all out at once.

Last year, I applied to OHSU's accelerated program and did not get in. This year, I decided to be safe and apply to every program in the area. Also this past year, I finished my prerequisites and got some experience as a CNA. Well, that's just what I needed... So far, I've been accepted to University of Portland (Spring 2011), Walla Walla (Summer 2010), and Linfield accelerated program (Summer 2010). I'm still waiting to hear from OHSU. I didn't apply to Concordia because I had already been accepted to UofP before Concordia's application was due. Anyway, now I'm faced with the dilemma of where to go. They all want responses by May 1. I plan to visit each school before then. I would appreciate any helpful advice from former or current students in any of these programs, or if you just have any good info that would help me make the decision. Thank you!