princess_j

For the RN to BSN component there is only one clinical course. It is a 3 credit/120 hour project/preceptorship that you can do in your community (like at a home health agency/county agency type organization). That's it. I will do mine next summer.

I used Rue's materials 5 years ago for the nursing exams (i had to take 5 or 6). I found them very useful and even found some of the study guide questions to be on the test. The study guides really helped me organize what I needed to know for the test and kept me on track. I used excelsior's study guides for one test & it didn't help me at all. I think it all depends on your learning style. I got the nursing exams done in 5 months using Rue. They also had a great posting board (kind of like this one) for its customers. That helped me a lot as well. I made it through all my exams with all A's & 2 B's and I passed the CPNE on the first time (I failed one patient, but passed the rest). To pass the CPNE you just have to know what the examiners want and not do anything above or beyond or below what they want. I do not think Excelsior is a joke at all - you just have to know what they want. I found it a great (but hard) way to get my RN degree.

I have had great luck with UW so far. The instructors are great and I have learned a lot. The work is hard, but the instructors are very fair & NICE!! Even paying out of state tuition, it is cheaper than the state university I attended for my first undergrad degree.

I am half through UW's BSN program. All you need to worry about is if the college is NLN accredited. Hope this helps!

I am half through UW's online program. There have been test in all the courses I have taken, but one. Most are online, open book with a specified amt of time that you can take the exam. Some of the test are not easy, even if they are open book. I am taking stats and the exams are proctored - I go to the community college's testing center. There are just as many assignments and you are expected to participate as much if not more than if you were in the classroom. Hope this helps!!:)

Abbott has a nice campus and is pretty nurse friendly as far as i know. One of my best friends works there in the human resources and training dept and conducts the new nurse orientation and education stuff. I have another friend there who is a wound care nurse. I used to live in Minnesota, but I never worked in any of the hospitals, only nursing homes. I never had a hard time finding jobs in Minnesota. There were several times I had numerous offers at one time. Because the area isn't HUGE - it is easy to network. I used to work at Walker Methodist Nursing Home - a high acuity nursing home in the lakes area of Minneapolis - they are also nurse friendly - especially to new grads. It may be another good place to start if you are interested. Good luck!! I miss the snow. Jolene

I agree - it was good for the ADN program, but for the BSN, it seems like a lot more work than a university program. SDSU is a great school and they have a great nursing program - I had several friends go to school there. I am going through the University of Wyoming - a ok so far. I know that the CRNA programs I have looked into do not look upon this as negative either.

OK then . . . I have not received any negative feedback about my Excelsior ADN degree form the schools I have contacted. I do also have another BS from a state university. Jolene

I did the excelsior program and had absolutely no problems - in fact I have recommend it to many of my colleagues. You are right . . . you have to have the mindset to get it done. I only had to take the nursing courses (6 at the time) and I got them done in about 7 months. The CPNE went smoothe for me - I studied for about a month and I passed. The were very timely with everything. And you don't have to show up for class. There are so many resources for help now including this site. Good luck! Jolene (I am from MN too) :)

Although at the home care agency I worked at had the LPN's & RN's changing the vacs - PT's are trained to do wound care. I have worked at a facility where the PT's did hydro therapy and a type of electro therapy. They were really very good at it.

I am through with one semester in their RN/BSN program, about to begin my second semester. The tuition is SO reasonable (cheaper than my in-state tuition was at the university I attended) & the instructors have been great! It is way less expensive than U of Phoenix. If you have any ??'s PM me.

I hope to be where you are in a year. If you don't mind . . . can you tell me about your experience at TWU, interview, etc. Also, if you don't mind, how long have you worked ICU?? Thanks a bunch - pm me if you want. Again - good work - I know how hard it is to get where you are!

I moved to Plano from Minneapolis, MN - the cost of living is way less here. Plano is like the Beverly Hills of Texas. It is nice & clean with lots of great shopping & restaurants. The culture will be different than in California - I went through a huge culture shock when I moved here, but over time you get used to it. Baylor in Plano has not opened yet - I think it opens in December. Baylor downtown offers internships as does Presbyterian Dallas, Parkland & Methodist. I am doing a critical care internship at Methodist starting in Jan. I have been a nurse for 8 years, but have never worked in a hospitlal. Parkland is the county hospital - good experience, but kind of low pay.

I went to the open house at Methodist Hospital last night. I was really impressed with their internship program and I think I may have secured a position in the Jan 05 internship group in either the SICU/MICU or CCU. I really liked the case managers and actually got to meet several staff on the floor if the MICU/SICU & thought they were great. I even got to see a code (a first for me). I am going to talk more with HR today and next week and will make my final decision. I will write more when I find out more details. I'm really excited to start this new venture!

I have been a nurse for nearly 10 years and have yet to work in a hospital besides the clinicals I did in school. I am considering one of the nursing internships that the hospitals in Dallas offer for new grads & nurses who just want to change areas. Does anyone on this board work at Parkland? Do you like it? Any info you could share would be fantastic! jkae