bella8

Hi everyone! Nursing is my second major (former is psychology), I switched my major with the sole reason of going into psychiatric nursing...and I can't lie the money/job security was also a contributing factor. I worked incredibly hard through the pre-nursing classes to get into my nursing program,and have not started classes yet. However, after hearing what the program entails and looking through the skills that we are required to learn in our clinical skills checklist (a good 60 med/surg skills and maybe 10 psych skills?) my intuition is screaming that this was a wrong decision (figures it would kick in once I made it in my program). However, I have heard that psych nursing is nothing like nursing on any of the other speciality units; this is actually what I like about it! Is this true? When I think about walking around a hospital, passing meds, and doing vitals everyday (yes, I know nurses do much more; i'm just generalizing) for the next 30+ years it makes me cringe. I don't want to change dressings, and hook my patients up to an IVs. My psych rotation isn't for another year, so would anyone be kind enough to tell me what being a psych nurse is REALLY all about? I know psych is where I really hope to end up, so I really hope I didn't chose the wrong major! Thanks everyone!

There's no need to apologize you probably had no idea what you were getting yourself into by asking. And mrsrlg is right, maybe the OP hasn't heard any of this before.

Thank you hearsheis, my thoughts exactly! Talk about opening a can of worms! I was staying out of it, it seems this exact discussion regarding Baker's accreditation surfaces every few months.

I took all of my prereqs at Baker (Clinton Twp), I dont know how much you know about their application/ranking process, so I just going to assume you don't know anything (better safe, than sorry). For their ranking of nursing applicants they give you points based on your science gpa (x2), gen ed gpa, transfer credits, and retaking classes. If I tried to explain it entirely I would probably confuse you...a lot. I hope this link works, go here and click on the "click here" for addition program info and the ranking explanation begins on page 5 ("Criteria I-V") https://carina.baker.edu/MSTSTPO?DLV=U&LOCNO=20005&DIV=HHSP&DEG=ADN&CON=NUR&CVER=2010A&VER=2010A&DIVTTL=Associate%20Degree%20in%20Nursing&PGMTTL=Nursing&PGMTTL1=&OFRTTL=THIS%20PROGRAM%20IS%20OFFERED%20AT%20THE%20FOLLOWING%20BAKER%20COLLEGE%20CAMPUS%20SITE%3A&CMPOFR=Clinton%20Township&DEPT=ACD Our campus used to rank applicants out of 24 pts, but they are switching the enterance exam from the NET to the Kaplan, so I believe it will be out of 27 points. The program is HIGHLY competative, as it is everywhere else. I really like Baker, however, I just found out I got into their program yesterday, so I am in no position to have any issue with them. As for med terminology, I never took it and I had no issue with A&P; I actually enjoyed both A&P I&II, the hardest classes for me were Micro and Patho I think. I hope I helped a little bit!

Hi nursestyle1! I pulled these off my rotation schedule, it's a lot easier to understand than off the program class list that has the nursing class mixed in with the prereqs. Here ya go! PROGRAM REQUISITE COURSES ENG 101 COMPOSITION I 04 ENG 102 COMPOSITION II 04 HSC 103 HUMAN BODY-HOLISTIC 04 HSC 207 NURSING PHARMACOLOGY 04 INF 112 WORD PROCESSING 02 INF 121 INTRO TO WINDOWS 02 MTH 111 INTRODUCTORY ALGEBRA 04 PSY 111 GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 04 SCI 101C HUMAN ANAT & PHYS I 05 SCI 102C HUMAN ANAT & PHYS II 05 SCI 211 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY 04 SCI 220A MICROBIOLOGY 05

hi everyone! i thought we could do a thread for all the people that got accepted into a nursing program for the 2010-2011 school year. i think we all deserve a massive pat on the back for getting into a program in such a competative field! so maybe everyone could just give a little info... name of school starting date possible nursing specialty (if you know it) i guess i should go first! baker college clinton twp fall 2010 i want to be psych nurse congrats to everyone in advance! :stdnrsrck:

I got accepted too!!! I'm sooo incredibly relieved and happy! :anpom:

Thanks for checking LauJen! I wish you could have squeezed the cut off information from them, lol!

Yeah, same with us...I'm from Baker of Clinton Twp. I'm actually really jealous, I'm ANXIOUSLY awaiting our letters! lol

Well it was half to do with her being angry that so much money was wasted on psych courses that are completely useless now, not to mention that I am the 3rd child out of 3 that changed their major after much money was spent..it's kinda a family thing i guess haha! And the other half..to make a long story short, she had also she's been doing this for a long time so I guess she's pretty much sick of her job, but that also has to do with the fact that she completely over works herself..moral of the story, don't burn yourself out otherwise you will end up hating your job!

No, no I don't work there as well, just a nursing student for now! Oh, what does your daughter do, is she a nurse as well? As for my mom, she was dead set against me switching my major to nursing, so she's really no help at all. But, I'm getting along and figuring it out on my own!

Hey blue_eyed_mommy! I have actually never taken the kaplan, so you're going to have to let me know how it is! I'm at Baker Clinton Twp. I took the NET back in April which wasn't horrible, but it wasn't easy either..sorry that's not much help, but it really is the truth! It's just so nerve racking either way! Our campus is switching over to the kaplan in the fall though, but I really hope I won't need to take it! I'm not very good at standardized tests. I mean, I worked my butt off for a perfect rank, I think I deserve a spot! *fingers crossed*

When I was researching a new major I looked into getting a masters in psych too, but all the programs were outrageously competative and a majority were bachelors to doctorate with no choice to stop at masters, which i thought was strange. I remember asking Wayne State their info, they sent me their stats and it was something outrageous like 180+ apply and 9 get in with an average of 2 graduating..after that I definitely knew I was going to go with nursing. My mom hated when they switched from Bon Secours, I don't really know why though hmmmm... She does nursing for pretty much everything on that floor, including L&D, nursery (her fav), and peds but she works midnights so it's probably slow for her no matter what haha I don't know how many they deliever a week, but i have heard her say anywhere from 4 (on a really slow day) to 9+ when she calls to check before going in They do have this amazing OB at Beaumont that I love, she called me up out of the blue when I decided to switch my major..apparently my mom gave her my number and told her to call me and talk me out of it because of all the wasted money on classes, but she ended up siding with me and offered to write me a letter of recommendation. My mom needed someone to talk her off the ledge after that one haha!

Yeah that is true, they're only accredited by Michigan not nationally, I wish they would just hire the teachers and get accredited by the NLN if that really is the only thing holding them back, but I figured I'm probably never leaving Michigan so I should be alright...hopefully! My mom is Labor and Delivery RN she works at Beaumont Grosse Pointe which is really close, i think! Well when i started college I was a psych major, the only reason I switched is because I must of hit an academic advisor on a bad day..they basically told me good luck finding a job with a psych degree in this economy, so I researched and switched my major the next week. Long story short, I wanted to stay in that field, so I hope to be a psychiatric nurse, which I have heard from many people is in high demand so I'm hoping they're right!

I totally agree with everything happens for a reason, I mean that high of a cut off has never happened before so there's evidence right there; especially if MCC is where you really wanted to be! I originally was going for their program a few years ago, but I couldn't last more than a semester, I just didn't like it there. Do you know what you want your specialty to be? Oh I think I know who you're talking about! The adminastative secretary? She is incredibably nice, we have had a couple good talks when I applied for my NET and turned in my application. I don't think people talk to her like a normal person, since they assume she's in a position of power, but she's really not. I didn't think she was allowed to give out any information, so I never asked! Not too smart, since it never hurts to ask, right? This anticipation is killing me more than anything, I don't know why it takes them two months to give us a response!