StrawberryVanilla

I'm currently taking my nursing pre-reqs at CCRI, going 3/4 time. I'm on my second semester and I'll be taking anatomy and a few other things, mainly because when I registered last semester it was too late to get into any anatomy class. What I am wondering is, is it possible to get a waiver or something so I can take physiology and microbiology at the same time, next semester? Otherwise I'll have to take micro over the summer, and that means I won't be able to apply to the nursing program cause I won't have my grade in time (as far as I can tell). I know taking both together would be difficult but I'd prefer it to adding more time to my degree. Anyone know if this is possible or even sane to consider?

Hey all, I was wondering if any of the ladies here wear scrub dresses ever, instead of pants? Are they acceptable uniform at hospitals/ltc facilities? I'm asking because I was a CNA until very recently, and I always got so incredibly hot in scrub top & pants. And that was doing home care... I think running around a hospital, I would be sweating profusely all the time, yuck. I also just prefer the freedom of movement that dresses give me. I figure with opaque tights a scrub dress would be comfy and the knee length would be long enough to not have to worry about bending over, etc. I rarely see dresses in practice though! I actually just had to edit this cause I thought I had one example, but I was wrong, the dresses were just for the pinning ceremony. So I've literally never seen them in practice. Any thoughts or wearers out there? Would it be thought of as *weird* to wear them in most places?

Thanks for responding :) I've completed one other class (a simple elective) and am currently working on three more of the pre-reqs (I literally just got started). I'm glad to hear that Micro was do-able for you over a summer term! That gives me hope that I can handle Anatomy without losing my mind or getting a D or something Was it an intense amount of studying over the summer, like a few hours every night type thing? I've heard conflicting reports on doing the sciences over the summer, some people have said they have to study a lot every night and others have said it's not quite that much.

Hi, is anyone else planning on taking a science class over the summer session? I'm seriously considering taking Anatomy, but I have heard scary things about doing so. The thing is, I really think I *HAVE* to. I had a spring start and was unable to get into Anatomy because the classes were all full. If I don't take it over this summer, it will set my entire schooling plan back by several semesters (one semester to take a lone Microbiology class, and then at least one more to be able to get into the nursing program once all my grades are in). Also, I absolutely need financial aid to be able to afford school, but taking only one class won't allow me to get any (I'd have to be going at least half-time). Obviously this would be a problem when it came time to take Microbiology by itself. Any advice about taking a science over the summer? Has anyone actually done it, and if so did you get good grades? How much study time did you require, and how often did you have class? I currently am doing well in school, and I am married but have no children so I do have time to study and stuff. Thanks in advance for advice, I am majorly worried about this!

Geez. I don't get why this would offend anyone. Of course, it would be terrible for someone to claim they are an actual NURSE if they aren't yet. But to say you're a nursing student when you're doing pre-reqs? So what? Depending on the school, you may officially be in the nursing major while doing pre-reqs anyway. I think it's an awfully elitist thing to get mad about. No one begrudges my sister for saying she's a chemistry student, even though she is currently only taking one 200-level chemistry class along with gen eds. Still, she is a chemistry student! So why shouldn't a nursing student say s/he is a nursing student? For example, I am taking pre-reqs, but I'm also taking classes that are particular to the nursing major. Again I will say this is a silly, elitist thing to complain about. There's no reason why every nursing student ought to walk on tiptoes to make sure we don't offend nursing students who are a bit futher along! Talk about making the newbies feel unwelcome

Edit: woooops didn't notice this thread was over a year old! Sorry everyone, it's been a long night Hi all, could someone please tell me how many days per week the anatomy classes meet for, and for how long each day? I'm trying to plan out my pre-reqs and I'm not sure how many classes I should take along with anatomy. I'm currently doing three classes at once but anatomy sounds so intense, and I don't want to be in school 6 days a week. I'm looking at the course descriptions and it looks like it meets three times a week?! Geez that is going to make it hard to plan my other classes if so! Thanks in advance for any info someone can give me :)

I am getting ready to start college in January. I have tons of prereqs to do but thanks to a big stroke of luck I'll be able to go full-time, which I thought would be impossible! I've wanted to be a nurse since I was a kid; my mom was a nurse in the Vietnam war and I have been so inspired by her. I've spent the last several years dreaming and planning for my nursing degree and waiting to be able to achieve it. Buuuuut, despite all that... I still don't feel quite sure that this is what I should be doing! Sometimes I think I'm too shy to be a nurse, and sometimes I think the classes and clinicals will just plain be too hard. Other times I feel like I won't be able to handle the responsibility. And yet other times I feel like I should just get a different degree, even though that is not where my heart lies. Are any of you other students feeling like this? Anyone else totally want to be a nurse, but totally feeling unsure all at the same time? I would really appreciate any advice, opinions, or encouragement, thanks!

I have a question for anyone in this thread who would be kind enough to answer :) I am just starting my schooling to get a nursing degree, and I was wondering- is the job market only this difficult if one wants to get into a hospital job? I'm wondering because I've worked at a hospital in the past (I'm a CNA but have been doing one-on-one long-term care now for ages), and to be honest, when I get my RN... I don't want to work at the hospital. I'd be really happy working in LTC or in a doctor's office or school. Is the nursing job market easier in those areas? I'm concerned now cause if it's this hard all across the board, wow!... I'll be really discouraged. It took tons of sacrifice and finagling with grants/loans/time to even be able to attend college at all, and I'd hate to think it is going to be for nothing!

Thanks for responding everyone! I do work as a CNA, doing private home care/companion work for the same patient, since 2002. I absolutely love the job but I would like to do more technical healthcare work (as opposed to the support work of being a CNA). I know I would definitely like to be a nurse, but time and finances are against me right now My husband and I could handle having limited income for awhile, but definitely not for the length of time it'd take me to get through CCRI's whole program, including all the pre-reqs. If anyone has managed to handle a similar situation I'd love to hear some more advice :)

bummer. I think I may have to give up my plans to become a nurse, at least for right now. I just can't figure out how to have enough time and enough money *sigh*

Does anyone know of any LPN classes located in Rhode Island, that is *not* through CCRI? I don't want to go all the way to getting a bachelor's degree right now, but they have so darn many pre-requisites that I might as well if I go there. I was hoping to find someplace that has a more streamlined LPN program that will not cost me quite as much time and money. I am working on limited time since I really can't afford to work only part time for 2 years or more. I checked out Diman in Massachusetts, but a) it seems their admissions are closed til 2011, and b) they're a bit too far out for me, since I live in Wakefield. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hello, I have a question for everyone. Is it reasonably possible to hold a job while getting your LVN or Associates RN? Or is it just asking to fail/get burnt out? I'm 31 years old, and really REALLY wanting to become a nurse. But, my husband and I can't survive on only one income because he doesn't make a lot of money. I brought up my desire to work part-time while going to nursing school to my mom (former RN) and an acquaintance who is getting her RN, and they both shook their head and told me it's not "do-able". My mother says the classes are way too hard and take up way too much time. Does anyone have good advice here? Would it be easier if I became an LVN and waited to go on to being an RN? I really am desperate to start this career I've wanted for so long, and now I am really discouraged cause I don't see a way of doing it if I have to completely give up work for a year or more