Annabelle57

I went into nursing school dead set on doing maternity/L&D nursing... and then I did a clinical rotation on a burn/trauma step-down unit and fell in love with it. I'm now working there as a brand-new RN, and I wouldn't go anywhere else. I cried during the first few debridements I ever had to do, but now I know that my patients need as much compassion, quality care, and good pain meds as I can give them! It's what keeps me coming back each shift.

I believe I've seen another poster call that the "Croc stop". I can't tell you how many times I have tripped over my own feet wearing my Crocs - I thought it was just me until I watched two other RNs do the same during the same shift. I haven't caused myself any serious injury, other than maybe some mild embarrassment, but I may have just been lucky enough not to have a serious fall. I recently purchased a pair of Dansko clogs - no tripping anymore. Not as comfy as my Crocs, but no tripping...

There were definitely parts of NS that made me want to scream: incompetent instructors, the general lack of sleep and lack of social life, the post-exam autopsies after every test ("What did you put on #3? #16?"), the constant juggling act. It was hard, no doubt. And I went to school with a bunch of type-A personalities (just like myself), and the pressure was sometimes unbearable: everyone had to be the best. However, as a recent grad, I can say with all certainty that it was all worth it. Being excited about my career is something I wouldn't trade for anything. Plus, I'm not worried anymore about not making rent - much more peace of mind!

The ones that kill me are bonfires and turkey fryers. Always seems to include some drunk/high guys with daredevil complexes. "Yeah, I can jump over the bonfire!"

Oh, in laws! Augh! Tell him you have no problem with it, and that he's made it clear he does, so he needs to move on. You're providing for your family and doing what you love best, which is the best thing you can do. Why I love my nights: I am most definitely a night owl! Maybe it's a psychological thing, but going to sleep at 8:30-9am and waking up at 3pm seems indulgent and restful, whereas going to sleep at 9:30-10pm and waking up at 5am makes me want to open a vein. Plus, I feel a little bit of pride: while my patients sleep, I am working vigilantly to keep them okay. The world slumbers, and I stay on the night watch. I also greatly appreciate having my days free, especially when trying to schedule doctor's appts and family stuff. I usually work weekend nights - a perfect schedule for me. Plus, you can't beat the shift differential. You mean I can get paid more AND I get to stay up all night? Hallelujah!

We get a lot of tib/fib fractures on our floor, and I often heard my preceptor say that the patient fractured his "tibula and fibula". I bit my tongue many times to keep from correcting her... My other peeve (not nursing related) is when people order an "expresso". This is why I would never, ever succeed as a Starbucks employee! I always want to correct them, tell them that no, it is not fast coffee, it is espresso.

During pre-reqs, I did full-time (40 hours/wk) work, then when I started my accelerated BSN, I went to 12-24 hours a week, plus as many shifts as I can squeeze in during breaks/holidays. Generally, I do 1-2 days per week plus one weekend (Saturday and Sunday) per month, all 7am-7pm. It works out to about 7-8 shifts a month. I know other students who don't work at all... and still other students who work 2-3 shifts a week, often during the night shift.

UF's NNP program is also all online, too: classes online, clinicals arranged wherever you are.

Be careful with the Metrowest area - nice homes, but it's right up against some not-so-hot areas, and crime has gone up significantly in that area. Many of my friends who used to live there have moved away to other areas because they no longer felt safe, and the quality of the neighborhood has gone significantly downhill, though I'm sure there must be pockets of nice in there. Which campus of Florida Hospital will your hubby work at? There are LOTS of nice, SAFE areas around Orlando - although I suppose no place carries a 100% guarantee! Are you hoping for more suburban/urban areas, or looking for a rural setting? Good luck with the move!

Excellent point, and I hope I didn't sound like I meant that money should never be considered. It definitely should no matter what you do! Not considering money would be just as ridiculous and impractical as having it your sole motivator (and I mean SOLE). I think I've just talked with too many people who don't know a thing about the profession and just decide to go for it because it pays the best... it was a personal angle, and one written on less than 3 hours sleep. Didn't mean to sound all Oprah-ish!

I can think of one big reason NOT to be a CRNA that I've heard from countless (and wise) CRNA's: if you're in it solely for the money. I can't tell you how many of my nursing school classmates were intent on becoming CRNA's - before ever completing their first undergrad clinical - because it would make them "mad cash". Thankfully, those numbers declined as we headed towards graduation... I'm keeping NA school in mind for the future, but only after I've spent enough time around CRNAs to determine if it's what I would love - no amount of money is compensation enough for me for a job I cannot stand or isn't a good match for my abilities! (I've had enough of those jobs in the past...)

Well, thanks for the props everyone! To answer an earlier question: no, not my baby in my avatar - it's a stock photo I found online somewhere and loved. Regarding study groups: I used to *loathe* them until I hit nursing school. They always ended up being more socializing than anything else. Now, when I go to my study group, we might "catch up" for a few minutes, but then we quiz each other, teach each other, and help each other memorize for the next several hours. With my nursing program, it seems that the slackers are few and far between, and they're pretty easy to spot because you spend SOOO much time together in classes, clinicals, etc. And what carolinapooh says is SO important, too: take time to enjoy yourself! It's so easy to get all type-A and forget to relax now and then. I made the mistake of not doing that during my first semester and almost went crazy from the stress. I've also found it's so easy to lose contact with friends not in the program with you, including family. I have to schedule some regular Starbucks/shopping/beach time with friends!

First of all, congratulations on starting nursing school soon! It's a wild ride, but a worthwhile one. I'm currently in an accelerated BSN program - I graduate in August (mine was a May starter, too). I know every program is different, but here are my best words of advice: 1. Study groups are such a huge help! I found two other girls who are good students and hard workers, and my exam grades are consistently higher when I study with them vs. studying on my own. Plus, they are two of my closest friends now 2. Voice recorders, if your school allows them, are also huge helps - I pick up "hidden" exam questions when I listen to lectures over again, and it helps me to learn the material overall. 3. Have a good support system in place, both emotionally and financially. There will definitely be times that test your strength, and it's good to know that the tuition can be paid... and that you have people who are rooting for you and providing emotional support. 4. Study your material every day - really helps reduce the "cram" factor when exams come around. 5. A good organizer/planner, preferably one you can see a month at a time (over a page or two), is a huge help - helps you to see what is coming up, what needs to be priority now, etc. Also, a rolling backpack helps save your back! Those books are HEAVY. 6. Since getting into our program was so competitive, every student was accustomed to being the top of their class. There's an intense drive among the students to be "the best", which means that we can be some of the best students... and also the most neurotic. Other students in ABSN programs have experienced this, and you may or may not, but if you have perfectionistic tendencies like I do, just remember: aim high and do your best, but don't make yourself crazy. 7. Have an open mind when you go into your clinicals! You may find an area you never expected to enjoy become your favorite. 8. Finally, take care of yourself as much as possible: intense programs like these can make your health take the back burner, but it's important to eat well and take care of your body. I find that when I make time to get SOME kind of exercise and eat fresh foods (versus vending machine fare), I feel better, and I learn better, too. Hope this helps! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions - good luck! A

I agree with the above posters - don't listen to the naysayers! You will make a fantastic MD with your nursing background. Not that you don't have our support, but there is a forum for pre-med/med students at the Student Doctor forums at: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/ Do a little searching, and there are lots and lots of people who made the switch from nursing to medicine - a friendly bunch, on the whole. I haven't seen too many RN-to-MDs on this forum (at least not ones who have already completed the process) but there are many on those forums. Many started "later" in life, many did it while raising children, many did it on limited resources and less than perfect 4.0 GPAs. I hope this helps! Best of luck to you - following your dream is ALWAYS worth it (for everyone involved, too).

To NurseCadet: Just wanted to say: LOVE your avatar. Every time I see a post from you, I smile - I love the dance! :)

Girl, you are my HERO. Congratulations! Losing over 100 pounds is no easy feat - what an amazing, strong person you are! I just started Core myself, and I hope I can have the same success and persistance. See you at the finish line

Just adding my name to the list! I'm a UCF student finishing up my first semester in Orlando. Best to you all!

Great thread and great responses! I'll concur with a lot of previous posters: the "wrong" reasons would include doing it solely for the money and doing it because it was someone else's decision and not yours (e.g. my family expects it of me). I don't think it's horrible to go into it for the money, but priorities seem skewed to me for people who go into it ONLY for the money. Personally, I'm elated to be making $45K/yr to start! But it's not my primary motivation. Like Tweety mentioned, I would have probably been weeded out in school (disclaimer: I am not a toad. Promise.) if that were the case. I think compassion is a prerequisite - you have to care. It's okay if you're more of an "adult" person than a "kid" person or vice versa, it's okay that the smell of poop makes you want to vomit (though you'll probably get over that REAL fast), it's okay if you only want to work with babies , it's okay if you want a career where you get to wear scrubs, and it's okay if you would rather have less patient contact and more research. But you have to have that heart, because you need it in EVERY area of nursing. If that's not there, there isn't any "good" reason that can trump that. Ribbit.

Ugh... GROSS. Where I work as a CNA, hand hygiene (and the enforcement of it) is a pretty big thing, and at least on the m/b floor I'm on, I've never had a problem with other staff not utilizing proper hand hygiene (I'm borderline OCD about it myself ). I did use to work on a med/surg floor where a few of the staff wouldn't routinely wear protective gear other than gloves, like going into a contact isolation room without the gown (and leaning all over the patient, who had MRSA or scabies or whatever). Ugh. My suggestion would be to talk to whomever is in charge - not sure who that is where you work, but our first line of contact would be the asst RN mgr on our floor, then the nursing supervisor, and so on. Are there any other staff members who have expressed the same concern? Encourage them to say something as well (that whole strength-in-numbers thing). Good luck!

Congratulations! You'll be a great NICU addition. Out of curiosity, how was the senior rotation in NICU? Final semester will be here soon, and I'm hoping to do my preceptorship in the NICU. I'd love to hear how you felt as a student intern there and the sorts of learning experiences you had... Again, best wishes! When do you start? A

Most of our clinicals this semester (2 of the 3) had a skills checkoff attached with them: you demonstrated the proper steps, from memory, of a certain basic nursing skill like NG tube insertion, central line dressing change, foley insertion, and the different parts of a body system assessment (neuro, CV, resp, etc). For the practical skills, you had three opportunities (with rotating faculty members so to ensure no one was failing you out of spite) to pass, each on separate days. Only a few people ever made it to attempt #3, and most of the time, they pass. For the systems assessments, there was only ONE attempt at that, but I understand everyone passed that, too. However, failing either one of the skills checkoffs meant you failed the course. During checkoffs, faculty would prompt you somewhat - enough so that the people who studied hard but just had awful nerves were able to remember, but not enough to hold hands for people who just weren't prepared.

Nurses wear navy blue, royal blue, or white scrubs - there doesn't seem to be any problem with mixing, either, since some RNs will wear the all-white scrubs with a navy jacket, for example. Techs wear burgundy or teal - same deal with mixing colors there, too, though I never see any of them mixing it up. Respiratory and lift team are generally in black, or black with khaki pants. Housekeeping wears a very distinct green pant and flowery top uniform - I think they are technically scrubs, but the sleeves are a little puffier, and they never, ever get called "nurse", at least not since I've been there. I'm switching to a mother/baby unit in a brand-new hospital in our network in a few weeks, and there, they all wear either brick red, khaki, or a latte brown. RNs can also wear all white if they want, though that's never been a popular option. No mixing allowed, and you can get the hospital logo embroidered on the top (which actually looks kinda cute). The brick red color is a flattering one to me, so I'm fine with it, and since it's a brand-new hospital, it's very hotel-looking, and all the colors inside are coordinated, so the scrubs actually match a lot of the decor (don't worry: red is an accent, not a main, color). And I suppose blood stains won't be a problem if I'm wearing all red, right? I've never been a fan of printed scrubs - I have yet to see a pattern that doesn't look completely garish and tacky to me. I do like solid colors with contrasting trim - I think that looks smarter and more professional, but that's just my two cents.

Congratulations on getting into the program! Are you at USF? I'm in an accelerated BSN program, too, and I work one shift a week at the hospital as a tech. We self-schedule at work, and I'm pool/PRN status, so I just make sure to not schedule myself during crunch times. Plus, if I'm scheduled for a shift and can't do it, there's usually another tech willing to pick up an extra shift. Working PRN is the best option if you can't quit work entirely. Just make sure not to schedule yourself too much and you should be okay.

Hi! :welcome: So far, we're all doing okay. The program has its ups and downs, but generally, I feel good about it. We do have some awesome, super-organized professors who are passionate about what they teach and have contagious enthusiasm. So far, the workload has not been more than any of us can handle, though I think there are some students who thought they could coast through and are finding out that they can't. Just to let you know: there is a lot of community nursing. A lot. They told us next year's class (class of '08) will be the last group to do community nursing, and then they are going into an acute-care focus with more time in the hospital, I hope. But for now, it's a lot of time in health clinics, LTCs, developmental centers, etc. It's not as bad as some say - I'm actually enjoying working with the general public, so it's just fine for me. It also depends on which CNC (community nursing center) you choose - this year's choices were Winter Park, Sanford, Casselberry, Bithlo, and Pine Hills. There's a different instructor at each one, and each one does things a little differently, though there are certain assignments and experiences that are universal to all the CNCs. There are about 5 guys in the program (out of 50 or so students), and I know they want to encourage more males to apply, though their admission criteria do not bias by gender (meaning you gotta have the GPA) no matter how many guys they want to have in the program. Hope this helps! My best advice would be to keep the grades way up, and when you start the program, be super-organized and on top of things, and you should be just fine. Like I mentioned, it has its ups and downs like every program out there, but you get in and out in 14 months, so even if you didn't like it too much, it's not that long! Good luck!

My class just started, and of the 60 that accepted, 7 never showed up and 2 dropped after the first week - $$$ issues, I think, but I don't know for sure. We're in a highly competitive accel BSN program, so the hardest part, it seemed, was getting accepted. I can't predict anything for our class, but for the classes that preceded ours, the main reasons people didn't make it to graduation were: --Voluntarily decided nursing wasn't for them --Cheated in some way (plagiarism was the biggie) --Financial problems --Tried to work more than 20 hours per week plus school --Didn't study/do the work The faculty at our school WANT us to succeed, and if you tried and studied hard, even if you were a slow learner or struggling but making an honest effort, the degree was yours. That's our school, anyway - I've heard of other schools weeding out people and not giving much grace for those who were slow on the uptake. Plus, the competition was so high coming in that most of my classmates are extremely bright, though some are finding that book knowledge is much, much different than practical application!