CPT_Charlios

Not to knock on ADN prepared nurses (I worked with great nurses who are ADN prepared), but I think our profession should have one standard to be a professional nurse like other health care professionals. PT/OTs are mastered prepared and many of their programs are going towards doctorates, albeit they are not as in high demand as nurses. The ADN level of nursing was developed out of a need to produce nurses in response to a shortage during and following World War II which sadly, continues to this day. It was proposed as a temporary solution to a shortage and was not intended to replace the professional level of nursing education. Numerous chief nurses have indicated their desire for the majority of their hospital staff nurses to be prepared at the BSN level to meet the more "sophisticated demands of today's patient care". In a recent survey by the University Health System chief nurse at various university health systems stated that they prefer an average of 70 percent of their staff nurses to be BSN-prepared and they "perceive a difference in the practice of baccalaureate and associate-degree-prepared RNs, citing better critical thinking skills and leadership abilities among baccalaureate nurses." Multiple studies has back that conclusion. Studies have also found that nurses prepared at the baccalaureate level have stronger communication and problem-solving skills and a higher proficiency in their ability to make nursing diagnoses and evaluate nursing interventions. This is a catch 22 because of the nursing shortage and the demand of only BSN prepared nurses. http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/position/bacc-degree-prep [COLOR=#003366]http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relat...t-of-education

The Army's program used to be lax when they fill the seats, the high uptempo of deployments for CRNA's and huge exodus of CRNA's leaving the surface. Now the "standards" are what they were pre-war. My friend got accepted as an OR nurse then revoke and was told he need ICU experience due to more qualified applicants.

I gues it's facilitity dependant. In my facility we use D5w as the CO injectate due to its thermodilution properties. NS can be used but can produce a 2% error. "Cardiac Output (CO) measurements are done in CTICU using the closed system CO-Set. Room temperature injectate (D5W 18-25 C) is the standard method. Measurement of CO with a pulmonary artery catheter is done using the thermodilution technique: A known volume of D5W at a temperature that is colder than blood temperature is injected into the right atrial port of the catheter The temperature of this injectate solution is measured as it enters the catheter lumen The blood temperature is measured at the tip of the catheter in the pulmonary artery During cardiac output measurement, the temperature of the right atrial blood drops after the bolus. When this colder blood reaches the tip of the pulmonary artery catheter, the change in the blood temperature over time produces a cardiac output curve. The rise in the curve represents the falling temperature, while the decline in the curve is during temperature recovery The computer program incorporates the volume of injectate (usually 10 ml), the injectate temperature and the model of catheter (lumen size and length) into the temperature change curve to produce a cardiac output value. The algorhithm also incorporates the specific gravity of the D5W solution, therefore, it is important that D5W is used. Both Paceport and VIP catheters use the same computation constant. This is automatically adjusted based on injectate temperature."

There is an ongoing debate about whether or not a BSN should be the standard for RN licensure. Not to knock on ADN prepared nurses (I worked with great nurses who are ADN prepared), but I think our profession should have one standard to be a professional nurse like other health care professionals. PT/OTs are mastered prepared and many programs are going towards doctorates, albeit they are not as in high demand as nurses. The ADN level of nursing was developed out of a need to produce nurses in response to a shortage during and following World War II which sadly, continues to this day. It was proposed as a temporary solution to a shortage and was not intended to replace the professional level of nursing education. Numerous chief nurses have indicated their desire for the majority of their hospital staff nurses to be prepared at the BSN level to meet the more “sophisticated demands of today's patient care”. In a recent survey by the University Health System chief nurse at various university health systems stated that they prefer an average of 70 percent of their staff nurses to be BSN-prepared and they “perceive a difference in the practice of baccalaureate and associate-degree-prepared RNs, citing better critical thinking skills and leadership abilities among baccalaureate nurses.” Multiple studies has back that conclusion. Studies have also found that nurses prepared at the baccalaureate level have stronger communication and problem-solving skills and a higher proficiency in their ability to make nursing diagnoses and evaluate nursing interventions.

Why not go straight into gerontological NP if that is your end goal instead of getting a MSN as a CNL? Most schools offer post-master certficates if you already have a MSN. Just got to go the individual school that offer a GNP program and see if they offer a post-master certificate for GNP (but I want to say that to get a post master cert for any NP specialty you need to already have a NP master). For example Drexel University offers a FNP post master certificate if you already have a MSN. In your situation im not sure what a CNL master course entails but you may need to get another MSN to be a GNP. Post-Master Family Nurse Practitioner - Division of Graduate Nursing

My friend complete her NP course as a part time student. Took her three years and the whole time she was working a full time job, but no kids.

Right now I am taking Nurse 500 Issues in Cont. Healthcare and will be taking Nurse 502 Advance Ethics this fall. My plan is take pharmacology the semester before school start.

Hey SRNA4U, I also suggest living in the Center City area. There are numerous apartments that are walking distance to the center city campus. For parking, its pricey but I suggest parking in a monthly lot if that is an option for you.

You have pretty good stats. Better than me. I too work in a mix ICU (16 beds) with 4 years experience, CCRN, did not take GRE (waived) and have a 3.5 GPA (3.25 science GPA) and got accepted to two schools (Upenn and Drexel). The fact that you got three interviews shows you look on paper. Not to be harsh but maybe you should brush up on your interview skills. How did the interview process go for you? I would not turn down the other interview because if you do get accepted you can try to defer admission for another year (which is what I did). That way you save money but have a spot for school. During my interview process they did not seem to care what kind of ICU I worked at or was concerned about the acuity level of my unit. If you love your job I would stay. To me it seems like you were passed over becuase you did not make an impression during your interview. You already have the ICU experience, CCRN, a good GRE score, a perfect GPA and got three interviews which is already 2/3 of the battle.

I was misinformed. Things have changed in the pass six years.

I applied to the VA in June '11. Got an interview in July '11 and started Sept '11. I think my process was smooth and quick compared to others because I was AD military prior to my interview.

I can tell you from personal experience nothing will happen. I did not pass my PT test when I went through BOLC and they passed me and six others who failed either PT or HT/WT. All I got was a counseling statement and referred OER when I got to my first duty assignment.

From DODI 6000.13 and AR 351-3 Participants of long-term graduate (leading to a master’s or doctoral degree) education and training in a military or civilian institution shall incur an ADO of three times the length of the education or training for the first year, or portion thereof, unless such degree is incidental to the completion of an established residency or fellowship program; i.e., aerospace medicine. Additional ADOs for participation in excess of one year shall be one-half year for each half year, or portion thereof. I believe the program is 2 years so your military commitment would be 6 years and I am not sure if that includes the 2 years of schooling. If it doesn't then your commitment would end June 2020. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

Your about 4 years late

BSN GPA 3.6 Science GPA 3.75 Did not take GRE's ACLS, PALS, TNCC, Burn and Wound care certified, and CCRN 4 years exp. MICU/PICU 6 month deployed in a ICU in IRAQ- was Nurse Manager 5 years in the Army as a Nurse I got accepted to two programs. I believed what help get me in was my military experience. I touch upon the many leadership opportunities I recieved during my service.