phxgoddess

Arizona is a "right to work" state. They tend to enjoy breaking unions here. I married a Cheesehead and suddenly the cold north is looking good to me.

Welcome to Arizona! I'm a native, but I married a Cheesehead. I hate to tell you this but... the Grand Canyon is more than 2 hours away. It's a LONG drive to a really big hole in the ground. If you are thinking of going, and you should, look into the railroad. http://www.thetrain.com/ oh, and here's another link for you - http://www.jazzinaz.org/ and in Glendale: http://www.historic-glendale.net/glendale_gaslight_inn.htm have fun at Thunderbird. I did many of my clinicals there and really enjoyed it. The people were wonderful to work with. enjoy!

most of the people I have talked to had the test shut off at 75 or so. It only took me an hour and I was afraid I went too fast, but I passed. You only have to have more right than wrong - in all actuality. In real life you aren't expected to know it all and you will learn all the meds, etc for whatever field you go into. I think the NCLEX was more a test of "critical thinking." (I hate using that term after hearing it over and over and over again in school). It was a test of looking at a question and then analyzing the answers to choose the best one. Some questions and answers were easy, like in real life, and some were from left field and about gout medicine you had never heard of. (just an example). I'm sure you did fine. I think the percentage is about 90% now who pass on the first try. However, with that said, I know that there is nothing I can say to take away the doubt and anxiety you may be feeling. Find movies or take a walk or find some other escape while you wait. (I rented movies and ate non-stop) good luck to you - but I'm sure you'll be fine. You couldn't have gotten through nursing school without a brain.

whooooo hooooo. me too. I took the test on Tuesday and the "pending testing" was cleared the next morning. (we just check the state board website here and it's a quick way to find out). My license is in the mail. and again, whoooooooooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooo (we've come too far and worked too hard to doubt in ourselves)

Dear Yellowsunshine, Thank you for sharing your story and for being so open. I'm at a loss for words on what to say. There is nothing anyone can say to take away the pain of a loss such as yours. I am now in my final semester at ASU, graduation in December, so I will find out very soon just what it will take for me to attain my license in this state. I spoke to advisors at the College of Nursing before starting my pre-reqs and again as I applied to the program. I was honest about my DUI - and was told both times, "no problem." I understand the college is there to make money, but it would have helped to have more facts. It always helps to be as prepared as possible. I understand that I am not done paying for my "mistake" and that it is something that will be in my background the rest of my life. I've been very open and honest about my experience with friends and family in hopes they understand how dangerous it is - and how easy it is. It really only takes two drinks. I accept the responsiblitiy for what I did that night, but it is hard to understand how judgemental other people can be. I guess it is one of those things you have to accept or tolerate without needing to understand it. People are people; I can't judge them. As for school and my own future -- I'm one of those "40-somethings" who chose to return to college and chase a dream after raising my daughters. It hasn't been easy, but life isn't always easy. Both of my daughters are in college and I will be graduating soon. This is what I'm looking at right now. I've worked really hard and my eyes are on the goal. Also, I'm preparing a letter to ask for direction and assistance. I've always planned to self-report and take whatever action is needed. It is scary and the story you told sounds so cold and unfair. I just hope I can face it all with strength and grace. Thank you again for your honesty and for taking the time to reply to this thread. phxgoddess

It appears all your questions have been answered by others on the board. I am in the midst of the organization nightmare that is the first semester. First thing you should do is get some BIG Notebooks and lots of dividers. Also - you will need to compile all the stuff thrown at you into one good, complete calendar or you will get lost. Oh - and you will need a massive book bag. :) and yes, make sure you get a study buddy in your learning community. I would be dead without mine. I really recommend saving up and looking into loans. Try not to work during the first semester. Your schedule changes on a weekly basis depending on which clinicals you are doing at the time and the exams and assignments - take up a lot of your time as well. Get the study guide for the net exam. here's a link: http://www.asu.edu/uts/e_net.htm ASU is increasing the number of seats in the program - that should help as well. Best of luck to you - I'm sitting in the library at ASU West now and have homework to finish.

ASU west was my first choice because I wanted the accelerated program. The seats at Main tend to fill up first and are harder to get. There are people who have continued to work. I only work 10 hrs a week, but it is getting hard to keep up. The problem is more a problem of schedule. You have to be flexible because the clinical hours change and the... you just HAVE to keep flexible. I would suggest you save up and look into loans for once you get into the program. Or just live with the idea that you will be very busy and will go a little nuts at times. I don't spend enough time studying. I find I'm in "survival" mode and keep checking the different class calendars to only worry about what is due within the next few days. I'm sure you'll be fine. Work hard to bring your gpa up, if you can. And... study that NET book. Take the sample tests in the book. It will help. I blew that off as well and was sorry I did. Just stay focused.

RE: your GPA, I would recommend going to see the advisors in the School of Nursing. (Talk to Cecila) They opened up more seats on both the main campus and ASU West, which is where I went. More seats makes it a little easier to get in, I believe. I am now in the accelerated program at ASU West. It is... very time consuming. The biggest job that I've had is simply one of organization. It helps to remember A & P and Pathophysiology. Chemistry comes back to haunt you in Pharmacology. And really pay attention to APA format, because almost all your papers will have to be in APA format. I'm really not sure how the ASU program compares to others. I didn't take the time to look into the other programs in town. I am determined to get my BSN as well as my RN, so I'll keep plodding along. Best of luck to you. Just keep your eyes on your goal and don't let anything get in your way.

I was able to get my fingerprint clearance, but it has a driving restriction on it. I can only direct you towards the Arizona Board for any further questions. (if you are in AZ. If not - contact your state board) http://www.azboardofnursing.org/ [email protected] or Main Line: ( 602 ) 889-5150

You need to contact the Board of Nursing in the state where you want to be licensed. Doing this early, will hopefully save you a lot of problems later on. Good luck. on the subject of background checks prior to nursing school. - ASU requires a fingerprint/background clearance prior to clinicals. That's two years into school, prior to acceptance in the BSN program. This is a good "heads up" for people, but it is separate from licensure. I asked my state board and received this reply: "When you apply for licensure in AZ you have to answer 2 questions: Are you currently under investigation or is a disciplinary action pending against your nursing license or CNA certificate in any state or territory of the US? AND . . . have you ever been convicted, entered a plea of guilty, nolo contendre or no contest, or have you ever been sentenced, served time in jail or prison, or had probation or sentence deferred in any felony or undesignated offense? If you respond with a "yes", your application will be reviewed. We also require fingerprints. If the report comes back positive, you will also be reviewed."

I sent an email to the Arizona State Board of Nursing. This was the reply: DUI? It depends. When you apply for licensure in AZ you have to answer 2 questions: Are you currently under investigation or is a disciplinary action pending against your nursing license or CNA certificate in any state or territory of the US? AND . . . have you ever been convicted, entered a plea of guilty, nolo contendre or no contest, or have you ever been sentenced, served time in jail or prison, or had probation or sentence deferred in any felony or undesignated offense? If you respond with a "yes", your application will be reviewed. We also require fingerprints. If the report comes back positive, you will also be reviewed. It depends on the number of DUI's you may have had, when did the DUI occur, are there other indicators indicating that alcohol may be a problem, etc, etc. There is not a simple answer for your question, but hope that this helps. Good Morning: When that person renews or applies for license, there is a question on the renewal or application that asks? "Have you ever been convicted, entered a plea of guilty, nolo contendre or no contest, or have you ever been sentenced, served time in jail or prison, or had probation or sentence deferred in any felony or undesignated offense? If yes answer, provide a written explanation of the details of each conviction and sentence. Return the written explanation, a copy of the police report and court documents for each conviction, indicating type of conviction, conviction date and sentence including the date of absolute discharge of the sentence for each felony conviction with your application. If you answer "yes" to this question, your application or renewal will not be processed until you provide proof that it has been more than 5 years since the sentence for each felony conviction has been completed or provide proof that the conviction was designated a misdemeanor." So if they were on probation, the date they could apply would be 5 years after the date of absolute discharge from the probation. The Bd considers applicants with felony convictions over 5 years from the date of absolute discharge on a case-by-case basis. There is not a simple answer to your question, but hope this helps.

Does anyone know if having a DUI in the past will make getting an RN or a job in the health care field impossible or difficult? One hears rumors, but I'm looking for information on any barriers that may come up because of a stupid mistake in my past. Thanks.

GCU's Samaritan College of Nursing http://www.allnursingschools.com/schools/ID69/ I have to admit, I never looked into Grand Canyon - so I can only defer to the website. I never said it was easier to get into, I merely stated they had a different application process. It isn't completely dependant on GPA's.

I was just accepted into the fall program. ASU opened more seats, but I believe there were also more applicants. My gpa was 3.59; my NET was 1.65 - giving me an "admit score" of 5.240. I barely made it. I know people with admit scores of 5.2 who didn't make it. It is VERY competitive. The "cut off" changes with each semester and I hear they are adding an essay with applications for spring. http://nursing.asu.edu/programs/undergraduate/bsn_admission.htm I don't know about U of A, or NAU, but I know some of the students who didn't make it into the ASU program are going to Grand Canyon University. They have a different application process.