pinkgeek

I know that University of Hawaii on several campus' does an online A&P. Hawaii Community College does both 1 and 2 in the summer so you can be done in 2 months if you are willing to hang with the workload. It'll run you about $300 a unit. I haven't done their online A&P lab but I did the online chemistry lab and it was sufficient. I had prior chemistry so I was really just diddling around.

Here's how I look at it. Feel free to put on my glasses and see how they fit. I want to be an RN and not just because it's "recession proof" etc. Any "sure thing" is most assuredly not in my experience and nursing is no different. What I am wiling to do is relocate to wherever in order to get me the job that gets me the job I really want. If that means doing my first year in Minot ND so be it. (Note I realize people with family and kids are less likely to choose this route.) I had an interesting offer to go back to my old career and I thought about it for a day or two and realized it would be fun for 2 weeks and then I'd be slogging along like everyone else. No option to change fields, hospitals, countries, specialties etc. Nursing is tough and it sucks ass like any other job. To be honest, I'd rather deal with jerky patients and rude families than the C levels, VPs, and sales slugs that I've worked with in my former career. At least with rude patients there is some discernible reason ie. illness rather than just being rude because they can be. Don't be a nurse because it's something to do, do it because it's what you want to do.

TAKE THAT SCHOLARSHIP AND GO! Full rides don't come around a 2nd time. Be a rebel, your life and your dreams trump what others want you to do. I find that people who want people to do less aren't saying it for you, they are saying it for them. Go get em!

Thank you for sharing. Your post reminds me, like so many things lately, that the little kerfuffles of life are microscopic in comparison to the reality most of the world faces.

1) I started the thread, it's relevant and I thought kind of neat since I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do when I posted it. Curiosity often leads to a path. 2) UC has term 1 in Feb and term 2 in Aug. 3) I didn't forget how to read a map. 2 hours outside of Canberra is rural, and where I'd like to do some of my clinicals.

It seems ever so long ago that I posed this question and here I am packing my bags to start at University of Canberra for term 2. Sink or swim I'm jumping into rural nursing and I'm fairly convinced I'll swim! Thanks!

Go slow. Fast is not your friend if you can't get top grades. When I was stressed to the max I did terribly. I'm really lucky in that I could restructure my life to focus on getting good grades. If you can't drop everything and just study then I'd agree with everyone else. Just take 1 class at a time. It's been a LONG road for me to get accepted, but I did and in August I start RN school. I honestly look back and go "wow - ummm I did it and I didn't even notice that I got this far because I was so worried about getting this far at all." That might not make perfect sense, but it's true. Stay focused, go slow, it's worth it when you read ACCEPTED and realize that all the hard work, late nights, and skipped social events paid off.

I wish I was taking medical terminology this semester. Several friends have found it to be very helpful. Pharma was a pre-req for us so that's already checked off my list. This is a link to the youtubes from my pharma prof. He's great. I loved his class. His whole class is available on YouTube. Cheers!

I just posted a similar help post. It's too bad we aren't all on the same body system, we could study on googlechat/video. That said - I've put together a list of physiology sites and I'm going to double my study time. I'm also writing my own essays on the topics I need to study. The research alone to get everything in the right oder is going to help. There is a sticky on this forum that has someones note from their A&P classes. I am so glad I found them. Very easy to understand. STICK WITH IT. Sucky professor or not you can do this. Don't give in to the panic. (Easier said than done, I might have just written that for myself, probably, but hey if it helps you WIN!) Earlier today when I got my last test grade back I just relaxed into it. I decided that the failed test is a way to figure out how this professor tests and to learn from it. :)

So I'll be the devils advocate. I was told specifically not to bother by one of our RN instructors, but this example is specific to my situation NOT a generalization so read on. FYI: the programs I was applying to did not give any preference to CNA's. In my case the CNA advantage would only last through the first 1/2 of the first semester ie bed pans etc. I have already spent time with really difficult patients needing navigation and intakes covering multiple diagnosis, lots of boundaries to care etc.. Her experience is that the students most struggled with things I'm already experienced in so I was better off studying more and making sure my GPA was solid. Again this is my situation, I've been working in public health for 2 years now so I know what nursing is, being a CNA isn't going to introduce me to anything I haven't already seen/done/assisted with. Your mileage will certainly vary, but if it looks similar to mine you might consider skipping the CNA unless you get points for it. If I would have been awarded points I'd have certainly done it.

Thanks everyone! I'm really struggling with simplifying the sodium potassium pumps and calcium pumps that come up over and over. So far we've done urinary and now we are on to nervous system. I downloaded the notes from the sticky on the forum and that's been helpful but any sort of simple breakdown, notes in words that aren't our textbook would be helpful. Our teacher teaches using all the textbook tools and all of us find the textbook to be wordy and difficult to understand. Even just sending this note and asking for help sort of galvanized me to look for extra resources on youtube etc. @Keathermaizey - I can't send messages yet or I would totally message you! I have to get up to 15 posts. Working on it. Thanks again.

The computer issue happened to a classmate that I was tutoring. She has had a hell of a time dealing with the computers and then on another of her tries the proctor showed up late, had never proctored the exam, messed up the timing and generally amped up the anxiety of all the students. I was really perturbed to hear that the school didn't do anything about either of these issues.

Hi Everyone- I'm really struggling with physiology. Everything else I've done has been so easy for me including microbiology and I'm just hitting a wall with phsyio. I think part of it is burn out and the other part is I'm not sure. I'm just really not understanding the material. I'll take ANY advice and resources on how you learned the subject. Thanks, Sarah

I'd like to hear from some rural RN's on QLD & NSW (or anywhere). How do you like your job? What are the hardest/ easiest parts. Did you go for an advanced degree etc.Thanks!

Kel05- Interesting that you are getting out of horses and into RN. I am doing the same thing and it's not a mistake. Your body won't bounce back from horses at a certain point. After my last bad injury I was forced to hang it up and figure out what to do next. RN seemed like a good choice after horses considering I know how hard I can work, that I'm good with medical and nothing can be more difficult than some crazy American horse owners. Good luck figuring out where to go! I'll be entering the same year you are.