BamaBeachbound78

I took the leap after I was laid off of my job at the age of 31...best decision I ever made. I utilized my occupational shortcomings and applied for unemployment, which helped pay the bills while I got the ball rolling with pre-reqs and the first few semesters of nursing school. I was fortunate to have a previous degree, which made it easier to transition to a BSN track. However, I was prepared to work my way up from the bottom, if needed by getting my LPN degree, since the market was so competitive. You have to do what you need to get in, and it means not putting all your eggs in one basket. Focus on several schools and have back-up plans in place. As far as working in a hospital from the get go, coming from someone who has been in your shoes at your age, I would wait and focus school and staying a float. The first few semesters are tough, and your grade and comprehension of the material should be top priority. Learning a new job might hender that. My school even deterred employment for the first 3 semesters. I eventually got a job as a PCA/Secretary the summer before my last two semesters on MICU. Best thing ever, because I was able to utilize the knowledge I gained from school and see and UNDERSTAND it face to face. Without that knowledge base, entering orders and doing procedures at work would have been meaningless and at times confusing. Regardless of your path, take assurance that life has a funny way of unfolding its path for you. GOOD LUCK!

You would probably have better luck just getting a job on a unit at UAB than into the internship program. From what I heard, it's like more school and you don't necessarily get guaranteed a job on a unit you orientate on, only if they have an opening.

$20-21 base in Bham with a $4-$5 shift diff

I work in ICU and I've recommended nurses to stop by and speak to our nurse manager directly. There is always a disconnect between HR and nurse mangers. Sometimes it's just best to go directly to the source and create that connection, then see where it goes from there.

UAB job postings state BSN preferred or must be willing to sign a contract to return to school.

Most, if not all of the Birmingham hospitals offer $20.40 plus or minus some cents.

Most hospitals offer some sort of tuition reimbursement program for nurses going back to school and correct me if I'm wrong, but Brookwood does too and even pays Federal loans that you may have already from school. UAB is great learning facility but the other hospitals have their strengths also. Good Luck!

Quite the contrary. Most hospitals still hire ADNs for the time being, I know ours does. They are rumors that they will stop in the near future but as of now they still do. My best advice would be to contact the hospital you are interested in human resources department to validate whether they are or not. Also, there are several online ADN-BSN fast track programs out there, I think at UAB or USA. So I think it would be beneficial for you to get your ADN then shoot for you BSN, especially if you could do it online and not have to commute the 2 hrs.

Soooo...you pay $50k roughly for a degree in nursing which I assume is an ADN program, but....you cannot transfer to other schools for a ADN to BSN fast track, much less a masters??? Sounds like at VC you are pretty much locked into their $50k piece of paper that will probably be obsolete within the next 5-10 years considering the trend that hospitals are starting to adopt where they are no longer hiring ADN RN's in certain departments.....sounds like a rip-off to me. Granted nursing programs are hard to get into, this is for a reason. Sidestepping and paying for the "easy" way out may not be the best option here, but if you got that kinda money to burn go for it. From the sound of it though, you will probably be paying more money down the road to repeat courses for another degree in nursing so that you can further your employment chances later in life.

Does anybody work in the ED at UAB? I am currently in school at UA and graduate in May 2012. I have done rotations in the ED at DCH Regional and love it, but I am trying to get back to Bham after I graduate. I am thinking of throwing UAB ED in on my preceptor wish list and was wondering what the employee moral atmosphere is like. Are employees receptive to students and new grads? How is the work environment? I know it is probably hectic due to it being a level 1 trauma center. Also, how are they about hiring new grads? Just wanting to know if it would be worth while trying to apply for preceptor there next semester or if there is another ED in Bham that is more open and welcoming to students/new grads like DCH?

YIKES! I hope you are getting a BSN for that price! That is about $500 more than what I pay a semester at UA. Their program better be worth it!

For the stake of stability and getting paid for the effort you put in, go for nursing....you can always go teach afterwards if that is what your heart desires. Plus with nursing, you are constantly providing patient teaching if that makes you feel better ;-) Good luck!

Speak with your dean or whomever is over your nursing program. They may be able to work with you and hold a spot for you in the fall given your circumstances. Heck, the campus may even have child care assistance of some sort...if not, they should! Good Luck!

My guess would be to just contact the nursing programs at the schools that you are interested in. I went back to the school that I have my previous BA at and they just looked at my prereqs and sciences GPA overall, plus I had a preference since I was returning persuing my 2nd degree. Each program is different, so I would just focus on the ones that you are truly interested in and figure out what you may need to do with their advisors. You may have to retake some of the classes that you go low grades in to boost up your GPA.....it's not impossible, just may require more work. Good Luck!

With the influx of people jumping to nursing as a career choice, it is a no brainer as to why so many people are unhappy with it. Every profession carries it's fair share of whiners and burnouts, for some reason or another. Nursing is a calling, not a career. Some people loose focus of that and jump on board for the money and stability. Sure those things are nice, but they won't get you through the ups and downs of the job. There are people in my nursing class now that makes me wonder why they are even in nursing school. I can understand the stress from taking an insane course load with assignments and tests around every corner, not to mention clinicals. But if you can't put that a side once you step through those hospital doors, then you need to reevaluate what you are in the program for. I am amazed at how many people whine about going to clinicals or doing patient care, mind you, these are some of the same people with CRNA ambitions. I would gladly sub those classmates for someone who actually wants to be there anyday! Its frustrating, but like some of the others have said, it will probably be rewarding if it has truly "called" you! Good luck and DON'T GIVE UP!!!