KimS

I'm not sure where is OK for you to move and where isn't but I would bet that Abbotsford and Surrey, BC are hiring emerg nurses. Both of which are about an hour from Vancouver, which has so many surrounding cities that your boyfriend could likely work in. Best of luck!

Ahh I see, great thanks for the info

You have to ESN/preceptor there AND have those courses?

Can anyone provide any advice as to what the best way to get in at B.C. Women's would be as a new grad? (other than have a personal connection, because i don't..)

Dear Metro-vancouver/Fraser Valley nurses: I'm finishing up my third year of nursing school, and on tuesday I have to put in my submission for preceptorship choices (which is 4 months long for us). I will be graduating in June, 2016. Im having a hay-day trying to figure out what to put down for my choices, i get three choices and they all have to be in Chilliwack or Abbotsford, B.C. My areas of passion do NOT include medical/surgical. I made it through these rotations just fine but i have no desire to work in those fields, so it's frustrating for me to hear from experienced med/surg nurses "You should preceptor and do 2 years in acute medical before you decide where to specialize". I believe this is probably great advice, but in my three years of nursing school I had very many personal experiences with my palliative mother being in and out of medical wards, and this piled on top of the stress of nursing school has made me want to choose a different career if it came down to medical nursing or no nursing at all. I did a job shadow in public health and loved it, I would ultimately like to work in public health casually as well as in maternity somewhere casually to keep my foot in the door to be able to specialize in Labour & Delivery possibly later on. I have taken the breastfeeding course through Douglas College, and the STI management course through BCIT. Im going to be working as an undergraduate nurse at a busy outpatient maternity clinic in Surrey this summer as well. SO; my question is, if I request to do my preceptorship in public health, will I have any chance of getting a job anywhere in vancouver in public health? Can anyone shed light to the job situation out there for PH nurses or even Maternity for that matter? What are my chances of being hired in either when I graduate? Sincerely, Stressed & confused

One of the more senior nurses I work with at the CGH ER gave me a ton of advice for the interview/essay, one of which being research some interview advice - I just wanted to share this link with you guys I think its got a few really good, and entirely possible questions :) https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/interview-questions-88629.html

Today we cross off another thing from our 'waiting game' list! I'm so excited! Incivtus, keep your eye out for me at the orientation today - I'm short, blonde, and am wearing a coral shirt. It'd be cool to meet you and anyone else who is attending today's session! Could may 4th come a little sooner...?

I should also share with you what I know about how they 'decide' (Also just from what I've learned from other prospective nurses at UFV). First off is marks, the minimum grades they ask for are C+'s I think? They haven't accepted anybody with a C+ in like five years. On average I think you need a GPA of the four courses (bio12, chem11, math11, english 12) of at least 3.5. One intake the lowest was 3.8... But if you don't have decent enough grades, you wont even get a letter for the interview so i'm sure that most of you have the grades. Next is the "essay", they grade you on that and then they grade you on the interview, on a points system. A recent high school graduate can apply right out of high school with straight A's and 200 volunteer hours, but if the interviewer doesn't feel she is mature enough for it she will get rejected - and i've heard of this has happening many of times. They look for life experience, work experience, experience in the field, post secondary experience. If you've ever upgraded any of your high school courses i'm pretty sure you get at least one extra point for that... So basically is a huge mix up of those three things, and LOTS of people nail the essay and interview, but when it comes down to 70 great candidates with good interviews it goes to marks... and who had the highest GPA's. Also - you have a better chance of getting in for the september intake rather than january because September they take 48 students and january they take 36 - so obviously the average gpa for september wont have to be as high for september. If you DONT get in - phone them immediately and ask what you can do to make sure you get in next time. I had a friend that did this and it benefited her greatly... They love persistence. If you have to - upgrade your high school marks, get ALL your electives done (stats, eng, social science), nail out those volunteer hours, broaden your knowledge. Chances are if you didn't get in the first time and you try to better yourself for the next one they will recognize and appreciate that...

Im getting super excited!!! I've been waiting for this for a longgg time now. I've basically written out every question they could possible ask me and have good answers for all of them. I've been attending UFV for a year and a half in nursing studies, and I've talked to many people.. those who got in, who didn't get it, who are in fast track... everything. What I can basically share with you about the interview from what I gather is that it's not super intense, I mean, after all you are dealing with nurses - sweetest ladies ever!!! They are not intimidating but they do want to be sure that you're going to be able to handle the program... So questions like: Who are your main supports? (saying your boyfriend of 5 months is not a good answer), How are you going to be able to pay for it, they want to know do you have kids, do you have huge financial obligations to take care of while in the program (a house, car, other investments, etc.) If you do have those things, how are they going to be taken care of for four years while your busy studying? Do you have any illnesses that are going to prevent you from studying your little heart out? (upon acceptance to the program you have to get your doctor to approve that you are fit for the program - so theres no point in lying...) Things like that. They ask these questions because the last I heard they have about 150-200 applicants... They can only accept 48 and on average, 7 drop out in their first year, which is a huge bummer for those of us who could have taken their spots considering we DONT have these things to deal with. Now this isn't to say that people with a busier lifestyle are not going to be accepted; you have just as good a chance as the rest of us but they want to know that you've thoroughly thought these things through and have a solid plan. OH - and I hope none of you are planning on holding down a job while in the program, they don't want you to work because you simply wont have time for it. (besides summers of course) They are also most likely going to ask you questions about the field, make sure you KNOW what a nurse does start to finish, what your career options are as a nurse, what the difference between an LPN and an RN is. And then of course the good old "why nursing?" Have something better prepared than "because I care about people". Think about the different aspects of nursing, what the job entails, what nursing means to you, how your volunteer work has contributed to you growing as a prospective nurse and how it has prepped you... Have all your answers prepared, as a nurse you need to constantly be on your feet and this interview will be a test of that! Alka_Selse BSc im sure you're going to to do GREAT! Lets us know how you think it went! If you have questions i'll do my best to answer them given my knowledge of how the program works - hope this helped you :loveya:

Hi everybody! I have also applied for the fall 2012 intake, going to info session on the 15th and interview on the 27th, first time applying. Whoever posted the questions from last wednesdays info session is a saint - thank you. They are much more critical this year than they were last year (from what I have heard!)

well, now I know I'm not the only one who is going crazy over the ufv nursing waitlists. Thanks for all the advice you all have (unknowingly) given!