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Yes it's going very well. As a former educator myself, I am impressed with the organized style of communication and the exams as written. They are not trying to trick us but you definitely need to know the material. Some of the recorded lectures are hard to take, as is the nature of all classes I'm sure. Professors seem to have high integrity and value top quality education for their students. Very high volume, but it could be worse for sure. I'm super happy I've joined this program and we are over the halfway mark in this class! How are your classes going? I think that's where I will be next fall. Is it two classes and clinicals?

I am starting the online University of Southern Indiana (USI) Post Masters Certificate (PMC) PMHNP program, with Adv Pathophysiology in the Fall 2025 semester. I'd love to connect with some others who are doing the same!

iamKira - I am also starting the PMC PMHNP program in the Fall 2025, but I have to start with Adv Pathophys as mine is too old from my MSN program. How is it going so far for you? I'd love to connect. (And is there anybody else out there doing this program?!)

Hi! Have you considered looking on usajobs.gov? The Veterans Affairs, VA, offers RN positions of Care Manager within a primary care team. They call them PACT (patient aligned care teams). The government application can be a bear , but depending on the location and whoever else applies, they take anywhere from new graduates all the way up to someone with their Ph.D. Your salary is determined by what you have done previously. I haven't looked up the VA clinics in Delaware, but I hope there's one near you. A lot of your job satisfaction is determined by the team you're working with. The patients are awesome! Good luck!

I work in the OR. Essentially I am dealing with one patient at a time and I work to make the surgeon happy so he/she can do the required job. My charting is minimal and I consider myself spoiled, although of course this can vary with location. An idea that I haven't seen presented to you is...CRNA! Get yourself a job in ICU. Learn everything you can so that you can get accepted into a masters program so that you can be a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (most programs require ICU experience). It is a serious job and you can make lots of money! Read about it - it is a different type of nursing, very different from traditional bedside nursing. However, I believe in 2025 the requirements will change and you will need to have a DNP (Doctorate of Nursing Practice) to practice anesthesia. I don't know how they will phase this new rule in... Or do as others have suggested and work in the OR. You can do that now with your BSN.

That helps a lot. Thank you for your prompt reply!

samianquazi - rather than buying the newly updated versions of each of these texts, i was considering purchasing the edition just before the most current. what are your thoughts on this? are there any books that you have not used as much, or that you think having the "latest and greatest" will matter? especially for the fundamentals of nursing. since it is a brand new 8th edition in march 2012, i was thinking of getting the 7th edition instead. also, i have read reviews that the clinical nursing skills and techniques 6th edition is actually preferred over the newest 7th edition. any opinions on this?

Cummings is expensive. Unfortunately, unless I'm reading it wrong (may be!) as I look at the course descriptions, many of them do not list the book. I am a plan-ahead-person, but I'm afraid of buying things I don't need. This Cummings book is listed for the first summer session. Am I looking in the wrong place, because I don't see any other specific books? I know that you all mentioned Jarvis. I don't want to picture us...finding out at orientation what we need, then shuffling us over to the coop to purchase. I realize some items (scrubs) are not negotiable, but some things (books) we may find cheaper somewhere else -- given the time. Ugh.

What about Human Heredity by Cummings?

Which class is Jarvis' book for? Is this for summer or planning ahead to fall?

Eastsider, looks like you are on here right now. What group did you get placed in (A, B, C, or D)? I met you before our CPR class. I forget your real name though. Bad with names.

Hey Kat_Walk - I left you a private message back on March 27. Did ya get it?

Congratulations, laflaca! Sorry we won't get to meet you, but we're happy to hear that you got in to your chosen school. Good luck in your future classes and in everything else you choose!

Why don't you just change careers if you are unhappy? Do something about it.

I completely agree with you, Mr. Murse. I just got accepted to nursing school and I can't wait to get busy. I prefer to surround myself with positive people and to be one myself. I have not read all of the replies to your post, but I think that there are some people are going to complain no matter what (about anything, in any field). I tend to turn away from the negative posts. I just don't want to go there. Thank you!

Yes, the UT Student Affairs replied very quickly with the information that the above mentioned class (by eastsider, 8-hrs on 3/17) WILL work to satisfy our compliance needs. I thought I'd pass that on. I'm still seeking information on the procedure to register and pay for the class.

I played email/phone tag with Mr. Villanueva today, and he does not think the 8-hr class mentioned above is entirely appropriate for nursing students. So, I think I need to check into it more before it's a go.

That's exactly the class (for CPR, etc.) that I had my eyes on and I have emailed them to see about registration/payment. I may see you then! Since I am still working full time, I do not plan to do any CNA classes at this time even though it sure sounds like a good idea.

Yes, I am. We got a few general emails from the coordinator (J. T.) to confirm completed or pending prerequisites, estimated tuition fee link that I think we may already have seen, and who to contact for compliance questions. Not really anything new. I don't know if these email just went to those who have already confirmed they are attending or to everyone. First day is confirmed to be May 31, with an orientation day before that (date not yet set for that). The summer course schedule will be posted online on March 27. The scholarship committees have not met yet. I need to do the first aid, cpr, aed training and I think I'll do it all in one shot rather than two split up sessions to get it done in March. These months will go by very fast.

What about you, LizHope? And you, Eastsider? I know you were Adult Health Teaching, like me. Right?

Yeah, princerox - I almost got chills reading your last post!! Hey, we all already have our bachelor's degree, right? So, it may not be a BSN, but it is a BS or BA equivalent. Plus, we will have our RN. That's even better! AND enrolled in graduate school on our way to a MSN - even better!!

Sounds like it!

I'm not sure if what I feel is a passion for it, but I think that I will be good at it. I feel blessed that we were admitted and given the chance. We worked hard for this!

There will be pros and cons in all careers. Also, some people are natural born complainers. Maybe they are burnt out and ready to move on. Then they should make moves to do so. I read something on this site about people complaining about doing 12-hr shifts, and then being tired the day after. Waa waa. I closed that thread and moved on. I think research is useful, but let's stick to the facts and not dwell so much on other people's opinions. Too much social media these days. (wait - I'm doing it now - hahhaaa) I volunteered for about six months at a hospital. Most nurses were very happy and friendly there. There was one, though, who was so negative. She's not fun to be around. She seemed miserable. I don't think it was necessarily because she was a nurse.

I have no doubts. They need nurses with advanced degrees, and nurses are getting more and more responsibilities in the workplace. What I read on that link (thanks, Lizhope) was only encouraging. The turnover rate does not scare me, because I think that's one of the advantages to nursing. There are so many different areas, one could change to learn new things relatively easily. For those who no longer like nursing and want to switch careers, go for it! There will be plenty of us there to take your place. Where I work now, everyone already knows I'm leaving end of May. I can't wait to start something new! The money, yes, is scary. However, we are encouraged to begin working part-time after the first year so that we can gain experience. By then we may have some contacts. Remember, everything we do from May on --is like a job interview.