tas026

I am currently working towards my BA, and my current school does offer an advance to BSN program for people who hold a bachelors degree. They only accept 30 students per year to the program, so I am worried about trying to get in since the nursing program is so popular. I'm considering returning to my prior nursing school. I've just contacted the admissions office to see what I should do in my situation. I may have to just work on updating pre-reqs and such before I can officially start again, but I'll have to see what the admissions office says. I'm also hoping to find a position as an aide or something in the meantime. Maybe I'll do the CNA program at our local retirement community once I graduate or during my winter break.

In 2011, right after graduating from high school, I started at a local nursing school. That is all I wanted to do at the time, and I really enjoyed school in the beginning. I passed with flying colors, enjoyed working with the patients, etc. I had great experiences with my instructors, but many of the other people in my cohort had a lot of issues. They had horrible instructors, were not doing well on tests, had write ups, etc. Towards the end of my first semester and during my winter break I started to freak out about getting a horrible instructor or flunking out of school even though I was doing relatively well. I made a last minute decision to transfer universities to a completely unrelated degree program. Now I think about my decision all the time. Why did I transfer? I still have that itch to go back to nursing school, but I'm worried about psyching myself out again. I'm also worried about my family and friends doubting me since I left nursing school the first time. I just feel dumb for having ever left because it was the only thing I felt truly passionate about. I just keep thinking that I would have been a nurse for almost 2 years by this point and would be finishing my BSN in the spring. Has anyone else left nursing school only to return? I would obviously finish my current bachelors since I only have one semester left, but I don't know if I should reapply for the nursing program after that.

I would send an e-mail or leave a message to ask her if you can set up an appointment with her to talk about the nursing program. Just don't sound threatening, just sound interesting. Just tell her that you want to make sure you're getting the best education possible. The whole accreditation thing is scary, so I would definitely start looking into other schools.

I'm not sure if I understand your question correctly. It wasn't really a job, but instead I just found a nurse that would allow me to follow him or her for the day. My high school helped me find the hospital and nurse. You could also contact the hospital directly and they can probably set you up with someone. During the job shadowing, I wasn't allowed to really do anything except for watch. Sometimes the nurse would ask for help holding a pillow or moving a patient. If you want to look into paying jobs, then I would suggest becoming a CNA. You can complete the course work in about two weeks. Retirement homes will sometimes pay for you to do the CNA program if you work for them. You can also take a CNA course at a community college for around $500. You just have to make sure that wherever you get a job realizes that you plan on going to nursing school. You will need a lot of time for studying and classes, so you will probably only work weekends.

Here was my point of view: During my 1st semester of nursing school, I felt like I was completely overwhelmed. I was putting in 18 hour days everyday of the week between school, homework, studying, and my job, and then I was expected to study on my precious weekends. I have a family and a boyfriend, and I felt like I had no time for any of them. My boyfriend also works retail and goes to school, so there was no time day, night, or weekend for me to see him. I ended up getting A's and B's in all of my classes, but from about the 5th week of school, all I could think about was changing my major. I figured I'd just stick with it, but then during my holiday break, I really got to thinking. Is this really much different than what a career in nursing will be? I know there are jobs in doctor's offices, but they are just as demanding. They won't always offer 9-5 jobs either. Plus, the only nursing I had ever been interested in was nursing in a hospital, most likely meaning 12 hour night shifts on my feet, running around like crazy, in a wing that will probably be understaffed. Sure, four days off a week, but I would be spending most of them just resting from a 12 hour shift or getting ready for the next shift. I did end up taking this semester off (which is like such a breath of fresh air), and I am switching majors. I still want to be in the medical field, but I know that I can find something else that I am successful at and that won't be as stressful as nursing. Don't get me wrong, there are people that are definitely made for nursing. They realize that there are downfalls, but they love it all the same. I'm just not that person! I just wanted to give you my two cents. I'm not trying to tell you not to go to nursing school, but I figured you'd like to hear a true account of a nursing student who decided it wasn't her thing!

I wouldn't read into it too much to determine how successful you will be in your nursing courses. Honestly, the only time I've seen half of the stuff that we learned in A&P is in A&P! It is meant to challenge you. As a nurse, you also need a basic understanding of the human body and how things work, but do you honestly think that you will ever again be explaining the flow of blood through your entire body? Probably not, but you need to get the jist of things!

Are you sure that they won't count your credits? I've heard that some schools consider the credits if you have graduated with a bachelors in something vs. if you just have random science credits. As for jobs, the economy is pretty bad right now, so all professions are being affected. Who knows, by the time you graduate, there may be hundreds of job openings in your area! I would talk to nurses where you work (if there are nurses there) and see what they say about the jobs in your area and what it's like to work in those hospitals. You may even be able to shadow. Also, I don't know how much money you make that qualifies as "sucking" but maybe you can look into a job as a PCA or the like to get some hands-on experience? Just a thought.

1. How hard was TEAS, and what was covered? My school did not require me to take the TEAS! :yelclap: 2. How much math do you really need as a nurse? In school, I had to take a clinical mathematics course. A lot of schools just require college algebra, and some allow you to test out if you are good at math. My clinical math course just focused on dosage calculations and working with IVs. It's good stuff to know. You will be using those formulas a lot as a nurse if you would like to check and double check dosages of medications! 3. What is the hardest class you have taken? Probably clinical math. I suck at math, and I hadn't taken any math classes in over two years. It also was difficult because it was always on the back of my mind, not my primary focus. I was so focused on my nursing classes that it was difficult to care about my next math class. Plus, my teacher made it so you could NEVER miss a class. At the beginning of class, we had a 10 pt quiz and 80 pt homework due EVERY class. 4. What is the hardest part of your work day? I'm in school, so I will tell you about clinical. A lot of clinical was just working like a PCA or CNA does. We gave baths, made beds, helped with meals, etc. It is difficult because you are sort of an assistant for the patient. You only have one patient at first, so they will definitely take the opportunity to make you do whatever they want you to! 5. Does Nursing have good pay? It varies by location. I would say that nurses can expect to make $40-60,000 a year. This sounds pretty good, but a lot of people complain that it isn't enough for the amount of work nurses have to do. 6. What are your study habits for remebering material covered in classes? Study right after class. That's when the material is already fresh in your memory. Also, don't procrastinate. Study every night for a few hours. For example, if you just took a test and are beginning to learn new material, start studying what you learned that day, then every night just add on to it. That way you won't have to cram later. 7. Most challenging part of getting into nursing school? Keeping up science and math grades. 8. What is a typical day like as a nurse? It depends where you work, and I would say that there really is no typical day. In hospital settings, I'm willing to bet that nurses see something new almost everyday! Usually nurses do rounds for patients, hand out meds, and much, much more. They also sort of act as a supervisory role for PCAs and CNAs that are caring for the same patients. 9. Is it hard to work full time and be a nursing student? YES! It is highly recommended that you don't attempt it if you are working full time and going to nursing school full time. If you absolutely MUST work full time, finish all of your pre-req courses before starting nursing courses. Then look into an evening/weekend or part time program. It was hard to find time to study as much as I had to working 13 hours a week! 10. How long did it take for you to become a nurse? N/A 11. Up to what math did you have to take? In high school I took up to pre-calculus. I am in an ADN program, so I only had to take the clinical math class that I mentioned earlier. 12. Perks of being an RN as opposed to a LPN or NA: Well I would say that RNs and NAs really aren't anything alike. NAs have to do more of the dirty work, and basically just support RNs so they can do the more major tasks that NAs can't perform. NAs only have to go to school for 2 or so weeks as opposed to 2-4 years, however they make significantly less money. In some places, NAs barely make over minimum wage. RNs and LPNs aren't really that different I would say. LPNs can't start IVs or anything, but they can do a lot of the stuff RNs can. They go to school for about 18 months. They make less money, and a lot of LPN jobs are getting phased out, especially in hospitals. You will find them more in nursing homes. Some people say that the associates degree RN is becoming the new LPN because most hospitals require RNs to have their BSN.

This is the much better alternative to what happened to my great grandmother! My great grandfather died about 12 years ago. My great gma would constantly say that she can't wait to die because she has no one to live for anymore. I think that my grandfather cursed her by saying that she would live to be 100 years old. She tried to stay busy, but she slowly deteriorated. Literally, one week after her 100th birthday, her health took a serious decline. It took a few months, but this past year she passed away. People asked me why I wasn't upset, and I all I could tell my other family members was that half of my great grandmother died 12 years ago, and the little bit that was left had died a few years before. I have found the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I can totally sympathize with what she went through. I couldn't imagine something happening to him now since we are young, and me having to spend my entire life alone.

I've been in the same boat as you! I am someone who would prefer to just do everything on my own so that I can get the grade that I personally deserve. My A&P group decided that we would all do case studies separately, and then e-mail our results to each other. The first time, I typed them up. It was due on a Tuesday, so I had it done by Friday night. I e-mailed my results to everyone and waited. Monday night at 9:30pm came and I got responses from 2/3 other people in my group. One contributed, the other person just wrote, "I pretty much got the same answers as you, and I don't feel like uploading them if I don't have to!" This was the same partner who would constantly try to copy my work in lab. The next time, someone else offered to type up the case study. You don't even know how nervous I was! I e-mailed the girl like 6 times with my answers. Then she sent back the final draft and she had it formated all wrong (which was important for our grades). I told her what she did, but I was so afraid that she wouldn't see the e-mail that I ended up printing it out for myself. She thought I was so weird! The whole class seemed to have this problem a lot. One group actually kicked another girl out of their group and the teacher agreed. The girl never contributed to the case studies (though she swore her grandma kept dying and that they were deleting her e-mails and stuff..every excuse in the book). We got a laugh out of her complaining that she had to do everything on her own, and she ended up flunking the class (no wonder). I think the best thing to do would be to give them a chance. If you are working on a project, and someone does not contribute AT ALL, then don't put their name on the project! Your teacher will most likely only grade for the people listed on the project. If you feel like a grade misrepresents you because of the poor work from your group mates, ask your teacher if you could maybe redo it on your own and explain the situation. She may put you in a different group or do something to change the situation! Good luck! If you're like me, you're the kind of person who will NEVER be put in a good group because I really just can't stand them to begin with! Teamwork in the work place is great, but as soon as it comes to something I'm going to be judged for, no way!

i believe that the nclex pass rate really only half way reflects the program that you are in. you could be in an amazing school but just be getting by and then fail the nclex. likewise, you could be studying really hard, but be in a crappy school and fail. you have made sure the school is accredited, correct? my school has a 93-100% pass rate, but we don't have a set pharmacology class. we learn it little by little throughout each semester. you could ask your instructor if this is the case in your school? before jumping the gun and transferring (especially because any nursing classes most likely will not transfer with you), i would just do a little bit of research on your school's nursing program. you may be able to find that out here: american association of colleges of nursing | ccne accreditation. if you know anyone who has graduated from the program, ask them what it was like trying to get a job for them and if they think going to your school had a negative effect on that. for the most part, i feel that if your school is able to get accredited then it is at least decent. no school can teach you everything that will be on the nclex. you will have to study some stuff on your own before you take it.

I would not write about this being a recent event. Describe it as being something that is in your past. Be truthful, but I wouldn't just out and say that it's something that happened two weeks ago. If you got help for the issue, tell them that and that the counseling you received really made you realize that this was the wrong way to solve your problems. You could also sort of switch it around to make it seem like it was someone close to you having this problem? You know..."I have this friend who..." They either get it or they don't.

I agree with everyone else, ADN courses can actually be MORE challenging than BSN courses because you will be learning all of the same things just in a shorter amount of time. The only real difference that you get with a BSN is a bunch of general education courses that may or may not help you in your nursing career. The fact that you already have a bachelors degree almost tells me that you may be better off in an ADN program. You could earn your nursing degree, then transfer all of your previous degree's credits to an RN-BSN program. You may be finished sooner than you thought.

Letters of recommendation from any medical professional really will do you wonders! Two out of three of my letters of recommendation were written by nurses. I think that schools love to see that you are already networking with other medical professionals. I also know that my 3rd letter of recommendation (by my high school guidance counselor) explained a bad grade that I got in AP biology in my junior year. She explained that I tried really hard, but there were certain circumstances that pretty much set me up to fail. She also said that she was really confident that I could succeed. I'm guessing that your letters of recommendation could also help to "erase" anything bad that could be on your application.

You know that you are a great CNA and that you will one day make a great RN! Contact the school about what you could be doing to make your chances better over everyone else. Also, some food for thought: do you really think that your co-workers will succeed in nursing school if they are the way you describe? Nursing school is hard, and if they openly talk about putting minimal effort into their classes, how can they expect to do well in even more challenging classes? I can also guarantee that if they behave the same way on the clincal floor as they do at their jobs, they will be in a lot of trouble. Instructors risk their license for students to learn on the clinical floor. No instructor is just going to let things slide. I'm not saying that someone can't turn around and do well after doing not so well, but seriously? Why would anyone "brag" about getting into nursing school on crap grades? And who would treat an elderly person like crap? I know that I personally would want to be able to say that I worked hard to get into nursing school! Who knows, maybe one day you will be their boss as an RN and they will be kicking themselves in the butt for wasting their opportunity!

Hello again! You can volunteer or job shadow at your local hospital. I'm not sure where you are located, but you can look up your hospital's website, find the e-mail address for the volunteer coordinator, and then contact him/her asking about opportunities. You could also talk to your guidance counselor about any available opportunities. Once you turn 18, you may be able to take a CNA class over the summer. Some retirement homes will pay for you to take the class if you work for them, or you can pay for the class yourself at your local community college. They are usually around $500.

I am on the east coast as well, and I just graduated high school in 2011. Your GPA really isn't all that low to be honest with you! My GPA when I graduated was 3.7, but it was probably closer to what yours is when I was a junior. I think you are on the right track for getting into a nursing school. My school (and most schools I looked into) required a 3.0 GPA and 1000 on SATs for reading and math. They were also really interested in science and math grades in particular. I took AP biology in my junior year, and let's just say that wasn't the best grade I've ever received. I ended up with a C in the class. In my essay, I just wrote about how I challenged myself and that I was proud of the grade I got because I took the challenge. I also sucked at math. I still got into my 1st choice school. I think it is great that you are participating in extra curricular activities. Schools love that! They especially like students that work while juggling other things. The only advice I have for you is to look into job shadowing a nurse or volunteering. I did both, and I really think this put me ahead of other applicants. Apply really early! I sent in all of my applications the 1st week of my senior year. You can do it even earlier than that, but I didn't feel like driving to my high school over the summer to get my transcripts (lol). Applying early sets you ahead of everyone, especially if the school does rolling admissions. I was actually the 1st person in my graduating class to be accepted to college (finally...first at something). The biggest pro of applying early is that you will get any rejection letters early so you will still have time to find different paths to nursing school. I don't think you should have a problem, but if you find you do, look into your local community college. First, find one or two nursing schools that you really want to go to. Look up what their general education requirements are and what courses transfer from your community college (should be able to find this by searching transfer equivalency on the school's website). Apply to the community college, take those courses that will be useful for you at your desired schools, and ace them! Good luck, I think you will do just fine!

I believe that the NCLEX pass rate really only half way reflects the program that you are in. You could be in an amazing school but just be getting by and then fail the NCLEX. Likewise, you could be studying really hard, but be in a crappy school and fail. You have made sure the school is accredited, correct? My school has a 93-100% pass rate, but we don't have a set pharmacology class. We learn it little by little throughout each semester. You could ask your instructor if this is the case in your school? Before jumping the gun and transferring (especially because any nursing classes most likely will not transfer with you), I would just do a little bit of research on your school's nursing program. You may be able to find that out here: American Association of Colleges of Nursing | CCNE Accreditation. If you know anyone who has graduated from the program, ask them what it was like trying to get a job for them and if they think going to your school had a negative effect on that. For the most part, I feel that if your school is able to get accredited then it is at least decent. No school can teach you EVERYTHING that will be on the NCLEX. You will have to study some stuff on your own before you take it.

My best advice would be to look into different colleges that you would consider going to for nursing school. Even if the school you're at has a program, don't bank on getting into it if it's competitive. I had a friend with a 4.0 GPA and she didn't get into our CC's program after 3 years, so she had to switch schools. I don't mean to discourage you, but it's just reality unfortunately! Look into the general education requirements of multiple schools. Take classes that would count at those schools. If only one school requires a class, don't take it if there are other classes that you can be taking! It's the best way to make sure you don't lose a lot of money on wasted credits!

Yeah, the prospect of school-especially after being out for a while-can be pretty scary! I wouldn't be too nervous about it though because even people just out of high school are just as nervous, if not more, than you! I think the school really eases you into it though. You won't go to clinical in the hospital for a few weeks until you have learned basic skills. I think there was only one really bad clinical instructor during my 1st semester, but she got canned! The two instructors that I had were amazing. They really do want you to succeed. Some of them are hard, but they are not impossible! Some are sticklers for rules while a lot of them aren't because they realize that in nursing you sometimes can't go by the book. During the program, there will be so many times that you feel dumb and like you aren't retaining any knowledge. Then you will look back and realize how much you learned! It's sort of amazing what you can do in 15 weeks. As for remembering A&P, don't bother. Most people are in A&P 1 during 1st semester, but the instructors never actually know what's being taught. Sometimes, you'll have days in class where they will start talking about something that hasn't been taught in 1st semester A&P yet, but they always teach you what you need to know for nursing. It's not as in depth as A&P. I guess taking the class just helps you understand it more in depth so that you can understand it fully for nursing. I would be in my 2nd semester of clinicals, but I am actually transferring to a different school because I've decided to become either a speech language pathologist or a physical therapist! It's funny how things work out! I always imagined I'd be a nurse, and I really enjoyed my time on the floor, but I just couldn't see that being my job until I retire since I'm only 18 now. I don't regret it though because nursing school really did help me figure out what I would like to do! I also know that I always have the option to go back later if things don't work out, and I know that I can be successful at it!

Capricorn, I'm thinking you're right. I think I just keep feeling nostalgic because I just think about my clinical experiences. In the 15 weeks on the clinical floor, I was lucky enough to NEVER have a terrible experience with a patient. All of my patients were lovely and seemed to just want to talk to me. I keep forgetting that the reason I left the career is because I realized that I want them ALL to be like that, and I know I won't be able to handle all of the other patients that come through my door. I'm staying in healthcare, but choosing a different path! Thank you!

I think for your semester, you will be able to pick your own classes. I know that the school chose mine, but they are using a new program this year. As for missing, I knew someone who did, and she ended up doing just fine during the semester. It's all about how you plan it out. You don't necessarily need to get in contact with anyone besides your clinical instructor unless you will be missing a test. If you are missing an exam, I would contact Wendy (you'll meet her) and tell her your situation. If I remember correctly, you will actually have to study the material and take the exam before you plan to miss time. I can't remember if that means you will still get 10% deducted or not. I think missing clinical is the biggest thing. You will be missing 8 hours, and you are only allowed to miss 16 during the entire semester. If you ever have to miss again, make sure you are only missing a few hours, not the entire 8. You will make up clinical at the end of the semester after you test for your physical assessment. Like Nicole said, it is difficult. It will be nothing like your pre-reqs. I also think it will be a lot easier for you because you have your pre-reqs finished. You will be able to focus on your nursing classes instead of having to worry about A&P or writing a paper for English class. You'll also only have to go to school 3 days a week, which is really nice and gives you plenty of time to work and study. I took a lot of my pre-reqs before hand, I still had some left, but I had a lot less than most of my friends in class. My best advise for you is to not fall behind. It is tempting to be the typical college student and miss class, but you really can't. Unless you are strapped down to a hospital bed, go to class!!!! Start studying when they give you the information, not right before a test. It will be a relief when everyone else is cramming and you just have to do a quick review! As for clinical, always do all of your paperwork. Fill out everything you can before-hand. I knew a kid that NEVER finished his paperwork, and he didn't pass the class. Practice all of your skills as much as you possibly can. Be able to do it with your hands tied behind your back and blind folded! Even if you think you know it, practice more because it's harder to do when you're nervous (which you will be!) About two months into your semester, you will have to demonstrate taking vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, RR), giving an injection, and inserting a catheter. The injection will be chosen randomly, so you will have to know the information for all of them. You will also randomly get either a male or female patient for cath, but I didn't find that it was too different. You have two chances that day to pass. If you don't pass, you will have to come back and do remedial work and then retake it again. At the end of the semester, you perform a head to toe physical assessment on your partner from memory. Honestly, not to brag or anything, but I feel like I was just born to be in healthcare for some reason. Most of the stuff just comes naturally to me. I didn't spend all that much time studying, and I ended up with a high B in both courses. Everyone is different, so you just have to find out what works for you and what doesn't. The first test is only worth 25 points, so figure it out then and then improve yourself from there. Just study, study, study (if you find you have to), practice as much as possible. Find a good group of friends that you can depend on! Do all of the work you have to so you are on your clinical instructor's good side! Do EVERY assignment, even if it's worth 1 point or 20. It will help you in the long run! You will do just fine. I would say good luck, but you don't even need luck!

Rookie1, I'm not sure if you will ever get this message, but I figured I would post it anyway. I am assuming that you haven't completed any pre-reqs. For 1st semester, there are two different clinical day options (Tuesday & Wednesday). I did mine on Wednesday, so I will tell you what my schedule would have been if I hadn't completed any pre-reqs. Monday: English Comp 9-11:50am, Nursing lecture 1-2:20pm Tuesday:A&P lecture 9-11:50am, A&P lab 1-3:40pm Wednesday: Clinical 7am-3:30pm Thursday: Clinical Math 8:30-11:20am, Nursing lecture 1-2:20pm Friday: Off (you can choose to do your psych or soci this day)

I currently attend. It is a good school, but can be challenging (as expected). The only problem I have is with some of the administration (not instructors). In recent years, the school has been accepting a lot more students. They are trying to expand, but the building isn't really expanding with us. They have moved a lot of classes to the creepy basement level of an industrial warehouse type building. They are also not very organized in telling you what you need to get done and when. You are sort of on your own for that. You can expect to log into accounts and find out that you have to take 5 online quizzes. They also love to send e-mails two days before a semester starts and say you have about 6 hours worth of homework to do. The clinical experience is great because, unlike a community college like HACC, you know that you will eventually get into clincal if you have the required grades. At HACC, it can sometimes take 5 years to get your associates degree, but that shouldn't happen at LGC. I think the school is also looking into becoming a BSN school because the hospital now prefers to hire BS nurses. Overall, it is a good school, but as with any, you can expect issues.

I may be wrong, but I've heard that a lot of masters degree programs require that you have experience in the field. Again, that's just what I saw when I was doing my research. I've also heard that getting your masters degree would be pointless if you just want to be a RN in a hospital. I wouldn't do that until you see that employers are starting to post that MSN is required (I'm waiting for the day to come...not!) I don't necessarily think that the masters degree is the new BSN yet because a lot of hospitals are still switching over from ADN to BSN. I know you are looking hard, but try even harder! Look on websites like indeed.com, monster.com, snagajob.com, etc. If you are becoming extremely desperate, take ANY job that you can find. Many classmates I know act like they will only take a job in the NICU or whatever they are interested in. Personally, I would love to work in the NICU, but I realize that as a new grad, that will be almost impossible. Gain a year or two of experience and then go out looking for your DREAM job. Also, could you expand your search to hospitals outside of Philadelphia? Have you looked into Chester County Hospital or something in that area? Have you considered having a commute by train for a short time while you gain experience? I know it is difficult with not being able to relocate, but I always like to think: if there's a will, there's a way! At the end of the day, you worked hard on your degree. You obviously had some desire to become a nurse, so remember the desire that you had! Don't let these issues bring you down! You WILL find work if you keep trying, you WON'T find work if you give up! Fill out an application or two each day. Call up employers and ask them about the status of your application! Revise your resume so that they would WANT to hire you over everyone else. Good luck!