AFwifeRN

Congratulations to you!! See you in January ?

Just got the call. I'm in! SO FREAKING EXCITED

I don't know if they had any late interviews. Has anyone heard anything one way or another yet?

Hoping it's sooner as well! Fingers crossed we get to be classmates! ?

I feel pretty much the same! I did not answer the clinical questions 100% correct but (in my opinion) did well overall. I never felt like my nerves got the best of me and I believe I remained largely coherent throughout all my interviews ? The problem is that we were all extremely qualified and I believe would all make great SRNA's but they have to narrow it down somehow. I'm not sure how things might have been different if we had gotten to interview in person. I guess my feet would have been a little more uncomfortable in person because I sure did not wear my heels during the virtual interview haha! Longest. Week. Ever. I'm really hoping for some trainwrecks at work the next 2 days to take my mind off things!

Those of you who just interviewed at Baylor, how did your interview go? Waiting anxiously to hear back!

How did everyone's Baylor interview go? Waiting anxiously to hear back... this will be a long week!

That's unfortunate! I work at a university teaching hospital and there is a specific person in the anesthesia department to contact for shadowing requests and a couple forms to fill out and then they set it up for you. I already knew who I wanted to shadow because we have quite a bit of contact with CRNA's in the SICU so I literally just asked one of them one day and she was cool with it, so I found out her schedule and specifically requested her when I filled out the forms. As far as the COVID-19, that's probably having more of an impact than anything. When things settle down, is there someone in the education department that you can speak to face to face? I'm assuming you don't frequently come into contact with CRNAs, so is there a way you can find one to talk to.. friend of a friend maybe? If all else fails, can you email the school you are applying to and see if they have any resources? Maybe you could shadow one of the faculty members if they are also a currently practicing CRNA. I see you are at a level 2 trauma center, so if you're not in the SICU, see if you can pop over and have some contact with some CRNAs!

I will be applying to Baylor and UTHealth! GPA: 4.0 GRE: 323/4.0 CCRN and CMC BLS/ACLS/PALS/TNCC/NIHSS 3 years total ICU with almost 1.5 of that level 1 trauma/SICU Thank you for starting this ?

I love these threads! I will be applying to UT (and Baylor)! GPA 4.0, GRE 323 writing 4.0, CCRN-CMC, TNCC, 3 years total ICU time with the most recent 1.5 of that in a level 1 trauma ICU/SICU. Finishing up organic chem in 3 weeks.

BoxFish, did you ever get a straight answer from UT Health on an acceptable online-only organic chemistry class? I emailed two separate email addresses to ask them about a particular online orgo class through MSUM, with no reply. When I finally just called to ask, a woman told me that taking the class online was acceptable, but that I would have to do the lab portion in person. Baylor just accepts online orgo without a lab component. Based on what they accepted for MrLimey above, I'm wondering if this woman from UT Health just gave me incorrect info, or if they changed their requirements??

Do most CRNA schools require only one semester of organic chemistry? What about a lab requirement? The CRNA schools I'm looking at are in Houston, and I know the only way to be sure is to contact them, which I will do, but I thought I'd check with you all too. Anyone have any difficulty with a CRNA program accepting an online orgo class?

I have an ADN- Job searched for 5 weeks, applied to about 30-40 openings (pretty much ICU jobs only), got an interview for one of those ICU positions, got offered the job at the end of the interview, and took the job.

Have you looked at Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo? They will hire new grads. Honestly, if you have had multiple interviews but no job offers, I would get your interviewing skills critiqued. Please don't take this the wrong way, as I'm only trying to help :) Consider contacting one/some of the people that interviewed you and politely ask for feedback on what worked in your favor and what did not. Pikes Peak Workforce Center is one of the many places here in the Springs where you can practice mock interviews.. I just researched that. I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong, but there may be areas that you could work on so you really shine. Anyone who interviewed you would have already looked at your resume and realized you do not have experience; if they bothered to interview you that means they were willing to give you a chance despite that lack of experience. I got hired into an ICU job in this area as a ADN new grad a few weeks ago, so I know it can be done. Best of luck - you can do it!!

I graduated May '14 and didn't start looking for a job until the end of Feb '15 (new baby). In the meantime though, I volunteered as an RN at a clinic that serves the uninsured population. I still do it because I enjoy it. I did my preceptorship in the ICU and graduated with a 4.0 and glowing recs. I'm in the Colorado Springs area, and it took me 5 weeks to get an ICU job. I knew since about halfway through my ADN program that ICU was where I wanted to be, and I was determined to do what it took to get there. I think determination and working hard is a lot of the battle. Not to sound cocky, but I just knew that if I could get an ICU interview, I would get the job. I knew my excitement and preparation would shine through and it did. My advice is to do EVERYthing in nursing school at 100% even if you think it won't matter (like some small group work project) because you never know who is watching. You might need them to recommend you down the line :) Good luck and enjoy school! It goes by quickly.

I would reply to your PM, but I don't have enough posts I guess. I liked the program a lot. The clinical experiences were fine, not what you'd get in a bigger city with more hospitals perhaps (you will not get an actual OB/L&D clinical experience, it will be simulations, and there is next to no pediatric clinical experiences). The program is going through changes (as most do) and I believe now 1st and 2nd semesters are in a long-term care setting. 3rd semester is more of an acute-care hospital setting, and 4th semester is psych/community health experiences and your preceptorship (which you have input on.. so if you're set on working with kids, you can request preceptorship on the peds floor). I learned and saw what I needed to be successful. To get the most out of it, you need to be prepared every day, volunteer for every opportunity you can (oh you're changing a cath? can I do it?), and ask questions every time you don't understand something or just because you're curious. I got accepted after applying while I was still enrolled in A&P 1. It helped that I have a previous bachelor's degree and got A's in most of my classes that were counted for points. I believe I had a low 90 on the point system.. they may have changed points a little since I applied, but I had no previous working experience in the medical field so I didn't get points for that. A lot of people work as a CNA throughout the program, and some work as an LPN the second year if they pass the NCLEX-PN.

I graduated from LCCC in May '14, and will graduate UW's RN/BSN program this August. I enjoyed my time there but we moved to Colorado for my husband's job. I stayed home with our littlest for a little while, began looking for jobs at the end of February, found one in the specialty I wanted by the end of March, and I start in less than 2 weeks. I'm happy to give whatever advice I can.

Hi cowgrlnurse! I see you did ADN and UW at the same time so I would love to pick your brain! I start both ADN and RN/BSN this fall. So many questions for you.. you must be about done?? Theresa

Hey Heidi, I would LOVE to get your input on your experience with the LEAP program! I start both the ADN program at LCCC and the RN/BSN through UW this fall. I was told time and time again that I would never get into UW this early; that I had to wait to apply until after completing my first year of ADN. Guess I proved that false! I have previous bachelors in math and this fall I'm taking Patho at UW and Pharm in the spring.. no actual UW nursing courses yet.. so maybe that's why they let me in at the same time as ADN.. who knows. Anyhow like everyone is saying on here, the communication from UW leaves a lot to be desired, so I've had to take the reins on things for the most part. What was your experience with all of that? I see you got into both at the same time too and it sounds like you have the same timing with finishing the programs that I hope to have. I have so many questions for you! Theresa

Reading is awesome and the one everyone recommends :) Be warned though that his tests/expectations are a bit easier than the other teachers and so when studying, don't just know the minimum amount required because I have heard you won't be quite as prepared for the nursing classes as you might be with one of the other teachers. Hope that helps!

I'm not sure about Kaplan's program.. this test was for a program here in Wyoming at the local college. They just switched to the Kaplan test for this round of applicants as it is a new test and harder, so I guess better at weeding people out?

Hi! I just took the Kaplan yesterday! The science section is 20 questions, all A&P. To give you a good idea of the types of questions you'll see, I did come across this website, which gives a pretty darn fair representation of the questions on the real test. Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions! http://www.sjhson.org/Docs/StudyGuide.pdf

Just took the Kaplan yesterday.. the science is 20 questions, ALL A&P. I found a website that gives a pretty darn good representations of the types of questions you'll find on the real test, plus lists the systems that you could be tested on: http://www.sjhson.org/Docs/StudyGuide.pdf Good luck!

Hi! I just took the Kaplan at LCCC yesterday and got a 90.. we need a 75 to apply. I believe this is the first semester they are requiring the Kaplan, which is a lot harder than any past tests since it has the A&P on it. I am currently in A&P I, and the systems that are tested on the exam you won't see until A&P II. So how does one pass the test not having taken those classes yet? You won't like my answer... I read the A&P textbook. Not quite all of it... I read ALL of chapters 1-4 (everything through basic tissue structure) and neurology, and then skimmed through the rest of the chapters, concentrating on the chapter reviews at the end. It was a lot of work, but with the A&P questions I encountered on the Kaplan test, I don't know how I would have passed it otherwise. To give you a good idea of the types of questions you'll see, I did come across this website, which gives a pretty darn fair representation of the questions on the real test. Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions! http://www.sjhson.org/Docs/StudyGuide.pdf

Just took the Kaplan yesterdayand I asked the test proctor what the average score was (this is the first semester my school has required the Kaplan.. before it was the TEAS) and she said it was averaging around 75, which is the min. score required to even apply for the program here. So I don't know how it is where you are, but a 75 would be considered just fine here :)