arciedee

Hello, I started a full-time position as a QI analyst less than a year after becoming a nurse (worked in OB prior to that). I had also spent time in the quality office as a student, so I had a good idea of what I was getting into. I strongly feel that my experience as a student made me a better clinical nurse. I was better aware of the importance of documentation, the reasoning behind the policies, and in general a great big-picture view of the hospital. The great thing about quality is that you have the opportunity to improve care for ALL patients, not just those you care for at the bedside. Plus, as you mentioned, you get to know leaders throughout the organization, so if you choose to go back to clinical nursing you will have a great network. That being said... I do struggle with the amount of sitting I do in a day! I can go a bit stir-crazy. I am planning to make a return to clinical nursing soon, but I know that my quality experience is going to serve me very well and I full expect that I'll return to it at some point in the future with a stronger clinical background. I am not sure what your job description includes, so I'm not sure what resources to give you, but I will say that the best thing I've done is to soak up whatever comes my way in terms of training, seminars, etc. Best of luck!

Just to comment on niko's post, you do NOT need to take the test for the LNA certification if you are obtaining the license through comparable education. You simply need to provide proof (either a letter from the school or a transcript) that you have completed the fundamentals course at your nursing school along with the application.

I just graduated from the program (wow, I swear I just started it yesterday!) and my undergrad GPA was in the low 3s, but my pre-reqs were much higher. I think at the time I applied there were about 100 applicants for 24 spots. With the direct-entry MS you will most likely start out working as a staff nurse with graduates of ADN and BSN programs, but the MS gives you an advantage a few years down the road since it will allow you to move into other positions once you have some practical experience under your belt (hopefully CNL positions if more hospitals start seeing their value!). If you are interested in an NP later on, you would most likely only need to go for a post-graduate certificate since you will have already completed many of the core courses.

melmarie, when I started a couple years ago the equipment (steth, clipboard, and scissors) ran around $100. The stethoscope was a good deal for the quality (it's a Littman). As ddb19 mentioned, the clipboard isn't something you really need. And budget in some shoe costs. I spent $100 or so on my Danskos, but am so glad I did. Still wear them at work now! Good luck on starting the program. I'm finishing up (fingers crossed) in a couple weeks. It's crazy and frustrating sometimes, but at the end of the day I'm very glad I went this route.

McGill University in Montreal has a direct entry program with more pre-med type pre-reqs (year of bio, year of gen chem, semester of orgo, plus your choice of humanities). The details are here.

The best route depends on what you want to do with the nursing career. I think the accelerated 2nd bachelors programs are great options since they get you out into the work world quickly. If you have a good idea of what you want to do in nursing (i.e. nurse practitioner, leadership, education) a direct-entry program is also a great option. It sounds like you are thinking of taking the LPN program and then going on to an 2nd BSN or direct-entry program? Just to warn you, having the LPN may actually put you out of the running for some of these programs as they are intended for career changers. It would be best to contact schools you're interested in to see how they would view an LPN applicant. You can, of course, bridge from the LPN to an RN, but these are generally specific programs for LPNs. I hope this helps. Congratulations on your upcoming graduation and good luck.

Direct-entry master's programs usually do target career-changers, but it is not out of the ordinary for recent graduates to enter these programs. We have quite a few in my program, in fact, so don't let that hold you back from applying. As for not being sure what specialty you are interested in, you may want to look for generalist direct-entry programs. Clinical nurse leadership programs are the main ones, but there may be others out there. These will lead to a master's degree and if you choose to go on for a post-grad certificate as an NP or CNS you will already have the core classes out of the way. Another option is to pursue a family NP program as these will give you a great deal of flexibility. Of course an accelerated BSN or an ADN is another option. Depending on your time and interest you could take a CNA course to gain some experience. You could also contact local hospitals to find out information about their volunteer programs; if you go that route I would be sure to let them know that you are interested in going to nursing school and would like a position where you will be exposed to nurses/patients. I think the most important thing is to do your research: read through the forums on this site, talk with any nurses you may know, talk to area hospitals to find out if it would be possible to shadow a nurse for a day or two, etc. Good luck!

Honestly I think you've got two really good options available to you. The best choice is probably the one that you are most comfortable with in terms of both finances and studying (balancing lecture/clinical/study time with work). I did the direct-entry CNL route and I have to say that I really appreciated being able to focus entirely on nursing rather than trying to balance school and work (although now that I am an RN I am going to have to balance it for the remaining portion of my program). The student loans I was able to get as a grad student allowed me to keep my home. That being said, it has been tight financially and now I have to pay back those loans. I'm very happy with my education, though, and feel that it's a worthwhile debt to carry.

As Tweety stated, those pre-reqs are pretty standard across the board regardless of what kind of program you are applying to. I certainly understand the frustration of wanting to jump in with both feet NOW, but those pre-reqs really are necessary to understanding the nursing curriculum. For me, it was exciting to take the pre-reqs to know that I was making very real steps towards my goal of becoming a nurse. I took one or two classes at a time while I worked full time in a completely different field. If you are able to dedicate more time to class you can probably knock them out even faster. By the time I quit my job to enter the nursing program I had paid off my debt, had confidence in my ability to succeed in a challenging program (having done well in my pre-reqs while balancing full-time employment), and knew I was making the right choice. Don't lose hope, it is all worth it in the end.

I have one of the 100% cotton tops and it seems to be about the same size before and after it went in the wash.

Okay, I couldn't wait, and this was probably the best $8 I could have spent... I passed! Phew!

Ugh, jumping in here as I anxiously await my results. I did the virtual ATI program and finished it up about two weeks ago with the predictor saying that I had a 99% chance of passing the NCLEX. I planned to do more question banks while I waited to test, but I figured it would be a while (hadn't gotten my ATT yet and usually the scheduling seems to work out so that you end up waiting about a month for an opening at the test center). So I decided to take a bit of a break from studying. Then Thursday night I got my ATT e-mail. When I went online to schedule the NCLEX there was an opening on Saturday (the 14th!). The next opening at any of the Pearson sites near me wasn't for another month or so, and I decided I didn't want this hanging over my head anymore, so I signed up for the Saturday. I walked out having no idea how it went. It shut off at 75. Everyone is telling me they're sure I did fine, but I am so nervous that maybe I just bombed it. Ugh... I don't want to spend the $8 to find out (esp. if it's bad news!). I just keep checking the state website neurotically. They say to allow 7 days for licenses to show up online. I don't think I can make it any longer!

I'm not at MCPHS, but I do live in the area. There is some public transportation in Manchester, and most routes go past the MCPHS "campus" which is downtown. I have never used it, though, so I can't report on the quality of the service. You'd also want to check with the school to find out where the clinical sites are. There are hospitals in Manchester, but the competition for placements is pretty high with all the nursing schools in the area. I am not sure how this has worked out for MCPHS since they're the new kids on the block (they only opened the program this past September). GoSox08, I used to commute the other way and I think that commuting from Boston to Manchester would be easier since you're going against the flow of traffic for the most part. That being said, traffic in this area is busy regardless of which direction you're travelling in. It would probably be easier to commute if you lived a little farther north, but it's certainly not impossible.

That's a tough choice. From the pure academic point of view I'd say to go for the ABSN simply because of the timing and the fact that you know that you want to go on for an advanced practice role so you'll need the BSN anyway. The idea of spending 2-3 years waiting to get into an ADN program, then two years in the program, and then an additional 1-2 years to bridge to the BSN wouldn't be my cup of tea. That being said, finances are a concern and the cost of the ABSN program is quite high. Have you checked with the school to see if there are any scholarship opportunities or how other students pay for it? Also, you might want to look into whether master's programs in your area are willing to take RNs whose bachelor's degree is in something other than nursing. Some schools will allow you to do an RN-to-MS program and just integrate some of the BSN coursework into the program. That might make the ADN program more attractive. As for the direct-entry program, I would want to know what the flexibility is. How difficult would it be to switch specialties if you decided you wanted to? Is it possible to drop down to part-time and/or take a leave of absence after the pre-licensure portion to get experience and relieve some of the financial burden? I'd also be concerned with the two hour travel time. Good luck with your decision!

The CNL programs are generalist programs as opposed to the direct-entry NP or CNS programs in which you have to choose a specialty. I chose to go the CNL route for that very reason... I wasn't ready to commit to a specialty without having any experience.

Most of us in CNL programs are starting out as regular staff nurses, so the immediate income is going to be the same as any entry-level RN until you get some experience under your belt. After a few years, however, you should be able to take advantage of your degree. Keep in mind that the CNL role is new. There are a few hospitals in my area that are starting to embrace the idea, but it isn't by any means a mainstream concept and you may need to spend a fair amount of time explaining it to people depending on your location. That being said, in the process of explaining it to people (including my preceptor last semester and my new boss), they've been very receptive to talking about where I can go with my career. They know I'm getting my master's and I'm interested in leadership and they want to help me get there. Unfortunately I can't really answer for you whether the cost is going to be worth it to you. I'm getting my degree from a public university, so it's expensive, but not overwhelmingly so... if I was going to a private university I may have a different view on that! I'm also interested in areas where the master's degree is really going to help me (i.e. education, quality, etc.). If those aren't of interest to you, or if you really think that you really want to go into advanced practice in a few years, the CNL track might not be worth it for you. I apologize for being so vague... it's just that the CNL concept is new, so there's not a lot of data out there yet about how it's being utilized, what the salaries are, etc. I've really enjoyed the journey, though, and am excited about where it's going to take me in my career. Congratulations on choosing nursing, and please feel free to post any additional questions you may have.

No, you're not crazy. I'm in a direct-entry CNL program myself and very happy with my choice. However, that doesn't make it the right choice for everyone. It sounds like you've given it a lot of thought. Finances are definitely a concern and being debt-free will help, especially if you are already planning to go back to school later on. Career goals are also important. If you already know that your ultimate goal is to be an NP, then the CNL is probably not the most direct path to get there. Best of luck in making your decision.

:yeahthat: In the state where I'm getting my license they actually tell us to sign up for PearsonVUE before you even send in your application so that you will be registered and ready to go when the state tells them we are authorized to sit for the test.

Accelerated programs are great, especially since traditional programs often take longer than two years (the BS program at the university I attend starts nursing courses in the first semester of sophomore year). However, keep in mind that accelerated programs usually suggest that you should not work during that time due to the intensity. For some people this is an issue and traditional programs may better accomodate a work schedule. Also, as the previous poster mentioned, there are direct-entry master's programs. Some of these prepare students to become NPs/CNSs, others are more generalist programs for clinical nurse leaders, administration, education, etc. Good luck in your pursuit!

Dress business professional unless you are told specifically by the person setting up the interview to do otherwise. If you have a suit, wear it. If not, for women wear a nice dress or slacks/skirt with a nice blouse and/or sweater, along with nice shoes and stockings if you're wearing a skirt. For men pressed trousers, button-down shirt with a tie, and nice shoes (bonus points for a sport coat). Always better to be overdressed than underdressed!

Sounds fine to me... in fact, I'd prefer to dress that way myself since I have yet to try on a scrub top that is comfortable and looks nice. I don't consider scrub tops to look any more or less professional than a knit top. As far as I know my hospital has no rules about the practice, but I have had clinicals at another hospital that required knit tops only be worn underneath a scrub top or jacket. I am not sure what the rationale was behind that decision, but I don't have a strong opinion on it one way or the other.

It can be very frustrating to figure out the pre-reqs and each school seems to place emphasis on different things. It may help to focus on the courses that are common to many of the schools (if you haven't already finished them) and then put priority on the courses that go with the schools you are most interested in.

sistasoul, I am in NH, too. One thing I have found is that most hospitals are hiring their own current employees first (i.e. LNAs, unit secretaries, etc. who are graduating from nursing school). A lot of them will wait until they go through their internal pool before they open up the remaining positions to outside applicants. This may explain why you haven't heard anything yet. I've also found that networking is a huge tool in the process. I am not sure from your post if you are currently employed as an LNA, but if so, leverage your connections there. If you still have contact with old supervisors/nursing managers, I would suggest calling them up directly and asking about positions, too. Even if they don't have something they may be able to put you in contact with a colleague who does. Did you have to do a practicum as part of your program? If so I would suggest talking to the unit manager of the floor you were on to see if they have openings or can help you make connections with other areas that do. This seems to be the way most of my classmates have gotten their jobs. I know it's frustrating to be on the search in this area. I wish you the best of luck!

I wish I could donate mine, but my school is changing the uniform and vendor for the next class. Seems like a waste to toss them, but I see no reason to hold onto a polo shirt for posterity. Might wear the pants again, though.

This document lists the current accelerated bachelor's and direct-entry master's degree programs by state.