samrusrn

Yeah, I thought surgery would be best for me, but I don't actually know...I'm a first semester student so I haven't been in OB yet. I heard you either hate or love OB, so I honestly do not know. If I get to see surgeries, that would be great and I feel like I would learn more? I've only been in Med-Surg this semester, so I only know how that is. Before I entered the program, I thought ER or Surgery would be better for me.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I couldn't help, but notice that someone mentioned that I thought nursing was beneath me and this is definitely not the case. Like I mentioned before, I respect nurses a lot and it is clear to me that they do a lot way more than other health care professionals (in my opinion). The money issue is causing me the most amount of stress. I recently found out that I can actually apply for a student job at a hospital so that has really helped my mood. We recently had a simulation and I got complimented by a tutor on my head-to-toe assessment and it surprised me how a simple thing like that could motivate me so much. Things are starting to look better, so I apologize for my sudden outburst and I once again thank everyone for their advice and support. I do have a question, but feel that making a new topic isn't worth it. I can work in OB or surgery in my job position; can anyone give me pros and cons to each?

Thanks for the comments :) That's the problem that I'm facing - I have no idea what to do otherwise. I can try entering into B.A. PA programs, but those require 5-6 years to finish & what are the chances they'll accept me? I had the chance to work as a histology assistant before nursing, but I gave it up because I didn't think it would count as clinical experience for the PA program (my friend claims it does count though). I just feel like I have to suck it up and finish. I'm just worried that my grades will stop me from continuing with a PA program. I also changed hospitals next semester, so that might help. If I am able to get a job and move out, that will really help me out with studying (like I mentioned, I have no personal space and it's suffocating). Thanks again :)

I'm 3 weeks away from ending my first semester at my nursing program and I am not looking forward to next semester. Things have not been going so great for me and I am starting to feel very stressed out and unhappy. I just feel like I'm stuck and I am not sure about what to do. As a teen, I've always wanted to go to med school, but that dream went away when I transferred to a 4 year university (bad grades). I decided PA or NP was the next step, but PA school required 2000 hours of experience and I had none. I decided to go for NP, but I have never wanted to be a nurse. I just felt like it wouldn't be something I would enjoy. I really needed the income though and it was a job in the medical field, so I thought it would work (it is very easy to get jobs in my area). I also thought that I could use the hours while working as nurse to go to PA school if I decided to pass on becoming a NP. Forwarding to now - every week, I keep thinking this isn't for me. I am always searching the internet for other educational options. I'm not failing my classes, but my grades are not amazing. I have very little motivation to study. I'm not crazy about the nursing program bc it can be very disorganized. I have been feeling very frustrated lately because our clinical instructor just told us she doesn't give out A's. I hate writing major care plans with a passion - nursing diagnosis's bore me. Adding more fuel to the fire (which also worsens how I feel and thus, makes me feel even more unmotivated), I am broke as heck. I pretty much have no support from my mom and older sister. My boyfriend who was helping me in the beginning is now unemployed. I don't qualify for aid and no loans are offered. I have applied for jobs and I have not been considered for any because of my schedule. I just heard that a nursing assistant job that is offered to students is not going to be offered this spring after-all (I have been waiting for this job for months now). My living situation sucks; I have no personal space and it can be impossible to study there (I usually take my stuff to my boyfriends home and it's annoying to take all my books). My whole family would freak out if I told them I was considering dropping the program. The only person I had mentioned this to is my boyfriend, and he thinks it's the worst idea ever. They all think it's a great, stable and awesome paying job and there are always openings in my area. I just don't know what I can do anymore. I really hope this doesn't come off bad - I respect nurses and I think they are very intelligent and hard working people. I just feel like the job is not right for me. Thanks for hearing me out. As always, feedback is great.

My 2 year nursing program (ADN) has clinicals every semester. We started about a month after we entered. They will each last about 3/4 months.

Thanks to everyone who has replied, it has helped a lot:). I am REALLY hard on myself and I'm always stressed because of this. I see that getting a A is possible so it makes me feel bad, but I shouldn't let this get to me.

My skills class is going to end in about 6 weeks and I'm pretty disappointed with the way I have been doing. I'm sure you hear this a lot - an A student not doing as great as they thought they would, but I am having trouble studying and changing the way I think. What's even more frustrating is that it looks like I can't save myself since we only have 2 quizzes left - they have to be higher in points to make up for it. I received an 80% on my last quiz and I might not do much better on this second quiz. You need a 92% or higher to get an A and it frustrates me that I am not one of the students getting that 100%. I tend to over-think my questions considerably - I have changed very easy answers just because I go back and think "well maybe they mean this....or they're trying to make me think differently". I want to be a NP and I'm really worried that this possible C (though I do believe I have a very high chance of getting a B) is going to look really bad when they look at my application. I know I still have 3 more semesters, but I hope not to repeat this again. I do admit that I don't study as much as everyone does, but I am going through a lot of stress this school year (no financial aid and crummy living situation). Do I still have a shot at an NP school after this? This is a beginner nursing class and it really isn't hard so I worry about what they would think. I also don't plan to get a BSN since I have a BS in biology, but my grades were not good and I was hoping to make up for it in nursing school. Any advice is appreciated! P.S. I was going over this question with several of my classmates so I thought I'd ask you guys for your opinion :) (everyone chose figure 8 and I know I'm wrong). We had a question about an elbow laceration & the type of bandage we would use so I instantly picked the figure 8 bandage without blinking an eye. I decided to go over my test again and the word "laceration" stuck out to me so much. I was just so bothered by it because a laceration is a pretty nasty cut and I thought immobilization was better instead of allowing it to bend with the figure 8 (wouldn't bending the arm increase the chance of it opening?) so I chose spiral reverse. This is the type of thinking that is getting me lame grades . Needless to say, I was very embarrassed and I'm sure I was the only one to get such a simple question wrong.

I wouldn't worry about it - get the rolling backpack :). It's your health! In my class, all the females use rolling backpacks, but none of the males do (maybe they see it as feminine or weak?). I'm the only girl who doen't use them, but I feel fine using my backpack.

Thanks for all the advice everyone :). I don't find the material hard and I'm used to spending a ton of time reading (bio degree), but I do find it boring. I just thought we'd jump more into medicine, but it's learning how to do beds, clean people, etc. I don't think less of it, but I'm not thrilled to be learning it. I'm not thinking about applying for medical school because of several reasons. My gpa isn't that strong, I don't really have the time to study (mcat) and retake classes (fix gpa), it's very expensive (better to do well and get scholarships, etc) and I feel I'm too "old" now (I'm 25, but I had several things in mind I wanted to do before a certain age - a kid possibly being one of them). Going the NP route is def. cheaper for me and I would already be able to work while going to school. It's the best regarding money, but I guess I'm not too crazy about the model of learning? I really like that PA school is like a "mini med school" and I find that very appealing. I know it's not the same as med school, but it's similar. I guess that would satisfy me the most in regards to the career I wanted to have. I should probably spend my time reading up on the best route.

Hello everyone :) I have been feeling a bit down so I thought I'd ask for help. I just started my first semester of nursing school a week ago and I amazed by the amount of reading we have to do! I was not crazy about the first chapters (nursing history, theories..etc), but I kept at it. I really enjoyed learning skills this week and I look forward to doing more of it. Well, after spending a couple of days reading 100's of pages of material, I am starting to feel like nursing might not be something I'd want to continue to advance in. **Background info about me - I studied biology at college & ended up w/a not so great gpa. My dream was to become a MD (alway wanted to become one as a teen), but I knew this was something I can no longer do. I met some amazing NP's and I decided I wanted to become one. They really cared about me and I was impressed by their intelligence. Don't get me wrong, I think nursing is a great career and I think very highly of RN's. I still plan to complete the program, but I believe I'm going to start applying for PA schools instead. I was wondering if anyone has done this (RN to PA) and if so, how did it go? I feel like I'm just judging way too quckly, I mean, it has only been a week :S! I'm just a bit bummed because I was set on becoming a NP and now I'm having second thoughts. Thank you for any advice!

They told us that 48 people applied this semester and that half got accepted. It used to be more than 100 each semester.

I never had a lot of luck with study groups, I always found them distracting. I had a couple during my time at my university, and we spent most of the time goofing around. I always tried to avoid them and I want to continue doing this. The people in our program told us that it was better to study in groups, but unless I have to for an assignment, I don't see myself doing it.

I had one course left to complete my B.S. in Biology, but I chose to return to community college to finish my pre-reqs and enter a nursing program. I was able to get a pell grant my first year, but I am unable to get anything this year because I have already been in college for more than 6 years. I also got fin aid taken away for exceeding my maximum timeframe, but it looks like I can have it petitioned. I was awarded a cal grant © and that's at least something. Otherwise, this year is going to be pretty bad for me since I have no aid and the first semester of the nursing program is the most expensive. We have no loans and finding a job is impossible for me because of my schedule. My boyfriend is going to help support me, but I really wish I didn't have to rely on him. I wish you the best of luck.

Not all college students are equal, but from my own personal experience as a tutor, I have seen a lot of failure when students take one major science course (ex: anatomy) let alone two or three. If you don't have much of a science background, I would reconsider. These classes require you to be at school for hours, it'a a lot of material and you might not have enough time to study when you get home. I have a background in biology, so I did fine when I took anatomy and physiology at the same time (along with nursing math and speech). Even though I had this background, it was very time consuming and I was always pretty tired by the end of the day. Almost all nursing programs look at your gpa, so I think you should take one or two classes this semester and try to get A's ! They will find you more appealing when they compare you to other applicants. Good luck with what you decide. If you decide to go for it, check to see if you school provides tutoring services!

Less than 10 minutes . When I had no car, it took me about 25 minutes when I took the bus.

Sorry for the late reply! I am single - no kids, not married...etc. I live in Imperial Valley & I am attending Imperial Valley college. The area is small with about 160,000 residents. We have the highest unemployment in the U.S. (27.2%).....yea :/. I am already stressing out because it's been a week and I still haven't received any calls. I believe my schedule is just not worth it for most places. There was an open interview at Petco & it sounded like I got the job, until they told me there were no open positions. I was told they had me in mind and would call me if they needed someone *sigh* . I considered unemployment, but my boyfriend told me I didn't make enough to get it (which is true, I hardly worked enough hours at my tutoring job). @LadyinScrubs, I actually saw a listing for a caregiver while looking through the classifieds, but I assumed they meant a nurse. I guess it couldn't hurt to email them. @allie86, not sure how I missed replying to you, but I'm definitely going to look into it! Thanks so much, I hope I'm eligible. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! I hope I figure something out soon....school starts in 17 days!

Thanks for the suggestions everyone :). I have only applied for the part-time jobs that showed up on on the popular job sites (indeed.com, monster.com...etc), and I have not come across any restaurant type ones. I will have to check out restaurant websites. As for CNA, I'm not certified (I should have it when I finish my first semester of my RN program), so that will have to wait until the end of fall. Also, I always make sure to dress up professionally, no matter what type of job it is . I can also try applying for a scribe position, but I heard the pay was bad for the amount of work you do (minimum wage), a night shift is required once a week I believe (or at least once a month - not super sure) and they aren't too crazy about part time. They also want you to try to commit to at least 2 years, but I plan to apply for a nurse intern job at the end of my first semester so that would be a problem. I rather gain more experience to become a better nurse.

Hello everyone, I'm am about to start my RN program in about 3 weeks and I am pretty excited to start :). I, unfortunately, have come across a problem that has been stressing me out. At the end of Spring 12, I received an e-mail that I will no longer be eligible for the pell grant because I have been attending college for more than 6 years. I might be eligible for the cal grant C, but $550 is nothing compared to what I got from the pell grant. I was trying not to let that discourage me too much, until I found out that my school does not participate in federal loan programs. I have tried looking into private loans, but I can't get those either. The school is accredited; it's just that they don't bother with loans since a lot of people here can't pay it back. I once again, try not to let this bother me, but I am having a difficult time finding a decent job. My biggest mistake was that I only applied to certain jobs this summer (educational or hospital). I didn't hear anything for weeks and when I finally heard something, I wasn't considered because of my school schedule. I have now recently applied to part-time retail/fast food jobs and I am pretty nervous. I don't think I'm going to get a job...my schedule is too random. I am currently staying with my mom, but I really need a job to pay for materials/gas/food...etc. throughout the semester. I actually worked as a tutor at my college for a year, but I am trying to avoid it for now. The pay is good ($10 an hour starting this year), but my first pay check takes 2 months to arrive, it's ridiculous. I get paid monthly after that. I really need money now, but I will definitely accept it if I don't hear anything back. I am also aware about my school scholarships (you can't apply until October for them). My mom does not have a lot of money; I come from a poor family. My older sister is my only choice, but I would hate to ask for money if she doesn't offer. I know not much can be said besides "wow, you are screwed :P", but if anyone knows about any other grants or loans (doubt it), scholarships, jobs that work around schedules, tips...whatever, that would help. Fortunately, bogg pays for my classes so I don't have to worry about that (California community college) and I was able to buy most of the required items with the money I had saved up. I'm just worried about how it goes once I start the semester. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

I ended up buying the ADC convertible cardiology stethoscope because of what you said (and other reviews). I thought about it and I really didn't want to spend too much money on it, but I also didn't want to get a cheap product. I waited a while and I was finally able to get one for $59 on Amazon. I will be getting it in a few days :).

I have decided to buy a littmann stethoscope, but I'm not sure about which one to get (lightweight, classic,cardiology...). It looks like the cardiology one is the best one, but $130+ is a lot ! I am thinking about getting a classic ($75 - price still stings), but then I feel like I should get the best one available.

I feel awful about quitting, but at the same time, it wasn't anything like I expected. I'm really not sure how this affects me if I were to consider getting a job at that particular hospital later on. I know some of you have mentioned it looking good on a resume since it's hard to get a job nowadays, but in my particular area, this is not a problem when it comes to nursing. The area is not that great though - we are in a desert and temperatures stay in the 100's during the summer. It's not awful, but it's really boring here. A lot of people end up moving to bigger cities after about a year or so. From what I have seen, the people who volunteer do it for college or to try to get a job at the hospital. I don't really fit into any of those categories and I seem to be the only person who is volunteering to get exposure for the RN program. I'm not one to refuse a job if one was offered to me though (I have hinted it in my department), but nothing was said about it. The RN students I have spoken to aren't concerned about volunteering (let alone paid work) and everyone is telling me that I will get exposure when I do clinicals this semester. I have told the coordinator for the RN-BSN program that I was volunteering and she didn't seem very interested. When I told the volunteer services coordinator that I was attending nursing school this semester, she couldn't care less and she just wanted to know how I was going to do my volunteer hours. Point is, I'm getting a big vibe that volunteering isn't a big deal here when it comes to nursing. Guess I should also mention that I have told someone in the nurse department of another hospital if volunteering helped me with a career there and all she said is that it only really helps me get familiar with the area; nothing else. I have told HR at the hospital I'm currently helping out at if volunteering would help me get a job and they just said it could help.

Thank you for your post, this is EXACTLY how I feel. I have told my boyfriend countless times that I feel like I'm just doing the work they don't want to do. Today was the worst of all, I had to go through patient folders and look through every piece of paper to make sure there were all signed and dated. I did this for 2 hours and I was getting sick of looking down. They told me it was very boring work and that it hadn't been done in months. I barely finished a box in 2 hours and there's 3 more boxes to finish. I already spoke to someone and I will be sent to another department. The lady was someone higher up in the volunteer services and she made it clear that I will never have patient interaction unless it's to greet them or help them get water/blanket..etc. She said that they just can't allow it. I told them I misunderstood the information on the packet; when I saw "non clinical" and "clinical" experience, I thought clinical meant patient interaction. She also reminded me of my commitment; when she found out I was a nursing student she asked me how I was going to volunteer while going to school. I was confused, I always assumed we would work around it. She then asked me for my schedule and I said it was impossible since I haven't even enrolled for classes yet. Thanks again everyone for the input, it's really helpful!

I've been volunteering for a while now and would like some input about what I should do :S. For the last couple of days, I have been volunteering 2 hours a day, twice a week. All I do now is dull and mind numbing office work (stapling, faxing..etc). For some reason, I don't get to wipe down rooms anymore (I think the nurses just do it themselves). The staff in the office are super nice ladies, but the work isn't great and it's not going to help me at all. In the beginning, the director said I could shadow some nurses and one of the staff ladies finally got around to asking the nurse manager and she said no. She said that I was a volunteer and should stick to volunteer jobs....that I don't get to volunteer if I'm watching someone. Needless to say, I'm disappointed and I feel like I'm getting nowhere with this. I HAVE heard that I might be able to get a job while volunteering, but I have not been told anything about it after I have hinted at it. At this point, I don't know what to do anymore. If I ask to change departments, it's just going to be more office work.

The college I'm attending is Imperial Valley College. Feel free to send me an e-mail if you'd like more info

I guess it is a box with books & it comes with online modules and assessments....? They didn't tell us more about it. I asked if I had to buy it and they said it was mandatory. I feel like it's a waste of money, but apparently some nursing students thought it was really useful. I can't find any information about it and I can't get a reduced price. They give us 6 weeks to come up with the money to buy it on the ATI website.