optimisticSRNA

Thanks for your post! Especially the part about "the more you study, the worse you'll do"! That is exactly what has been happening to me, and I flipped out! But, what you say makes sense, about the multiple choice being the hardest content. THanks for your post, and CONGRATS!

Sorry, not going to answer that one :) But all the Michigan schools have their downside, I can tell you that for sure!

Lately, it has been every day that I wish I could quit. The clinical site I am currently at sucks, our instructors are just plain nasty, and we are having one heck of a didactic semester too. It's a frustrating existence, and I didn't believe everyone when they told me how horrible it was, and you probably won't either. But, it's worse than anyone told me it could be. The feeling you get inside is so terrible, feeling stupid every day, from clinical instructor to didactic instructor. I swear, they take pride in knowing that they make you feel like poo. It's horrible. I'm just starting my second year, and I would have to say that I wouldn't do it over, if I knew what I (and my family) would have to go through. And that's the truth.

I'm currently a junior at UD's program. GPA 3.92 GRE 1260 2.5 years experience when I started the program. Also, just wanted to comment on the online component. We only take Physics and Research online. This may be changing, but currently, everything else is in-class. PM me with questions if you like!

Hello everyone! I thought I'd update here, now that I have my $$ for school. First of all, I HIGHLY recommend Chase for your federal and private loans. The first thing I did in my search for the dollars was fill out my FAFSA and take all the loans that the government offered me, which totalled for the year @ $40,000. This includes subsidized, unsub, and federal PLUS loan. Next, I took a loan from an area hospital for $15000 over the course of the program, which is a $555.55 check per month, for the entire program. Lastly, (and this is what everyone wants to know about) was the quest for the private (the money to live on) loan. After searching through this forum, I decided that if I took an Educated Borrower loan for $60000, I wouldn't need to take anymore loans for the rest of the program. So, in late June, I applied for the loan. To make a loooong story short, it's now August 30 and I still haven't received a &^%$ answer. Soooo frustrating!!! Multiple problems: after a few weeks, I was told : "we never received your application" What? GRRRR! I gave them more time, but as I said, never received a response. The second issue with them was I received a letter from their lender saying that I "requested more that the loan limit". What? The limit is $60000, that's what I requested. Upon calling customer service, they told me to "ignore that letter". Hmm. Ok. At this time, August 9th, I decided I couldn't wait around anymore. I applied for the Chase private loan (which my school had a set limit on how much I could get: 27,590, which is what i asked for) I received the check a few days ago. Their customer service was awesome and told me when the license I sent was too blurry, and gave me options to get my check fast (get a UPS account and next day air, otherwise it would take 5-7 days after the check is mailed). So, here is the complaint I sent to Educated Borrower after I closed my application: To Whom it May Concern: I just wanted to let someone know about my terrible experience with the Educated Borrower. I began the loan process the end of June 2007. After multiple calls regarding this account, and the assurance that all was well, I received information in July that my application had never been received. After re-sending my application, and more calls to ensure nothing else was needed from me, I have still not received an answer regarding my loan status. During this time, I applied for another private loan on August 9th through Chase. I received the check August 20th. I just wanted to let someone know why I have cancelled my loan application with the Educated Borrower. Word of mouth is a powerful thing, and unfortunately, I will not be able to recommend your product to anyone I know. The loan process was streamlined and customer service was always helpful with the other lender I chose. Many times, when I would call Educated Borrower, it was a different story. The CSRs would tell me something different on a daily basis, and the only time I felt like anything was being done was when I spoke with a supervisor. This is not to say the CSRs weren't doing their jobs; in fact, I believe they were doing them as well as they could. Many of them were very apologetic to my situation, and could tell I was frustrated about the process. It must be a hard job to sit and listen to all the people calling day in and day out about their loans. Every CSR was polite and attempted to be helpful. However, after 2 months of waiting for an answer (and multiple "requests" to the processor, supervisors, etc) I STILL do not have an answer. This is not acceptable, and is the reason I will never recommend your product. --Nurse Kern So, sorry this is so long, but I just wanted to warn everyone. I wouldn't want anyone else to go through this frustration if you don't have to! For now my loan total is @ about 82,500. I will probably take out all the federal again next year. If needed, Chase told me I could also renew my private loan, even though I won't be working. So, good luck and I hope this has helped someone! N.K.

I'd rather be patted on the head then what happened to my patient last night. A little history, 17 year old gun shot wound to the leg. Ortho doc comes in and starts being rough on the poor kid's let. Kid says "take it easy!". Doc, "Don't blame me, I'm not the one that shot you." What?! Thinking it, ok, but speaking that? No way!~

They could mean the class that is graduating in 2009, I had a little shock when offerered a position for "the class of 2009". Maybe I was the only one confused....

Hello everyone! I'm currently on the search for the dollars. I have accepted the Stafford loans and the PLUS loan that school's going to "allow" me, totalling about $40000. I have read through this thread so many times, it's so great! My question is should I wait for the federal ones to go through before I apply for the private ones? That seems to be the general consensus, but if I can do it sooner, I really want to. Please, if anyone has experience in this area, help me out:) Nurse Kern

JW- The longer you wait to go to ICU, the more nervous you'll be. I honestly think that. You'll psych yourself out more, when, really, there's not a lot of difference between your stepdown patients and the ICU. And, you will be starting off ahead of those new grads that do ok, since you already have your organizational skills down. (and I can say that as I went to ICU straight outta school!) Any ICU I've ever worked prefers someone with experience, so you should go for it! Good luck:) There is a lot to learn, but it's a lot of fun too! Nurse Kern

Hello all! Just want to see if anyone else feels jaded in the ICU. Working in the Trauma/Surg ICU is starting to make me...a wench. I have done a week's vacation, stress relief, etc. It's just that when I'm at work, I have been losing my patience quickly with certain patients. I can't stand the whining anymore. I try to give people a chance but once they continue with certain behaviors (whining, constantly on the call light without reason, yelling, pinching, being snotty, etc) I just can't handle it. I have been in ICU for about 3 years, and am scared I'm losing my compassion. The ICU where I work is very urban, very very busy and we get a ton of GSWs, traumas, transplants, and surgeries of all kinds. I think I'm just sick of patients and their families being so damn demanding, lying to me over and over, and thinking that I am there to cater to their every want. Don't get me wrong, I take excellent care of my patients, I really do. I just want to get some ideas on what everyone else does when they really are at the end of their ropes. When I can, I escape for a minute, even if it's just walking to the pharmacy. Getting a little breather can really help. I also think a part of my problem is that I have started an internal countdown, as I'm starting CRNA school in the fall. Suggestions are welcome on how you deal with this feeling! Nurse Kern

Definitely get the letter of rec from your current workplace. I had a similar situation to yours. I felt underhanded about it, but it was beneficial, since I'm starting in the fall (yay!) The thing is, a new place may not even write you one. My new employer requires a 2 year commitment before they'll write a LOR. Dumb, but true. The other underhanded thing I felt I had to do was that I got the letter of rec, and made sure my manager had already sent it in before I told them I was leaving, just in case that would have swayed what she wrote. For whatever reason, people can get bitter and nasty about those of us wanting to go back to school. Oh well... Good luck! Nurse Kern

bump= adding a post to the thread so it doesn't get "buried" in the backpages of a thread. This thread has been stickied though, so now this great info won't get lost! -Nurse Kern

Undergrad GPA 3.84 GRE 1260 and 4.5 (new test, 720 math 540 verbal) I will have 2.5 years experience when I start Fall 2007. 1.5 Medical ICU (large teaching hospital) and 1 years Trauma/SICU (level 1 trauma, large teaching hospital). ACLS, BLS, PALS, Sigma Theta Tau, AACN Applied at 2 schools, Oakland University and UD Mercy. Interviewed at both, accepted at both. Will be attending UD Mercy in the fall:)

Oakland University- interviewed and accepted U of D Mercy- interviewed and accepted, will be attending in the fall:)

It most certainly does. I have to thank everyone here for their insight, allnurses.com has helped me so much with this endeavor!