greenmanrn

Hello, I started RN to BSN Jan 1. I'm finishing up the Health Assessment and Applied Assessment now. My mentor has been awesome as well as the course mentor's thus far. A lot of infor in the Assessment class. Been an ICU nurse for 9yrs, so I kinda got focused on certain things and forgot a lot of things. Have no complaints so far. Keep me in the loop. Always good to have group vent and chat with.

I would check with my mentor again. I'm in the RN-BSN now, only because you do not receive your BSN until you finish your MSN. You can't stop after the BSN if enrolled in the RN-MSN.

I'm doing the RN-BSN at WGU now, but have also talked to my mentor about the MSN. The one's who are writing "bad things" about the program, probably only want the MSN. If you plan to do the FNP, ACNP or any other clinical master's, you will need these new courses. The courses are advanced patho, assessment, and pharm. These changes were made by WGU because the ANCC will soon require all MSN programs, clinical or non-clinical, to take these courses. So, if you want a post masters certificate, you will not have to repeat these courses. This will in turn make the FNP shorter and less expensive. Hope this helped out.

Just remember that now you are the sole provider for your 2yo. Let this motivate you to obtaining your BSN and making an even better life for you and for her. I know about adversity and set backs. Just pull yourself together and remember, she is what's important, and in the end, you will find the strength and motivation to pull yourself through this situation.

I've been an RN for 8 yrs and work in a Med-Surg Trauma ICU. I also work for a nursing agency part-time and go to the Virginia state prisons. I was also a correctional officer for 2.5 yrs. Nursing in the prison is not that bad. I've only been to state prisons, so, I cannot speak for the federal prison. One of the prisons I go to has a 30 bed infirmary. The infirmary is so large because they house the majority of the state prison's chronically and terminally ill inmates. At this prison, I supervise 2 LPN's. One gives all the meds to the inmates. The other does the "treatments". This means he/she does all the dressing changes, cleans all the poop, and gives all the IV treatments, whether it be starting an IV or drawing labs. Of course, I work at night, so it gets very boring and I always help the treatment nurse with whatever they have to do. I'm required to do 5 assessments a night. The pt's I have to assess have already been chosen for me. This prison also has a psyc ward where the inmates are behind closed doors. I'm responsible for giving the meds to these guys, who most of the time refuse and you have to write them up for this. The infirmary is the only place they have RN's working. LPN's work out on the units and hand meds from there. The other prison only has a clinic and a 6 bed infirmary. Here I supervise 2 LPN's. These two again, give all the meds to the inmates out on the units. I take care of the inmates who are in the 6 beds. Most of these guys are just coming back from a hospital stay or procedure and only need to be observed for a day or two. At both prisons, I respond to emergency situations out on the units. This may be anything, and I mean anything!! Believe what others have said, these guys have nothing to do but think of ways to get out of this prison, and a medical emergency is the fastest way out, so be sharp on your assessment skills. I have seen 2 nurses that came right out nursing school into the prison, but, they were both medics prior to nursing. I currently have an application in at the federal prison. I've only spoken with some of the officers who work here. They have told me that the nurses do not work past 2200 and you either work 6-2, 2-10, or a 9-5 shift. Have yet to run into a federal corrections nurse to confirm this information. So, if you have very sharp assessment skills and a good street sense about you, then give it a whirl. If it doesn't work out, go to a hospital or doctor's office or a jail. Once you're licensed, the options are limitless. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions. I will answer to the best of my knowledge.