Mandy0728

I graduated in August and did VATI as well, even though for us it wasn't a requirement, since the board didn't like the idea. I finished it in 2 weeks, started uworld, completely all of those questions twice, read a Kaplan book cover to cover and did 2600 questions from Saunders. I test tomorrow morning!

Oh crap...well I don't have an expired card or anything lol

I was told by several people that all you have to do is enter the wrong expiration date from your card, so if you do fail, it'll decline your card

I'm using UWorld and VATI. I also answered the 265 question test in my Kaplan book & got 69%. I have done 2200 Saunders questions as well. I hope to test in September

PacoUSA, it's just for new grads!

I graduate in August & the hospital near me offers an ICU nurse residency program that lasts 6 months. You have to sign an 18 month contract but I'm willing to do that because of the training...starts out at $25.25 an hour. I'm hoping to get hired there! I'm precepting in the heart & vascular surgical ICU this semester at the same hospital, so hopefully that helps!

The hospitals in my area have an ICU residency program where you sign an 18 month contract and you undergo rigorous training in the ICU for about 6 months. We start out on a step down unit for 6 weeks then you move to your ICU where you were hired and get assigned to a nurse and work with them, then you move to nights and are by yourself

I'm currently in nursing school & also work as a float aide at our hospital. At first I wasn't excited, because I thought I wanted a home unit. I enjoy it because I've gotten to work on every unit. However, as an aide it sometimes gets old when we have to sit in on 1:1's often or be beeper aide. As an RN, you usually get a floor assignment & are rarely beeper. Our float nurses only make $1 extra an hour, but I'm definitely going to apply when I graduate! The good thing is, the float supervisor is already my boss now...

I have the littman Classic SE II & I love it. The alumni gave us a free littman lightweight on our first day, but I went & bought the classic. Once I graduate, I plan to buy the cardiology III.

I almost feel like at this point, there's no point in looking for an NA job. My program is 4 semesters with a break semester in between, which happens to be this semester. I started as an NA in August & plan to work through my last 2 semesters until I get a nursing job. Not sure how it is at your school, but after graduation, it usually takes a few months to receive your ATT and sign up for the Nclex. The students I've talked to that graduated August 6th, still haven't taken their Nclex yet.

I bought white danskos for clinical...they're comfortable but killed my feet trying to break them in. Then I went 2 months without wearing them & killed my feet at work the other day in them so I said screw it & bought the most comfortable pair of Nike's!

Not saying he's not supportive, but you really should be single during nursing school or be with someone who understands what you're going through. My bf of 4 years is so very supportive & understands what I'm going through. He never bothers me while I'm studying & helps me when I need it. Having someone that ignores you or acts stupid is only going to distract you & you can't afford that in nursing school!

I don't mean to sound harsh, but what exactly were you expecting that nurses do? You seemed grossed out by the catheters & what not but I don't understand how you didn't know you'd be doing that. Nursing is definitely not for everyone. I'm in my 3rd out of 4 semesters & it's definitely hard & some things do gross me out, but I love every minute of it.

I'm sorry that you feel like you haven't learned much or have been able to do much on your own. I'm in my first semester of NS, and the hospital that our clinicals will be at starting next semester, is at our university hospital which is also a teaching hospital. I've heard a lot of the nurses there are horrible but being that it's a teaching hospital, hopefully I'll get chances to do more.

I'm in my first semester and we use ATI in 3 out of my 5 classes. (The other 2 are research and patho). We have to watch videos and receive at least a 90% on the tests....just form A. We also have to do math ATI each week as well. Every exam we have in the classes has some questions from our ATI fundamentals book so we have to study it along with our regular textbooks. At the end of the semester, we have a dosage calculation proctored exam, that we can retake once but have to get a 90. We have to take an ATI proctored exam and have to at least score a level one to pass the class.

Our research teacher has a phD as well and she has written/published many nursing research articles. I'm in my first semester of the program and I'm very glad to knock this class out now. It's so boring & nobody likes the class at all. We just have to write papers and do a huge presentation at the end. It sucks!!

For my BSN program, we only have 2 skills lab first semester, no clinicals. Next semester we have 2-8 hour clinical days and same for 3rd. 4th we precept a nurse for 3-12's.

My school gave us all the littmann lightweight but it sucks, so I ordered the classic II SE and love it. I wanted the cardiology III but decided to wait till I graduate!

Not sure where your professor got that info or what planet they live on, but I wouldn't think for one second that nursing school is harder than med school. If that were the case, then how come it doesn't take them only 4 semesters to complete their program? Nurses do have to know quite a lot, however, doctors have to know absolutely everything there is to know about medicine.

I use the Get carried away tote by Vera Bradley. It's huge and holds everything, including my laptop.

I am so sorry for your loss. My mom passed away in march of 2006, when my son was 7 months old. We visited her everyday in hospice and was also with her when she passed. It was such a hard time for me, especially since my mom and I were so close. She had an amazing hospice nurse as well. She inspired me to pursue nursing and I just began the program last week. You're going through a hard time right now. However, don't feel guilty about trying to be excited to start nursing school. My mom didn't know I wanted to pursue nursing, since I didn't pursue it until years after she died, but what keeps me going is knowing that she is looking down on me and is with me through this. Our parents always want what is best for us, and I know she is seeing how happy nursing is making me. I keep a picture of her and I at my desk, so if I ever get frustrated with school....I'll see her smiling face and it'll help get me through it. You will get through it. Your mom would be so very proud of you!

I'm sure that every school is different, but I don't think waiting counts against you. After some mistakes, I had a 1.93 gpa at a CC here, and I just stopped going. After a few years when I decided to go back, I appealed to get my fin aid back. My reasons were my work schedule and daycare. I was approved. You'll be fine. Good luck!

Don't stress! Honestly, I was a nervous wreck when I took mine because I thought to myself if I can't pass a CPR class then I don't deserve to be a nurse! I took my class in July at a local hospital. It wasn't bad at all. The written test was easy as well. I missed one. You don't receive your card until a few weeks later in the mail. Good luck!