hopefullady

So far we have been placed at Northwestern, UIC, Jesse Brown VA, and Arlington Heights at Northwest Community for our first rotation. Our upcoming rotations are at Northwestern, UIC, Stroger, and MacNeal. Classes in the past were allowed to make a list of where they wanted to go, but we were not given that option, we just go where we are assigned. Maybe they will bring back preferences for your class, but I wouldn't count on it. But I did not hear much complaining from my class, I think it was understood from the beginning that we may need to travel and that it is our responsibility. Our clinicals are only two or three days a week, so even if it is a far commute, it isn't every day. And everyone is having great experiences, so as far as good training goes that it a given. And as you can see, most sites are in Chicago anyway. Hope that helps.

hi all, i'm a current GEP student, I started with the January 2014 class. they will start a fb page for your class pretty soon, this did for us and the class before us. congrats and good luck.

Wow, thank you, it's very nice to get information like that. How did you enjoy your clinicals, any hospital or rotation in particular that was particularly good? From the example curriculum online, it looks like you do a clinical in med surg, adult health, women's health and mental health...any others? Also do you get to do the clinicals on your own or do they assign you and a few classmates together?

@justrunfast985, I was hoping you could speak a little bit about how the RN portion of the program was for your class. What your average day was like. What kind of resources the program has re: simulators, clinical experiences, etc. Is anything electronically based, like a Blackboard system, and do they use online resources like library access for research and text books. Do people use laptops or pens and paper? Although I've done my research into the program, I was never able to go to an info session, and I was hoping to go if and when I was accepted. I was accepted, but with this being the last GEP class, no more info sessions, and so far none scheduled for the MS program. Anything you could contribute about the structure of the school year itself would be very helpful. Thanks.

i'm in as well for agpcnp, i saw that last year's class has a fb page, but the admin person is someone who works in the gep department. maybe we should wait and let them set it up? but it probably also makes no difference who sets it up

I JUST NOW got accepted for AGPCNP, after I'd heard people had been wait-listed for that specialty. Just thought I'd give people hope that acceptances are still forthcoming.

hi616, i know it's probably not an option, and like i said i'm not exactly in a position to worry about it yet. i think given the fact that i've spent years deciding on fnp, it just makes me sad that they got rid of it last minute and it's not like you can just take a few extra classes and become fnp later. oh well, i'm just focusing on the interview for now. no worries about getting me down :-)

I was also FNP, and got an interview on Monday for AGPCNP. I'm not terribly upset about losing the FNP option, because I think adult-ger is actually my favorite population, but I wish I had known more about the school nurse or occupational combined options. Anyone know the liklihood that you can switch later? I know it's hard but it must happen sometime. That's if I'm accepted of course, so maybe I shouldn't even ask quite yet, getting quite a bit ahead of myself here!

@torzorz. absn-dnp and msn seem like apples and oranges to me so how are you going to choose? absn is something i didn't even consider bc i essentially didn't know it was out there (i only knew about regular bsn) and it seemed ridiculous to get another undergrad degree. and dnp isn't something i really want because i've looked at sample curricula and you start seeing lots of administrative classes, less hands-on patient care. so what's your goal or passion, if you don't mind my asking?

ncami10, sittenfeld, and hi616, thank you all for posting quality answers to my big question. this bsn v rn thing had never crossed my path, all the np's i've worked with never brought it up, so i was getting worried that i'd never heard of this major issue. but i've been feeling relieved by your answers, so thank you again. just out of curiousity, what about being hired in a magnet if you are already an np, but without a bsn? or do we just have to accept never working in a magnet? good luck with your interviews and keep posting info from those days. since my interview will be 1 hour long, in a group, with no info session attached, i'm enjoying hearing what is said at other peoples' interview days.

I have a question for anyone with any insight. This ongoing discussion about how it's hard for GEP grads to get RN jobs, either during the APN portion of school or even once you have your APN license, for only the lack of a BSN degree seems to be a trend among many masters-entry program discussions. I was wondering if this is true among all types of RN jobs or if this is specific to hospital RN jobs? I have a background in primary care and am hopeful to work as an APN in primary care, so having not worked in a hospital I've been wondering if this job requirement of "BSN status" is simply a hospital requirement like so many other hospital rules/requirements/standards/what-have-yous. Or is it an industry-wide ignorance of masters-entry programs and their curricula, meaning the majority of RN jobs in all settings require BSN degrees? It is scary to think that this problem may be part of the reason for eliminating the GEP program (of course I understand DNP may also have a lot to do with it). And like I said, people are having this discussion on other schools' forums as well so it's not just us, although the problem may be worse in Chicago. I would think experience in any hands-on patient setting would trump a check-box like BSN vs. RN, especially considering the fact that whether it's BSN or RN, we all have to pass the same NCLEX and are all clearly first-year practitioners after that. Or are we getting bad information from disgruntled people who don't try that hard to get a job, or maybe they're devastated if their first job isn't the ideal? I'm not judging, I really have no idea, because like I said, I come from PC so my information about the rest of the medical world is limited. But since my end goal is to be an APN, and I've had my fair share of less than ideal jobs, spending a few years getting experience in any RN role would be nice...as long as they'll hire me without a BSN. Thoughts?