Brooksbelle

Another RODP-er here. Just finished my first semester. Going part time/no summer so my grad date should be spring of '17. Advanced Patho and Health Policy done. Taking Pharmacology and Theory starting January '14. Anyway, I'm somewhat unconventional in that I'm not working currently. My husband's job requires hime to be on call at all hours and we have no family to help fill in the gaps regarding the kids. During my undergraduate years (back in the dinosaur age of 1990-1995) I went to school full-time and worked starting as a Nurse intern and then and RN 2 12-hour shifts a week, plus working as a reader when an upper classmen. It helped with clinical knowledge, but made studying an adequate amount very difficult! So this is a nice change of pace. I'm able to study during the kids school hours and after they go to bed. So--more than you ever wanted to know! Great to find a few more fellow students--Nice to meet you.

I'm a current student (just finished my first semester yesterday!!!!!!! WHOO HOOOO!). The classes I took were Health Policy and Advanced Pathophysiology. Spring '14 classes are Advanced Pharmacology and Theory. Have you already registered for classes? My home school is TTU.

My advisor recommended PERRLA as a help, but wants us to know APA format. As a returning student 18 years after getting my BSN, APA format in no way resembles what it was back in the day! ;o) Learning how to cite online references was an eye-opening experience with my APA book open in my lap and an example-paper provided by my instructor. Using PERRLA was like having a workbook where I could self-check and besides, it's not a cure-all, there are little quirks and problems I have to hand correct. The biggest advantage I've found to using PERRLA is that is stores your references--several times I've needed to re-use a resource and it was a snap and my little organized heart sings with joy when things are where they're supposed to be. Obviously, if your school bans its use, then by all means--don't use it--but I found it to be the bridge from impossible (dinosaur APA education, remember) to do-able.

How did it go? Well I hope. My school has a similar grade policy A = 94 and up, B = 85-93, C=77-84, anything lower is fail--there are no A-, B+ etc. Also we're required to maintain a 3.0 and only allowed 2 Cs throughout the program. It's nerve wracking to think about!