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Hi 4jen, I'm also in the same boat. I've just submitted my application to USF's RN-MSN (CNL concentration). They have a cohort starting this fall at their San Ramon campus. After, I complete the program, I hope to get post-master's NP certification before the 2015 deadline. There is talk about requiring entry-level NPs to possess a doctoral degree to practice starting 2015. It's not set in stone. Which schools are you looking at?

Hi there, If you can't stand being a CNA, then don't waste your time becoming an RN. You will still have to clean poop, give enemas, clean nasty green wounds and the list goes on.... pretty much everything a CNA does and then some or rather a whole lot more, unless you can find a facility that has a dedicated CNA to one nurse right! Good luck finding that!! Only in a perfect world! Don't mean to dampen your spirit. Just keepin' it real. Try Lab, EKG, or radiology tech Goodluck

Hello, First of all, let me say CONGRATS for getting accepted!!!:balloons: . However it's one thing to get in and it's another to stay in it and graduate successfully. So Goodluck!!! Well, let me see how i can simplify this: 1st semester: You must be very flexible not just in nursing school but in nursing itself is what I've noticed. You won't know about what hospital and the shift you'll be working until about three weeks in. For clinicals, the nursing program is contracted with John Muir medical center walnut creek and concord campus, kaiser walnut creek, sutter delta in antioch, concord pavilion for psych(a part of John muir), county hospital in martinez, and children's hospital, oakland. They are somewhat spread throughout the 2 yr program. You will have to do a lot of adjusting to the type of questions you'll get on you tests. It's very different from what you're used to. There no other way of being prepared for those test questions except study, study, study. Most questions are generally application questions and they are mostly scenerios. Then again it's one thing to study and it's another to be able to ans the questions. It's all about critical thinking!! You'll understand what I'm talking about when you actually see the questions Try to relax. I know it's hard. I was sooooo nervous the first day that I tripped and fell down the stairs.. Take deep breaths especially when they tell you how much homework wii be required of you. Be mentally prepared to study your butt off. There will be tests almost every 2 to 3 weeks. You will have about 2 -3 oral presentations/semester, most of the time in groups. You will have papers to write. You will do paper work (prep) before going to clinical and you will submit weekly summaries after each clinical week. In other words you won't really have a social life. The nice thing is that time flies by sooo fast because you're sooooooo busy. I still can't believe I'm an RN. You have to be determined. You have to want it really bad. Nursing school is very stressful. Having a good support system is the best thing that could happen while in nursing school. There is still so much to say but I have to run. Don't hesitate to PM me if you have any other questions. Once again, goodluck!! You can do it!!!

Graduated May 25th; started studying on the 1st of June. I studied using Kaplan and Saunders. Kaplan for questions and strategies and Saunders for content and rationales (better than Kaplan). Took the Nclex on the 21st of June, 3 weeks to be exact. Came out of the exam FEELING LIKE I PASSED and I did!!!!!!!!!!!! You can do it!!

Hi everyone, Just have a quick question. How many of you finished the Nclex feeling good about it only to find out that you failed? i've heard in the past that if you feel like you passed then that means that you actually failed. I stop at 75 and felt like i did ok. Now i have a knot at the bottom of my stomach. Pls help! Thanks.

Hello people, Having a bit of a dilemma. Will be graduating from NS soon and I got a job offer at Sutter Delta Medical Center, Antioch and I'm curious to know what the working conditons are like especially on MedSurg 1. I know that there is a new manager on that floor and I have a good vibe about her. I just want to hear form a nurse what it's like to work there. Do they have the resources to assist RNs in their new role? I also got a job offer somewhere else, but I'm holding off on making a decision till I get some kind of scoop on Sutter. Please, any response will be highly appreciated!

Thanks guys for your replies. Your inputs are very helpful!!

Hello, Just a quick question. I will be graduating from nursing school in May and myself and my husband are contemplating moving to Dallas TX from Cali (too expensive). i've been doing some research and I've heard that nurses in the acute setting take care of 6 to 7 patients. Is this accurate information? Those numbers are scary to me (Cali is 5:1). i just want to make sure of what i'm getting into. I'm also looking at the THR system as a place to work. Does anyone have an idea of starting pay for new grads, general working conditions, and benefits. I'd appreciate any input. Thanks:)

Hello Texans, Just a quick question. I will be graduating from nursing school in May and myself and my husband are contemplating moving to Dallas TX from Cali (too expensive). Well , I've been doing some research and I'm thinking of Medical City Dallas. If anyone could give me some inside scoop on pay, benefits and the general working conditions of the RNs, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks:)

Oh, you're so welcome :wink2:. I just have one more piece of advice. Finish up all your prerequites for nursing school before applying and apply to as many nursing programs as you possibly can. There's nothing more frustrating than working your butt off to get this far and not being able to get in. Even if you have to commute, it will be so worth it in the end, at least that's what everyone tells me. I have a classmate that comes all the way from Daly city . Take care!!!

Hello melody, I think you had responded to my post, but I've been so busy with school that i haven't had time to reply. I apologize. Anyhoo, I decided to take a break from the books today and smell the fresh air. Okay, I'm an RN student in my third semester. I was accepted into the program on the first try. You probably know that they use a lottery system @ LMC, so it's a random pick. Nursing School for me when I started out felt like boot camp, EXTREMELY HARD. Before I started NS,I had already heard about what was involved, and I was advised to prepare myself mentally, physically,and spiritually for it. I would advise you to do the same when the time is near. I was eating, drinking, sleeping, and even dreaming about nursing school. I still am, but to a lesser extent, I guess because I've gotten used to the madness. The Nclex passing rate since I've been attending have been pretty good. i know that of all the nursing students that graduated this spring, only two failed the Nclex. That's not bad for a class of 50. In a nut shell, you must be very determined and self-disciplined. You must want it really bad. You must be willing to say goodbye to your social life for the most part. Your friends and family will be upset with you because you've stopped spending time with them or you don't return their phone calls simply because you're too busy studying. There will be a tremendous amount of studying to do and nursing test questions are nothing like the questions you get in A&P. The RN progam is 4 semesters long, while the LVN program is 3. Don't know much about the LVN program. The first semester is just basic stuff; fundamentals of nursing; how to take vital signs, providing primary care for your patients like giving them baths, measuring their intake and output, making their beds etc. Now if you haven't had any experience working with patients,this will prove to be a challenge for you, but many have gotten through it and have done just fine. Usually the schedule has it that you go to school tues and weds and go to the hospital (clinicals) thurs and fris. I don't know what you guys already know, but i hope this helps. When do you plan on applying? Have you guys been to the nursing seminar? The instructors summarize what's involved and they also give some sound advise. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask. I only ask that you be patient with me, as you can imagine, I have a very tight schedule. Goodluck!!!

Thanks everyone for taking out the time to reply. I'm going have to agree with Hikernurse. I feel exactly the same way about the INS. I'd rather not reschedule. I will just have to start working on the make-ups now like lisamc1 suggested, added to the quantamillion things that I already have to do :angryfire :angryfire . Why does nursing school have to be so hard?????? Well, I still have my fingers crossed. I sent an email to my clinical instructor explaining my situation and I also attached a copy of the apt. letter I recieved from the INS. Whatever she decides, I will just have to deal with it. I'm not going to jeopardize my chances of becoming a citizen because of nursing school.

Just starting my second year in the RN program, and we have new instructors. Today, they told us about clinical make-ups and it's pretty ugly: 1 Day Med-Surg a. Case study and presentation to your clinical group b. Computer program (6hrs long) c. Look up articles in nursing journals and complete 5 CEUs worth of tests.Give copy of articles and tests to faculty. 2 Days Med-Surg( x2) a. Case study and presentation to your clinical group b. Computer program (6hrs long) c. Look up articles in nursing journals and complete 5 CEUs worth of tests. Give copy of articles and tests to faculty. I've never missed a day of clinical. But this semester, I have to because I'm scheduled for my citizenship interview on a clinical day. Guys, I need your help, what am I to do?? They've already told us that no matter the excuse, we will need to do a make-up, but as you can see the make-ups are no joke!!!! I don't want to any make-ups. As some of you know, the nursing curriculum is crazy. Do I try to reschedule my interview even if they preferred I not. Will my instructors recognize the importance of getting one's citizenship and let me off the hook. Pls help!!!

Hi, I'm a 2nd year RN student @ Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, and I was wondering if there will be any brand new nursing students going into the program this fall. Got some good pointers!! P/S Congrats to all who got accepted for the fall. :balloons:

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