NCGal78

Thanks again!!! All of this feedback has been very beneficial. :)

Thanks, Hmarie! I definitely want to get used to things such as the supplies, some terminology, seeing how things operate and just an idea of what working as an RN in the ED would be like. I don't mind cleaning wheel chairs, greeting pts, making coffee, constantly filling up the blanket warmer... lol I know these will definitely be my main chores. I've looked into EMT as well... but I think it would just add more time and money to what I ultimately want to do. It'll take a solid year or so for me to have my pre-reqs totally completed. I'm meeting w/ the dean of nursing at (one of) the school I plan on applying to, to talk about what I need to work on prior to applying. I'd absolutely LOVE to find a nurse that would be willing to write a reference for me after working with me as a volunteer. We shall see! I really appreciate all of the input from you guys so far!

Thanks for the feedback! They have been very encouraging to ask questions and to let them know if there are things I'd like to observe. I certainly can't assist or anything like that, but hopefully over time I can see more and more. I definitely will get lots pt interaction and learn how to work with them appropriately. Just curious if there were any types of things that volunteers do that are more helpful than others. I'm sure I'll have the deer in the headlights look for a while. :)

Hi everyone! I am not yet in nursing school, but I've decided that it's a career path I would like to head towards. So, I've begun to work on my pre-reqs, etc. Right now, I work in the corp world, and have zero working medical experience. I am starting to volunteer in the ED one night a week, and I want to make the most out of my time there. The ED is trauma 1, and of course (as all EDs are) is very busy. I want to be able to observe without getting in the way, and I want to dig in and help where I can. What do the volunteers in your ED do that helps you the most, or how would you want a volunteer who is interested in nursing to approach you about it? I'd like to provide the most help I can while there, but also gain a lot of insight and and learn about ED life. I'm very excited about this opportunity, and hope that it will enhance my drive and determination to succeed. I have very much enjoyed reading this forum, and I've already found really good advice on how to deal with various situations with patients. I really appreciate everyone's sharing of ideas, stories, and experiences!

Thank you, BusyBSN!! Yeah, I checked to see how long residency status for the state takes. It looks like it's 1 year. FSU offers their 2 year nursing which transitions into BSN, I just don't want to "waste" time on classes that may not benefit me. I definitely need to get those pre-reqs, so that'll take some time for sure! It's a good heads up that they give in-state students the preference.

Hi everyone! I've been kind of lurking around on this site for some time, and finally decided to sign up and join in the conversation! I'm 35 years old, and I am about to begin a whole new chapter in my life. I am going to get married early next year, and relocate from NC to WV and begin school full time to get a BSN. I am looking into either Fairmont State U, or WVU in WV... the WV board here is not very active. Any graduates or members that live in that area?? Anyway, I am in college now part time, and never knew what I wanted to do with my life. I've always been interested in all things medical, but wasn't sure I had what it takes to be a nurse. I'm beginning my training soon to start volunteering in the ED at my local hospital (High Point Regional in NC), and I am very excited!!! From what they've presented to me, I can get as much out of that experience as I'd like. They seem to really care about those of us who want to join the healthcare field, and want us to gain some experience through volunteering. In conjunction with this, I know I need some pre-reqs to get into a nursing program. I am missing most of the required sciences, but I have a lot of the liberal arts requirements taken care of. I'll probably have to go through statistics too as well. I plan on meeting with the nursing admissions staff at Fairmont State in March, and I'm wondering what types of questions should I be sure to ask? I've already looked up the NCLEX pass rates for the schools there. Any other tips or words of advice? I hope to be active on this board, as several of you have been very helpful from what I've observed so far. I'm excited and very nervous to start this new path. It's a huge change from what I'm doing now, but my job is not very fulfilling. I make a good salary, and will likely take a cut to become a nurse, though hopefully I can get back to where I am now after some experience. Thanks! Nicole