Windynurse

Perfect! Thanks so much! I will be contacting them soon. Got any tips about getting through the program? Windynurse :)

That sounds awesome klone, to stay within your organization and have different options to choose from. I am still not sure what I want to do, but I do wish I had started this back to school thing years ago. Oh well, it is always better late than never. Now it is just fun imagining the possibilities. I have a few loose ends and then I think I might be ready to apply to WGU! Once you apply, do you have to start classes right away, or will they let you wait a few months? Thanks, Windynurse

You both reinforced what I was thinking and I really appreciate your feedback. I'm so impressed that you moved so quickly through the programs, featherzRN! I was actually hoping I might be able to complete my MSN in 6 months and I am feeling pretty encouraged by both of you. I am so happy to hear that there are no clinicals at WGU! It is sounding better by the minute. I agree completely that accreditation matters, but I am still a little baffled because my hospital is one that will accept degrees from Aspen University, even though they are not regionally accredited. But, like you said, I plan to stay away from there. So, are you doing something exciting now that you have your Master's degrees? I'd love to hear about your experiences. I've always wanted to get one and the time feels right. Thanks again, Windynurse

Hi. I totally agree with you...group work sounds painful and I don't think I could do it. It sounds like I could work at my own pace at WGU, which is exactly what I want. I am one of those crazies who gets momentum when I start something new, I like to work ahead, and I don't slow down until I get the whole thing finished. I am also wondering if there are any clinical hours required out in the field. That is something else I'd like to avoid, if it is possible. I am starting to hear people say they like Aspen University. I wonder if anyone has heard of it or considered it? I know it is not regionally accredited so I don't think it is a good idea. However, the way our profession is pushing higher nursing degrees, I wonder if that even matters anymore. Any thoughts on that school? Thanks again, Windynurse

Hi. I totally agree with you...group work sounds painful and I don't think I could do it. It sounds like I could work at my own pace which is exactly what I want. I am one of those crazies who gets momentum when I start something new, I like to work ahead, and I don't slow down until I get the whole thing finished. I am also wondering if there are any clinical hours required out in the field. That is something else I'd like to avoid, if it is possible. I am starting to hear people say they like Aspen University. I wonder if anyone has heard of it or considered it? I know it is not regionally accredited so I don't think it is a good idea. However, the way our profession is pushing higher nursing degrees, I wonder if that even matters anymore. Any thoughts on that school? Thanks again, Windynurse

Thank you for the positive response, klone. Congratulations to you for getting your MSN! Did you consider other programs also? If so, what was it about WGU that made you decide to go there? How many classes did you take at a time? How long did it take you to complete the program? Thanks again, Windynurse

Hi everyone. I am wondering if anyone out there has recently chosen WGU for their MSN degree. I have heard many different things about the program, especially regarding changes in the past year. How demanding is it? Are there required clinical hours? I'd like to be able to jump in and finish in a year or less. Is that possible? Any feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks, Windynurse :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you again! I've pretty much narrowed it down to engraving a Littman stethoscope with her name & RN on it. Now, I still have to decide what to add to it, since this is a joint gift. Tote, lunch box, gift card, massage, penlights, socks, cup, hemostats, etc. ??? Decisions! I'm still so appreciative of any & all advice!

So the Vera Bradley bag sounds really nice & I could fill it with goodies. Which style bag/tote would be good? Does anyone out there have the mailbag style? I think it looks pretty neat, but how is it size wise for nursing stuff? Also, the stethoscope seems to be at the top of the list. It could go in the bag/tote. Getting it engraved would be perfect! This forum is awesome! I was freaking out about choosing a cool, meaningful, useful gift & now I feel so much better. I'm loving all the input! I want to buy it all!

Now I am really getting excited about finding a gift for my niece! This is so special to me since she will be the first one in the family to become a nurse since me, and that was a long time ago! As far as the gift card part some of you suggested, what are the best places to buy uniforms/supplies online? Thanks again!

Wow! Thanks everyone! These are all great ideas! I love the idea of putting something together in a care package. As far as a stethoscope, what kind of stethoscope would you recommend? Any opinion of a adding a keepsake of some kind or is that too old fashioned? Love hearing more from you all! Windynurse :)

Hi all nurses new & old nurses (like me). My niece is graduating from nursing school and things are so different today than they were when I graduated, I am at a loss for what to get her for a graduation gift. Any ideas of what might be most appreciated/useful/practical in today's fast-paced, electronic world of nursing? I want to get her something personal and thoughtful, but maybe also something a new grad would want to use in her new practice. Any ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks! Windynurse :)

So I studied like crazy for the test and I don't think it really mattered much. It seemed like most of the answers were straight out of the book and if I could look things up in the index fast enough, I could find a lot of things. I hope this works in the next modules because the assignments are so time consuming...I think you learn a good amount doing them first. Not having fun...

Hi, just got back my first assignment. I tried to follow the sample they gave us to the letter and even added more detail and I still got marked off for missing items! Not too bad, but I guess you just have to go for "overkill" on the descriptions. Like the example they gave us, I wrote appropriate for "age and gender" but they wanted the specific age and gender to read something like appropriate for "35 year old female." Ok, got it. Too bad they didn't spell that out before the assignment was due. Week 2 looks way more in depth so I am going to be super careful to spell out every single word. I think these assignments will take forever! Does remind me a lot of Vulnerable...tons of writing detail but at least most of it seems to be in the book. Hope you did well on your assignment & good luck with the test! Almost down to 4 weeks left! Windynurse

Yay! Me too! How do you spell relief??? Congrats to you too & thanks for starting this thread...it was nice to run to when I felt like screaming. Jk, it really wasn't that bad. To any newbies, just bite the bullet & try to work ahead because I think it does help pull it all together faster. If you've gotten this far, you can do it. Just use the book for a reference to look things up, but study the notes & worksheets. It goes by faster than you can imagine! Good luck everyone!