Toronto1977

I went into nursing school thinking oncology was my future. Did my RN consolidation on a leukaemia unit. Hated it. I'm in Public Health and adore it.

I did the full time cohort and worked only casually, but would often go long stretches without working at all. Many of my classmates did work part time, had families, etc. It's a lot for sure, but they got through it.

I know Select Medical is the main travel nursing agency for Canada wide, but maybe look into them as a place to start? Perhaps they've dipped their toes into the US as well?

Hi there - just finished the program in April 2021. I was at Oshawa's north campus. The program is flexible. I'm not sure how they do it now, but we were all automatically put into the full time bridge program. I went straight through and followed the cohort as is, but many of my classmates had jobs, kids, families, etc. If someone needed a semester off, or to take less classes per semester or whatnot, the Faculty Advisors were fantastic in helping students figure that out. Your Faculty Advisors are a very valuable source, you'll get to know them well! I felt UoIT handled this aspect of bridging very well. They are very flexible and will work with you so that you can eventually graduate. Good luck! ?

So, I just wanted to send out a quick update to those thinking of bridging. I ended up doing my bridge through UoIT. It was a great experience. I did clinicals at Humber River, City of Oshawa (Public Health), and my consolidation was at Princess Margaret. I finished this year and wrote the NCLEX on June 24. And passed. The time absolutely flew by. If you are thinking of bridging...DO IT! Take it one step at a time - one lecture, one exam, one semester - at a time. Put your head down and you'll fly through with ease. ?

I went to Seneca Newnham (continuing education) and have no complaints about it.

@BlueDasher and @LisaStone - did either of you ever receive answers to these questions? I'd love to know as well. Currently looking at my bridging options as well.

Hi everyone, Sorry to jump in, but I have a question regarding bridging. I just finished at Seneca, and will be writing my CPRNE in January. I've heard some say they received their pass mark anywhere from a few days to a few weeks afterwards. Looking at all the bridging options in Ontario, I am interested in a flex program, and see that the deadline to apply is January 31. Because I may not hear back from the CNO by then, does this mean I have to wait an entire year before I can even apply to bridge? I hope not, as it would be a lot of wasted time. Did you experience this? If so, how did you get around this? Thanks in advance and congratulations to you all on your acceptance! :)

@RPN_Student - I do not appreciate the insinuation of dishonesty surrounding my grades. I work my butt off for those grades thank you very much. If you have comments on Seneca's program, so be it, those are your opinions and your are entitled to them. Insinuating someone with low entry grades simply MUST be dishonest if they get high grades within the program is just plain rude.

I'm in my first clinical now and frantically did a Google search on learning goals, and lo and behold, AN popped up (this forum is awesome!). Thanks for the great suggestions everyone!

I'm in this program now. I started last May. I'm now into the module 2 and 3 courses. I like the program, and have no major complaints, though there's always room for improvement, as with anything. As for being accepted - I applied with my high school biology, which was a C. I had to take Chemistry as an adult, and got a C in that as well (oooh, how I hate chemistry!!). My other marks were A's from a previous diploma. I understand the full time is competitive, but part time is more lenient. This worked to my benefit, as my pre-reqs are obviously very low, and yet I've maintained all A's (except for 1 B), in the program so far. I would assume there is a limited number of seats. How many though, I do not know. Because you have the freedom to make your own schedule, many of us sign up for a full coorifice load, even though we're in the part time program. The downside to this, of course, if you see it that way, is that your courses are all evenings and weekends.

Wow, Jennifer, thank you so much for responding and telling your story - it's similar to mine! Like your mom, my mom told every nurse that walked into her room about me. One day I came in and she had made them write Seneca on her whiteboard so she could remember the name of the school I'd be going to. I laughed, it was cute. She saw only the humour in her situation and often joked about the strong pain meds and the 'trip' they took her on, and why she was a bit forgetful by then, which explains name on the whiteboard. The nurse would bring her meds in and she'd say, 'great, my girls can sit here and watch me get high as a kite. LOL Ok mom. I do agree, that what we lack in youth, we make up for in life experience, and I feel this is one of the many reasons I will succeed now as a nurse. I wasn't ready before. Congratulations on your graduation, I'm sure your mom is so proud and is with you all the time. :)

*hangs up the phone* pfft, no no, of course I wouldn't call the pharmacy... (for real, thank you though, it helps to have an idea of what to expect)

@ gosia29 - see you in math this summer. I'll be the one with the blank look on her face the entire time (math is so beyond me, it's just embarrassing) @ sevillje - This info on these classes is priceless - thank you so much! What is the Role Development class like? For some reason, I have this impression that it's all about writing papers regarding the history of nursing. I'm assuming this is inaccurate to a point. Is this a very intense class?

This is a great guide, thanks so much for sharing. And congratulations to you! )

This is such sad news. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those affected.

Hello everyone, I wanted to share my journey so far because it's a very surreal time in my life and I feel many of you will understand my passion for this field, given my story. In my early teens, I watched my mom fight leukemia (AML). She relapsed 4 times in 5 years and was not at all expected to make it. She did. I was always so inspired watching her fight for her life, and by the team that cared for her and cheered her on. She enjoyed the next twenty years, living life to the fullest. Last year, I finally decided to take the leap and do my pre reqs and apply to nursing. My goal has always been oncology. At 37, I was so nervous to start this journey – I'm going to school at what age?! I joke that by the time I graduate, it'll be time to wheel myself right into a nursing home, but at least I can take care of myself in there. I didn't tell my mom at first, but she got it out of me. I feared getting her hopes up and being rejected. In December, I was rejected. Conditional offers were not an option and I hadn't quite finished the pre reqs yet. I felt awful having to tell her. But I picked myself up. In March, I downsized and moved, anticipating this life change and preparing myself, even though I hadn't heard back yet on my 2nd application. Two days after I move in, I get a call. Mom is in the hospital. She has stage 4 lung cancer. She does not want to fight this time, and the family respects this. We spend all the time we can with her and support her on her journey. She tells us she needs peace before she goes. With me, she wants to know I'm taken care of and successful…this means acceptance to nursing. I am currently in a dead end job and struggling, and she always worried about me. I fear I won't be able to give her this gift as we are both anticipating I will not get accepted this semester, and will have to wait for a September start. A week later, I am at her bedside and finally able to say, Mom, I got accepted into nursing school, I start in May!” It was a ray of sunshine on a bad day. She sits up, cries and hugs me with all her strength. I cry to, as it is so wonderful to hear her say she is proud of me one last time. It is a treasured moment, I will never forget. Whoever it is at Seneca College (Toronto, Ontario) that decides who is a yes and who is a no…you have no idea the gift you've given my mom and I by accepting me for this semester. I am eternally grateful. She passed away two days ago. I was laying in bed with her, my sister on her other side. I told her to not be afraid, to go towards the light, to let go, she is never alone, and we are taken care of. It is a sad time yes, because I've lost my mom, but I feel relief that her struggle is over and she is free, healthy, and looking down on me from above, and that is a good thing. Apologies for the long post, but I wanted to share my story because I feel it is special. But also because it makes me wonder – why did you get into the area you're in? My goal has always been oncology, for obvious reasons, and now that mom has lost her battle, my goal is reinforced that much more, but I'm curious how and why you all ended up where you are? Thanks for listening. :)

I just got my acceptances letter this morning!! Woooohoooooo!! :-) The excitement, the nerves and the relief I feel, I can't even explain. Surely many of you know this exact feeling. Holy crap, I'm going to be a NURSE!! Crossing my fingers for you gosia29. :)

Yes, I did apply with my current grades, and yes, the deadline was just this past Friday. The worse that can happen is they say no. In the meantime, I've started taking chem and bio through ILC. If I get a no for the spring start, then I've already gotten the ball rolling in prepping to have a strong application for a Sept start. If I do get accepted for the spring, then I can drop the 2 ILC courses and I'm only out $80. I'm reaaaaaally hoping I get in for a spring start, I'm all ready to go, all I need is the 'congratulations....' letter. Good luck with your application, keep me posted on how it works out for you. :-)

Thank you SO much of responding! I didn't even know what ILC was, let alone that it was an option. But this is certainly a better route than spending hundreds on another chem class through Seneca. I wish I had known this before I did that the first time. They really don't give any sort of guidance when navigating these roads. Thank goodness for this forum! I think I will apply for the May start anyways, like you suggested, even with my low marks, and just stay positive. The answer is always no if you don't ask, right? Thanks again! :)

So, I took my chem pre req through Seneca in the Fall and just got my mark back - a C. A damn C!!! I busted my ass for that class. I had an A going into the exam. The exam was written in German (so it seemed). The course was online and the prof was less help than (insert something unhelpful here), rarely answering anyone's questions, so we were just shy of being self taught. I'm 37 and wanted to get the ball rolling as fast as possible so that I'm not 70 when I graduate (I'll be doing this part time). My plan was to get into Seneca, get a diploma and then bridge into university to get my BScN. I feel like I've been knocked out before I've even been given a shot. I know I can do this. I know I want this. I was banking on this class to pull my average up since my Bio from high school isn't great either. What would you do in my situation? Should I even bother applying for the May start at Seneca or am I facing inevitable rejection? So upsetting.

This is definitely encouraging, thank you! I'm 37 and just starting my journey as well. Best of luck to you, please keep us posted. )

I just finished my chem pre req, so I get the eww. Pre reqs are a pain because you can't necessarily jump right into your nursing program like you may have thought. I did mine online and there was no lab requirement, but there was an in person final exam. Having said this - I'm sure rules will differ based on where you are and such, I'm in Toronto.

Am I the only one that MUST be at home to study? Libraries, Starbucks, anything like that, and I can't focus. People walking by, shuffling of papers, any small noise at all, and I'm focused on everything BUT my notes. Then again, I live on my own with no kids or pets, so perhaps this is why home is ideal for me. Sadly, this is also where the junk food is and who can really study without snacking? Really now... )

I'm 37 and just finishing up my pre reqs and will apply for the Spring start. I don't have kids so I don't have that to contend with. I find this is very different from when I was younger and in school, but in a good way. I'm very focused now and am putting a lot of effort into this, and my grades are reflecting that. Had I attempted nursing at a younger age, I would have failed for sure, I just wasn't ready. But yes, age was a factor when deciding if I was actually going through with this. I feel like I'll be 100 by the time I graduate since I am going part time. But, the way I see it, if I don't do it, I'll just get older. And if I do do it, I'll still get older...but I'll be a nurse.