icare412

I am in the 3rd cohort and finishing up this fall. Overall I feel this program has been excellent. The instructors are top notch and the many, varied clinical experiences exceeded my expectations. What you do need to prepare for is a non-stop curriculum for about 1.5 years. Unlike traditional programs, this program runs continuously and can be very challenging as it felt I was working on my coursework 8-12 hours per day, 7 days a week. I stayed in the full-time program and did not work. I cannot imagine working and completing this program full-time. Like so many things, what you put into your educational experience determines how much you will get out of it. There was a lot of writing and research as part of the program the second year. Good writing skills are essential in this program along with careful time management, otherwise it is easy to fall behind with assignments. I had actually transferred from an associates program once I was accepted at UNH. For me and the direction I hope to take in nursing, I am really glad I went this route.

Hi, They are scheduling interviews. I got my email today.

In my first clinical rotation, very early in the semester, I had to shadow an admissions nurse. The patient was morbidly obese and when the nurse was done asking questions we both walked into the hallway where the nurse finished the paperwork. The nurse then instructed me to go back and ask the patient if they took her weight in the ER. So I did just that and returned with my answer, which was "yes". Ok, so I got past the "it's not nice to ask personal questions issue".

Hi Serena I have not heard anything yet. I watch my online application status every day or so to see if there was a change. Last year, I saw the status change in webcat before I received the postcard a few days later. I am hoping that we should be hearing soon. - Janice

As an idealistic first year nursing student, I did see an elderly patient vocalizing her angry feelings of inadequate care and threatening legal actions. She was being very distruptive on our floor that day. This was a very well run floor and there were no credible reasons for her anger (in my humble opinion). The nurses were very professional with her. I was not assigned to this patient, but in some way I wish I had been. From a distance I could see how frightened she was. I could be wrong, and very, very naive - but I felt a heavy dose of handholding was in order or at least an understanding ear. Would it be appropriate to sit by the bedside of this patient and let her vent her concerns? Often I feel that ranting and raving is the only way some people know how to communciate their concerns. Laying in a hospital bed, helpless and powerless can bring out less-than-stellar behavior in some people. Maybe she had experienced a medical mishap in the past and this was her way to try to protect herself. I felt her behavior was masking something else she was unable to communicate and I wish I had the opportunity to help her discover this. I realize on a busy shift this kind of one-on-one time is probably not possible and psychotherapy is outside the scope of nursing practice. Would it be appropriate to get some kind of counseling for a patient in dire straights from a behavioral specialist, if one is available? Do hospitals have policies for dealing with these situations? I have often thought about what I would have done if I had been the nurse assigned to the angry patient. As a nursing student I would like to devise a course of action for dealing with patients like this in the future. I would really appreciate hearing more feedback from seasoned nurses who have been successful in these situations. How did you get through to your patients? hipab4hands post made me think - being mindful of HIPPA, are there other ways of responding to inaccurate accusations of neglect by summarizing (verbally) what has been documented for the frequency and type of care given to the patient and shared with the inquiring/accusing family member - or does this, in itself, violate HIPPA? Of course, there are many people out there who want to support themselves by suing for anything they can. Many of the other posts suggesting extensive documentation and professional behavior at all times seem like the best way to deal with this. Any other thoughts? - Janice

Thank you for the information. I'm glad to hear there was a diversified age group in the last class. Good luck to you in getting into the program. I do hope they expand this program, as it is an excellent way for career changers to get into the nursing world. Keep in touch. - Janice

Hi, This is the second year I've applied to this program. How many students are they taking each year? Have any students dropped out? When do they start interviewing? Do you have many students in the class that are over 40? Thanks in advance for any info - I've been sitting on pins and needles for so long waiting to get in to this program. Has anyone else applied for January 2006? - Janice

Hi, I've been taking classes and working for years. It's doable. Pace yourself, take care of yourself and don't overload on classes. A physically demanding job is definitely something to avoid - you need your energy for your studies and clinicals. Some other things that have helped me to succeed is to ask my husband for help with grocery shopping, etc. and to move housecleaning chores to the bottom of the priority list (this was easy for me). Good luck to you - you can do it! - Janice