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Update: I am having no luck... I submit hospital applications, at least one per day. They have told me that other applicants have more experience. Feeling a bit discouraged but hanging in there...

Thank you!! My family has been very supportive during this tough decision, and even though my Mom's not a nurse, she mentioned how I'm better off from having this difficult job because it has prepared me for other difficult experiences that will come in the future as I continue my path to become a nurse! I'd say that definitely applies in your situation too :) way to stick it out and work hard!

Thanks so much Here I Stand! Yes, I realize the elderly people who are combative are either not themselves anymore most of the time, or in some cases, they are trying to get kicked out on purpose because they think that they'll be able to go home. And I totally get what you're saying about the take a break thing... I was always waiting for the call lights to settle down and never took a break except for on my first day when I was training. Big mistake. I won't do that to myself again at my next job!

This gives me hope! I was hoping to stay at the LTC facility for 6 months and barely made it through a few. I'm glad your hospital experience allowed you to learn more, I'm super eager to see more than what LTC has to offer! :)

Thank you Karou!!! It does feel brutal :/ I've been applying to a lot of hospital jobs and I'm really hoping to land an interview on a Med/surg floor! They contacted me for a phone interview and now I'm just waiting to hear back from the next person for an in person interview. Thank you!!

Thank you GrnTea!!! This was so nice to hear. I will definitely check out the specialties tab!! I can't wait to get my nursing degree. Thank you for the wonderful compliment and for sharing your positivity with me!! I will definitely keep in touch :) I put my two weeks in not long after I made this post, and I've been applying to hospital jobs like crazy. I've heard back from one so far and did a phone interview, and they said they'd call me back this week to schedule an in-person interview after the holiday weekend is over! Fingers crossed

Bashar.RN, thank you for your response!! I feel the same exact way.... 5 out of 9 of my patients were fall risks the other day, and I was so busy running around when their bed alarms were going off because all of them kept getting up by themselves. I hate to say it, but I was so occupied running around for them that I had little time to provide care to anyone else. It was frustrating because I hold myself to high standards and I felt like I was not put in a position to be able to provide good care. I totally understand the superman comment!!! I hope that I can get a hospital job soon, fingers crossed! Thanks for sharing your positivity!!!

That is so nice to hear!!! Thank you, lovesongajp. I've been applying to hospitals like crazy and hopefully something will come through! I'm glad you love your job as an RN :)

I am currently a student who wants to become a nurse so badly. I'm doing a few more prereqs for an accelerated BSN program since I already have a bachelor's degree. I did a CNA class and started working at a nursing home a few months ago, as my first CNA job.... it was honestly too much and I've just given my two weeks notice. I'm wondering if anyone has had the same experience? It's got me freaking worried that I won't like being a nurse Things I do not like about it: I was given 3 days of training and then thrown on the floor left to my own devices I'm assigned way too many patients at once (10-15), which means I don't have enough time to devote the level of care I want to give each of them With that many patients, call lights are never ending, and I never even have time for a break let alone to catch my breath It's extremely physical - lifting/turning patients who are contracted or disabled, and many of them were overweight - it feels like back breaking work Being screamed at and sworn at by combative patients and having to deal with it 100% on my own as a new CNA... I can handle it but I wish the nurse or on of the admins would follow up and talk to the patient Things I do like about it: I really enjoy connecting with patients and encouraging them to be as independent as possible as part of their therapy (on the short-term rehab wing of course not long term wing, and seeing them make great personal accomplishments as the weeks go by. I really like connecting with their families/visitors too Love feeling like I'm making a difference in people's lives I've gotten so many compliments from the more alert/oriented patients saying that they really trust me and that I work hard and do a good job, they are super sweet and tell me I'm going to be a great nurse, which of course melts my heart I don't mind the dirty work that comes with the job such as bathroom duties and cleaning patients bottoms. I feel comfortable touching patients and interacting with them, and I feel like despite the craziness, I've got a good bedside manner. I just think that LTC might not be for me. Any suggestions?????

Hey! Did you ever find out about MSU and OU? Best of luck!!!

Hi there everyone, I will be graduating with a non-nursing bachelor's degree at the end of this semester (BS in health sciences/biology). However, I have decided that I really, really want to be a nurse, hopefully a family nurse practitioner someday. I am wondering how to go about this. If I wanted to do nursing at my university, I wouldn't be starting until a year from now (if I was accepted) because I don't have their specific pre-nursing chemistry class done, I took a different chem.... At that point, it would be 3 years after that to complete the actual program. Here's my other options ... 1. Apply to community colleges to become an RN and then later do RN-BSN completion? I'll finish the RN in about 3 years (1 year wait, 2 year program) and then need to still complete the BSN. ****If anyone has ever done this, gone from a non-nursing bachelors degree to the RN program, then done RN-BSN completion, were you able to use your previous bachelor degree's credits to complete the BSN faster?? I've had at least half of those classes already. 2. Apply to accelerated second degree nursing programs. I'll start in about a year or year and a half and be done in 12-16 months after that, period. However, these are very expensive from what I can tell, but I've also learned that you can sometimes move right into the nurse practitioner programs seamlessly, which would be nice! Unfortunately it adds at LEAST 3-4 more non-science classes outside of my degree which complicates things as these classes are very specific to the schools that require them (all are different...) which is annoying. If anyone was ever in my position or has any advice, I would GREATLY appreciate it!

I've just completed my CNA training and haven't actually been employed yet, but my thoughts are that the patient has the right to refuse, just like you said. However, my instructor encouraged us to try to get them to consent without hassling them or upsetting them, then come back in 15-30 minutes to ask them again if you have time and aren't sacrificing your time with other patients, and repeating this until they agree to bathe. If they have soiled themselves, you can't leave them like that even if they are refusing because to me, that's like neglect. I think you definitely did the right thing because her smiling at you is a sign you earned her trust, at least in my opinion... My instructor told us to keep your promises and let the patient learn to trust you, I hope it gets better for you the next time you have this patient! Then again, CNA certification presents a perfect-world scenario and I'm sure it's very different once you're on the job, as I also experienced in clinicals. If you really aren't sure what the ethical thing to do is, why not check with your supervisor? That way, you'll know for sure what is expected of you when this situation happens again best of luck!

Hi guys! I know this is about a year old but I'll be applying to the next cohort! What did your experiences end up being, if you were accepted? GPA, volunteering, work experience etc. thank you! :)

Hi SopranoKris!! MSU is actually one of the top choices I've been looking into! I just need to find a school where I can take pharmacology and pathophysiology... They won't accept my school's version of them :/ good luck on your future endeavors ! Kris;8292982]Michigan State University has an accelerated BSN program. Just search for College of Nursing on msu.edu I'll be doing my RN-to-BSN at MSU in the Fall :)

Hi Haider08, thanks for the response! It's actually funny, I spoke to an OU ABSN advisor a few months ago and she informed me that I may want to consider retaking an intro biology class I got a B in... even though it was molecular & cellular biology... Even then, she said the earliest I could begin at OU would be sometime in 2017 because they are loaded up! I think OU has a great program but I'm looking to get in somewhere sooner than that, fingers crossed! I'll probably still apply though :) Thank you for the breakdown of what each semester holds! That's some really good insight, how long is OU's program in total? Can't remember if it was along the lines of 12 or 15 months