Aik0

I'm filipino, and came here when I was 9 years old. I attended grade school, high school, and college here. I would advise you to attend school here. Even though you can take the NCLEX in the Philippines, licensing can be more difficult. Licensing requirements are also different for each state. It takes longer to have you transfer all your paperwork and such. If you graduate do your clinicals here, you would already be exposed and be learning the equipment, the computer charting, the flow of the unit, how the IV pumps would work, etc. Also, some states require you to send transcripts and school records for verification before they can give you a license to practice which can be more difficult if you graduate in another country. For example, I worked as a nurse traveler and applied for a NY license. I had to call my school, send them a document to have them sign and they had to be the ones to send it directly to their state board. It would be more difficult and take longer if you were in another country and trying to communicate with the school there about getting your records here, etc. Think of the long term. Take it here. You work with the hospitals here. Your clinical sites would already know who you are by the end of the four years and might even graduate with a job offer. There's really no reason to take go to school in the PI. If cost is the issue...just go to a cheaper school...attend the community college, then do an RN to BSN program after you start working. Research your options here. Look at the starting salary and if needed take out student loans. You can pay them back when you graduate since you won't have any problems with finding jobs. DO NOT attend a for-profit school. These schools are the worst and take advantage of students and take all their money and graduate with a crap degree. Stay away from names like "University of Phoenix, Carrington College, etc." Look up if the school is private for profit and stay away. These schools do a lot of advertising and dont' care about their students. Carrington college charges $50,000 for a two year nursing degree (i am gonna pay about $70,000 with a masters at a private) --- do the math. Both cost a lot, but a masters from an internationally recognized school would be worth $70,000 than the two year, for profit chain. but it shows you just how much these for-profit colleges take advantage of students. If you want to go to medicine, nursing is not the degree. Also think of salary. Depending on the area, nurses actually don't get paid that much. I always wonder why a lot of filipino parents push their kids to be nurses. To them, it's like the ONLY choice in college. That and being a doctor. Mine did...hence why i took nursing..and was gonna go into medicine too (but life happened)...but sometimes I always wished I had taken something else...like engineering, pharmacy, math teacher, etc. Nursing might guarantee you a job, but it is not a well-respected field. Message me if you still have questions.

It depends on the school. I once applied to a for profit school and at the last minute withdrew and sent everything back because of how *easy* it was to get in. I decided to attend a brick and mortar, reputable, yet still an online program (with on-campus exams) school and got in too. So at first i was thinking...maybe it isn't that hard to get into NP school. But I talked to three other people who applied to my program and didn't get in. Don't let the "online" fool you. I've done "online" for my Masters in education at a brick and mortar in state university and now doing "online" at a brick and mortar private university....and maaaaaan...the difference is NIGHT and DAY.... the FNP program is waaaay more challenging and Patho was hands down THE MOST DIFFICULT class I've ever ever taken. It really depends on the school and the program Just make sure you go to a reputable school so no one questions the integrity of your degree. "Better" schools will be more difficult to get into but competitive for a reason. They need to make sure you can do all the work they throw at you.

I don't know about orientation but here's my experience w/ FNP school...I started FNP school with a four month old that I was pumping/breastfeeding and such. I was actually finishing my first master when he was born (went from graduating one and starting another). It is VERY difficult. I would pump while I studied and as soon as he would fall asleep in my arms I was on the computer trying to finish a paper. I remember having him up on a boppie pillow asleep while I had all my papers, books, and journal articles all around me trying to write a paper. I was staying with my mom for help while on maternity leave and my husband was in another state working. So my mom could watch him in the day time while I caught up on sleep or schoolwork, or if I had a live class session. And it's not just breastfeeding...you have to remember you also have to keep washing and sterilizing the bottles, the pumps, freezing the milk on top of taking care of a newborn. If you go to orientation make sure you have a fridge/freezer for the milk and you'll need a cooler to bring around to keep the milk cold if you plan on feeding him/her 100% breast milk. Another thing to remember is that everywhere you go you would have to bring all your pumping supplies. I would pump in the car while reading my notes... Anyway...now my baby is 11 months and school isn't getting easier and taking care of him isn't getting easier either. He no longer just sleeps after feeding...all he wants to do now is play. And if I have my laptop out all he wants to do is touch it. I've given up even trying to do ANY school work with him awake. I run errands but always have notes/flashcards with me. As soon as he is asleep in his car seat, I whip out my notes, book, cards, and study in the car until he wakes up. I also wake up 3-4 hours before he gets up in the morning and just stay awake studying. On top of all this, I am still working my 12 hour shifts. I get absolutely little to no sleep. Anyway...that being said, I think you should do it now. I'm glad i did. I at least had one "easy" semester because even though I had to pump and feed him, he always fell back asleep and was in that "potted-plant stage" - which means that if I set him down in one spot, he'll stay there...now I can't even leave the living room without him crying for me. But he won't remember this time. And I would rather be done and have all the time to spend with him later when he can actually start having memories :) It's either you do it now, or wait until he goes back to school. I'm not gonna lie...IT'S HARD but doable. You really need to be motivated and have a STRONG support system. Good luck!

DO NOT TAKE the surg tech certification. It would be a step down for you and not necessary. I live in the east coast and a lot of the hospitals here train nurses to scrub. A lot of trauma centers. they also take new grads. LMK if you want some names. I know a hospital in VA that I just got an email seeking nurses without OR experience to train in their program (usually it's a year to learn) -- - program also seeking new grads. I was going to take the surg tech certification too just cuz I love scrubbing..wish I could do it all the time!!! A surgical tech asked me "why?!?!" haha.... so yeh..don't do it... Go get trained in an operating room. Big hospitals usually need nurses to scrub and circulate and will train because they need staff.

scrubulator, what AORN book did you look at for the different types of instrument sterility?

Same with everyone here. Life happened. Actually...I wanted to go to med school and be an anesthesiologist. Found out that "med school" was actually not a degree but a set of classes you had to take. Counselors told me I needed an undergraduate/Bachelor's degree to get into "med school." Decided to go to nursing school...graduated with a BSN. Started working as a nurse and then worked with physicians and decided...naaah...don't want to do med school anymore and was just gonna stop at my BSN. Fast forward ten years. Got married and started a family. Decided I wanted to do NP school. I'm now in NP school. Many - a - nights studying and even when I talk to my husband...I often tell myself....I could've gone to med school. But now it's too late. Life happened. But like everyone said ... if i had just continued on and if I knew I was gonna do NP school ten years later...I could've and should've just done med school. So if it's not too late for you...go for it!!!!

I am currently attending Georgetown's FNP program. It is online but we have live class sessions every week. The classes are EXTEMELY DIFFICULT!!!! I spend ALL my time studying. I did my undergrad at a brick and mortar university AND completed a MSN in Education online (though from a Brick and Mortar University). The FNP program I am in is intense and nothing like Bachelor's or Masters. I was initially full time and had to drop down to part time. I work 2 days a week and would rather just NOT work and concentrate on school if I am able to. I am in my first semester of taking anatomy and physiology and our exams cover anywhere from 7 to 10 chapters in the book. It is crazy!!! I think what the boards need to do is have more stringent programs for NPs. PA programs are traditional and are therefore able to provide students with education that is consistent. NP programs are not. If I were you, go to a reputable school. Georgetown's pass rate is about 98% for 2016. And now I know why >>>> It's a tough TOUGH program. So I think it all depends on the program you're in.

Sure. just give me your email address. Not sure why the messaging thing isn't working...

Hello, I got admitted to Georgetown and am starting this September (yikes!). The Georgetown program is online but you would have to attend live class sessions every week online. So instead of going to a class "room" you will be meeting in an online virtual classroom where an instructor leads the course. I haven't experienced it yet since I will just be starting next month bit I already signed up for my classes and like a brick and mortar school I had to pick a day and time for my classes as this will be when I will be attending the live seminars online. I fully understand about costs. I applied to Georgetown and didn't really think I could get in (it's Georgetown!) but when I got my acceptance letter my heart just stopped and the reality of student loans and tuition costs just hit me. And believe me it's been six months and I'm still "contemplating" about going to Georgetown. However, after speaking to students that are currently attending the program, and having asked that same question, all of them have said it was worth it to go. They felt confident with the amount of information they learned and a lot of them had jobs before and immediately after graduating. I think in this area, you would need to make yourself stand out. Also, I can go to a cheaper school but this would also mean having to ask managers/supervisors for another letter of recommendation, doing a whole essay again, waiting...etc. I've talked to my husband a few (ahem..maybe more like a hundred times) about the school and the tuition. I swear every week I've been changing my mind about attending...should I go? should I not? ... but ultimately, I don't think i will ever get another opportunity to attend this school. Plus, if I apply to another program it will delay me graduating (which means potentially loosing any future income) and lastly, the confidence that a lot of the students have said they gained after going through the program is worth it. They said that because it's so rigorous, they feel as though the program prepared them to enter the field. I still have some of the replies from the students about this issue when I posted it online. Message me and I can send you a copy. I read it from time to time for encouragement. Good Luck.

Hi, i start in the fall and I'm also nervous. I am currently enrolled full time but I might switch to part-time. I have a new baby and will be working two days a week. I have heard the program is tough. I've also been talking to other NPs to see if it's all worth it. I've decided to take out student loans to finance the education. Full vs part time is only 2 semester differences so instead of graduating in May, I'll be graduating in December. I'm mostly nervous about my finances and hopefully I can find study time. I work 24 hours a week and need to keep my benefits for my family so I can't do any less than this. I hope it'll all be worth it :)

Hi tathomps. I think it took about two weeks to get an acceptance letter. I actually didn't think I would get in, but just tried to see what happens. When I got the letter I went "oh crap!!!!" . . . Everything just became more real, including hte > $80,000 tuition!

I am also startin gin 2016 fall.

does anyone know what the debt to income ratio cut off would be? at least teh average?

Thsnk you so much...that helps a lot!

so if you're salary is say $80,000 and student loans is 60,000, would your debt to income ratio uhm...13%? what? did i do that right? .... so all the debt is is student loans, no credit cards or anything?and the only income they are counting is salary...not like husband's income? How are people getting 150% debt to income ratio? Thanks :)