summerly

I'm still confused as to how you can get into an NP program without RN experience? What kind of legitimate programs are these? My program requires 2,000 hour of RN clinical hours verified by your manager as part of acceptance into the program.

If you do go with a littman go with the cheapest model - that's all you need for nursing school. Plus, nurses and residents will want to borrow your stethoscope and you will have to track them down to get it back. Get yourself a nice stethoscope as a graduation gift and make sure to get your name engraved on it!

Or look up the policy/procedure

I had cancer when I was 16 and it made me want to be a nurse. Worked oncology ever since. Now in NP school. I love it.

I've been a nurse for 9 years and I'm halfway through NP school. I was under the impression you couldn't be accepted to NP school unless you had your BSN and RN experience. My school requires at least 2,000 hours of clinical experience post nursing school to apply. I would be very scared of a NP without RN experience.

Oh hell no. That is where the line is drawn. I'm sorry but I am so sick and tired of MA's calling themselves nurses.

Look up any hospital application in Chicago and check out the requirements... I'm not lying jeez. They literally state that they want BSN prepared nurses. This is a new requirement that magnet hospitals want. It has changed over the last few years.

I live in the Midwest as well, and it has here. Chicagoland area.

Most hospitals require a BSN degree upon hire now. Especially magnet hospitals. It's becoming a baseline necessity for RN's. Would be smart to acquire one. I started out with my ADN then did ADN to BSN. Now doing BSN to MSN.

MA's should definitely NOT be triaging patients

Follow through with the rule and actually fire someone. That will set an example and actually scare them into not calling in for bogus reasons. If they don't comply, then keep firing until you find staff that can be responsible and work their jobs. There are tons of nurses out there looking for jobs and willing to work.

So what ended up happening?

One of the biggest things I learned when studying for the NCLEX back in 2007 was how to take the exam. I remember they drilled into us in this order think: safety, airway, breathing, circulation. I'm sure it's changed though since then. I took the Dr Martin review course in Chicago... It was a week long. It helped me immensely and I passed the NCLEX my first try with 75 questions. I don't know if she's still around or does an online review now, but worth checking out.

I loved working bedside... For 7 years... Until I didn't. When staffing became unsafe and management just got worse and worse due to budget cuts, nurses quitting and not hiring new nurses to fill those FTEs. We were stretched thin. Having to take more patients then safe, PICU pushing out patients on drips who are still PICU status, home vents, Trachs, chemo, DKAs on insulin drips changing fluids every five minutes, fresh post ops, traumas (level one trauma center), etc etc etc ... Not to mention all the new policies, procedures and paperwork we had to keep up with. No lunch, no water, no bathroom breaks. The catty high school crew always talking crap about people... Staying after a 13 hour shift to finally chart, then getting yelled at for not clocking out on time, Enough was enough. I loved loved loved my patients, but I was done being a floor RN. Now I'm in NP school and work outpatient.

The initial application asks these questions. My RN renewal did not ask this question.