HappyJaxRN

It's an uphill battle for any school to get their accredidation when they are new. ITT in Jacksonville is accredited. I wish I was seeing better reviews about this school.

Hi. I just wanted to post my thoughts here and be done with the way that I feel. I just rescently recovered from a drug overdose in the attempts to commit suicide. It was brought on by a nervous breakdown secondary to my medications. I have BP disorder. I have never had problems at work it my BP. I do take my work home with me, which adds to the problem. I'm not some fly by night fluzzy nurse. I am half way into my MSN. Anyway, I wanted to say something. When I was at the ER, I was in and our of consciousness. I was confused, mummbling, whatever. My husband said that the nurse I had was very rude. I don't remember her very much. I know that the nurse that greeted me was cold and acted like she didn't want to have anything to do with me. She was rude to my husband. She never made eye contact with him. It was like she didn't like to have me as a patient because I wanted to die that day. My husband said she was pregnant so that maybe her pro-life attitude went above and beyond caring for someone who was in trouble. I vaguely remember a nurse with a bad attitude (probably the same one) walked in and set two cups down on my table. She said angerily, "here drink these." Was she thinking I would refuse?? I swigged them down like they were charcoal shots. I do remember her saying, "I've never seen anyone take them that fast." I looked at her and said, "You said take them. So I did." I was so out of it, I would have eaten dog poop if you told me it was my medicine. I'm not proud of what I did. I just want to convey to the nurses out there that have bad attitudes that there are people out there that have problems. Some of us have very little coping skills due to our upbringings and we may also have mental illnesses. Don't judge those that don't know how to live life. You don't know where we are coming from. It's not just about giving up. I wasn't asking for anything from that nurse. My husband was the one that needed the support. I was too out of it to really care. I hope these self centered - doesn't think ourside the box - cannot get past their own feelings - nurses remember what I've said it. For goodness sake, don't disrespect the family member. My husband was a basket case and the attitude from this nurse brought him down another notch.

Yes. I have BP and ADHD. Through my 2 year degree, I was on adderall. Helped but made me manic. During my BSN, adderall was taken off my med list and my BP meds were adjusted. During my MSN, I suffered a nervous breakdown and it was found that my meds were not right. SO they were adjusted again. I'm working on completing my MSN and yes, it is very hard to concentrate. You have to make yourself do it. Once into something, I seem to take off...getting it started is another thing. My new doctor told me that there is a medication that acts like adderall but is not converted in the brain as such therefore not adding to the euphoria of mania. Best wishes!

Hello- I was reading some old posts from some people that were about 2 years old and wanted a fresh thread on this. Any nurses out there with Bipolar (BP) Disorder? How have you managed it? What kinds of things have happened for you? I loved my job for awhile. Now I wonder if the stress is just too much. I work on a high stress, busy busy floor...who doesn't these days. I love the hospital I work for, but I am having a lot more issues lately than ever before. I am going to see my boss today and I'm concerned about what she is going to reprimand me about. I am very open about my BP, but lately, people are telling me that it has gotten a lot worse. I don't know why. I am on the brink of being hosptialized again. I know if this happens, I will loose my job. I have called out a lot becuase of physical problems and other times due to my BP. My boss has been very nice about keeping me aboard. My main problems right now are with anger. ..followed by depression. I have never gone off on a patient no matter how bad they have been. My problems are with co-workers. Also, I did break down in front of a patient 2 weeks ago because I was so stressed and couldn't get help from anyone. I'm just perplexed at what this disorder has done to me. I cannot see myself doing anything different. I feel lost. Anyone out there? Jax

If it's a personal problem as others have stated, EAP is great. If it's related to co-workers or patients, there should be a toll free anonymous reporting hotline you can report to. Best wishes. HappyJaxRn

As an MSN-Nursing Educator Student, I'd have to say it's good and bad. We just talked about this in our politics class. We really need more nurses. Based on the research that I've been doing, the US is going to be short approximately 440,000 nurses by 2015 due to the baby boomers entering into the health care system and then many older nurses are retiring. Also, to consider, people are living longer...diseases that would kill someone in the past, like AIDs or HCV, are being treated with effective treatments and these people are living longer, therefore needing continued nursing care. So in that sense, yes, it's good. More schools = more students = more nurses. Bad. I wonder to myself....where are all the instructors coming from? We don't have enough as is. I wonder if some of the instructors at these pop up over night schools have enough experience to teach a fresh wet behind the ears person entering into the field. It's kind of scary. I look at the quality of the education. Many people look at the program as: Can I get in...Will FA pay for it....How long is it.... Quality is not in their minds. That worries me. So I kind of have a love-hate relationship with these pop up overnight schools... HappyJaxRN

We have hospitalists. They were pretty good, most of them. I used to call them a lot when I worked nightshift. I have been on days lately and haven't had much contact. They came in very handy if a particular medical team was not answering my pages and I needed immediate medical assistance. I liked having them. Just my two cents.

I would have to agree. I am working on a similar degree and have already had many thoughts of either switching or adding another major (crazy, I know). Do what you were doing....especially being so close to graduation...or if it's really in your heart, keep looking for d'money. Best wishes!

Okay. Here's the problem. I'm bored. I have been on my floor since 2002. 5 years as an RN. I am in an MSN program and see myself doing so much more in the future. I go to work and I feel....bored. I'm fed up with the politics. I no longer like the admin on my floor. I'm fed up with some of the people, lying about things...or the new nurses coming out of school thinking they know everything...I guess I was like that too when I got out...I'm just bored. I think I'm ready to move on, but not sure if it's right. I'm ready to jump into an administrative position now. I feel out of place and plataued where I am now. It's like my inner voice is saying, "It's time to move on kiddo...you have gone as far as you can now where you are at.." I don't want to wait until my program is over because that will be in 2 years. I'm going part time and working part time....Ug. Decisions. Any suggestions? NotSO HappyJaxRN

Hi there. I am about to complete my BSN program which has been all online at JU (Jacksonville University). I didn't like online programs at first, but this has actually been better for me since I work full time as an RN at a busy hospital and it has been very convenient. I'm graduating with a 3.1 GPA and am in search of an MSN program. I didn't start to look for an online program until I was contacted by the University of Phoenix. I started to do some research. I contacted Kaplan University and found that their MSN program is appealing to me. I have been researching Kaplan on this site and a lot of the information is outdated or applies to an undergraduate level. Can anyone tell me anything about Kaplan's MSN program...or even the BSN program as I am sure that they are closely related. Thanks for your time, HappyJax Staff Update If interested in what others have to say about Kaplan University please take a look at our Kaplan University | Peer Reviews.

The nursing schools that I have attended took the GPA of only the classes that they were transferring into the program. I was accepted into an ADN program in NE Florida with a 2.5 GPA and accepted into an online RN-BSN program with a 2.3 GPA. I want to go to an MSN program next year, and I have to have a min. of 2.5 GPA, so depending on what I get in this BSN program, I may have to take some extra classes. I'm not sure. Good luck!

Hi. I graduated from FCCJ and 5 years later (now) am 1/2 way through the RN-BSN online program at JU. I pay $1230/3 credit class. I take 2 classes every 8 weeks. It is considered full time. I'm working fulltime as well. It's hard, but doable. I am learning a lot andI enjoy it. Good luck with your choice!

Hi. I went to FCCJ and worked full time. It was hard, but graduated and became an RN. I am currenly 1/2 through the JU online RN-BSN program. It too is accellerated. I will not lie to you. It is VERY hard. Anytime you take accellerated nursing classes, pardon the expression, but it will be balls to the walls. It's doable, as someone else said, but definitely NOT easy. TIME MANAGEMENT will be our best friend! Best wishes!

Having been there and done that....I know a lot of things have changed since 5 years ago when I graduated from FCCJ, but the minimum admitted was a score over 190. I know several people who have applied and they have 200+ points. Just an FYI, you may want to up your score if you can. Maybe retake a class? Not sure. Still don't let these messages on this site get you down. I applied twice. The first time I didn't get in. Back then, I was placed on a waiting list. The 2nd time I applied, I was in. That was 5 years ago. Keep your head up... You can do it!

I think it depends on where you go. I know in my town, the organization I work for, you have to have at least 2 years hospital nursing (pref. med/surg). Also, they don't hire LPN/LVN's anymore where I work, only CNA's and RN's. I was like you tho. As soon as I graduated nursing school 5 years ago, I wanted to work in hospice. I applied 3 times. The 3rd time, I got THE call. LOL. I started in hospice as an RN PRN, but just recently went fulltime with them. If it's in your heart, keep trying to apply and don't give up. When the time is right you'll get it. My hospital nursing has helped me a lot in a lot of things that I have to do at the hospice unit. It's best to get some experience before going in. I wish the best for you. Continue to follow your heart. You'll get there!