finally03gt

I did not read the comments before this post, so forgive me if I rehash anything already covered. I am a JR II student in a BSN program, so I am not yet a RN, and I do not have years of experience. But, responding to the original post with what I have learned so far, I think we need to approach this as 2 separate issues. Acute and Chronic. Acutely, how do we address the immediate life threatening condition. I've thought about this a lot, and the best immediate solution I can devise is to treat the entrances of a school like a TSA check point. Walk through metal detectors and bag x-rays. I feel this would be highly successful in the short run to physically keep weapons (including bombs, as we just saw) off of campuses. Chronically we have a much deeper pathology in our society. Many people turn quickly to gun control suggesting that it is the problem. I don't intend to open that political debate, but there are two thoughts I can not reconcile to this idea. First, is that gun violence in schools is greatly out pacing gun ownership. I would expect a correlation between the exponential increase in gun incidents and total number of guns if this is the problem and I simply don't see that. Secondly, there was a time where a gun rack in a truck in the parking lot, or a marksmanship club was not terribly uncommon at school, at least in rural areas. The US has had a lot of guns for decades, but the recent increase in incidents makes me ask what is changing. I was reviewing some information from the recent incident in Santa Fe. The shooter expressed he did not shoot students he liked, because he wanted his story told. He was trying to narrate his own biography by removing those with a negative view of him and leaving people he felt would describe him positively. I think much of this comes from the media attention. Students who are ostracized, outcast and bullied see an incident like this and realize that the shooter's name and photo are on every media outlet there is for a solid week, and less front page for months following. I feel if news outlets would focus the attention of a tragedy on the victims and the recovery and withhold ALL attention of the shooter, we would see a decrease. There would no longer be an opportunity for potential shooters to "have their story told". It's not uncommon for young people to act out for attention, even if it is negative, and this is just an extreme expression of that behavior. Beyond that, my ideas may become a bit more polar, so I will throw a thought out just for though, but do not desire to spark debate. I believe our society has a deep rooted stripping of our moral fiber that starts in the home. As a society we have made nearly everything "relative" so that an absolute right or wrong is becoming increasingly difficult to define. I fear that atrocities in our society will only increase in all areas unless we regain a willingness to call wrong, wrong.

Thank you all for the comments. Just wanted to give an update, and address a few questions from the comments. I am 38, and live in the Houston area, with the medical center downtown being a reasonable drive, and 2 brand new hospitals (Texas Children's and Methodist) within 10 minutes of my home, in addition to the 3 other hospitals already in this area. I could not locate a direct entry Master's program as one comment suggested. Consistent with Nurse Betty's reply, the most practical route was RN to NP. That said, I chose University of Arlington Online. The didactic is 100% online, in an accelerated format, with clinicals conducted at local partner facilities. Once accepted, and with my degree plan reviewed, I still needed about 37 hours of non-nursing classes before entering the nursing program. I am an aggressive student, making the most of the accelerated format (most course are about 8 weeks), and CLEP exams, and plan to complete all of the lower level courses in a year, while still working full time. I will then apply to the nursing program, that is 15 months, accelerated. Again, with online didactic and 24 hrs a week of clinicals, and working each business day that I do not have clinicals. All said and done, I should have my BSN, RN in about 30 months. My first cycle went well with Intro to Nursing and Technical Communication being completed online, and General Biology requirement met through CLEP. From there I plan to find employment, and most likely enter UT Arlington's Master's/Nurse Practitioner program which takes 30-36 months, while I work as a RN.

Final answer. Biology I is a pre-requisite to A&P, but is eligible for CLEP. Just in case this is helpful to anyone.

I have been working with my adviser on my course map. It is really important to me to try to get into upper level for Spring of 2018. It seems that Biology I - 1345 is my only stumbling block. My adviser says it's a pre-req for A&P I 2457 and for Micro Biology 2460. But in my welcome packet there was an attachment for lower level requirements and it had a note that an A or B in both A&P I and II (2457 and 2458) would waive the pre-req of Bio I for Micro. Biol I did not show on my courses needed in my official degree plan, nor does it show on the lower level requirement lists. Any insights?

That's an idea. I looked into the PA option a bit more. Many fewer schools, cost is a good bit higher, and all Face to Face. At least what I was able to find in Texas. The only upside is that after a few prerequisite's the PA programs are about 30 months compare to 15 months to BSN/RN, then another 30-36 months to NP. But, the nursing path can be done largely online didactic, allowing me to work my way through. I just can't find a significant upside on the PA option.

I'm still waiting on my transfer equivalency for the lower-level classes.

I did investigate it. My bride (who is an RN) said she felt there was fewer positions for PA's. Another major factor is that I'm nearly 38 with a family to provide for. In about 30 months I can have my RN and make a decent wage, then continue to my NP. I don't see that "mid-point" in the PA path.

And I don't think there is enough research in the world to tell me exactly where I want to take this. I just need to point in a general direction, get some experience, and see where I land. Heck, the last 9 years I worked on Robotic Submarines, that 11 years ago I never new existed, and I loved that job. So for now, the general direction is BSN/RN, get a job, start on my Masters/NP, most likely in Family, but we'll see.

How about that headache was as intuitive as it sounded. That's a lot of the reason I want to get my practitioner as soon as I can. I am very much interested in the provider role.

Thanks for the info on adding a specialty.

I will definitely pursue my practitioner. It the roles offered there that finally gave me the nudge to choose nursing. I actually want to pursue a DNP, but we'll see if I get that far. Psyc does not call my name, but I'm open. What do you mean by headache? Also, I think I understand what you mean buy provider role, but would you be willing to clarify that

I was thinking in patient would be the right place for me , at least in the beginning of my career. Nights weekends and holidays are nice to have off, but again after 12 years in the oil patch you get used to missing that kind of stuff. I do think that I need to find a general direction to point myself, but not stress myself about the details too much until I actually get in the health care world and figure out what ignites my passion

I hope it is more efficient..lol There was a note that said any other institutions would be reviewed on case by case, or something to that effect.

I have a non nursing BBA from Sam Houston State, and my university wasn't listed in the equivalency charts either, if that indicates anything

Great points to ponder. I have spent the last 12 years in the offshore oil and gas industry. The last 9 of that working on ROV's (remotely operated vehicles - basically robotic submarines) I got spoiled to only working 60% of the year, so working 12's and having 3 days a week off is very appealing to me. That said, I can see myself later in life enjoying working at, or maybe running a family practice clinic. I do not feel called to the kiddos, not opposed to working with kids, but not my greatest desire. My wife is a RN and her 7 year career has been in pediatrics, that's more her thing, haha. In the broadest sense, what brings me satisfaction in my job is analyzing. Looking at a system and the abnormal operation, and trying to figure out what is not working properly and why. I especially like tackling the problems that have more elusive solutions.