RN and CHKD

What campus are you at? If you are at Va Bch, the new assistant direct of nursing works at CHKD. She could probably give you some insight.

What campus are you at? If you are at Va Bch, the new assistant direct of nursing works at CHKD. She could probably give you some insight.

That's cool! I will be at the Newport News campus but maybe I can let them in on that and see what they can do !!!!!! I soooooo want a position at CHKD!

I just spoke with one of my instructors and she advised that CHKD hires a lot of MCI graduates. From what she said the hardest area to get into atr any hospital after graduation is L&D, nursey, and NICU. It can be done but it is rare. If your heart says you should be at CHKD, you will be able to do it. Good luck with school!!

I just spoke with one of my instructors and she advised that CHKD hires a lot of MCI graduates. From what she said the hardest area to get into atr any hospital after graduation is L&D, nursey, and NICU. It can be done but it is rare. If your heart says you should be at CHKD, you will be able to do it. Good luck with school!!

Thank you! That is good to hear. I do truly want to work at CHKD and with time, I hope to find my nitch...but I have to get my foot in the door and start somewhere....so that is awsome to know.

In my research so far about what school to go to, either Sentara or MCI, I actually called 3 hospitals and my own OB/GYN including CHKD to get their opinions on if they have a preference. I spoke to the Nursing Recruiter, Janice Pool, just this past Wednesday. She said given the choice of applicants from both schools, with no experience, she would call the Sentara grad first. But that if she had an MCI grad with some experience, she would consider them first. You should call her, she was very open and a wealth of knowledge. I can privately email you the number.

In my research so far about what school to go to, either Sentara or MCI, I actually called 3 hospitals and my own OB/GYN including CHKD to get their opinions on if they have a preference. I spoke to the Nursing Recruiter, Janice Pool, just this past Wednesday. She said given the choice of applicants from both schools, with no experience, she would call the Sentara grad first. But that if she had an MCI grad with some experience, she would consider them first. You should call her, she was very open and a wealth of knowledge. I can privately email you the number.

I looked into going to Sentara...nice program (and I heard they are GREAT to work for) and all but two downfalls...1)they are in chesapeake and I am in NN and 2)they have only day classes! I cant do day classes at all as I have two young children and a husband that works days. I looked into their NEW distant learning program that is held in Hampton but they are also only days!!!! I looked into Riverside Hospitals School of Professional Nursing and they have a night program but it is 3 years for a diploma!!!! YIKES! I need to get into the work force as soon as I possibly can so that was not a possibility. I checked into TNCC a long time ago but they had a HUGE waiting list....It all just pretty much stinks for me any way I look at it....lol. :chuckle So right now, I am going to take what I can get and do what I can once I am an RN, even if I dont get into CHKD.

:DI understand completely! I also have 2 kids and are married! I am still considering both schools and my husband is now looking at both as well. When you are a wife and mom, you have to have the support and opinion of your family! We should KIT as we continue our research and make our choices.

:DI understand completely! I also have 2 kids and are married! I am still considering both schools and my husband is now looking at both as well. When you are a wife and mom, you have to have the support and opinion of your family! We should KIT as we continue our research and make our choices.

Yes, we should KIT! I have thought about working in L& D but I first want experience elsewhere since I hear L & D can be difficult right out of school...I think I might find that satisfaction at CHKD working with the babies and older kids...who knows? I have looked into becoming a CNM in the future but that truly depends on how things go...we shall see! I definatly know that I want to pursue my Masters Degree once I get settled in somewhere...

Yes, L&D can be hard that is also why I looked into CHKD, either would be rewarding for me, all though I question my ability to work with terminally ill children. I intend to either part time or volunteer somewhere before I graduate that will give me more exp in those fields. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow!

I am completely with you on the terminally ill....I have a hard time dealing with that and after reading some of the posts on here and crying my eyes out, I question my ability as well. I came into wanting to be a nurse because I wanted to be a neonatal nurse practitioner....but after hearing some of the stories, I just dont know if that is for me right now in my life. I may be able to do it later on in life, I just need to see how it all goes. That is why I looked into being a CNM, but I keep going back and fourth as to what direction I want to go....I guess I will not be truly sure until I test the waters! I like the orientation that CHKD offers new nurses and that is why I was looking in that direction...also, I know a friend of mine who is an Occupational Therapist at CHKD and she really likes working there! Good luck tomorrow and let me know how it goes.

Well I came away from Sentara knowing now which school I have chosen. While I really wanted to go to Sentara, I found out at the Open House that if I don't get accepted to the August 09 class (of 120) then I will not be able to apply again until August 2010. They are not even conducting the Jan 10 class because they expect at that time to be transistioning to teh BSN program. At this stage in my life, I cannot take 10 months of Pre Reqs to possibly get in to a program.

With MCI and Sentara Grads being comparable in most opinions, I am gonna go with MCI and get on with it.

That being said, I am going to contact the Admissions Officer I spoke to tomorrow to see about placing out of 2 of 3 of their pre reqs! I am hoping to apply to the January session. Oh, did I mention that my sister in law will be attending there also? I hope that I can convince her to start in January rather than wait till May. We'll see.

About not knowing if you can handle NICU, I think you are right about "testing the waters". Who knows, you may hate NICU but LOVE something else. There are so many things you can do as an RN all of which you wont know until you try! All of our fears are the same and that probably goes for anyone thinking about this field.

Just trust your instincts, that 's all we have to go on anyway!

Glad to hear back from you! That is a bummer about Sentara (good for them, bad for us...lol) By the time I would be able to enroll or attend their school, I will be done at MCI (if I get in). I was not required to take any of the 3 pre-reqs but I was told to make my chances of getting in stronger, to take the Chemistry class which I start on Oct. 20th. I transferred the other two classes in and I am hoping if I get accepted, to transfer in Comp I and Comp II. Which will help make my load a little less...and cost wise as well. I may be able to transfer Psychology too...I am not sure though. So, after the Jan class, they have a new one beginning in May? Because if that is the case and I dont get into the Jan class, I may try for the May class. Have you taken the MCI entrance test? I simply went in to ask about the program and she set me up on the 4 hour test...I was SO not prepared and not in the mind frame of taking a 4 hour test. I told her that I didnt feel I did as good as I could have because I simply just wanted information to see if the program was something I would be interested in and all she said was that they dont want you to be prepared! That is crazy! So I really didnt do too hot on the test and I think that may put me at that bottom of the list...I did good in math and got a 90%! Chemistry was my lowest. I do have other college credits and my GPA is a 3.77, if they even look at that...maybe it will help? Who knows! Well good luck with MCI and let me know if you get accepted :)