I went to their website today and found that the nursing application has now been posted. Due date is January 15, 2010. Now it's time to bug my professors for another round of forms and letters. I have one letter, but need the form to get filled out. It's so embarrassing to go back to the same people. I feel like I owe them the world. What's the most number of requests anyone has asked one person?
Anyway back to the application itself. On it you have to choose a Graduate Program Emphasis. If my goal is to become a Diabetes Educator, should I choose Adult Acute CNS or Maternal/Child CNS, or should I choose Public Health? Does anyone know if we can change specialties mid-stream?
Thanks for your sobering post. I appreciate hearing both sides of the story.
Do you know whether the 3 students who had impacted classes were pre-NCLEX classes, or post? If it's post-NCLEX classes that they are impacting, I could certainly live with that. That's because by then, the students would be RNs who are possibly/hopefully working and having the potential ability to earn a living.
Most California public schools are impacting classes, furloughing faculty, and doing other stuff to cut costs. It's a sad reality from a state that is not bringing in enough in taxes to cover its costs. So, I would expect that from SFSU.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong- but from everything I have heard, there are no jobs for new nurses in the Bay Area. So, whether the lady you met at the bar graduated from SFSU or UCSF, she's not likely to find a job here any time soon. I have no illusions that after graduating, I would probably have to find work at the nearest Indian reservation, or in places like Modesto. No offence to people from Modesto, but that's really far away. Whatever- that's to be expected.
As for the delay, I'm sure it's just an administrative hiccup. Administrative staff and faculty are getting furloughed, so there are fewer people doing the same amount of work. Plus, morale may be hit because of that. I went to informational sessions at SFSU and UCSF and sensed that morale was affected by furloughs and layoffs. I'm being speculative, of course, but, since this is a public school, I would cut them some slack in this academically non-substantive domain.
Anyway, even after considering your post, I have heard more good things than bad ones regarding SFSU and would still want to go there.
Has anyone else heard complaints or good things about SFSU's GMSN program? Pray tell!
Xtine009 - thanks again for your informative post!
The students were pre-nclex who were shadowing our head RN... barely did any invasive procedures. And, I've heard that ppl in CA usually have to jump through hoops to get their RN license prior to graduation. I'm glad you're hearing good stuff about the program though. Like I said, I loved SFSU when I went there for my undergrad, so hearing the opposite broke my heart a little...
Alright people, here is the truth from one student who answered -
This program is rough. There have been so many changes in our program since I have been there. It is program where you have to be a really strong advocate for yourself. You have to be assertive and learn to go with the flow. Things change on a daily basis and it is your responsibility to know. There is limited communication between the staff and the students. Sometimes you have to go search for the help to get the full story. My classmates are my main line of communication. Its hard and challenging, but I try to keep a positive attitude. I have grown a lot in this program and that alone is rewarding. Some good things about the program are the hospitals that you will be learning at like the Veterans hospital and General. The class sizes are small and you get to know the MSN students real well. However, they do little to prepare us for the NCLEX. They must take the ATI test every semester which is a study tool they think helps for the test. It is part of your grade, but its not taught in class its part of our own independent learning. If you get in its a great time to do it. This is all my honest opinion.
Guess good and bad. Honestly, I've heard that many programs are what you make of them, however the not helping to pass the NCLEX is scary stuff.
All I have to say is Modesto stinks, and I would rather work somewhere equally obscure like a little town in Wyoming - at least the forestry is beautiful. Modesto's city planning is terrible, you have to drive three exits on the freeway to get the grocery store, and it's ugly taboot. Anyway folks, I am not sweating a thing. And neither should anyone else here. Just draw from the same dogged determiness and unrelenting self discipline that would have gained you entry into the program in the first place, and buy a few NCLEX study volumes to supplement your classes, and things will be fine. Me, I expect to be doing nothing but studying and I often supplement books from my classes with other additional resources that I seek out myself. There are also NCLEX practice exams. Even so, if we are like dogs without a leash, I WANT IN, BABY. Throw me a collar after I've had my biscuit, because nothing is going to stop me. We live in a world where learning resources are too readily accessible and available.
Then my friend, who I have to thank for encouraging me into applying, who graudated from this program one year ago, expressed no problems to me regarding getting her classes (pre and post NCLEX), and neither did she mention any problems feeling ill-prepared to take the NCLEX. (I asked her months ago, and all she said was study like heck and it will be OK.)The one drawback she did express, and repeatedly, is that the accelerated classes and clinicals 1.5 years pre-NCLEX are rushed, hurried and quit frazzling and she felt a lot less practiced as far her clinical/bedside nursing skills went (compared to say, someone who went the non-accelerated route). The graduate portion of the program (post-NCLEX) is highly research based, and you spend most of your time publishing reports and your clinical rotations are less and less bed-side and procedure-based, but it's more behind a desk and a computer as you collect data about procedures (but not actually do them!), and make your case for or against specific nursing interventions based on what is best for both the hospital budget and the patient population. The "problem" with that the latter two years are highly analytical, so your HANDS ON clincial skills (i.e. doing tracheotomies, IVs, various catheter insertions, etc etc) will get rusty and your confidence in doing them is likely to wane during those last 1.5-2 years, not to mention the fact that that vital portion of your education went by lightening fast! So her worry, in essence, is far greater than passing the NCLEX to "get paid," because my impression is that that's a given for those who work hard. Hers was the type of stress where you worry whether or not you can competently, and moreover ethically, do your job right! Naturally, we all need training and education that will give us some finesse and know-how, otherwise people's lives and our very jobs are at risk. That stresses me out way more than standardized tests, which I am sure we'll all be blissfully used to soon enough. Something to think about! That is where working perhaps 1 day a week, say every Saturday (if there are any jobs here), while in the graduate portion of the program can help give you some practice and keep those skills alive while sustaining all the composition and exposition expected of you those last two years.
Just to clarify, one cannot register for graduate level courses if they have not passed the NCLEX. So if one graduates, they would have passed the NCLEX a few years prior. The program, all in all, is at least a 3 year program, 3.5 years for those who want the CNS designation and are willing to take another board test for that advanced practice role. 1.5 years for pre-NCLEX, 1.5-2 some odd years post-NCLEX.
Just think positive, and hope that in another 2 years when us amatuers are hittin' the pavement that the job market will turn in our favor. But if it doesn't, I am high-tailing it to Wyoming and I'll keep a bunk ready for Erik.
One last thing I'd like to say is that if a person is not the tenacious, go-getter, "fight for your rights" type of student, then perhaps they should consider going to a private school and paying the 40 grand one pays to be coddled, and "well-informed." Otherwise, if one has to sustain the rigors of bottle-necked communication and furloughs, then they should by all means happily do so in exchange for the 6 or 7 grand tuition offered to us by SF State, and BE GRATEFUL for the education at such a cheap cost. Surely any hassles and frustrations will be more than compensated when all is said and done.
Double kudos, VanHalenFan! Thanks for your nice kick in the butt! I agree with you 100%. I have purchased the Saunders NCLEX review and would encourage my hopeful future classmates to do the same, whichever school you get in. With respect to the clinical stuff, I plan to volunteer 3-4 hours a week throughout school, including post-RN, ideally at an ER or CCU facility in the city, where I would hopefully continuously hone in on the clinical skills. This I would encourage everybody to do also.
As for Wyoming, maybe? I don't know ... the thought of running and hiking in the redwood forest in the non-winter months is extremely appealing... but I don't want to give up my San Francisco mortgage just yet. I'm afraid I'll never be able to come back. lol we'll see.
Erik, I also purchased the NCLEX Review by Saunders, and I highly reccomend it as well. I also plan to retian my current volunteer position while in school too, precisely because of the aforementioned admonition.
Then I much prefer metropolitan life, and I can only stand rural places for so long -- so let us hope for the best.
I just got off the phone with the nursing department. Here's the update: They have not sent out any letters. I was told because they are running late on notifications, they will instead let us know electronically ( she couldn't tell me if it was going to be through email or the sfsu website, so check both ). They may start today. Looks like we all will find out within the next few days.
eriklee
12 Posts
Hi xtine009,
Thanks for your sobering post. I appreciate hearing both sides of the story.
Do you know whether the 3 students who had impacted classes were pre-NCLEX classes, or post? If it's post-NCLEX classes that they are impacting, I could certainly live with that. That's because by then, the students would be RNs who are possibly/hopefully working and having the potential ability to earn a living.
Most California public schools are impacting classes, furloughing faculty, and doing other stuff to cut costs. It's a sad reality from a state that is not bringing in enough in taxes to cover its costs. So, I would expect that from SFSU.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong- but from everything I have heard, there are no jobs for new nurses in the Bay Area. So, whether the lady you met at the bar graduated from SFSU or UCSF, she's not likely to find a job here any time soon. I have no illusions that after graduating, I would probably have to find work at the nearest Indian reservation, or in places like Modesto. No offence to people from Modesto, but that's really far away. Whatever- that's to be expected.
As for the delay, I'm sure it's just an administrative hiccup. Administrative staff and faculty are getting furloughed, so there are fewer people doing the same amount of work. Plus, morale may be hit because of that. I went to informational sessions at SFSU and UCSF and sensed that morale was affected by furloughs and layoffs. I'm being speculative, of course, but, since this is a public school, I would cut them some slack in this academically non-substantive domain.
Anyway, even after considering your post, I have heard more good things than bad ones regarding SFSU and would still want to go there.
Has anyone else heard complaints or good things about SFSU's GMSN program? Pray tell!
Xtine009 - thanks again for your informative post!