west tn

csgfnmom · Nov 3, 2005

No more waiting! I got my acceptance letter today. I have orientation next week. I can't wait. I'm so excited!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Mommy Nurse2b, I have already taken A&P I and II and I'm currently taking developmental psychology. I already have a BSBA so all I will have to take will be nursing courses. Thanks for all your replies they were encouraging.

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Nov 3, 2005

Hey Tennesseans. I'm going to Univ. of Memphis this Spring. Good Luck to everyone.

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Nov 8, 2005

No more waiting! I got my acceptance letter today. I have orientation next week. I can't wait. I'm so excited!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
Mommy Nurse2b, I have already taken A&P I and II and I'm currently taking developmental psychology. I already have a BSBA so all I will have to take will be nursing courses. Thanks for all your replies they were encouraging.

Whoohooo I remember how excited I was...I don't think other people "get it" like another student LOL My husband was like "oh yea that is good"

I really like the 110 instructors. and you know what? Out of 80 students we still have like 75-76 even after the drop date! I was so worried everyone would drop like flies but I think it's a real testament to the program! AND we have a very good NCLEX pass rate..I think it's well over 95%.

Do you have any idea what type of nursing you want to enter? I'm completely undecided at this point!

csgfnmom · Nov 8, 2005

I'm not sure at this point what I want to do but some possibilities are the ER, L&D, or surgical nursing. I know I absolutely don't want to work in a nursing home setting. I figure once I have clinicals in different areas it will make my decision easier.

If I can choose which lecture course I take, do you recommend any particular teacher?

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Nov 9, 2005

I'm not sure at this point what I want to do but some possibilities are the ER, L&D, or surgical nursing. I know I absolutely don't want to work in a nursing home setting. I figure once I have clinicals in different areas it will make my decision easier.
If I can choose which lecture course I take, do you recommend any particular teacher?

When is your orientation? There is rumor that they are changing/adding a Psych requirement for Abnormal Psychology. Don't know all the details yet.

As far as lecture, you have it with your WHOLE class in a big classroom. All 4 teachers take turns lecturing.

Where you have diff teachers is clinical/lab. Each teacher takes 2 groups of 10 students. One group Wednesday/one Friday. As of this semester clinical is 7:30-12:00. Then you have the same teacher for lab.

I think each has their pros/cons. Who you get also determines where you do clinical. Unless it changes, Ms. Wake does Med/Surg, Ms. Boyd Neuro, Mr. Wyatt Transitional Care, and Ms. Holland Orthopedics. You will be on same floor all semester.

I think you will really like the program. It's very different from many nursing schools i read about. They tell you right off they don't do busywork. I feel all the teachers really want you to succeed and you will develop a great comraderie with your classmates. I'm still getting to know everyone in our class and it's fun knowing you will be with same group 2 years. We really become cheerleaders for one another and buddies!

Check off in lab is always fun because we constantly are asking each other "is this right? Is this what we are suppose to do" and after each is checked off we usually do a little thumbs up to the next person LOL

Last week we checked off on Med Admin (which was mostly shots) and we did like a lightening round of questions quizzing each other before we went up...we were all laughing but we all got the answers right! LOL

I think the retention rate speaks for itself! Hopefully this many hang in there through the whole 2 years!

Let me know when your go to orientation!

Mommy

csgfnmom · Nov 12, 2005

Mommy Nurse2b,

I had the first orientation on November 9. It was about 3.5 hours long. I can't believe all the things I have to do before we start in January. They did say that upon approval that Abnormal Psych. will be required. I have a part 2 to orientation on the 29th. We were told we also had to go to a nursing 110 and clinical orientation.

I have to find a way to pay for supplies, insurance, uniforms, tuition! I may apply for the hospital scholarship. Where did you get your supplies? Did you find the Uniform shop to be any less expensive than online or other shops? I'm not sure where or when I should get these things. I did go ahead and order my name badge.

I also have to quit my job and find something else part time. I just have so much to do! I better make a list just so I don't forget anything.:stone

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Nov 15, 2005

Mommy Nurse2b,
I had the first orientation on November 9. It was about 3.5 hours long. I can't believe all the things I have to do before we start in January. They did say that upon approval that Abnormal Psych. will be required. I have a part 2 to orientation on the 29th. We were told we also had to go to a nursing 110 and clinical orientation.
I have to find a way to pay for supplies, insurance, uniforms, tuition! I may apply for the hospital scholarship. Where did you get your supplies? Did you find the Uniform shop to be any less expensive than online or other shops? I'm not sure where or when I should get these things. I did go ahead and order my name badge.
I also have to quit my job and find something else part time. I just have so much to do! I better make a list just so I don't forget anything.:stone

Yea it's a lot isn't it? Did the Uniform Shop tell you that you can layaway stuff? Don't get "too" into it. Get some comfy clothes (I got the "no see um" pants which i love). Get your basic uniform. But you might get some basic inexpensive white shoes. You only go to clinical one day a week and only are on your feet a few hours, so don't stress about getting the $100 dansko's right now! When you have less to buy in a semester or two you can add some fancy stuff LOL

Make sure you get your 20% student discount too! Honestly I found them just about as cheap as anywhere online. For instance you can get the Littman Classic II for like $64 with discount. By the time you pay shipping anywhere else is about the same price.

Shop online for books, I got my stuff wayyyy cheaper! The main 110 nursing book is over $100 at the bookstore, I got it NEW at Amazon/Target for $65. This is the main one you'll need in the first month, they tell you what you'll need right away and what you can take a few weeks on... shop around for used. There were several books I haven't even LOOKED at! Hopefully they cut out some of the unnecessary ones I heard they are.

Also, the library has many of the books on reserve so aside from your main textbook (it is a must to have that one, you look at it alll the time) you can look up many of the reference stuff at the library.

Thankfully I had the summer to purchase things and you only have 2 months. There is insurance, background check, supply kit. I guess those are the biggies, each about 40-60.

I did not do the hospital scholarship, I'm toughing it out at this point LOL. But many people have done it. I think it's $1250 a semester.

Let me know if I can be of any help. I'm just trying to tough out the next 3.5 weeks! LOL I have a lot of personal life stress, school is fine, but finding time for school with the rest of my life is the hard part! So I'm sooo ready for a break!

And yes, it's looking like we too will have to take abnormal psych. I think everyone is pretty ticked about it, I'm going to try and take it on video because I can't commit soooo much time to driving to school that much and asking my inlaws to babysit.

I'm just taking a deep breath and hanging in there and saying "Thank God it will be over soon" LOL

Mommy

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Nov 15, 2005

BTW...are you getting Pell or anything? They give out fin aid on the first day of classes, so if you get any extra you can use that to buy some stuff. Clinicals (for us) didn't start until week 2 so I bought my uniform then, with my fin aid money.

Lordy I can't wait for my fin aid in January! LOL

I have a cheapy stethescope and I'm aiming for a new Littmann! I also need to get a new apron, I haven't quite been able to keep it white and pristine this semester! haha

BTW... you might ask around and see if you can find a labcoat from a friend or something. Seriously you only have to wear it at hospital orientation! You don't have to wear it at clinicals (and Lord I'd die of heat stroke if I did!) So don't feel like you need to spend a fortune on it!

csgfnmom · Nov 15, 2005

BTW...are you getting Pell or anything? They give out fin aid on the first day of classes, so if you get any extra you can use that to buy some stuff. Clinicals (for us) didn't start until week 2 so I bought my uniform then, with my fin aid money.
Lordy I can't wait for my fin aid in January! LOL
I have a cheapy stethescope and I'm aiming for a new Littmann! I also need to get a new apron, I haven't quite been able to keep it white and pristine this semester! haha
BTW... you might ask around and see if you can find a labcoat from a friend or something. Seriously you only have to wear it at hospital orientation! You don't have to wear it at clinicals (and Lord I'd die of heat stroke if I did!) So don't feel like you need to spend a fortune on it!

I just bought a few things from the Uniform Shop: name tag, apron, patches and the lab coat. I tend to be cold natured so I hope I'll wear it a few times, LOL. I also bought a Littman lightwieght II SE. This is the less expensive one. Well now I've read that it's for blood pressure and LIMITED physical assessment. I am worried that it might not be good enough for lung and bowel sounds. I guess it's silly to worry over it.

I know where you are coming from with trying to go to school and have a family to take care of. I have two boys and my husband is a band director, so we're going all of the time! I hope I can handle all of this. It's exciting, scary, and nerve racking all at the same time.

I haven't even thought about books at this point. I can't get a pell grant because I already have a bachelors degree in another area. There are not alot of options for financial aid when you are a second degree student. I just found out that the deadline for the scholarship is Nov. 17. Another thing to have me running around not knowing if I'm coming or going. Loans, loans and more loans I guess! Thanks for the info and advice!!

newLPN04 · Nov 23, 2005

andrewsgranny,

I also work in Union City, live in Kenton. I work in LTC. :uhoh3:

boysmom32 · Nov 24, 2005

I would like to talk to anyone who has been involved with the Tennessee Peer Assistance Program. I have been having a great deal of trouble dealing with them and I need some advice please!!

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Nov 27, 2005

I would like to talk to anyone who has been involved with the Tennessee Peer Assistance Program. I have been having a great deal of trouble dealing with them and I need some advice please!!

What exactly is that?