What do I do now? I am so crushed!!

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I am preparing to apply to SDSU nursing program for Fall 2009 and I just found out today that they changed the admission requirements again. They decided to give 10-15 points to people who have a work experience like CNA, and medical assistant. I have none of those which means that I automatically lose 15 points. I have volunteer hours but that won't help much :( :( I can't believe it. I have been preparing this for years

What should I do now? Help please.

Specializes in ICU.

To the OP, I don't think CNA should be the only requirement for the added 15 points into nursing admission. Volunteering should count as long as it is "health-care" related such as in hospice. Not all RNs work in the hospital setting, most do, but not all. However, being a CNA would definitely make nursing clinicals a lot less awkward and sloppy. I am a new grad into the ICU working in the Bay Area. I received my RN with no CNA experience. My unit does not have CNAs, we have lift teams. So all ICU RNs do CNA nursing care (bathing, oral care, change linens, etc). With this, you will learn to be more efficient as an RN and hopefully learn proper body mechanics to prevent injury. My advice, as everybody else, be CNA certified! It is a temp job, but definitely worth it, and with all the new grad nursing glut (no shortage), it may help you in the long run to get hired soon after. Good luck! :nurse::up:

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Many of the nursing schools now have this requirement.

They do it for several reasons ( I had worked with the Director of the nursing program at Cal State San Bernardino)

This is what she told me (and I agree)

The main reason:

Every program has several students drop out because they didn't "realize" what nurses did. Many people who have not worked in healthcare are unaware of the many demands of nursing including changing diapers.

They wanted to stop wasting these spots on students who would discover they didn't like it. In the BSN program I was going to we had 5 students drop out in the first quarter because of this. That's 5 spots that people who actually wants to be a nurse are missing out on.

The other reason: Many students take several weeks to be comfortable enough to talk to patients, if they have previous health care experience, they tend to be more comfortable and the patients tend to refuse students less. The more patients that refuse students, the less experience they get.

And lastly: nursing school crams a LOT of information in a short time, if there are several skills students are already comfortable with (bedmaking, changing patients, etc) they can focus on other skills that are more time demanding.

I know it sucks, but you can do it! I would get experience anyway. Good luck!

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Working as a CNA or a PCA not that hard. The training class is

on high school level and it's easy to get a job.

Any hospital or nursing home can help you if you ask them.

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THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS FOR THE ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT!!

I decided I am just going to apply for the school anyway and see what happen. If I don't get in, I will have to look into CNA class.

I can't really look into right now since I am moving to California in November and classes won't start again until Spring Semester. Another tricky part is that I am an international student so there are regulations that I need to follow regarding the immigration law. (I can't take any classes right now since I am on what we call, "optional pracitical training.")

Like I said, I will see what happen. Now I am doing my best preparing for TEAS test, get my volunteer hours in as many as possible. I have a pretty good GPA (3.8) for both pre-req and commulative. It is just work experiences that I dont have :(

Again guys, thank you for all the reponses!!!

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I am in the exact position you are in. I just hope there won't that people who apply don't have work experience either. Cause a lot of people who apply are probably transfers or undergrads just like us. Those who have work experience are probably those who want to go back to school to complete a BS, have a higher chance of getting in, but I hope we'll be okay. I don't have volunteer hours right now. But I will hopefully volunteer a.s.a.p and get those hours! UGH it's so stressful!

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I am in the exact position you are in. I just hope there won't that people who apply don't have work experience either. Cause a lot of people who apply are probably transfers or undergrads just like us. Those who have work experience are probably those who want to go back to school to complete a BS, have a higher chance of getting in, but I hope we'll be okay. I don't have volunteer hours right now. But I will hopefully volunteer a.s.a.p and get those hours! UGH it's so stressful!

Good Luck to you Kiseume!! What is your GPA? Mine is around 3.8

Have you taken TEAS test yet?

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I have a 3.74. I haven't taken the TEAS yet, but I will in November. After reading threads about the score and points system and acceptance and stuff, I'm scared more than ever! :( Good luck to you too! :)

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