Yale GEPN Applicants 2012

awhitmer · Mar 9, 2012

I also really appreciate hearing everyone's two cents!

I really get what you are saying, CBlack37 and steelypop and appreciate hearing how you are breaking it all down. I will also look for you both on facebook:)

My gut is telling me Yale, the philosophy of the institution and the community of faculty and students really wowed me. Columbia has left me a bit cold. But of course, both are good schools...Yale is the harder choice for me because I am already in New York and it wouldn't be such a big transition. The public transportation is actually a pro for me given I don't have a car and know the NYC subways well. Initially, I privileged the benefits of earning the BSN, but hearing Yale talk about purposely not simply rushing you to a degree, but instead trying to build a specialty practice, reinforces my understanding that they have designed a program very thoughtfully and deliberately. I think ultimately, for me, the BSN is irrelevant (I don't want to take time off to work as an RN).

I know a lot about the sort of 'day in the life' of the Columbia student, especially the first ETP year. Can anyone enlighten me about the details of the schedule at Yale, the first year and beyond?

chula5008 · Mar 12, 2012

@PamCNM2Be: Would you mind describing a typical week's schedule? Which days do most people have classes, and which days are clinicals? At what time do classes start, and when would they normally end?

Thank you so much!

Category X · Mar 12, 2012

Chula5008, the YSN students are on spring break right now, so we might not be hearing from any of them for a few more days.

When I first read over my acceptance letter, I saw the March 23rd date and assumed that there would be some online mechanism for responding to the offer up until that Friday, but then I realized that our responses have to be mailed. It was a smaller decision-making window than I thought we would have. How are all of you doing? Is anyone doing any last-minute research or soul-searching this week (I am), or have most of you made up your minds?

kangaroo2 · Mar 12, 2012

Hey Category X,

I was also a little displeased with the short turn around time - especially when they require such a giant deposit! $600 is a little overboard, I think. I am also doing some soul searching and lots of research by asking current students who are willing all of my questions. I can let you know what they've said if you want to send me a PM or something. What specialty are looking at and what other schools are you considering?

jyager, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Mar 12, 2012

after a very brief "honeymoon period" of euphoria, I have returned to my usual neurotic state and am trying to prepare for my impending move across the country. deciding to accept was not an issue for me as this is the best program I applied to (and ironically the only one I was accepted to! I think...still waiting on one more that I initially thought was a back up, and then foolishly believed I was already in, and then realized I still haven't officially heard...I now think it will be a no, but at this point it doesn't matter). as for soul searching and cost/alternative considerations, I spent at least 2 years doing that before I applied and have accepted that I will be massively in debt for a time as a result of pursuing this degree. I've also been researching a lot of the loan repayment programs and various scholarships, so I am comfortable with the options available to either fund the education or pay the loans back. ultimately I really think it's worth it because this is the career I want, and I don't care if I never make a ton of money as long as I can pay the loans back and have a career that I love. plus, it doesn't hurt that the debt is incurred for a school like YALE and not podunk university. I know this kind of thing only takes you so far, but I'll take whatever edge I can get. also, another factor that I considered when deciding to even apply is the NP residency in CT (Welcome to the Nurse Practitioner Residency Training Program at CHC). it's great because the program is designed to prepare NPs to work in primary care FQHC settings, which can be overwhelming for new grads but is the best way to pay back loans (that I have seen).

Category X · Mar 13, 2012

km446, I am sending you a PM.

PamCNM2Be · Mar 17, 2012

@PamCNM2Be: Would you mind describing a typical week's schedule? Which days do most people have classes, and which days are clinicals? At what time do classes start, and when would they normally end?
Thank you so much!

Hey all,

Congrats so much on getting in! As category X mentioned, we've been on spring break the last couple weeks, but we restart Monday, so I have to get back in that mindset :).

I can really only describe the first year's schedule, but the intensity of the second and third years - at least for the midwifery program - is pretty similar. That said, here's a rough schedule of what your days might look like first semester. LP may change it around some though so don't hold me to it precisely!

Monday and Thursday Classdays

8am-10am Pharmacology

10am-12pm Medical Surgical Nursing

12-1 Lunch

1-3 Biomedical Foundations of Disease

Tuesday and Wednesday

Off OR Clinical days

If clinical, then 7am-1pm, 8am-2pm, 2pm-8pm, or 4pm-10pm

Friday

Anatomy Lecture and Lab (not sure what time it will be as anatomy will be changed for you guys)

Saturday

Off OR clinical (basically you'll have either Tu/Wed clinical OR Satuday clinical)

If clinical, 7am-7pm.

Then, in addition to this schedule, you'll have periodic seminars, observations, and simulations that will be scheduled for you.

Your spring semester will be similar, but med surg is the most difficult class (at least arguably) the first year, so so far since med surg is over, this semester seems easier. Physical Assessment starts in the spring. Pharmacology and Biomed continue through to Spring Break. The spring semester is also divided up into three parts - 6 weeks each of Psychiatric Nursing, Pediatric Nursing, and Maternal Newborn Nursing. They're also starting a new class - Chronic Diseases for our year. Chronic Disease begins once Physical Assessment ends (in April). There are also periodic Issues in Nursing class periods that go throughout the entire GEPN year.

So, for example, starting Monday my schedule will be approximately like this:

Monday - Physical assessment/Chronic Disease and Issues in Nursing (occasionally)

Tuesday - Pediatric Nursing OR Maternal Newborn Nursing

Thursday - Pediatric Clinical 7am-7pm

I'll also have occasional clinical lab days, simulation, and observation during the spring.

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions :)

Pam

steelypop · Mar 18, 2012

Thanks Pam! Very useful! I can envision my next year a little better. Can you tell us on average the # of hours you have to devote to out-of-class study (circa) and also what you need to do for your clinical (like reports, assignments etc.). Thanks!!!!! And can't wait to meet you!

PamCNM2Be · Mar 18, 2012

Honestly it varies. Everyone studies different amounts and in different ways. Weeks where you don't have exams you study a lot less, and exam weeks you study a lot more (most weeks your first semester are exam weeks). Some people study an average of 5 hours per week out of class, others its 40. I think that on exam weeks for last semester I probably studied closer to the 30 hour marker, and then on weeks with no exams, or this semester, I study closer to about 5-10. This semester I'm definitely spending less time than I did last semester - partly because I've gotten more used to how the program is run, and partly because the workload is actually easier.

The first semester is also trickier and more time consuming because you do care plans for your med surg clincials. This time commitment also varies a lot from student to student though because different clinical preceptors have vastly different expectations for the care plans. Some students did one care plan per 6 week rotation, others (like myself) did a care plan every week. Both of my preceptors were really demanding with my careplans - so each careplan took an additional 5-10 hours per week. However, some students spent an hour on a care plan, others 20 hours. To research your patients for clinical you go to the hospital the night before and gather information about them and their labwork, and this is the information you use to write up your careplan as well.

You'll get a lot more information about care plans and what to expect for the semester as time gets closer - but basically all I can say is that take what information people give you with a grain of salt because the GEPN experience is so different for all of us. Some have a lot harder of a time than others - and that's okay. We all get through it and I think so long as you go into it expecting it to be a lot of work, you'll do great!

jellybeann · Mar 21, 2012

Hi all,

New to this site, apparently I've been missing out on all the dialogue that started in August!

I was accepted for FNP, still have not sent in my response yet. I am waiting to hear back from another school this week, which will determine where I end up going. I'm bummed I'm so late to the conversation!

steelypop · Mar 25, 2012

What are you doing jellybean? You a Yalie yet?

jellybeann · Mar 26, 2012

Unofficially at the moment, but I'm about 90% sure I will be. I got an extension on my date to reply if I was in or not to this coming Friday. I'm just awaiting to hear back from one last school this Wednesday.