2 yr waiting list. What to do until then? Ideas?

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 4, 2005

First off...............welcome to the family. I suggest you may volunteer in the community, and most of all enjoy your family. Time passes by quick, so don't think about it too much. Good luck to you. :)

NicInNC, CNA · Aug 4, 2005

Hi!
I'm newly registered to the forum, though I have been reading it for months now. I am finishing my last pre-reqs (Anat, Phys, Chem) and then I have an approximate 2 year wait to get in to a nursing program. I am unsure what to do until then. I have money for school, but I don't know if I should take something else, find nursing study books and materials and get waaay ahead on the classes I'll have to take (provided I could find said books and materials), or what I should do. Any ideas that may help aid in my upcoming studies, clinicals, tests, etc? Maybe another area of study that can add to the RN degree I will be getting? I already have a BA, so I'm not starting from scratch. Thanks for any help---I'm going a little crazy trying to decide what to do with my next 2 years!! :uhoh21:
Melissa

I would check into a school that offers a BSN degree. A lot of those don't have waits and you would finish school the same time you would if you just waited around for 2 years!

BabyRN2Be · Aug 4, 2005

Welcome to the allnurses family!

Jessica, as usual, has a great idea. :) If you have the time, get into a volunteer program at your local hospital. I work as a volunteer doula (professional childbirth assistant) and I've had the chance to do some valuable up-close work with the nurses in one of the areas I'd like to go into after I become an RN. If you volunteer and do a GREAT job, you might catch the attention of the NM of the floor - this helps in that all important job after school. It's a really great place to get a job reference.

And you have a great idea, too. If possible, I'd go to a Barnes and Noble and look at their nursing reference section. They have a lot of study books. I saw one the other day on maternal-child health nursing. It wasn't a big textbook, but it was a study guide. Find an area that interests you, and look for study guides on that topic.

I hate to admit this, but I've already got a study guide for the NCLEX. I've been over in that forum and have heard AWFUL things about boards. I figured it wasn't too early to start looking at questions for a test like that. I've been answering the questions that I know, and I look at the rationales for the answers. Since my mom was a nurse and I have a degree in the medical field, I do know a lot about nursing, and I believe that I understand the why's and why not's behind the rationales.

But, I'm not a nurse though. Maybe someone will come on and see this message and can give you more information. Congratulations on at least getting on a wait list! Can't say that about myself... yet.

BabyRN2Be · Aug 4, 2005

I would check into a school that offers a BSN degree. A lot of those don't have waits and you would finish school the same time you would if you just waited around for 2 years!

The only thing is that around here (the midwest), a lot of those schools have a wait list as well and have 300 apps for 25 spots. Unless you went to a private school, but that can cost A LOT of moolah - $10,000 a semester - that's more than some schools for a complete degree!

Believe me, I've checked into this option and I'd never have enough money to go that route - don't want to take out any more loans. I've even checked into going to Oral Roberts University. :eek: All I can tell you is that I would be a powder keg in one of their required religion classes. Please no offense to those who like Oral Roberts... we would have major belief clashes, that's all.

Goodyear · Aug 4, 2005

Welcome to the allnurses family!
Jessica, as usual, has a great idea. :) If you have the time, get into a volunteer program at your local hospital. I work as a volunteer doula (professional childbirth assistant) and I've had the chance to do some valuable up-close work with the nurses in one of the areas I'd like to go into after I become an RN. If you volunteer and do a GREAT job, you might catch the attention of the NM of the floor - this helps in that all important job after school. It's a really great place to get a job reference.
And you have a great idea, too. If possible, I'd go to a Barnes and Noble and look at their nursing reference section. They have a lot of study books. I saw one the other day on maternal-child health nursing. It wasn't a big textbook, but it was a study guide. Find an area that interests you, and look for study guides on that topic.
I hate to admit this, but I've already got a study guide for the NCLEX. I've been over in that forum and have heard AWFUL things about boards. I figured it wasn't too early to start looking at questions for a test like that. I've been answering the questions that I know, and I look at the rationales for the answers. Since my mom was a nurse and I have a degree in the medical field, I do know a lot about nursing, and I believe that I understand the why's and why not's behind the rationales.
But, I'm not a nurse though. Maybe someone will come on and see this message and can give you more information. Congratulations on at least getting on a wait list! Can't say that about myself... yet.

Thanks for the ideas! I am also 19 weeks pregnanat, ans I would LOOVE to volunteer as a doula. That never crossed my mind! I currently have a great paying, exciting job working in Airborne data collection for the D.o.D. I really feel like I want to spend some time reading up, studying, learning, or something, in my down time at work and in the evenings (after bedtime) at home. Volunteering might be just the thing to get some exposure an dhands-on interaction. I suppose volunteering doesn't have a set # of hours you must fill, so it'd be perfect. I love to learn and go to school, so these ideas seem like a natural course to try to take, I just have to find what would be helpful and productive. I have energy and want to use it well. Great ideas! Thanks!

Melissa

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 4, 2005

thanks for the ideas! i am also 19 weeks pregnanat, ans i would loove to volunteer as a doula. that never crossed my mind! i currently have a great paying, exciting job working in airborne data collection for the d.o.d. i really feel like i want to spend some time reading up, studying, learning, or something, in my down time at work and in the evenings (after bedtime) at home. volunteering might be just the thing to get some exposure an dhands-on interaction. i suppose volunteering doesn't have a set # of hours you must fill, so it'd be perfect. i love to learn and go to school, so these ideas seem like a natural course to try to take, i just have to find what would be helpful and productive. i have energy and want to use it well. great ideas! thanks!
melissa

congratulations! there you go......that is a great idea as a volunteer. :)

debblynn13 · Aug 4, 2005

Are there any non-nursing classes that you can do ahead of time? Have you taken a foreign language? Being bilingual is always a plus. Volunteering or even working in the hospital are both good suggestions. Are you intersted in emergency nursing? How about taking an EMT or Paramedic course. I was an emt-b for years before I became a nurse. I felt some of my ease in learning was due to that experience. Finally work....save up as much money as you can, so you don't have to work very many hours during nursing school. Many people work during NS and do just fine, others fail. I think we all agree that it is easier without the added stress of having to work.

Good luck

Debblynn

Goodyear · Aug 4, 2005

The only thing is that around here (the midwest), a lot of those schools have a wait list as well and have 300 apps for 25 spots. Unless you went to a private school, but that can cost A LOT of moolah - $10,000 a semester - that's more than some schools for a complete degree!
Believe me, I've checked into this option and I'd never have enough money to go that route - don't want to take out any more loans. I've even checked into going to Oral Roberts University. All I can tell you is that I would be a powder keg in one of their required religion classes. Please no offense to those who like Oral Roberts... we would have major belief clashes, that's all.

A powder keg...great analogy. I am in California and we have the same situation for BSN degree wait-lists as well----stand in a very long line or dish out 10k plus each semester. I have a little money for college (MGI Bill from my military time) but not THAT much! Wish there were a quicker route, but there isn't right now. :crying2:

Melissa

Goodyear · Aug 4, 2005

Are there any non-nursing classes that you can do ahead of time? Have you taken a foreign language? Being bilingual is always a plus. Volunteering or even working in the hospital are both good suggestions. Are you intersted in emergency nursing? How about taking an EMT or Paramedic course. I was an emt-b for years before I became a nurse. I felt some of my ease in learning was due to that experience. Finally work....save up as much money as you can, so you don't have to work very many hours during nursing school. Many people work during NS and do just fine, others fail. I think we all agree that it is easier without the added stress of having to work.
Good luck
Debblynn

i already have a BA so maybe the EMT course or something similar is an option. I'm REALLY glad I posted! There's no way I could have come up with all these ideas, and in just afew minutes!

Melissa

Momto3andNurse2B · Aug 4, 2005

While I was waiting, I took all of the additional requirements for an RN-BSN or RN-MSN down the road. That way, I won't need additional classes for those options.

Goodyear · Aug 4, 2005

While I was waiting, I took all of the additional requirements for an RN-BSN or RN-MSN down the road. That way, I won't need additional classes for those options.

I'm considering that too, since I'm sure that's where I'll go eventually. A lot of universities have different requirements, but I'm trying to get a bead on those that are pretty standard.

Mel