Nurses, Student Nurses, Pre-req takers - Page 75

[ollineeba]

Originally Posted by BugMacGee

HATED nursing school. Hated it. So many stupid hoops to jump through. Major personality differences with uber anal profs. Bleh.

Graduated after 2 years with ANOTHER bachelors degree and went straight into a NICU new grad program. Then the real AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! began. Holy steep learning curve! But, again, I stuck it out and I'm still in NICU almost 8 years later.

And, I'm supporting our family of 3 on my income : And, I'm helping babies and parents. I have an awesome job! :

So that's my story. If you got through it, kudos.

I may go back to school to be PNP/NNP when the kids get a bit older. Then I'll be right back here asking you all how to get through school with kids.

Cheers!

Awesome post. Thanks for this. I won't say that I hate nursing school, but sometimes I really dislike it - other times it's okay. And some days I do wonder what the heck I'm doing there, especially when DH's work & my school schedule conflict.
I think I will enjoy being a nurse, though, and I think it will be great to find employment easily & let DH go back to school or shop around for a new career if he wants to.
Happy to hear that you like NICU That's definitely in my top three choices!

[Rockies5]

Originally Posted by Silvercrest79

I've already told my husband he has until I have my degree to get his (to put it politely) "act" (read somethingelse that smells..lol) together or I will divorce his @$$...or he can go file for divorce now and get it over with.

Do you work for a hospital?

Silvercrest, we're twins! :

er

sending you love it's tough spot

[bluedaaria]

Hi everyone, I haven't posted in awhile, but have been lurking. Just thought I would pop in to share that after a 4 month hiatus (after re-locating to a new city) I will be heading back to work in a few weeks!

I had been considering a few different areas to go into, community and psychiatry/addictions. I had an interview for a casual position at a community health center last week , and got a call back the next day with a job offer! I was so happy It is really hard to get into the community without a lot of previous community experience (which I have none!), so I am just so thrilled : Hopefully my casual positon will lead to a full time position in the futur.

In the meantime, I will also be looking for a second job to work in combination with this one. I have two more interviews this week coming up, one for another community health center on wednesday, and one for the mental health hospital (which has many community outreach programs as well) on thursday.

Anyone else working for two different employers? If you have any advice on how to juggle working two jobs, feel free to share!

[ollineeba]

Originally Posted by bluedaaria

Hi everyone, I haven't posted in awhile, but have been lurking. Just thought I would pop in to share that after a 4 month hiatus (after re-locating to a new city) I will be heading back to work in a few weeks!

I had been considering a few different areas to go into, community and psychiatry/addictions. I had an interview for a casual position at a community health center last week , and got a call back the next day with a job offer! I was so happy It is really hard to get into the community without a lot of previous community experience (which I have none!), so I am just so thrilled : Hopefully my casual positon will lead to a full time position in the futur.

In the meantime, I will also be looking for a second job to work in combination with this one. I have two more interviews this week coming up, one for another community health center on wednesday, and one for the mental health hospital (which has many community outreach programs as well) on thursday.

Anyone else working for two different employers? If you have any advice on how to juggle working two jobs, feel free to share!

Congratulations on the job offer!!!

[DiannaK]

Originally Posted by Silvercrest79

I want ER, L&D, or NICU. I get bored VERY quickly, I need a lot of variety. I could care for the same babies and wipe their bums everyday but not the same adults everyday if that makes sense.

I've been a nurse for 15 years, and NEVER thought I wanted to do ER. I stuck mostly to critical care, with CCU and OHRR being my FAVORITES. Lost my job about 18m ago, and when I was looking for a new one, there was an ER close to my house. Lo and behold, I became an ER nurse .... and I LOVE IT!! It can go from complete quiet, to complete CHAOS in about 10 minutes!! Not to mention, if a patient/family gets under your skin .... they won't be there but a few hours at the most!

[Freefromitall]

Posting on page 70something or other to say I started working on my pre-reqs this fall(of 08), and I'll be applying fall of 09 for the nursing AD program.

[kirstenb]

Hope it's okay to post and lurk on this thread...

I work in business now but over the last 6 months I have been thinking more and more about going back to school to become a nurse. I'm just not satisfied where I am at now. I have no idea how to make school and everything work with my toddler, but I am probably taking the plunge in the next few months and going to a few informational meetings at local colleges to get more info. I'm enjoying reading everyone's experiences with classes! Hope you don't mind me popping in and asking questions if I have any...

[Nathan1097]

My brain isn't working...... nothing will go in. I want o quit.

[BugMacGee]

Nathan1097-I've felt that was since I've had kids. I may go back to school someday, but I need to let my brain recover from "little kid" syndrome.

[lorijds]

Kristenb, welcome! If you ever have any questions, ask!

Nathan1097--I know what you mean. Don't quit! You can do it! It was awfully disappointing, when I went back to school several years after having kids. When I was a kid myself, I hardly had to expend any effort to learn. I'd hear it in lecture, or skim a page and seem to absorb it all. Imagine my shock and horror when I discovered that I actually had to *work* to understand material! I don't know if it is age, or parenting hormones, but my brain has been permanently rewired, and now I have to read something a couple of times, take notes, study...you know what I'm saying. All other mommies are in the same boat. Stick with it, it does eventually absorb!!

[JenniferH]

I finally managed to get in school and stay, and I'm at midterm week! :

I'm still in the pre-req stage, but I feel confident that I'll get through the semester with at least a B average. I'm taking Nutrition, HG&D, Stats, and Spanish, all online so I can keep my full time job. It has not been easy.

I will NOT be taking so many classes next semester. I'm going to find two easy peasy classes to take, then I'm off to Little Rock next summer!

[an_aurora]

Hi everyone I have a few questions! I got a job that I start on Monday, at the big hospital here in Anchorage. I have my 'employee health screen' tomorrow. The lady asked about vaxes and told me to bring my immunization records. I haven't had a shot since HS, when I got the tetanus and I also did part of the Hep series. I'm sure they are going to want me to get more vaxes tomorrow. What do they routinely require? I don't have any intention of getting any Hep vaxes since my job won't put me at risk of exposure (the job is a registry position in the mother baby unit, moving mamas and babies from L&D to the MBU, making files, and doing car seat education).

[ollineeba]

Originally Posted by JenniferH

I finally managed to get in school and stay, and I'm at midterm week! :

I'm still in the pre-req stage, but I feel confident that I'll get through the semester with at least a B average. I'm taking Nutrition, HG&D, Stats, and Spanish, all online so I can keep my full time job. It has not been easy.

I will NOT be taking so many classes next semester. I'm going to find two easy peasy classes to take, then I'm off to Little Rock next summer!

Good luck with midterms!

[ollineeba]

Originally Posted by an_aurora

Hi everyone I have a few questions! I got a job that I start on Monday, at the big hospital here in Anchorage. I have my 'employee health screen' tomorrow. The lady asked about vaxes and told me to bring my immunization records. I haven't had a shot since HS, when I got the tetanus and I also did part of the Hep series. I'm sure they are going to want me to get more vaxes tomorrow. What do they routinely require? I don't have any intention of getting any Hep vaxes since my job won't put me at risk of exposure (the job is a registry position in the mother baby unit, moving mamas and babies from L&D to the MBU, making files, and doing car seat education).

To be able to enter the hospital as a student, they wanted us to have the Hep B series (or a signed waiver), a recent PPD, flu shot (or waiver), and quantitative titers.
I'm sure you can get a waiver easily for the Hep B and flu.
Congratulations on the new job!

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by ollineeba

To be able to enter the hospital as a student, they wanted us to have the Hep B series (or a signed waiver), a recent PPD, flu shot (or waiver), and quantitative titers.
I'm sure you can get a waiver easily for the Hep B and flu.
Congratulations on the new job!

Thank you! My most recent PPD was last November, so I'll have to redo that anyway. Thank you for the info! Did they check your titres or did you have to have them checked elsewhere?

[ollineeba]

Originally Posted by an_aurora

Thank you! My most recent PPD was last November, so I'll have to redo that anyway. Thank you for the info! Did they check your titres or did you have to have them checked elsewhere?

I went to my primary care physician and she sent me for the blood work. I just had to take the results in to show immunity.

[roomformore]

Hello everyone! I'm looking into my options for nursing school. I have a BSc in Biology already and am currently finishing my MA in medical anthropology. After much thought and consideration, I've decided that a nursing degree is the next step for me. Locally there are a few options- there is an ASN and a few accelerated BSN programs for students who already have a 4 year degree. Any thoughts on the best route? Do I need the BSN if I choose to go on for a MSN in the future, or will I get by with my BSc and MA? The BSN programs also cost quite a bit more money than the ASN...

rebecca

[feminist~mama]

Originally Posted by roomformore

Hello everyone! I'm looking into my options for nursing school. I have a BSc in Biology already and am currently finishing my MA in medical anthropology. After much thought and consideration, I've decided that a nursing degree is the next step for me. Locally there are a few options- there is an ASN and a few accelerated BSN programs for students who already have a 4 year degree. Any thoughts on the best route? Do I need the BSN if I choose to go on for a MSN in the future, or will I get by with my BSc and MA? The BSN programs also cost quite a bit more money than the ASN...

rebecca

Sooo... You do need the BSN if you decide to do a Master's in the future, but there are a few programs that will let you go from ADN to MSN. However, that's not very common and you'd likely be better off just doing the BSN now if you think that might be something you want to do.

I've heard that the accelerated BSN programs can be brutal- but it's rapid torture! If I'd had an accelerated BSN locally I would have done that in a heartbeat. I already had 2 undergrad degrees when I did nursing and found that I had to fill my schedule with extra classes to be "full time", which I need for certain scholarships and fin aid.

Good luck! I'd suggest applying to the schools you're interested in and waiting to see where you're accepted! I applied to both the local BSN and ADN programs. I was wait listed for the ADN program, so now I have a BSN...

[rosadesal]

this thread is SOOOO long! i don't have time to read through all 75(?!?!) pages, but i'm looking for some support and advice re: a nursing program, working, and single parenting. dd is almost 15 mos, and her dad and i have her equal time and his mom watches her when we both work. i REALLY want to go back to school, and i really want to become a nurse, but i have no clue how to do a full time nursing program and still pay my rent and other bills. am i missing something? is there a way to do this? i can't go down to part time at my job, so i'd have to quit and find a part time job elsewhere...which is okay with me, but that doesn't pay the rent. i can keep my full time job and do pre-req's part time, i think, but then what? i don't even know where to start. and, 4 year or 2 year? SO OVERWHELMED.

[an_aurora]

Hi everyone! I started my orientation this week. It's sooo boring of course and the weather here is awful! On Monday the traffic was awful since it was the first day of real snow and ice on the roads, and everyone was going TEN miles an hour. I was an hour late But I called and they were fine since a bunch of other people were late as well. Tomorrow we start clinical orientation and we have to do competencies.

I have a question, though. I know it's been adressed in this thread before but what do you have to say to get out of assisting with circs? My job is in the mother baby unit and that will be one of my duties. There is no way in heck I will do it, though. Can I just say it's against my belief system and I'm not comfortable?