Nurses, Student Nurses, Pre-req takers - Page 3

[mommykmm]

I'm currently taking nursing prereqs at my local community college in PA. I have a BS in education and a master's in English, so I only have to take sciences and one psych class, the latter of which I'm taking this semester. (I took chemistry last semester and will have bio in the spring.) I'm going slow -- one class per term b/c with 3 little ones, I don't see how I could do it any other way. I should be ready to do my clinicals by the time my youngest is in kindergarten. I hope to work in L&D once I'm an RN. I have visions of working the night shift while DH is home sleeping with the kids, coming home, getting the kids on the bus and then going to bed. But who knows how it will all work out in reality... With my non-mainstream views on pregnancy and childbirth, I'll either make a positive difference in the lives of moms and babies, or get fired from every hospital job I'll ever have! lol!

I'm a LLL Leader and plan to sit for the IBCLC exam as soon as I'm eligible, too.

In a perfect world, I'd love to become a CNM, but I don't know how much money we can justify spending on school for me when we have 3 kids to send someday, too. Looking forward to meeting some MDC mamas with similar career aspirations.

[ryleigh'smama]

Hi everyone! I am so glad to find this thread. I have my BSN and currently work part time on a voluntary behavioral health floor. I work T-W and every other weekend. Not so bad, I worked full time on a Med-Surg floor as a "break relief" nurse (Go California!) for the whole time I was pregnant (until 36 weeks) 12 hour shifts- nearly killed me towards the end- but I couldn't go back to full time with babe so ended up switching floors about 3 months ago. It is a lot more fun and laid back than people would like to think, and I love being able to sit down and really get to know my patients since I NEVER got to do that in Med-Surg. I love mama's and babies but L&D is not my thing, I have my public health certificate- so maybe someday I'll get around to doing that. So many options....

[mommyoftwo]

I haven't even thought about what I want to do when I'm finished. My sister is a psych. nurse but I don't want to go in that direction. I would love to do something surgical or post op maybe. I have a friend who worked with people who had transplants.

I haven't even considered how competitive the programs are-guess I was feeling cocky. I just assumed that i would get accepted since I already have a masters degree. I am also going to take my prereqs at a community college since it is so much cheaper.

Has anyone done any kind of accelerated program? The program that I am considering is at UNC and it is only a year from summer to summer. They also have a less intense two year program. I can't wait to get started but I can't imagine studying after the kids are in bed. My dh is up until 2am every night studying so at least I'll have some company.

[mahdokht]

Originally Posted by mommyoftwo

I haven't even considered how competitive the programs are-guess I was feeling cocky. I just assumed that i would get accepted since I already have a masters degree. I am also going to take my prereqs at a community college since it is so much cheaper.

I would suggest that you contact the Nursing school wherever you want to apply and find out their cut-off GPA, how many students apply vs. how many are accepted and those kinds of details, if you must take an exam etc. Here, having a master's degree wouldn't mean much as far as your admissions status, especially since it's in an unrelated field. You don't want to do all that work and then not get in because of something that you could have caught and worked on earlier, you know?

Nursing programs across the country are understaffed. That, I believe is the true bottleneck in the 'nursing shortage'. There certainly seems to be no shortage of men and women wanting to be nurses.

Also, take a look at the classes for the accelerated program vs. the longer one. I haven't been to nursing school, so I don't know, but I would think that if you've already completed a graduate program that nursing school won't be all that difficult for you and you could do it in a year. I've heard many things from many nurses. Some nurses find it incredibly difficult, and I've heard others say that the pre-reqs were actually much more demanding than nursing school itself. I'm sure it depends on a variety of factors.

[Sailmom]

Hi! I am a RN with Pycelan in a Surgical Trauma ICU. I also work weekend 12 hour night shifts. Daddy is with dd during the weekend, and I am during the week. I love the adrenaline rush of a really good trauma patient!

Originally Posted by mahdokht

Nursing programs across the country are understaffed. That, I believe is the true bottleneck in the 'nursing shortage'. There certainly seems to be no shortage of men and women wanting to be nurses.

This is totally the crux of the matter. There is a huge shortage (some places are worse than others) and it is only going to continue to get harder each year. There aren't enough teachers. Our local community college called on the hospital I work in to fill in and help educate their student nurses. They didn't have enough clinical instructors to go into the hospitals to do the hands on education, so some of the normal nurses in my hospital are serving as part time clinical instructors for these students. It's great for them and great for us as well because it keeps a nice healthy pool of new nurses twice a year all wanting a job at our hospital, and they already know the "Wake Way". It is going to take really creative solutions to continue to educate excellent nurses to come in and help take care of the baby boomers! This when so many in nursing want to go the other directions and do away with ADN and diploma programs.

Originally Posted by mahdokht

Also, take a look at the classes for the accelerated program vs. the longer one. I haven't been to nursing school, so I don't know, but I would think that if you've already completed a graduate program that nursing school won't be all that difficult for you and you could do it in a year. I've heard many things from many nurses. Some nurses find it incredibly difficult, and I've heard others say that the pre-reqs were actually much more demanding than nursing school itself. I'm sure it depends on a variety of factors.

I had a BA and went to an ADN program. It still took 2 years, but I had a lot of the prereqs already. I did it because it was cheaper - but as I look back on it I wish I had taken out a loan and went ahead and gotten a BSN. As I now need one in order to go to nurse anesthetist school.

Good to meet all of you! My dd is 14 months and hasn't had any vax's. I started with the idea to delay until she was 2, but I am waffling, the more I read...

[ryleigh'smama]

Oh yeah I forgot to mention the vax thing- dd has been vaxed selectively and delayed up until now- but after her last DTaP had a night of vomiting and now a week later has a double ear infection and high fever .....so I think we will be stopping the vaxing all together. Just too much of a coincidence for me.

[hippiemom2]

hey riley'smama i am digging your dancing broccoli :LOL

Peace,
Shelbi

[fullofgrace]

Originally Posted by Sailmom

I had a BA and went to an ADN program. It still took 2 years, but I had a lot of the prereqs already. I did it because it was cheaper - but as I look back on it I wish I had taken out a loan and went ahead and gotten a BSN. As I now need one in order to go to nurse anesthetist school.

I also have a BA, and need all of the sciences. This is good to know, because I'm currently still debating 'ADN or BSN?' Mostly due to my family situation and availablity, though. (would need DH to be home while I'm in class) But then, by the time I finish pre-reqs, I may be able to swing the BSN program.

[mahdokht]

In my area, BSN and ADN programs are both two years. If you already have a degree lots of places offer the accelerated BSN so you can do it in one year or 18 months as opposed to the slightly longer approach. The ADN program, as far as I know, is always 2 years though.

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by CookieMonsterMommy

I work with PLENTY of nurses with dreads. But they are all black women, and the dreads are the very small "well-kempt" looking ones. No rasta looking ones, and no non-black people with dreads. I can see you making a not great 1st impression if you have the big thick dreads and/or you are a white woman.

I'm not saying I feel like that! Shoot--I've had some awesome "alternative" looking nurses...the best nurse I had when I got my surgery had her nose pierced. The best nurse who set up an IV was a male with tatted arms.

But I've seen people from my school get denied jobs for what they feel were "alternative" looks (piercings, colored hair, tats, body modification, etc)

Just something to keep in mind...
kelly

That's true. But with the shortage I'm sure you could still get a job, just maybe not your first choice. I have only stealth piercings. Like a big septum I can flip up on work days.

We delay and only do a few of the immunizations.

I only enjoy ICU type jobs too. I liked adult ICU when I did that. I remember in school I hated regular floor jobs, and the few times I have floated to regular med-surg or postpartum, ugh, I hated it! I can't imagine doing that full time. It's good there are people who like it. I worked in ER, but not as a nurse, I think I would like that too. But I have no intention of going anywhere else right now.

I have been thinking about getting my masters in Lactation but I'm still paying off 12 years of loans from my nursing and philosophy degrees so I probably won't end up doing it unless we win the lottery or I can convince DH to move with me somewhere where they need nurses badly enough they are doing that pay for your degree program.

[JulieK]

I just wanted to say kudos to all the moms in school. When I was in school, I felt like I was studying every second. I would never be able to do that now!!! My child takes up all of my time. I'm just trying to find time to study for my certification exam - I'd like to go for Onc certification. I started a position recently in an outpatient chemo treatment center, a much needed change from an intense inpatient oncology floor.

[peaceful_mama]

hi i am holding sleepin Z at keyboard. plz x-cuse my lack of capitals.

i just started adn program here....i am SO happy to see so many moms who have been able to find parttime l n d jobs because the ob area and nicu are the only areas that interest me. and eventually i would like to just work 1-2 days a week. is it common that they will allow short shifts for bfing mamas? i want to be a nurse and lc because of the circumstances surrounding the fact that Z never learned to nurse.....i would love to have a job where i can work short hours like that with the next q1. i am absolutely determined it WILL work next time...I NEVER want to see a lactina again!!!!!!!!

i'm in prereqs right now. chem and anatomy r harder than i expected....i am so happy i have my 2nd mom to keep me going....she is a nurse too and talked me into going 4 it she tells me all the time if she can do it anyone can....keeps updated and gives me little pep talks as needed.

i feeln so guilty sometimes zz is 12mos and he doesn't see me 3 days a week basically between my job which i still need for $$ and night classes aND studying......he still loves me and between daddy and my parents he does not go to daycare which is the only reason i can go i hate daycare for babies....too many years working in it.

anyway thought i would join....

[timneh_mom]

I'm an RN, although I am no longer working. I graduated in 1992 and have worked med surg and home health. I also had the chance to collect data for research through Michigan State, and worked as an office nurse for a while too.

In January I will be starting to pursue LLL leadership. If I like it, and life takes me that way, I may write the IBCLC someday.

[peaceful_mama]

I am a no longer vaxing for the moment mama too. Z had all his up to 6 months and I got my first hep B but now I don't know if I want more. BUt I am told you have to or you can't get a job.....
I will not be doing the rest of Z's till he is minimum 2 years and then only selectively on what I decide to continue.

[lorijds]

I'm an LPN, I work currently very part time at an independent birth center (was full time until I went back to school this August), and full time at our local hospital on the medical floor. I love both of those jobs! Basically my schedule is three 12-hour night shifts Friday, saturday, and Sunday; and then I am at the Birth Center every other Thursday for office hours and 24 hour call for births.

I'm taking micro right now, and then in January I start an LPN to BSN program. It is two years; the first part time (since I am already a licensed nurse) and the second full time. I am very excited.

I first regretted not completing my ADN, but now I realize it worked for the best. I am paying for my schooling out of pocket; I earn enough that I don't have to take out loans this time. Plus my hospital has a tuition reimbursement program, and that will cover a chunk of my school.

Also, even in my current intro micro class, I see where my nursing experience is extremely helpful, and I feel sorry for the kids who don't have any (and also have no idea that they really, truly need to be learning this stuff!).

I don't know what I will do in the future: CNM at our birth center? I also like working with teens; maybe public health nursing, or high school nurse? I don't know. Lot of options, lots of time.

I did my LPN while my youngest was a toddler (she was 1 1/2 when I started school). My best friend watched her in exchange for us watching her 18 month old when she was in school. It was busy, but it worked.

I worked at the hospital as an aide when she was born; I still worked 12 hour shifts; but everyone was really cool about me taking time to pump (and I could use the L&D ward's pumps), and my dh would bring her up at least once per shift to nurse. Most people there are soooooo cool with that. People would have no problem covering for me while I was pumping or nursing. I mean, think about it. All those people who take SMOKE BREAKS!?!? Actually, these were the people who were most likely to cover for me (probably feeling guilty??), and I made dang sure that if anyone needed coverage to go eat, smoke, whatever, that I volunteered to cover for them. In a nursing environment, people are really cool about accomodating breastfeeding mothers, is my experience.

[Mermaidmomma]

How nice to find this thread. I work 36 night shifts as a RN. I float between the postpartum floor and L&D unit. The hubby and I are ttc, so not I'm not yet a mamma, but we are working hard at it.

[CookieMonsterMommy]

Just wanted to share my excitement!!!


I GOT MY ATT ON SUNDAY!!!!

....off to go schedule my NCLEX-RN

[K&JsMaMa]

Originally Posted by sweetbaby3

Thanks for starting this thread!

I have my BSN, and am working in a busy ER two days a week. This is the first time in 10 years I have worked during the day, during the week! For the last 10 yrs I have worked nights and weekends, so i can be home during the week, and the kids were with their dad when I was at work or sleeping. Nursing can really be flexible and workable.

I like the ER, but i loved working in the ICU better. Cardiovascular Intensive Care specifically. Open heart patienst rock my world. I loved it so much, that I couldnt sleep the night before a shift because I would be so excited.

And when I recert'd in ACLS last week, I saw a helicopter landing on the helipad, and my heart rate increased to 120

Ahhhh...the blood pumping adrenalin rush.

Wow, you sound like you are where I want to be in a few years. I love cardiac patients!!!!

Right now I'm a 3rd semester nursing student. I have one more to go. I graduate next April, then take my boards. The time next year I'll be a big-girl nurse!!!!

Dh is planning on quitting his job after I get my license. He's quite unhappy with his job and is looking forward to being home with our boys. He's also planning on going back to school sometime soon for his Master's.

I can totally relate to the adrenalin rush. I love it and I can't wait to work er/critical care.

[K&JsMaMa]

Originally Posted by CookieMonsterMommy

Just wanted to share my excitement!!!


I GOT MY ATT ON SUNDAY!!!!

....off to go schedule my NCLEX-RN

Best of luck to you, my dear.

[K&JsMaMa]

Originally Posted by Mermaidmomma

How nice to find this thread. I work 36 night shifts as a RN. I float between the postpartum floor and L&D unit. The hubby and I are ttc, so not I'm not yet a mamma, but we are working hard at it.

:

Sending you baby-making dust!!!