Re: Nursing school

[momof5boys]

Yea! Congrats to your DH. I'm an ER nurse and sometimes I'm the minority! We have quite a few male nurses! Sometimes it is stressful but we also try to have fun too. Just remind your DH that there will always be one person that will ride him and not let that person get him down, if they can't rattle him they'll move on to someone else(I always remind the new people of this and they are grateful for the hint)

Happy Nurses Week everyone!

 

[zurgswife]

Congrats to your hubbie...I'm trying to finish micro this week and then on to two sessions of summer school before A&P I this fall....Can't wait to apply and hopefully be excepted...

 

[FirstTimertoDiz]

Yeah! Congrats to your dh!! I have decided to really look into applying next year, so I hope I can also be accepted the first time. I will have to take micro next summer, since I am too late for it this time around, but I am thinking this summer I may take a 12-day course to become a cna, and hopefully that will give me an advantage for next year.

You will have to post and let us know how your visit to the school goes! I am very excited for both of you.

 

[Alex&Evan'sMom]

Yea! Congrats to your DH. I'm an ER nurse and sometimes I'm the minority! We have quite a few male nurses! Sometimes it is stressful but we also try to have fun too. Just remind your DH that there will always be one person that will ride him and not let that person get him down, if they can't rattle him they'll move on to someone else(I always remind the new people of this and they are grateful for the hint)

Happy Nurses Week everyone!

Thanks! He's excited! I'll warn him about that. Although if someone tries to rattle him they are brave! He's 6'4, 270 and can come across as intimidating before he gets to know people because he's extremely shy. I was afraid to talk to him for the 1st week after we met.(worked together) He looked pretty mean!! But he turned into a total teddy bear!(to me anyway! )

Congrats to your hubbie...I'm trying to finish micro this week and then on to two sessions of summer school before A&P I this fall....Can't wait to apply and hopefully be excepted...

Thanks! Good luck with your classes and I hope you have good luck getting accepted. I don't know how your school selects its' nursing students but I know the bios seem to be pretty important to everywhere I've heard about. Hubby has worked his tail off this past year with several different classes but put extra importance on the bios. He is glad he is finally done with them all(especially micro! )

Yeah! Congrats to your dh!! I have decided to really look into applying next year, so I hope I can also be accepted the first time. I will have to take micro next summer, since I am too late for it this time around, but I am thinking this summer I may take a 12-day course to become a cna, and hopefully that will give me an advantage for next year.

You will have to post and let us know how your visit to the school goes! I am very excited for both of you.

Thank you! We're thrilled! Good luck with your classes and I wish you the best of luck. Everyone should go after their dreams! I hope the cna route works for you. We went down this morning and checked out the college. School is about 40 minutes away and looks like a good school. Hubby spoke with the director and turned in his acceptance letter. She gave him some info and told him he would be receiving a packet in the mail and told him when orientation was. He has also applied to 2 other schools and will not hear about them until mid June so he will have to research all the schools and see what the best fit is. But at least we know that if all else fails he is definitely going to nursing school somewhere this fall!

 

[zalansky]

Just wanted to revive this old thread and get updates from everyone. I am thinking about nursing school and am just curious how you all are doing.

 

[EpcotSweetHrts0512]

I just went back and read all the old posts and there is lots of great info! I am really excited because I only have one more class to take (I'll take it in the spring) and then I will be able to apply for nursing school... hopefully get in for Fall '09!

 

[Jakesmom504]

Well I have some news! I just found out 2 weeks ago that I got into nursing school. Bummer is, the waitlist is so long I can't start until Jan 2010! However since DS will be in Kindergarten, I may have to push it back one more semester anyway. The public schools here only have half day Kindergarten and his preschool now is $200/week for full day. Since I won't be able to work as much, I may have to wait until he's in first grade so I won't have to pay for his school. I'm just happy I'm one step closer to getting my butt through my school! One bit of advice though, if you are close to completing your pre-req's, don't wait to apply! I still have 3 left and my acceptance for that semester is contingent upon me finishing those, but at least I have a seat. Good Luck to everyone!

 

[natenapril]

I am going to be applying to nursing school in Aug 09. I am extremely nervous. There is only one school here and last year they had 500 applicants and only 16 are accepted
I won't lie that I am scared to death of some of my classes next semester But nursing is a long time dream of mine.
I still need to take the NET as well. It's also "strongly encouraged" that students do not work while taking the classes. But I have been a SAHM for 11 years now so we are used to being poor

 

[katiedid36]

I am also trying to get into my local nursing program. I took the NET in September & passed with flying colors. I can get on the waitlist in December after I finish the Chem class I'm taking now. Our waitlist is 2-3 semesters but when I talked to my advisor she told me best case August of 2009 or worst case August of 2010 to start the program. So, I have been telling everyone I know keep your fingers crossed I get the best case scenario.

 

[natenapril]

I am also trying to get into my local nursing program. I took the NET in September & passed with flying colors. I can get on the waitlist in December after I finish the Chem class I'm taking now. Our waitlist is 2-3 semesters but when I talked to my advisor she told me best case August of 2009 or worst case August of 2010 to start the program. So, I have been telling everyone I know keep your fingers crossed I get the best case scenario.

What did you use to study? I am going to be taking my NET in the next 3-4 months. I was going to run to Barnes to check out some study guides.

 

[bsusanmb]

This thread warms my heart....don't ever give up...if you want to be a nurse, you will make it. I am 58. I dropped out of Johns Hopkins after my first year...I was 19 at the time and so so homesick. I regretted it every day. When I was 25 and my first child was starting kindergarten, I went back to our local community college and became an RN...I as 27. When I was 50 I graduated from Penn State with my BSN. 3 years ago I went to wound, ostomy, continence school and I am now a certified WOCN. I love what I do. I have my own clinic and I treat patients with chronic wounds and ostomy problems. We are so in need of new nurses. Young people don't want to work 3 shifts, weekends, holidays...I can't say it was a fun thing to do, but I always felt like a valued professional during my nursing career. I felt like I made a difference in someone's life.

So, don't give up. Just keep on applying and waiting your turn. Study study study...you need to learn as much as you can to pass your boards. And then you will be fulfilling your dream and making your mark in this world.

With many blessings to all,
Susan

 

[katiedid36]

What did you use to study? I am going to be taking my NET in the next 3-4 months. I was going to run to Barnes to check out some study guides.

I bought the study guide thru my school's bookstore. The learning lab at the school also had an online study guide. I know there are different versions for different schools. My NET was 2.5 hours long and consisted of timed math and reading sections. You need to have a 65 on both sections in order to pass at my school.

 

[tycopj]

I just saw this thread and wanted say......... I start school TOMORROW! I'm pretty nervous because it has been years, years, and more years since I have been in school. It will a rough couple of years, but I am so excited to be a nurse.

I am doing an ASN RN program. The wait lists here are horrible, but there are a few schools without waitlists. They are private and a lot more expensive, but NO waitlists. This is what I am doing and I will be a nurse in 2 years 2 months, rather than doing prereqs for 2 years, wait list for 3-5 years, RN program for 2 years. (I bet this takes away from my Dis time )

Anyway, good luck to all you future nurses!!!! And to the OP, good luck to your husband, he sounds like a great guy!

 

[npmommie]

This thread warms my heart....don't ever give up...if you want to be a nurse, you will make it. I am 58. I dropped out of Johns Hopkins after my first year...I was 19 at the time and so so homesick. I regretted it every day. When I was 25 and my first child was starting kindergarten, I went back to our local community college and became an RN...I as 27. When I was 50 I graduated from Penn State with my BSN. 3 years ago I went to wound, ostomy, continence school and I am now a certified WOCN. I love what I do. I have my own clinic and I treat patients with chronic wounds and ostomy problems. We are so in need of new nurses. Young people don't want to work 3 shifts, weekends, holidays...I can't say it was a fun thing to do, but I always felt like a valued professional during my nursing career. I felt like I made a difference in someone's life.

So, don't give up. Just keep on applying and waiting your turn. Study study study...you need to learn as much as you can to pass your boards. And then you will be fulfilling your dream and making your mark in this world.

With many blessings to all,
Susan

what a nice post!!! It is so nice to see encouraging words given to new nurses and future nurses.
I also agree, don't give up if nursing is what you want, I think its a great career choice

 

[Belle4mygrl]

I wanted to pipe in! I graduated in 1999. I have learned nursing is not my calling. I loved working with people but the stress...... Anyway, I congratulate you all. I suggest you take all your prerequiste clasess before you begin nursing especially the ones who have a family. The clinicals and nursing classes take up so much time; visiting hospital the night before to get your assignment and then coming home to make care plans, studying, etc.

Good Luck!

 

[zalansky]

I wanted to pipe in! I graduated in 1999. I have learned nursing is not my calling. I loved working with people but the stress...... Anyway, I congratulate you all. I suggest you take all your prerequiste clasess before you begin nursing especially the ones who have a family. The clinicals and nursing classes take up so much time; visiting hospital the night before to get your assignment and then coming home to make care plans, studying, etc.

Good Luck!

So what are you doing now? I hate to see stories like this, they scare me. What if any of us pursue this and then don't like it?

 

[bsusanmb]

So what are you doing now? I hate to see stories like this, they scare me. What if any of us pursue this and then don't like it?

Having been a nurse manager on a med/surg floor, which is an entry level for most new graduates, I have found that those who do not like nursing, and leave, are not at all prepared for the sacrifices. Some become nurses because of the money, some because it is one of the few professions where you can ALWAYS get a job somewhere, some think that being an RN means sitting at a desk, and some just can't deal with the stress of having other people's lives in their hands. I will tell you that the first 2 years after graduating were the most difficult. It is such an adjustment. The nursing programs do not prepare you to be a charge nurse, or a team leader. The old diploma schools required students to work in this capacity. Today the trend is to educate and teach the theory, and learn on the job. This is diffucult in some situations. For years we were a profession that "eats their young". I was treated very poorly by the seasoned nurses when I began my career. It was sink or swim...learn by failing. I cried every night when I went home. I also was overwhelmed with the amount of work I had to do...back then we mixed our own IV's and our own IV meds. It was horrid. It was also dangerous to patients. I think that technology has helped to reduce the burden on the nurse. But no matter how long you have been out of school, people just expect you to know everything...afterall, you are an RN, right? My advice is to look very carefully when you graduate at the job you take. I would interview new staff and tell them upfront what my expectations were as the nurse manager, and explain to them the culture of the unit...some units are all business, some are a fun place where as long as the job gets done well, that's all that matters. You need to find a position that fits you as an individual. The worst thing you can do it get a supervisor you don't like....it makes life awful.
In all my years of nursing I have known 2 nurses who left the profession within one year. They just didn't like it. They didn't like the stress, the responsibility, the amount of knowledge you need....and in my personal opinion, they just didn't give it a chance. One became a cocktail waitress and the other is doing some type of a desk job out of nursing.

 

[dwolstenholme]

Second best decision I ever made (first was my wife . Go to nursing school. There are so many things he could do with it. I went, got a job in a cardio-thoracic recovery unit, then went into research. I received a BSN with a new wife, a new child and a 40hr work week. If I can do it, he can do it. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Alex&Evan'sMom]

Just thought I'd revive the thread. How's everybody doing? Any new students? Hubby started his 2nd semester about a month ago and some days I'd like to crawl under a rock. No matter how much anyone prepares themselves I just don't think anyone can anticipate what it's going to be like. Most of the time it's manageable but everything is so overwhelming. I worked 3 jobs since August until last week. Hubby wasn't cut out to handle the Mr. Mom routine and things were starting to fall apart. He studies constantly holed up in our office so even when he's home we don't see him. At least I can work on the house more since I'm not working as much but I'm still gone almost every night and every weekend so I don't get to see the kiddos very much. Hubby's classes are 10X as hard as his prereqs so basically if he passes a test he's doing well which leaves him no margin for error. Hate to sound like such a downer but I'm having a bad week. I know the end result will benefit everyone but it's impossible to look forward to the end result when you have to take things one day at a time.(not my strongpoint) Guess I just need some words of encouragement. Any inspirational stories anyone?

 

[katiedid36]

I finally finished my pre-reqs and got on the waitlist. I am taking the co-reqs while I wait. I was told I probably won't get in until Jan. 2010