how about going back to school? any opinions?

[Flames9_RN 358]

Has any of you done a placement exam? Is it different from school to school? I have to do that and some other stuff i can't remember right now, and take a year of pre-requisite before i even get accepted into nursing...

Many Nursing programs make you take an exam--there are many different formats, the one my school used was called "TEAS" Consisted of math, science and English questions. It got scored. As wel one wants to do well on your pre-req courses as most nursing programs are competitive to get in. There are some programs where it isn't competitive, but then it costs big $$$$$$$$

[silvana.toma 15]

Many Nursing programs make you take an exam--there are many different formats, the one my school used was called "TEAS" Consisted of math, science and English questions. It got scored. As wel one wants to do well on your pre-req courses as most nursing programs are competitive to get in. There are some programs where it isn't competitive, but then it costs big $$$$$$$$

I asume you finished nursing school, or you are still in school? How was/is it? It's been 11 years since i finished high school, as my journalism doesn't count since we didn't do any math or science courses. So i have to say i am soooo nervous starting this. Sometimes i feel it's easy, but sometimes i feel it's going to be really hard, especially that i have to take math and bio and chemistry from scratch as i don't remember much.

I have to say it might be harder to start at my age(29), but i feel i have more motivation now than i ever did, and also now beeing more mature i have a better understanding of things.

When i go to the school to bring my diploma and stuff, would they let me know what books i should buy to start studying for the admission test or that is something that i have to figure out on my own?

hopefully next week mu husband will be able to bring me to this school i'm planning to go, and maybe i will have a better understanding of this whole process.

Thank you so much for all the info you gave me. I appreciate it!

[Flames9_RN 358]

I asume you finished nursing school, or you are still in school? How was/is it? It's been 11 years since i finished high school, as my journalism doesn't count since we didn't do any math or science courses. So i have to say i am soooo nervous starting this. Sometimes i feel it's easy, but sometimes i feel it's going to be really hard, especially that i have to take math and bio and chemistry from scratch as i don't remember much.

I have to say it might be harder to start at my age(29), but i feel i have more motivation now than i ever did, and also now beeing more mature i have a better understanding of things.

When i go to the school to bring my diploma and stuff, would they let me know what books i should buy to start studying for the admission test or that is something that i have to figure out on my own?

hopefully next week mu husband will be able to bring me to this school i'm planning to go, and maybe i will have a better understanding of this whole process.

Thank you so much for all the info you gave me. I appreciate it!

I graduated in 2009 and have worked on a cardiac unit since then! AND I'm much older than you,lol You would be suprised on how many older people are back in school. We had people in their 50's!!

I think (been awhile now) that one required a basic chemisty and bio---wasn't that bad!! I found I was a much better student now then in high school! I was a "c" student then, but finished as an "A" student in nursing

Best to ask EACH schools advisor on what is required as they all differ. And ask them who they recommend to evaluate your high school or other classes. My school gave me a list of acceptable companies!

Sure Nursing school was difficult and yep, a lot of people flunked or quit!! BUT I found those that struggled did NOT do all the reading!!

Best of luck,

[silvana.toma 15]

I graduated in 2009 and have worked on a cardiac unit since then! AND I'm much older than you,lol You would be suprised on how many older people are back in school. We had people in their 50's!!

I think (been awhile now) that one required a basic chemisty and bio---wasn't that bad!! I found I was a much better student now then in high school! I was a "c" student then, but finished as an "A" student in nursing

Best to ask EACH schools advisor on what is required as they all differ. And ask them who they recommend to evaluate your high school or other classes. My school gave me a list of acceptable companies!

Sure Nursing school was difficult and yep, a lot of people flunked or quit!! BUT I found those that struggled did NOT do all the reading!!

Best of luck,

Thanks for sharing the info with me.

As much as i want to fool myself ...deep down i know it's going to be hard, it's a good paying profession, it's normal to be competitive and hard..otherwise everyone would do it. But no matter how hard it is there is only one factor that can either make you or break you in this school...and that is how bad do you want to do this?

SO when you are done with school...do you start some sort of trainning? Or you can get a job right away? Were you nervous to start working? I know you trainned but still...

i am afraid of emergency rooms..i am not as big fan of people coming in without legs cause someone just chopped them off and stuff like that...i could probably get used to it...but i don't really want to.

i will go to school next week and see what they tell me. Were your grades back home 1-10 or A-F ?

again...thank you so much!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Thanks for sharing the info with me.

As much as i want to fool myself ...deep down i know it's going to be hard, it's a good paying profession, it's normal to be competitive and hard..otherwise everyone would do it. But no matter how hard it is there is only one factor that can either make you or break you in this school...and that is how bad do you want to do this?

SO when you are done with school...do you start some sort of trainning? Or you can get a job right away? Were you nervous to start working? I know you trainned but still...

i am afraid of emergency rooms..i am not as big fan of people coming in without legs cause someone just chopped them off and stuff like that...i could probably get used to it...but i don't really want to.

i will go to school next week and see what they tell me. Were your grades back home 1-10 or A-F ?

again...thank you so much!

There are sooooo many routes RN's can go--dont have to work in a hospital, nor the emergency room.

Sure,one is always nervous when starting something new. Most hospitals have programs in place for new nurses. Your usually paired with another Nurse for a certain period of time. That time can vary from a few months to a a year or so!! Yes some place--more likely the old folks homes--tend to throw ya to the wolves! So you quit,lol As you worked hard for your RN License and don't want to loose it!

Like I said, oodles of routes to go as a RN. Both my younger, smarter, better looking sisters are RN's back in Canada. One works in the ICU and another is a diabetes coordinator. In school, at least here in VA was based on a percentage,which turns into a GPA.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I should also mention that during school, you will have clinicals at the hospital and other clinics! As well, most offer what is called a preceptorship during ur last year, quite often last semester where you go by yourself and work one on with a RN!! Very valuable training as you get far more hands on training there, then one would during a normal clinical! As well the staff get to see you, and if they like ya, it may end up with a job offer, thats how i got my job!! Don't worry, you will get the training. 1 doesnt come out of nursing school knowing everything, just enough not to kill anyone!! Normal to be worried, but it all works out!!

[silvana.toma 15]

I should also mention that during school, you will have clinicals at the hospital and other clinics! As well, most offer what is called a preceptorship during ur last year, quite often last semester where you go by yourself and work one on with a RN!! Very valuable training as you get far more hands on training there, then one would during a normal clinical! As well the staff get to see you, and if they like ya, it may end up with a job offer, thats how i got my job!! Don't worry, you will get the training. 1 doesnt come out of nursing school knowing everything, just enough not to kill anyone!! Normal to be worried, but it all works out!!

You are so funny! "1 doesnt come out of nursing school knowing everything, just enough not to kill anyone!!"..

So i guess it was easy to find a job after you finished school...that's awsome. I am going to school tomorrow to see what i need in order to start this program. Also i don't have a green card yet so i will also have to wait for that before i do anything. But at least i want to start studying for my placement exam instead of waisting precious time. Did you do a lot of training in the hospitals while in school?

I am so excited to do this mostly because I don't know what i'm getting myself into, and hopefully by the time i will realise it will be too late

Thanks again for sharing your experiences with me. It sure helps me a lot!

[Flames9_RN 358]

You are so funny! "1 doesnt come out of nursing school knowing everything, just enough not to kill anyone!!"..

So i guess it was easy to find a job after you finished school...that's awsome. I am going to school tomorrow to see what i need in order to start this program. Also i don't have a green card yet so i will also have to wait for that before i do anything. But at least i want to start studying for my placement exam instead of waisting precious time. Did you do a lot of training in the hospitals while in school?

I am so excited to do this mostly because I don't know what i'm getting myself into, and hopefully by the time i will realise it will be too late

Thanks again for sharing your experiences with me. It sure helps me a lot!

The job market differs from city to city, state to state!! It is NOT so good for new grads in the DC area, and many others in the USA. Peoples 401K have crashed, so the nurses that were retiring---have had to keep working. As well management has been thinned--so those nurses go back to working the floors!! One will eventually find work, just have to be patient. Just in yrs past, new grads would have multiple job offers, usually not the case now. Before the New grad was in the drivers seat, they could pick, now one has to take what they can find!

Yes one gets a fair amount of "hospital" time, it varies from program to program!! Ask questions and do, do, do!! But still, you will learn more once you graduate then you ever did in school!. I have found staff (which turn into ur friends//colleagues) are for the most part eager to help you out!! The people I work are great!!

[silvana.toma 15]

The job market differs from city to city, state to state!! It is NOT so good for new grads in the DC area, and many others in the USA. Peoples 401K have crashed, so the nurses that were retiring---have had to keep working. As well management has been thinned--so those nurses go back to working the floors!! One will eventually find work, just have to be patient. Just in yrs past, new grads would have multiple job offers, usually not the case now. Before the New grad was in the drivers seat, they could pick, now one has to take what they can find!

Yes one gets a fair amount of "hospital" time, it varies from program to program!! Ask questions and do, do, do!! But still, you will learn more once you graduate then you ever did in school!. I have found staff (which turn into ur friends//colleagues) are for the most part eager to help you out!! The people I work are great!!

I ment to ask you this for the longest time..are you from Virginia? I see falls church, va on your profile...so i was wondering if you are from around...everyone is from other state, you would be the only one i talked to from Virginia!!!!!

I live close to Richmond VA, and i am so lucky to have a school so close. IF you are from VA, maybe you know the school it's called J Sargeant Reynolds aparently they are in every city in Virginia...

[Flames9_RN 358]

I ment to ask you this for the longest time..are you from Virginia? I see falls church, va on your profile...so i was wondering if you are from around...everyone is from other state, you would be the only one i talked to from Virginia!!!!!

I live close to Richmond VA, and i am so lucky to have a school so close. IF you are from VA, maybe you know the school it's called J Sargeant Reynolds aparently they are in every city in Virginia...

I have heard about it--but thats about it, never met anyone that has gone to it!! You can search for reviews on it at allnurses.com--just plug in its name and look here:

http://allnurses.com/vt-nursing-programs/

http://allnurses.com/va-nursing-programs/

[tallcoolone 102]

I would suggest going to Philippines and getting your Nursing Degree. You can get a 4 year BSN for around $4,000, and cost of living is crazy cheap in PI. Get your Degree in PI, come to USA (Texas) send in your paperwork to Board of Nursing and take NCLEX and boom you are a RN.

[tallcoolone 102]

The job market differs from city to city, state to state!!

Yes, Very True.

My wife went to a nursing college in Philippines, Graduated when she was 19 with a BSN. Came to USA and became a RN at age 20. Never had worked a day in her life. About 1 month after she received her EAD/Greencard she was offered a job at a public hospital in D/FW in the Progressive Care Unit. After working there about 2 months they gave all RN's at the hospital a 12% raise.

After she completed her oreintation (2 months) she began working days and she was allowed to self schedule. She was allowed to work up to 24 hours of overtime per week without mangers approval. All she was required to work was 36 hours per week (3, 12 hour shifts).

She was banking big time at her first job, plus she was working weekend so she could get the shift difference.

She worked there 1 year, and we moved to a better city in Nort Dallas. My wife submitted her resignaiton and within 2 weeks had a new and better paying job in Dallas at a excellent hospital.

They wouldn't allow OT at her new hospital, so she found a PRN job at a second hospital and it only took her about 2 weeks to find that job.

[silvana.toma 15]

I had a lot of Philipino colleagues while working on cruis ships...and if there is one thing that i can say about them is that they are very hard working people, and are an example for most countries on how we shoud treat our families.

SO i called yesterday this j sargeant reynolds school, and i have to say my feeling was that they are as helpful as a nail in the head. They passed me around like a ping pong ball. when i got to speak with the advisor i asked her a question that wasn't her expertise and she just connected me straight with the admisions, instead of asking if i have any questions that she can help me with before she transferes me to admisions. They all seemed that they were in a rush. Also when i asked the admisions lady if there is a book or something that i can prep myself since i haven't touched a book in 11 years...and she was like:"no, there is not,it's just a placemrnt test to see where you stand, and there is no fail, but if you don't score a x amount of points you have to take some type of x classes" So how am i to even do this if i haven't touched a book in sooooo many years...how can you say: no, there is no book???? what the fun??

I was so pissed off yesterday that i might look into VCU or some other collage....because this is b.s. I thought they will be helpfull because IT COST MONEY TO DO IT, IT'S NOT FREE!!!

So i went with my hubby to the library to get a book to start studying for the placement test. My hubby got the the GRE test, and yesterday all day i smashed my head in the wall, it was that hard. so when my hubby came home i told him it's too hard for me, and he said if i can't even do the GRE then there is no pointy even thinking about nursing. Thank god my neighbour(who is in grad school now) came and she told me i need the GED book and not the GRE, as that is for grad school.

what can i say...it's an amazing start...

I'm wondering if there is school every day when you are in nursing school? My hubby not even to think about geting a job, as this school is very time consuming.

[juliava 80]

Silvana, that incident with GRE book was sooooo funny!!!!

You know, it is better to call admissions and schedule an appointment with an admission counselor. This way I can guarantee you will not experience what you experienced over the phone. Somebody will reserve a time slot for you, you will get the chance to take a tour of the campus if you like, and you will sit down with someone who would answer any questions you may have. Good to make of list of questions in advance.

I took a placement test about 5 years ago, when I was planning to move to Fl to work and study. Whatever, no comment about my immature decisions. The point is - I applied for a program in Medical Administration. Well, the placement test was not difficult: first part asessed your ability to read and understand English and the second part was a very, very basic Math, pure calculus. If you know how to add and substract fractions and decimals - stuff that you actually studied in the 4 th grade - I can guarantee you will be fine!

I still have that letter saying that I passed the placement test and was admitted to their school. However, I had issues with my visa at that time and some other problems and I changed my plans and never moved to Fl.

[Flames9_RN 358]

As i recall I had to take a placement exam as well---different than the "placement" exam for the nursing program! The placement exam was used to determine if you had to take certain math and English courses. if your marks were sub-par--you had to start out at a lower level!! The one i took was not that difficult and i was able to start at the "normal" level,lol

Yep--best to sit down with an actual advisor, they should be better clued in! I say"should be", as some are still clueless