Nursing school

[silvana.toma 15]

I just called the school i want to go to(j sarg reynolds), and asked them about the nursing program. They said there are only 60 seats per semester available for the RN program, same with LPN. I will have to take a year and a half of pre-req she said, and then i will have to see if there is even a spot for me to start the RN program. I would asume that the way i would get in is based on the grades I get on the pre-req? With only 60 seats i probably need to get straight A's on everything.

SO, my no.1 focus will be to get really good grades, at least that way i have a better shot at getting into the program, BUT worst case scenoario if i don't get in, will i be able to use the pre-req i took and try to get into a different health care program. I don't want to go to school for a year and a half(pre-req time) for nothing.

I do not intend to wait a year or more to get into RN because plus the pre-req, plus waiting, plus the actual program i will have white hair by the time i will be done with school.

There is another school VCU(really good school in VA)and they have the BSN program, that is 4 years, and few people told me i should try to get into that one, as it's better to have a bachelor in nursing than just the RN program...

What do you think?

I would really appreciate any info you can give me!

[Suzy!Q 2]

I am an RN with my BSN. My experience has been that it will not make any difference for you pay wise whether you have your BSN or not in the future, however most employers prefer nurses that have their BSN. I recommend getting the BSN first. If you just do the RN program and think you'll go back to school in the future to finish, you probably won't. It is better to just get the degree from the beginning and get it over with. Also, it is worth it. In any field, especially healthcare, it is better to have more training than less. Your future employer will appreciate it. And in the future if you are up for a job and it's between a BSN applicant and someone with only an RN, the employer is going to take the person with the degree. I highly recommend you get the degree.

For your other question, if you take the prerequisites and do not get into the nursing program, yes of course you could apply them towards some other degree. But if you opt for this route and really do not get into the program you want, just apply to another one. There are many programs out there. As far as I know America is still in the midst of a nursing shortage (at least in PA we are) and nursing is a great field for job security. The sick will always need care and there will always be some nursing program, somewhere that would accept you.

Good luck!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Quite simply put; vast majority of Nursing programs its VERY competitive to get in! You need a high GPA and its based on certain subjects and I'm sure that varies from school to school! One could spend their time doing nursing pre-req courses and never get into a nursing program as their GPA is not high enough. But they would probably transfer over to another medical field. Check out allnurses.com, lots of info there. Already beat the BSN thing to death on one of your other posts,lol One would have to check with other programs to see what classes they accept from other schools! I know at NVCC, if I took a class that was listed as a "NVCC Bio" its transferability was limited, so to make sure it transferred to most other schools, one wanted to take a "Bio 141" No clue what the difference was in actual class material???

Volunteering at a hospital is a very wise decision, as nursing sure isn't for everyone. I would NEVER miss the job, but miss my co-workers,their the only thing that keeps one sane!

[silvana.toma 15]

That's good to know that the pre-req transfer to other schools as well.

I am just wondering if i do the BSN, is that 4 years total school? or i would have to take pre-req first? That would put me to almost 6 years of school, and i'm not sure i want to do that.

I'm still far from even starting my pre-req, as i am still studying for my placement test as i am hoping i don't have to take any intermediary courses.

I agree with Suzy when she says:"Nursing is a great field for job security. The sick will always need care" a lot of people are saying that the need for nurses is just a myth, but when i read the news paper yesterday(the employment section) out of 6 pages total 3 were for RN and LPN's ...so there has got to be some sort of demand. My hubby works in a rehab center and he told me if i would be a RN he would hire me ASAP, as they are dying for nurses right now.

And Flames i did went to that website allnurses.com, but boy ...you get depressed reading that forum. People are so negative, and frustrated that it's such a buzz kill. I have been reading about nurses that got law suits against them, nurses that say they job s##cks, nurses that wonder why they chose that path, etc etc etc... and to be honest for me "the newbie" it's scary to hear this stuff, makes you wonder if maybe mcdonalds sounds like a better option?

And i bet there are days when a lot of the nurses ask themselves why they chose this career path(as i read on this forum) but come on...it's a high paying job, of course it will be stress. I would like to know one single job that gives you more than 60k a year and it's not stresful?

i will also go to VCU after my AOS interview(march29th yey!!)to see that BSN program...

Tx again for the help.

[Flames9_RN 358]

With regards to a nursing shortage---it depends where you are in the USA. I know in the DC area, new grads of any education level are having a difficult time finding work. Of course in a few yrs that could all change! Economy improves, things get better. Economy lags along its going to suck.

There are a lot of burnt out nurses out there--why?? Because it is a demanding job. for 12 hrs (depending on unit) you run run run! Some nights on the PCU I don't sit. So you work ur butt off, THEN management leaves you a little note on your time sheet asking WHY you did NOT clock out for your 30 minute break??????? HELLOO, i was running my butt off!! But they dont care!! So what many do is just clock out--but keep working--then clock back in after 30 minutes! Because if you do take a break, your just further behind, then your having to stay late--which management hates----and if you have to work again that night--the last thing you want to do is stay late! lol You soon clue in that for a for-profit-hospital---the most important people are the ones getting their stock dividends! Management is fine with you working short!! It is not all doom and gloom, lot of enjoyable aspects with it as well, but the reality is that it is a lot of work, you can take a lot of abuse from patients!! Just last week 1 of our techs got punched from an ETOH'er (alcoholic redrawal)and now she is off work,, and no $$$$$ coming in! Work isn't helping her. And yes it differs from facility to facility and from floor type to floor type. My 1 sister back in canada is a RN that does soley diabetes, loves it, very stress free job! And thats 1 of the beauties of RN, lot of different avenues! And of course the more education 1 has,the more doors it opens up! I'm glad i went the ADN way, i work on a critical care floor and if I wanted to persue higher education,my employer would pay for most of it--better out of their pocket than mine. I think many people get carried away with the initials after the name, vice what goes before it!! Best of luck

[silvana.toma 15]

With regards to a nursing shortage---it depends where you are in the USA. I know in the DC area, new grads of any education level are having a difficult time finding work. Of course in a few yrs that could all change! Economy improves, things get better. Economy lags along its going to suck.

There are a lot of burnt out nurses out there--why?? Because it is a demanding job. for 12 hrs (depending on unit) you run run run! Some nights on the PCU I don't sit. So you work ur butt off, THEN management leaves you a little note on your time sheet asking WHY you did NOT clock out for your 30 minute break??????? HELLOO, i was running my butt off!! But they dont care!! So what many do is just clock out--but keep working--then clock back in after 30 minutes! Because if you do take a break, your just further behind, then your having to stay late--which management hates----and if you have to work again that night--the last thing you want to do is stay late! lol You soon clue in that for a for-profit-hospital---the most important people are the ones getting their stock dividends! Management is fine with you working short!! It is not all doom and gloom, lot of enjoyable aspects with it as well, but the reality is that it is a lot of work, you can take a lot of abuse from patients!! Just last week 1 of our techs got punched from an ETOH'er (alcoholic redrawal)and now she is off work,, and no $$$$$ coming in! Work isn't helping her. And yes it differs from facility to facility and from floor type to floor type. My 1 sister back in canada is a RN that does soley diabetes, loves it, very stress free job! And thats 1 of the beauties of RN, lot of different avenues! And of course the more education 1 has,the more doors it opens up! I'm glad i went the ADN way, i work on a critical care floor and if I wanted to persue higher education,my employer would pay for most of it--better out of their pocket than mine. I think many people get carried away with the initials after the name, vice what goes before it!! Best of luck

I can not belive that the tech got hurt on the job and they would not pay her week off. That's b.s.!

When my hubby found out i want to do nursing(he works in a rehab center) he told me to get real, as it is a lot of work, but then when he saw how serious i am he told me i better start going to the gym(as you see from my pict i'm not a big girl)as this job requires you to be able to lift,pull,patients, give baths... and speaking of baths ... when you did that, did you had to give baths to women?(i would asume you are a guy, correct)I am not looking forward to bathing a man...

What is ADN way?

[Flames9_RN 358]

I can not belive that the tech got hurt on the job and they would not pay her week off. That's b.s.!

When my hubby found out i want to do nursing(he works in a rehab center) he told me to get real, as it is a lot of work, but then when he saw how serious i am he told me i better start going to the gym(as you see from my pict i'm not a big girl)as this job requires you to be able to lift,pull,patients, give baths... and speaking of baths ... when you did that, did you had to give baths to women?(i would asume you are a guy, correct)I am not looking forward to bathing a man...

What is ADN way?

Yes,I'm a guy! ADN= Associates degree! And yes I have given baths-put in foleys to men and women! And can a women (or guy) refuse, sure they can, but I have never had a problem! It is all about being professional!!

[silvana.toma 15]

Yes,I'm a guy! ADN= Associates degree! And yes I have given baths-put in foleys to men and women! And can a women (or guy) refuse, sure they can, but I have never had a problem! It is all about being professional!!

I want to be profesional too, i just hope i can leave my shy hat outside if i will get to do that

I have another question for you... you work as a nurse so i would assume you are very aware of what's going on in the hospital, meaning what jobs are out there, and how popular, and etc they are. So let's say you didn't get into the RN program,and the waiting list is just too long, with what you know now about the jobs that are in the hospital, which one would be your no.2 choice that you would go after?

[Flames9_RN 358]

Depends what you want. Your interests. Respiratory Therapist appears to be a cool job! Radiology or ultrasound tech, less pt involvement than a RN, but I think (never looked into it) the pay is decent! Since I work nights, no interaction between Physical /occupational therapists, but thats another avenue. I'm not trying to paint a doom/gloom picture of a RN, lol, just trying to be honest.But their is always downsides of every job.

[silvana.toma 15]

Depends what you want. Your interests. Respiratory Therapist appears to be a cool job! Radiology or ultrasound tech, less pt involvement than a RN, but I think (never looked into it) the pay is decent! Since I work nights, no interaction between Physical /occupational therapists, but thats another avenue. I'm not trying to paint a doom/gloom picture of a RN, lol, just trying to be honest.But their is always downsides of every job.

I agree with you on"But their is always downsides of every job" because i used to work on cruise ships, working for a huge art dealer, doing art auctions. I worked 2 times a week, and the rest of the time i was at the beach in Hawaii, the Caribbean, you name it.. drinking pina colada, and enjoying life..pay was good..so all in all it was amazing,BUT even with "the amazing job" there were times when i wanted to jump overboard...

I looked into radiology, and ocupational therapist, not sure how respiratory therapist is, after you told me about it in an earlier post, i looked at the clasess and it seems very demanding, meaning lots of very complicated courses..

I have to be honest and say, i did some soul searching and there is really nothing in particular that i would love to do, so that's why i figured i do something that at least it's worth getting out of bed, and hey..if with that i can help some people make their time a better time(like RN) why not??

[Flames9_RN 358]

No clue if they are any more demanding than nursing courses. We had a fairly high failure rate as well. I found nursing exams tended to be different, they didn't always ask point blank questions. You had to know various things to come to the answer! People that had 4.0 GPA in the pre-req classes flunked out! Not impossible--one just has to study!

[Kiwifruit 0]

If you can do your BSN first then do so, better to get it out of the way first time round.

While nursing IS competitive we have attributes that make hopefully make us more competitive; we are international non-traditionalist career changers with work experience in other fields, are mature and hopefully have good people skills. I have a strong customer service background dabbled with some health care experience as an Ambulance Officer (vis-a-vis Paramedic) and if you can talk yourself out of a corner and think on your feet that is 2/3 of the challenge taken care of.

Good luck

[silvana.toma 15]

I heard it's cheaper to go to a comunity college than to a college. I just found out today that i can not go to the comunity college i was planning on going ...so now my only option is to go to the big college and do the BSN.

I'm pissed off, as i am sure i will have to spend a lot more money now!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Community College usually means Associates degree (ADN) and yes usually (not always) cheaper than the BSN! There are some super $$$$ schools out there. I think my ADN degree was less than $6000 in ttl, and that included books and the pre-req classes! Some of the BSN schools, you can pay DOUBLE that per semester!

[silvana.toma 15]

Community College usually means Associates degree (ADN) and yes usually (not always) cheaper than the BSN! There are some super $$$$ schools out there. I think my ADN degree was less than $6000 in ttl, and that included books and the pre-req classes! Some of the BSN schools, you can pay DOUBLE that per semester!

That is why I am so pissed off! My husband told me last night his mother called him(we have a long story of disliking eachother)and said if i want to go to this school, she would advice me not to, as she is not sure i will pass. She went to the same school, RN program and everything, and she is friends with some important people from the RN program, so she told them "her story" of our problems. So now she is affraid that if i go there they will recognize me, and i will not pass, or i will have a hard time!

My mind is blank right now...don't even know what to say!