Hi there..trying to cope

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2000
Hi there..trying to cope
6
Fri, 03-09-2007 - 6:22am

Hi. I just wanted to thank y'all for listening to my gripes, and my problems. I talked with the 2 ladies that I review w/for this Pharmacology course, and they both got in. I told them what the admissions officer told me they look at everything on my application materials, which basically is just grades earned from my Bachelor's and Masters. I made a 2.99 in my Bachelors, but I was told by previous applicants to the program they got in w/ a 3.0 from their previous degrees. I feel bumbed out, because she told me that part of the process is looking at whether you were in a previous Nursing Program, which I was back in the early 90's. Unfortunately, I flunked out, and after that I resumed to get my B.S. in Environmental Health in '97, but at the same time, I didn't think that would really matter.

She suggested that I apply for our local community colleges and hospitals for their respective nursing schools in the ADN or RN programs, respectively. The problem is though, I took courses like A & P over 10 years ago. I know what Jan said about taking a challenge test, but to tell you the truth, I don't know if I can. I don't remember a lot of it.

This school where I was denied for the 2nd B.S. Nursing Program waived a lot of the students who took a lot of the requirements 10 years ago. These local community colleges aren't. That means another 3+ years for me to take courses/figure out what to do. Kind of disgusted because I made an "A" in Patho last semester, and am so far making a B- and an A in Pharmacology and African American History, respectively. Basically, I can't apply again until next year, and the admissions officer told me that she can't guarantee I'll be accepted. Don't know if I even want to apply there considering the fact that the school is so disorganized. I remember my friend Chris telling me that she was taking the Health Assessment course, and the professors weren't really helping any of the students, and the average grade is 2 points below their minimum passing grade.

The applications officer said that the reason I wasn't accepted was because it's compettive and much more now that a lot of the teachers in the Nursing School are leaving to work clinical-side.

I was thinking about applying for what's called a "Care Worker" program where I could work $8/hour..assuming of course I can get into the program. I heard it's only 3-6 months long or so. Have to double check. I was thinking about using this a spring board to nursing considering the fact that these people work w/nurses. My mom was suspecting that this was the hospital's response to alleviate the work of nurses.

Sorry this is so long. I just had to type my thoughts down. Some of the things that my friends encouraged me in were the following:

1) When one door closes, another opens.

2) I have my parents here to take care of my kid.

3) Unlike my friend who was accepted, I started off with a roof over my head. She had to stay with her sister when she was married, and she and her then newly married dh and her only had two lawn chairs as their possessions..

Sorry just had to talk. Thanks for listening.

Yaddiya

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Fri, 03-09-2007 - 12:46pm

Keep your chin up, kiddo! I know this is a big disappointment & will take some time to manage. But, you will move forward. Keep the positives in sight, Yaddiya. You are doing a great job & I'm happy that you can organize your thoughts & express them here.


I am unsure about where you're located & what

 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2000
Fri, 03-09-2007 - 8:11pm

Thanks Jan for the encouragement. Actually, I'm over here in the Hampton Roads, VA area. I actually meant "Care Partner." They usually help the RN's with different procedures on different wards throughout the Senatara Health Care System, and they get paid approximately $10/hour, and the program is 12 weeks long.

The down side is that the courses I take at this program are non-transferable and specific to Sentara, but they would give me experience. Also, looking into the possibility of seeing whether I really like Nursing or not through this. Thinking about delaying too much coursework until I work this job. Also, the Nursing Assistant position for the Sentara system is mostly for home care and a few hospital settings. In other words, not that much floor work stuff.

I guess we'll see. BTW, what was your schedule in the RN program? I assume you worked part time? How often per week? Were you married w/kids back then? I haven't really seen the schedule yet for the Sentara Schools or for that matter the other Nursing Programs. Sorry, just had to ask.

Thanks again!
Yaddiya

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Fri, 03-09-2007 - 10:13pm

I was a FT student. It's been so long ago, that I have no clue how many credits I took per semester. I know it was a full load though. No kids, as I was single & fancy-free:) I worked night shift during the week & attended class through the day. On the weekends, I worked back to back shifts, so that I had 40 hours in most weeks. It always worked out in the hospital's favor that it was never consistently FT. Therefore, no benefits or OT):


I will say that there were several married women in my class. One had 8 kids! Whoo hoo! However, none of them had jobs outside of school & some had taken their academics, so they only needed to attend nursing classes. No matter what, it was intense as the nursing classes were always lecture plus clinical. HTH (((hugs))) jan

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting



Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting



 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2000
Sat, 03-10-2007 - 6:37am

Whew! I think I got tired just looking at how much you had and how long you worked! That's great! I wish they had something like this 10 years ago when I was a Nursing Student. Thanks again for the encouragement!

Yaddiya

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Sat, 03-10-2007 - 9:02am
I was reading on a nursing forum allnurses.com that alot of the community colleges ARE taking the pre-reqs that are 10 years old.

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2000
Sat, 03-10-2007 - 10:21am

I'm actually in the state of Virginia. I just started calling this week. I have an appointment with the Sentara School of Nursing in Norfolk this Friday after class, and I know the closest community college TCC, is requiring that you have to re-take the Pre-Nursing courses that you took 10+ years ago. Also, looking at Hampton U. Don't want to go back to ODU, since I flunked out of there.

I'm also thinking about re-applying to that 2nd BSN Program next year. My friend told me that she wasn't accepted for the ADN program at that same school last year, and she thinks that the reason she wasn't accepted was because she hadn't taken that many pre-reqs recently. She took 5 classes before being accepted to the 2nd BSN program for this year (after being rejected for ADN). I actually took only one class (Patho) right before applying. She advised me to give it a chance and re-apply next year especially since I am going to complete 3 classes hopefully, with all good grades. Also, hoping to apply for the Care Partner class this Aug. Hopefully, the experience will give me more leverage to apply for the 2nd B.S. program if I eventually take that route.

I also belong to AllNurses.com. Unfortnately, can't post messages.

Yaddiya