Nurse & Nursing School Megathread: The NCLEX is the spookiest test you'll ever take

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Nurse & Nursing School Megathread: The NCLEX is the spookiest test you'll ever take

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

I know this has been partially covered, but I'm a bit stupid this morning.

Some background before the questions: I have a BA in Psychology and I'm currently in a MA/PhD program in Education. I'm leaving my program after I get the MA and I will apply elsewhere for the PhD (because my program sucks). Another option I'm contemplating is nursing. I'm a CA resident and would like to stay in CA, preferably northern CA. I would also consider the Reno area or Oregon/Washington. If I went the nursing route, being the in the bay area while I'm in school would be great so I can live at home.

I looked at UCSF's program: http://nurseweb.ucsf.edu/www/ps-em.htm and it seems to me this would be the fastest way to do the nursing thing if I decide to go that route being that I already have a BA and by the end of the 2010 school year, a MA. In terms of what I would want to do with the degree, I've looked in family planning stuff (which is my current academic interest), aka someone who works at planned parenthood; and I've also considered government/military nursing jobs (which seem to pay really well and theres quite a few available in CA right now). I'd also be interested in working for a university potentially, I know that at my school RN's are the one's who do annual checkups, women's visits, etc. So I guess my questions are:

Is a MEPN program the best bet for me?
Or would it be better to go back and get a BSN?
If I did one of those programs would I be an RN or what?
UCSF's program and USD's program (which I've looked at) are both incredibly epensive. Is that standard?
The CA State system is usually significantly cheaper than anything else, do any of those campuses offer MEPN programs or programs that are geared towards people who already have a BA/BS?

Thanks in advance for the help - I think I've just managed to confuse myself at this point.

# ¿ Aug 11, 2009 18:45

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# ¿ May 2, 2024 17:39

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

freshmex posted:

If you already have a degree there is no reason to get a BSN first and then MSN.

If you did either program you would have a degree that would allow you to take the NCLEX which would allow you to become an RN.

It is standard for UC's and especially private schools to want to rape you financially.

http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/chhs/departments/nursing/studentinfo/ApplicationsHandbooksandHand-outsforUndergraduates.htm#ELM

I'm sure other CSUs have similar programs, check out other individual CSU nursing websites.

Most CSU programs (to my knowledge) will not let you get a BSN if you already have a degree in something else and will force you into their MSN programs.

Sounds about right, thanks for the help. Does anyone have specific experience working in women's health/reproductive health areas?

# ¿ Aug 11, 2009 22:38

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

Pixi posted:

Labor and Delivery. Not much GYN experience (other than traipsing down to the ER with the on call OB residents for consults). What area are you specifically interested in?

More of the clinical angle, perhaps family planning counseling sort of topics?

# ¿ Aug 12, 2009 04:01

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

soap. posted:

Currently I'm working full time and working on prereqs at my local community college. I have a B.A. in Philosophy from UCSC, but decided law school wasn't for me, so I'm trying to work my way through nursing school.

My question to you all is how feasible is it to work while in nursing school?

If so, how many hours a week could I dedicate to working? I'm a fast learner, but I don't want to discount the masses of memorization, etc.

If it's not, should I take a couple years after my prereqs in order to save up some money? Would it be a bad idea to have time between my basic classes and my nursing classes?

Thanks a lot guys. This thread has been really valuable!

Disclaimer: I'm not in nursing school and I probably don't know what I'm talking about. :hf:

fellow UCSC grad

If you already have a BA, it seems to me that you're better off going into an entry level MA program. You'll make more, be more competitive and be able to do all the same things as an RN (you take the test along the way).

Here's some programs in the bay area I'm looking at: http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/nursing/elms_nursing
http://nurseweb.ucsf.edu/www/ps-em.htm
http://www.sfsu.edu/~bulletin/current/programs/nursing.htm#342305

I know that for UCSF's program, the first year is very intense and they basically will not let you work. Unless you're able to get a poo poo ton of money stored away, you're probably going to have to take loans to pay tuition.

# ¿ Aug 23, 2009 02:06

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

miso posted:

I think they just meant a master's program in nursing. You wouldn't actually get an MA in nursing (that I know of), it would be an MSN most likely, but from the context that sounds like what Bunway Airlines meant.

Yes sorry - my error. I meant a MSN. I'm used to just calling everything a MA.

soap - Some schools let you in with lower grades if you talk to them about it. I believe UCSF talks about it on their website. Worth a shot maybe?

# ¿ Aug 23, 2009 16:08

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

So do any of you have ER/Trauma experience? I'm thinking about doing this instead of women's health. Pros/Cons?

# ¿ Sep 2, 2009 05:28

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

Silentgoldfish posted:

Emergency is my forte -- just finished a week of nights in the ER.
Pros:
- I haven't showered a patient since I started doing emergency
- (almost) never see the same patient with the same problem twice in a row (that said, there's a lot of frequent attenders)
- you get to see the coolest/funniest shite around (stake through the foot, finger's off, carrot up the rear end [not all on the same guy!])
- you're the frontline behind paramedics to saving lives, and it happens a lot (dramatic, but true)
- emergency docs are usually the most laid back so I personally have a much better relationship with the docs I work with now than I did in med/surg

Cons:
- lots of psych patients having acute episodes or trying to kill themselves, and I personally don't like dealing with psych (though I still do)
- drunks, drunks, and more drunks
- really annoying patient families (I've had someone want to report me to the news because their mother was stuck in emergency waiting for a bed upstairs - if the hospital's full, the hospital's full!)
- dealing with the kinds of idiots who think that an itchy rear end in a top hat is a good reason to come to an emergency department (a real presentation from last night)
- if you like building up long term bonds with patients that doesn't really happen in emergency

Thanks this is great. In my current program (developmental psych) I deal with women's health and sexuality issues but I'm really starting to learn towards ER/Trauma. I have the perception that ER is the most fast paced environment and I like that. Also, I'm a motorcyclist so for some reason I have the strange desire to help other motorcyclists when they come in smushed.

I know this has been addressed somewhat but is anyone else willing to offer their perspective on being a bachelor's level nurse vs. a master's level nurse? I know that the grad degree allows you to do more management stuff, but can you also do management when you have enough work experience? I'm still trying to figure out if an excellerated BSN program is better for me or if a MSN is (I'm already goign to have a MA in something else by the time I do nursing school.) At the end of the day what is really the difference?

# ¿ Sep 4, 2009 18:34

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

I was curious about this so let's have an informal poll:

What degree do you have? AA, BSN, MSN?
Why did you go into nursing?
Was it your first career?
What area do you work in?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you with your job on a daily basis?

I'd really like to hear from anyone and everyone on these questions. If you're still in school, you can answer as well.

# ¿ Sep 22, 2009 20:55

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

Thanks for the 2 responses, I'd love to hear from others still

# ¿ Oct 12, 2009 06:45

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# ¿ May 2, 2024 17:39

Bunway Airlines: Jan 12, 2008; Raptor Face

squidtarts posted:

If you already have an undergrad degree in another subject, is it generally a good idea to go into an accelerated BSN program, or would you recommend getting a lesser degree from a community college to start with?

I have a BA in English and experience as a teacher's assistant, but I've been unable to find another job since moving. With all of the cutbacks in education, I've been thinking about nursing, which is actually what I had planned to do when I started college (before all of the nurses in my family talked me out of it, hurr).

I'm in NoVA and I know George Mason has an accelerated second degree program, which I could apply to after doing some of my science pre reqs at a community college. On the other hand, going just the community college route would be cheaper, and I don't want to pile on a whole lot more loan debt.

I'm not a nurse but was considering applying for nursing school...

I would definitely go for the accelerated BSN program. There's no point in you doing the CC thing. I would also possibly take a look into MSN programs depending
on what courses you took as an undergrad and what you would have to take pre-admission. My understanding is that BSN is going to be the entry level degree within the next 10 years and an MSN will give you far more job security, better pay and better options. I could be wrong but that was what my research told me. I have a BA in Psychology and at the time was getting an MA in Education which I'm not done with and working in that field so I didn't do the nursing school thing.

# ¿ May 6, 2010 04:20

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