Anyone here an RN???

Happycouple

I am thinking about quitting my job, staying home with my son for a little longer and going back to school to be an RN.  I live in Walnut Creek.  I would need to take about 5 pre req courses.  I just spoke with Cal State east bay and they mentioned that out of the 500 or so applicants they get for each fall program, they only take 65 people!  ugh!  So even if I do quit my job, take the pre reqs, apply for the fall 2010 program, I STILL may not get in.  Any recommendations here?  Where did you go to school?  What about getting an associates degree?  Thanks!!!

joboogie_rn

Good for you!

 I went to Cal State Hayward, now East Bay (I'm not used to calling it that!) and graduated in 2000. I really liked it there. I felt they gave me a good preparation for my nursing career.

Nursing programs are SUPER impacted right now. Lots of applicants, not enough spaces in programs. I think the trick is that you have to really have a lot of "points" - like you get points for certain things (at least East Bay does) - if your GPA in your prereqs are high, if you're a guy, if you're in the military, if you have any nursing/medical field experience (I think), if your nationality is considered a minority, etc.

I think Associates Degree programs are just as impacted, but they work by a lottery system to select people for their programs... It's also a shorter training. But they focus more on skill, rather than theory and care models.

A good bet (and this is what I want DH to do), is go for a master's accelerated program (MEPN) like at Samuel Merritt or UCSF. These programs don't require prereqs. They're made up of people who don't have nursing experience, but have had another job and/or degree in something else. You don't have to get your master's. You go through the first year of clinicals and classes and then you can take a step out year to work (you can get your RN license after that first year) and you don't have to go back and finish the program. It may be time consuming and intense, but it's a shorter route to go. There's an application process and an interview I think... Another nestie (marsnemmo) can tell you more about it.

HTH!

 

tiki_t

I'm not an RN but I went through a program for RT (which the programs were set up similar to nursing). I went through a junior college at the time because there were no RT programs via a state college.

Keep in mind...  there are people who apply for programs before they are done with their pre-req. courses. Why they do that? I don't know but don't let those number intimidate you because those numbers may include those people.

Focus on grades. Some of the applicants don't get in because of poor grades. The school wants to make sure that people are dedicated and will finish what they start since they have to limit the amount of students that they accept.

It doesn't hurt to do volunteer work in the field. It will help you with your admissions essay and it will help you determine if this field is for you.  

 Spend time on your admissions essay. I honestly think that some people don't put an effort into their so they don't get in. You need to explain why you want to go into the field, quantify your interest with experiences or examples, etc. You are basically using this as a method of why they should accept you. Have friends and family review it before submitting it so that you can present your best foot forward. Again, the school is looking for go-getters with determination enough to finish what they start.
 

 I'm not sure how the state programs work but we knew by the end of the spring semester whether or not we were accepted into the program starting that fall.  The school that I went to didn't wait until the last minute to announce it. Either way, don't quit your job until you know that you've been accepted.

There are some good Jr college nursing programs. It would be good to have someone chime in on the differences on how you are treated/paid based on where you graduated from and with what kind of degree.
 

NotJustAnAuntie

There are people who apply for 5 years and never get in to a nursing program... I want to get my RN as well, but it's just not in the cards for us right now.

Hayward has preference for people who live in their "service area" so that makes it even harder if you don't live *in* Hayward... there are private school programs that might be easier to get into...

 Good luck! I'm still hoping to make it happen for me eventually!

AFwifey

I can't give as much advice on the schools there in California, since I received my BSN from New Mexico State University. But I do have a lot of family and friends who are in or are trying to get into a nursing program over there in California.

I did an accelerated nursing program at NMSU. I know Maria (marsnemmo) did an accelerated nursing program as well. I just don't know where she went to school.

The nursing programs are very impacted there in California...it's crazy! The best thing you can do is to apply to a whole bunch of schools when you're done with your prerequisites. I know a whole bunch of schools are on a "points" system or worse, a lottery system. Or you can go the private school route. It's much more expensive than going through a state university, but I think the nursing programs are not as impacted.

My sister failed out of the nursing program at SCC and ended up going to some LVN school in Sacramento. She's graduating this April from that school (I can't for the life of me remember what her school is called). After she takes her LVN boards, she plans to work for experience and then go to some community college in Fresno (I think) that does an LVN to RN program. That could be an option for you as well.

Anyway, good luck to you!

marsnemmo

I am a RN and I did go to an accelerated program at ucsf. The program at UC does have prereqs which include anatomy physiogy some psych and some other stuff. There are other accelerated programs that require more.

Nursing is a great field I love being a nurse. But I have to admit school are so hard to get into right now and with the economy the way it is I've heard of new grad nurses having a really hard time finding a job. But that being said there are always nurses retiring and there will unfortunately always be people in need of a hospital?

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If you have any ?'s my email addy is in my siggy.?