I took my exam at a Pearson Vue testing center in Downtown Jersey City. Across the street from Newport Station.Very nice building. I went in. I gave security in the lobby my passport. They gave me a barcode swipe. I swiped myself in and went up to the 16th floor.
I walked into the office and a woman greeted me. She handed me a sheet with the exam rules written on it. You can't take your cell phone into the exam. No bracelets. No calculators. No wrist watches. They have lockers with keys. They will place your cell phone in a sealed bag. They give it back to you and you put your sealed phone in your locker. When the exam is done, you hand them your sealed phone. They will cut the seal open and hand you your cell phone.
The only thing you will end up walking in the exam with is your ID. And even that will placed in a plastic ziplock bag.
Before you go in the room they will make you turn your pockets inside out.They will have you place both your hands on a hand scanner numerous times. They will have you sit down and take a picture. They have cameras everywhere recording you. They have microphones everywhere recording you. They will provide you with a set of disposable earplugs prior to taking the exam.
They will give you a 1'x2' laminated board with a marker. You are not allowed to erase anything from the laminate. You are not allowed to write on the laminate until after you finish the exam tutorial. If you fill up the laminate, which you probably won't, but if you do, you will raise your hand and the proctor will walk in and replace it with a clean one. You can take a bathroom break when you like. You raise your hand. The proctor comes and pauses the exam. They will give you two opportunities to take an official break. At 2 and I think 3 hours.
When you go on your break the clock is still running.
The exam is max 6 hours long. And that includes your break time. Any bathroom breaks you take. I took none of the prompted breaks. I ran to bathroom at one point. When I returned from the bathroom. I had to scan my hand in again and roll up my sleeves and pull up my pant legs for the proctor.
I can understand why it cost $200 to take the exam. It is like Fort Knox in the testing center. But at the same time you can't really cheat anyway. The content on the exam is only somewhat similar to what you studied in exam books. So to try and cheat would be a total waste of time...
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Great Resume Writing Tips!!!
I highly recommend checking this website out when it comes time to write your resume:
http://blog.bluepipes.com/
http://blog.bluepipes.com/
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Getting An Acceptance Letter
I received an e-mail recently from someone that was worried about whether or not they were going to get into Downstate's program. They didn't hear anything, but other applicants already got their letters of acceptance.
My only word of advice to you is to not give up hope until about a week after the program starts. They will eventually send you a letter if you didn't get accepted. And they will send you a letter if they have you on their wait list. So if you are wait listed, all hope is not lost.
In my particular graduating class, one guy got in about a week into the semester. Sometimes people enroll and decide at the last minute to withdraw from the program and a spot opens up. So don't lose hope!!!
My only word of advice to you is to not give up hope until about a week after the program starts. They will eventually send you a letter if you didn't get accepted. And they will send you a letter if they have you on their wait list. So if you are wait listed, all hope is not lost.
In my particular graduating class, one guy got in about a week into the semester. Sometimes people enroll and decide at the last minute to withdraw from the program and a spot opens up. So don't lose hope!!!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
$$$ GETTING THAT JOB $$$
So after graduating you won't be able to sit for your boards for a good month or two. It takes time for the school to process the paperwork and for everything to get put through.
If you are worried about passing the NCLEX. Don't! You will have plenty of time in the one to two month lag between graduating and when the school processes your paperwork to study. If you are super worried. Just shell out money and take the Kaplan course. If you got in the program and you take the Kaplan course after you will pass with little to no problem. I say that because in order to get in the program you have to be smart. So a smart person doing Kaplan should pass. I am not employed by Kaplan. And if you take the Kaplan course and fail I will not be held responsible or liable. But I think you get the point.
Out of my classmates many people got jobs within one to four months of passing their state boards.
The people who had the hardest time finding a job where those with little to no real work experience. By real work experience I mean people that never worked jobs with a lot of responsibilities. Former school teachers got scooped up fairly quickly. Former health care workers like PCTs etc were grabbed fairly quickly and will likely start at better pay.
If you are a male it is much easier than if you are a female. Males are severely underrepresented in nursing so they will get snatched up relatively easily.
If you leave New York City it will be much easier for you to find a job.
Of all the hospitals hiring, Methodist seems to be the one that absorbed the most Downstate grads. Again if you can volunteer at Methodist I recommend doing it. The two classmates who did their nurse externship at Methodist were hired immediately after passing their boards.
One classmate was hired directly into the ICU at Maimonides Hospital. He was a guy and he made this happen for himself by making connections while in the program.
One classmate was hired directly in the Emergency Room at Woodhull Hospital.
You can also get a job working at a top notch hospital like Presbyterian by starting out working as a PCT. That is a way you can get your foot in the door after graduating.
Some of my classmates at this point are still looking. We are about four and a half months out of school at the time I'm posting this.
I remembered a lot of people being so nervous about the NCLEX and so nervous about finding a job after graduating. Don't be. Instead of worrying, do something while you are still in the program. Like volunteer at a hospital or try to get a job working at a hospital. Or more importantly get an externship. Everyone that I know of that got an externship was eventually hired after they got out of the program
If you are worried about passing the NCLEX. Don't! You will have plenty of time in the one to two month lag between graduating and when the school processes your paperwork to study. If you are super worried. Just shell out money and take the Kaplan course. If you got in the program and you take the Kaplan course after you will pass with little to no problem. I say that because in order to get in the program you have to be smart. So a smart person doing Kaplan should pass. I am not employed by Kaplan. And if you take the Kaplan course and fail I will not be held responsible or liable. But I think you get the point.
Out of my classmates many people got jobs within one to four months of passing their state boards.
The people who had the hardest time finding a job where those with little to no real work experience. By real work experience I mean people that never worked jobs with a lot of responsibilities. Former school teachers got scooped up fairly quickly. Former health care workers like PCTs etc were grabbed fairly quickly and will likely start at better pay.
If you are a male it is much easier than if you are a female. Males are severely underrepresented in nursing so they will get snatched up relatively easily.
If you leave New York City it will be much easier for you to find a job.
Of all the hospitals hiring, Methodist seems to be the one that absorbed the most Downstate grads. Again if you can volunteer at Methodist I recommend doing it. The two classmates who did their nurse externship at Methodist were hired immediately after passing their boards.
One classmate was hired directly into the ICU at Maimonides Hospital. He was a guy and he made this happen for himself by making connections while in the program.
One classmate was hired directly in the Emergency Room at Woodhull Hospital.
You can also get a job working at a top notch hospital like Presbyterian by starting out working as a PCT. That is a way you can get your foot in the door after graduating.
Some of my classmates at this point are still looking. We are about four and a half months out of school at the time I'm posting this.
I remembered a lot of people being so nervous about the NCLEX and so nervous about finding a job after graduating. Don't be. Instead of worrying, do something while you are still in the program. Like volunteer at a hospital or try to get a job working at a hospital. Or more importantly get an externship. Everyone that I know of that got an externship was eventually hired after they got out of the program
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
People e-mail me questions from time to time so I'm going to post them here with answers little by little.
1. What was your g.p.a before the program?
I have no clue. I completed my B.A. in English from Hunter College. I minored in Japanese. I took all my math and science courses at Brooklyn College then applied. My grades were kind of all over the place. Brooklyn College has separate grades for lab and lecture courses. And has courses split over semesters. I went above and beyond their requirements for the program. Took Chem 2. Many of my classmates took the non pre-med organic chemistry class.
2. What was your g.p.a. from Downstate?
I have no idea. I'm sure somewhere around a B+ range. I'm not sure what number that corresponds to. And let me tell you. Nobody asked on my job interview. And I will tell you one other thing. I have classmate who worked as a PCT and continued to do so throughout the program. And she told us on the last day of school she worked with two graduates of our program. One with a 3.5 g.p.a and one with 3.1. She said they both have been at the hospital for over a year each, and to this day, the one with the higher g.p.a. runs around like a chicken with her head cut off, while the student with the lower g.p.a. is the better nurse. I'm not saying this will be the same for all cases. But just keep that in mind while your obsessing over your g.p.a.
3. How many hours did you study per day?
Some days none. Some days 3.5 hours. My tactic for studying was as follows:
Get the reading list. Read and outline as much as possible until the point at which I got a blueprint for the examination. Stop. Cover all areas I didn't cover yet on the blueprint. Then go back over the material I already covered.
This landed me in the A- range regularly. And then I would ignore the ATI completely. Not study. Take the ATI exam. Get like a 50 or 60 which was 10% of your grade. Take my B+ for the course and that was it.
I told this to the people I was mentoring when they were on their 2nd day of school. And they rolled their eyes at me. A couple of months later they understood. Not to say they did what I did. Some of them are doing much better. But they at least understood where I was at.
Some of you reading this right now also won't understand until you get there in the program. The skills that land you in the program can kind of work against you once you get in.
MORE TO COME...
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
The Robert Wood Johnson Scholarship
This was a $10,000 scholarship offered to 10 students in the class who came from populations that were underrepresented in nursing.
The scholarship was discontinued. Too bad because they gave you $10,000. Receiving this scholarship was the single best and worst thing that happened to me when I was in nursing school.
I'm not going to go into anymore details than that.
The scholarship was discontinued. Too bad because they gave you $10,000. Receiving this scholarship was the single best and worst thing that happened to me when I was in nursing school.
I'm not going to go into anymore details than that.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
VOLUNTEER
If you want to get into this program and you have no prior health care work experience then VOLUNTEERING is the single most important thing you have to do.
It's not difficult. Just pick a hospital, go to their website, and put volunteer in the search box.
Although I do recommend that you volunteer at the best hospital possible.
Don't be lazy and just choose whatever hospital is closest to your home.
It's important to be able to sell yourself. And being able to name drop counts. Even if only on a subconscious level. If you say you volunteered at a first rate hospital they will equate you mentally with that hospital.
For my particular class they chose 60 students out of 700+ applicants. You need to do whatever you can to stand out.
When I decided to volunteer I put: 10 best hospitals in New York City into Google's search engine.
If you have to start working your way up from the bottom. Start from the bottom of the top. Be at the bottom of the best place that you possibly can.
It's also a great opportunity to see what your future is likely to be like. People see the dollar signs, but often times don't realize the amount of hard work and dedication required to work as an RN. Not to mention all the shenanigans. And people trying to throw you under a bus.
If you are smart and get good grades, that's great! But can you work 12 hours straight or more. And how are you with people? And do you enjoy the work environment? Getting in the hospital helps you to figure all that out so you don't end up devoting a lot of time and energy to something that you hate doing in the end and wind up quitting.
My godmother worked 26 years as an RN. She retired from North Shore LIJ, Lenox Hill. When she retired she was making 136,000/year. And this is what she said to me, she said, "I worked a lot of years and I was getting good pay when I retired. But you better believe me that they made me work my butt off for every penny of every dollar I earned."
It's not difficult. Just pick a hospital, go to their website, and put volunteer in the search box.
Although I do recommend that you volunteer at the best hospital possible.
Don't be lazy and just choose whatever hospital is closest to your home.
It's important to be able to sell yourself. And being able to name drop counts. Even if only on a subconscious level. If you say you volunteered at a first rate hospital they will equate you mentally with that hospital.
For my particular class they chose 60 students out of 700+ applicants. You need to do whatever you can to stand out.
When I decided to volunteer I put: 10 best hospitals in New York City into Google's search engine.
If you have to start working your way up from the bottom. Start from the bottom of the top. Be at the bottom of the best place that you possibly can.
It's also a great opportunity to see what your future is likely to be like. People see the dollar signs, but often times don't realize the amount of hard work and dedication required to work as an RN. Not to mention all the shenanigans. And people trying to throw you under a bus.
If you are smart and get good grades, that's great! But can you work 12 hours straight or more. And how are you with people? And do you enjoy the work environment? Getting in the hospital helps you to figure all that out so you don't end up devoting a lot of time and energy to something that you hate doing in the end and wind up quitting.
My godmother worked 26 years as an RN. She retired from North Shore LIJ, Lenox Hill. When she retired she was making 136,000/year. And this is what she said to me, she said, "I worked a lot of years and I was getting good pay when I retired. But you better believe me that they made me work my butt off for every penny of every dollar I earned."
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Negative Aspects of SUNY Downstate's Accelerated Nursing Program
I need to take a second to say that I have only posted on this blog about the positive aspects of SUNY Downstate's Accelerated Nursing Program.
I, like many of my peers, had issues with the program.
I, like many of my peers, had issues with some of the professors.
But there are 2 main reasons I didn't write anything negative about the program on the blog.
#1 I researched about the program before enrolling and I was aware about what the problem issues were before I started. So while some things were annoying I never really freaked out like some of my classmates.
#2 Many of the professors or issues that annoyed the hell out of me didn't bother my classmates in the least. And many of the professors and issues that annoyed the hell out of my classmates didn't annoy me in the least.
Everything is subjective. That being said I would recommend that you do your homework. Go on allnurses.com and read the negative things people write. Come here and check the positive things I write. Then weigh the pros and cons.
I would also like to take a second to mention the fact that if there is a major issue with any professor. The department generally boots the person out next year and seeks a suitable replacement.
While the folks in the nursing department may not respond to student's complaints as quickly as they would like them to. They do eventually respond and make changes.
I, like many of my peers, had issues with the program.
I, like many of my peers, had issues with some of the professors.
But there are 2 main reasons I didn't write anything negative about the program on the blog.
#1 I researched about the program before enrolling and I was aware about what the problem issues were before I started. So while some things were annoying I never really freaked out like some of my classmates.
#2 Many of the professors or issues that annoyed the hell out of me didn't bother my classmates in the least. And many of the professors and issues that annoyed the hell out of my classmates didn't annoy me in the least.
Everything is subjective. That being said I would recommend that you do your homework. Go on allnurses.com and read the negative things people write. Come here and check the positive things I write. Then weigh the pros and cons.
I would also like to take a second to mention the fact that if there is a major issue with any professor. The department generally boots the person out next year and seeks a suitable replacement.
While the folks in the nursing department may not respond to student's complaints as quickly as they would like them to. They do eventually respond and make changes.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
IF YOU WANT TO LAND A JOB AFTER GRADUATING THEN GET ROLLING WHILE IN THE PROGRAM
- 2 independent studies.
- Leadership practicum.
- Landing a Nurse Externship.
- Volunteering.
Be sure to buy donuts and coffee for the entire unit and a thank you card at the end of your indy studies. I bought small bags of Godiva chocolates for my preceptors. These small touches help.
The Leadership practicum. I did my leadership practicum at Kingsbrook Jewish and after graduating my preceptor pushed to help me get a job. Very important as well. Put your best foot forward here with your nursing leadership class. Other classmates also formed relationships here that landed them jobs after graduating.
Nursing externships. I did a half-ass job applying at Maimonides and didn't get it. So glad I didn't because they don't let you touch the patients really. It's just shadowing. On my second indendent study I got a preceptor who made me do everything. From prepping to administering meds to every damn thing. I even signed off on nurse's notes. But nursing externships are still GREAT!!!! If you can get one that is AWESOME!!!! Look on North Shore LIJ's website as spring approaches and look for professors in the program who worked at North Shore LIJ that can recommend you. Hint!!! Hint!!!! Two of my classmates landed North Shore LIJ. I was in Pediatric clinicals when my classmates were all abuzz about trying to apply and going on and on about when they would open the gates for accepting applications. It was a somewhat tedious process to fill out the online applications. You fill them out first then they open up to applications later. While an externship is just shadowing. They do pay you. And it does greatly increase the likelihood that you will get hired. Greatly!!! If they like you they will keep you on after you complete your externship and keep on paying you as a student nurse until you pass your boards. Two of my classmates got externships at Methodist Hospital in Park Slope. One is looking very good for getting a job once she passes her state boards and the hospital is currently paying her bills. I'm sure it feels good to go in and get a paycheck for doing work that is health care related. Another classmate was hired at Lenox Hill after she graduated through doing her externship.
The program will not support you in getting an externship. The hours cut into your class time. You will have to cut class to complete your externship hours. The hours cut into psych and the early part of Community. And Nurse Leadership as well. So there is a little grief that comes along with it. But it is well worth whatever headaches the faculty may give you.
Volunteering can't hurt. Also as a side note my classmate that got into Methodist as an extern was volunteering at Methodist long before she applied for the externship; which may have helped her some.
Downstate's program is only concerned with you passing state boards. That's it. They don't want to know about what you are doing to find a job. That doesn't really interest them.
So hopefully these are some helpful hints for you because many of us were dead broke after completing this program. I will write more about what I did job wise after graduating. As I chose to beat out on a totally different path from my classmates.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Resume, Cover Letter, Interviews, & Such
FINDING A JOB??? YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN KIDDO!!!
But you can check out ---> John Hopkins Nursing Website.
- Tips on resume writing.
- Tips on cover letter writing.
- Tips on interviewing.
- Sample nursing student resumes.
- The site is well organized and extremely helpful.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
LOOK AT:
SELECT FROM BELOW WHAT APPLIES TO YOU.
---------------------------------------------------->
THEN CLICK ON IT!
If you are looking for an additional site to help you with studying look to the right under
CHECK THESE BLOGS OUT and click on AMY's Blog. Lots of free NCLEX style questions to help you to get your chops up for MED SURG Examinations.
SELECT FROM BELOW WHAT APPLIES TO YOU.
---------------------------------------------------->
THEN CLICK ON IT!
If you are looking for an additional site to help you with studying look to the right under
CHECK THESE BLOGS OUT and click on AMY's Blog. Lots of free NCLEX style questions to help you to get your chops up for MED SURG Examinations.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Irrate Family Members
I've seen family members come in, curse out the entire staff, yell and curse out the patient relations rep, yank the IVs out of their family member's arm, turn around, and walk off the unit, leaving their poor family member to have to get stuck again to replace the IV.
I've personally been yelled at by a patient's family member who turned around later and hugged and apologized to me, thanking me for being so good to the patient. And telling me, "You know it's all just so stressful. I didn't mean to yell at you"
What was the reason she yelled at me and my preceptor? A miscommunication on her part.
Everyone behaves differently when they are worrying about an ailing family member. Some are quiet, some are sweet and kind hoping that you will treat the family member in kind. And some look for someone to knock around and release their frustrations out on.
And guess who they usually select as their punching bag?
You! The RN!
The doctors and PAs are usually not around.
While doing my psych clinical, some of my classmates and I where placed in the psych ER for a half day. One of the veteran nurses there asked us where the top two areas for RN assaults were.
We guessed: Here in the psych ER? On the psych unit?
Nope...
#1 Emergency Room #2 ICU
Guess who is doing the assaulting in the ICU Room?
The patient that's there for intensive care with one foot dangling over the grave? Not likely...
This is something to take into consideration if you are planning to choose nursing as a career path and you intend to work the floor.
What get's everyone through the day when dealing with difficult family members?
Compassion!!!
Ultimately this is where compassion, understanding, and empathy come into play. If you are a compassionate and empathetic person you will understand how the family members feel, what they are going through, and you are less likely to take the negative things they say and do to heart.
When I got balled out, I later received an apology, but that is not always going to be the case. Sometimes people make no apology for their nastiness, despite the fact you took excellent care of their loved one, and had the patient's back through thick and thin.
For those of you that chose nursing solely for the money, the scenarios I've mentioned could easily make you end up a statistic. 20% of new nurses quit within their first year of working.
Without real empathy for the patients and their family members you likely won't make it. And if you do you will probably be kicking cans all the way to work and kicking cans all the way home. Miserable.
People's antics can easily drive you crazy, especially when you are pushing hour 10 on day 3 of your work week.
They try address how to handle difficult situations when you go through your psych clinicals and learn therapeutic conversation skills.
I've personally been yelled at by a patient's family member who turned around later and hugged and apologized to me, thanking me for being so good to the patient. And telling me, "You know it's all just so stressful. I didn't mean to yell at you"
What was the reason she yelled at me and my preceptor? A miscommunication on her part.
Everyone behaves differently when they are worrying about an ailing family member. Some are quiet, some are sweet and kind hoping that you will treat the family member in kind. And some look for someone to knock around and release their frustrations out on.
And guess who they usually select as their punching bag?
You! The RN!
The doctors and PAs are usually not around.
While doing my psych clinical, some of my classmates and I where placed in the psych ER for a half day. One of the veteran nurses there asked us where the top two areas for RN assaults were.
We guessed: Here in the psych ER? On the psych unit?
Nope...
#1 Emergency Room #2 ICU
Guess who is doing the assaulting in the ICU Room?
The patient that's there for intensive care with one foot dangling over the grave? Not likely...
This is something to take into consideration if you are planning to choose nursing as a career path and you intend to work the floor.
What get's everyone through the day when dealing with difficult family members?
Compassion!!!
Ultimately this is where compassion, understanding, and empathy come into play. If you are a compassionate and empathetic person you will understand how the family members feel, what they are going through, and you are less likely to take the negative things they say and do to heart.
When I got balled out, I later received an apology, but that is not always going to be the case. Sometimes people make no apology for their nastiness, despite the fact you took excellent care of their loved one, and had the patient's back through thick and thin.
For those of you that chose nursing solely for the money, the scenarios I've mentioned could easily make you end up a statistic. 20% of new nurses quit within their first year of working.
Without real empathy for the patients and their family members you likely won't make it. And if you do you will probably be kicking cans all the way to work and kicking cans all the way home. Miserable.
People's antics can easily drive you crazy, especially when you are pushing hour 10 on day 3 of your work week.
They try address how to handle difficult situations when you go through your psych clinicals and learn therapeutic conversation skills.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
The Last Class - Community
The 2014 class will be using a different book from the 2013 class.
So don't buy a used Community Health Nursing book from the upperclassmen.
Friday, July 12, 2013
HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
Look under SELECT WHAT APPLIES TO YOU.
---------------------------------------------------->
THEN CLICK ON IT!
If you are looking for an additional site to help you with studying look to the right under
CHECK THESE BLOGS OUT and click on AMY's Blog. Lots of free NCLEX style questions to help you to get your chops up for MED SURG Examinations.
---------------------------------------------------->
THEN CLICK ON IT!
If you are looking for an additional site to help you with studying look to the right under
CHECK THESE BLOGS OUT and click on AMY's Blog. Lots of free NCLEX style questions to help you to get your chops up for MED SURG Examinations.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Oh My Aching Back!!!
If you have a really bad back then bedside nursing might not be a good career choice for you.
On the first day of the first Med Surg I clinical I felt my back aching. And so did a bunch of my classmates.
By the end of the program I made a promise to myself to go do hot yoga several times per week once some one hires me for a job.
Back and shoulder injuries are really common!!!
The person I was going to ask to preceptor me for my second independent study threw her shoulder out and was out for months and months on end. It was shock to me when I heard it because she is very tall. Just over 6' and well built. Very solid. It happened when she was wheeling a patient.
A young guy I shadowed in the ED told me that he threw his back out while adjusting a gurney for a patient. Out for months.
My godmother threw her back out when she was walking with a heavy patient that fell. She was out for months and months.
One classmate's preceptors threw out her back in the middle of her independent study.
The taller you are the worse it is.
I won't get into the stories I've heard of injuries where people never ended up coming back to work. But it happens...
On the first day of the first Med Surg I clinical I felt my back aching. And so did a bunch of my classmates.
By the end of the program I made a promise to myself to go do hot yoga several times per week once some one hires me for a job.
Back and shoulder injuries are really common!!!
The person I was going to ask to preceptor me for my second independent study threw her shoulder out and was out for months and months on end. It was shock to me when I heard it because she is very tall. Just over 6' and well built. Very solid. It happened when she was wheeling a patient.
A young guy I shadowed in the ED told me that he threw his back out while adjusting a gurney for a patient. Out for months.
My godmother threw her back out when she was walking with a heavy patient that fell. She was out for months and months.
One classmate's preceptors threw out her back in the middle of her independent study.
The taller you are the worse it is.
I won't get into the stories I've heard of injuries where people never ended up coming back to work. But it happens...
Monday, June 24, 2013
Why I Recommend Going to Downstate Reason #4
Cheap tuition.
Compare Downstate's tuition to other institutions out there.
There's a major difference.
That's where the differences end. There isn't a major difference in your ability to find a job after graduating. Employers aren't really going to stress where you graduated from.
Better to finish school with little to no debt and get a job earning 75K, than walk out with a ton of loans to pay back.
Compare Downstate's tuition to other institutions out there.
There's a major difference.
That's where the differences end. There isn't a major difference in your ability to find a job after graduating. Employers aren't really going to stress where you graduated from.
Better to finish school with little to no debt and get a job earning 75K, than walk out with a ton of loans to pay back.
Monday, June 17, 2013
What's So Special About Brooklyn College?
Look below to read my post about Brooklyn College if you haven't already!!!
So that's it I just go to Brooklyn College and do good and then I'm sure to get into Downstate's Nursing Program?
No! It's a good idea to volunteer or intern at a hospital as well.
I will post something about this later.
And there is a catch with Brooklyn College.
A bunch of my nursing classmates graduated from BC. I only vaguely remembered seeing one of them around campus. Former classmates I ran into once I got to Downstate were in the PA and M.D. programs.
At Brooklyn College you take Chemistry, all your Bio classes and Anatomy and Physiology classes together with those planning to apply to medical school.
The classes at Brooklyn College are no walk in the park.
While at Brooklyn College my physiology class started with about 35 students. In the end there were around 15 or so and a few of them flunked the final.
I saw the same thing happen in my chem 1.1 class where we had the good luck of getting a professor who normally teaches graduate level classes. His exams were rough. No multiple choice. Only partial credit. 3/4 of the class were gone by the end. I got an amazing tutor and managed to ace it with his help. My chem tutor is now a medical student here at Downstate doing research.
They don't just love Brooklyn College Students because both schools are in Brooklyn. If you can do well at BC then you will likely do well in the nursing program.
So that's it I just go to Brooklyn College and do good and then I'm sure to get into Downstate's Nursing Program?
No! It's a good idea to volunteer or intern at a hospital as well.
I will post something about this later.
And there is a catch with Brooklyn College.
A bunch of my nursing classmates graduated from BC. I only vaguely remembered seeing one of them around campus. Former classmates I ran into once I got to Downstate were in the PA and M.D. programs.
At Brooklyn College you take Chemistry, all your Bio classes and Anatomy and Physiology classes together with those planning to apply to medical school.
The classes at Brooklyn College are no walk in the park.
While at Brooklyn College my physiology class started with about 35 students. In the end there were around 15 or so and a few of them flunked the final.
I saw the same thing happen in my chem 1.1 class where we had the good luck of getting a professor who normally teaches graduate level classes. His exams were rough. No multiple choice. Only partial credit. 3/4 of the class were gone by the end. I got an amazing tutor and managed to ace it with his help. My chem tutor is now a medical student here at Downstate doing research.
They don't just love Brooklyn College Students because both schools are in Brooklyn. If you can do well at BC then you will likely do well in the nursing program.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
BUYING YOUR PSYCH TEXTBOOK? HOLD UP!!!
So the assigned textbook for my Psych class is Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Edition #6.
I went ahead and got editon #5, and it was a mistake.
The two books are totally arranged differently. I sat down today to outline Chapter 14. But chapter 14 in the 6th edition is chapter 19 in the 5th edition.
So you may want to hold off on getting the book until you are ready to start the course. See what edition they require.
I went ahead and got editon #5, and it was a mistake.
The two books are totally arranged differently. I sat down today to outline Chapter 14. But chapter 14 in the 6th edition is chapter 19 in the 5th edition.
So you may want to hold off on getting the book until you are ready to start the course. See what edition they require.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Why I Recommend Going to Downstate Reason #3
The Program is Fast and Effective!
You are finished in just 15 months and are eligible to sit for the NCLEX exam!!!
The program has a 100% NCLEX pass rate!!!
It costs $300+ dollars to sit for the exam, so it would really suck to not pass. The program is totally geared towards all of its students passing the NCLEX exam on the first pass.
Also by the end of MedSurg III you will be answering patients and their family members questions. You will be your families go to gal or guy for questions about their health issues. This was one of the highlights for me after 12 tough months of grinding through textbooks.
You are finished in just 15 months and are eligible to sit for the NCLEX exam!!!
The program has a 100% NCLEX pass rate!!!
It costs $300+ dollars to sit for the exam, so it would really suck to not pass. The program is totally geared towards all of its students passing the NCLEX exam on the first pass.
Also by the end of MedSurg III you will be answering patients and their family members questions. You will be your families go to gal or guy for questions about their health issues. This was one of the highlights for me after 12 tough months of grinding through textbooks.
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