New and Need Advice About Schools

[DebbieMarie]

Hi. I'm Debbie, a prospective RN student in Oklahoma.

I'm 53 years old now.

I have a BA and MA in Social Sciences from the University of Oklahoma. I graduated in 1992.

I'm trying to decide between attending OCCC and Rose State. I'm pursing the AA degree accelerated option.

I do not want to pursue a BA or more, and I want to keep this as simply as possible because I do not have a strong science background.

I realize there will be science courses.

Please tell me which of the two schools are better for a social science major.

Why is it when I talk to ANYONE about enrolling in an RN program their eyes roll back in their heads and they approach the whole subject with a sense of enormous dread?

Can it be anymore stressful than surviving an alcohol/abusive childhood; two alcoholic/abusive marriages and near abject poverty; going to college and working full time which involved taking 36 hours of statistics to graduate with no prior math background and writing/defending a thesis to boot. And somehow living to tell about it.

Is nursing school more stressful than this? If so, I don't think I can make it through.

Despite all this, I have a heart for hurting people, and I want to anything I can to ease their emotional and physical suffering.

I work as a CNA/HHA now, and also do volunteer work as a support group facilitator for a depression/bipolar support group.


Thank you.

Debbie

[Ricu]

Hi. I'm Debbie, a prospective RN student in Oklahoma.

I'm 53 years old now.

I have a BA and MA in Social Sciences from the University of Oklahoma. I graduated in 1992.

I'm trying to decide between attending OCCC and Rose State. I'm pursing the AA degree accelerated option.

I do not want to pursue a BA or more, and I want to keep this as simply as possible because I do not have a strong science background.

I realize there will be science courses.

Please tell me which of the two schools are better for a social science major.

Why is it when I talk to ANYONE about enrolling in an RN program their eyes roll back in their heads and they approach the whole subject with a sense of enormous dread?

Can it be anymore stressful than surviving an alcohol/abusive childhood; two alcoholic/abusive marriages and near abject poverty; going to college and working full time which involved taking 36 hours of statistics to graduate with no prior math background and writing/defending a thesis to boot. And somehow living to tell about it.

Is nursing school more stressful than this? If so, I don't think I can make it through.

Despite all this, I have a heart for hurting people, and I want to anything I can to ease their emotional and physical suffering.

I work as a CNA/HHA now, and also do volunteer work as a support group facilitator for a depression/bipolar support group.


Thank you.

Debbie

Hi Debbie,

It sounds like you have all the right stuff to become an excellent nurse. I'm sure your tenacity will get you through the sciences. The best nurses I know got into the field as a second or third career. As adults in the workforce they were attending classes, keeping houses and raising families. It was hard work but because they were very motivated and supported each other, they got through it. For those reasons, try to ignore the eye-rolling people because they have no real frame of reference for their dread. On the matter of which school, I recommend that you attend the one that accepts the most transfer credit and/or has the first opening. Looking toward the future, I have a feeling that from the things that you tell about yourself, you might eventually want to roll everything into a masters degree. After graduation, you will work as a clinical nurse for awhile but you really sound like someone who would like to work as a counselor in behavioral health. A masters degree will get you there.

Good luck and keep writing.

R

[piecebypiece]

I don't really don't know what to tell you about Rose or O-Trip but I can talk about taking the path that I took. I went to Rose for a couple of years pursuing something else until I started thinking about nursing. Rose has a few science courses that are just for their healthcare programs, a combined anatomy and physiology course and a microbiology course, each being a three credit class. I decided to go ahead and take the four credit physiology course and four credit anatomy course just in case I wanted to transfer to another school. Really, I knew I was a slacker and I didn't have much confidence on getting accepted into Rose's program.

After all the classes I took I just decided to go after a 4-yr program because both a 4-yr degree and a 2-yr degree would've taken me the same time to complete by that point. I figured that it wouldn't hurt me to have a BSN to stand on in case I decide to apply to an advanced practice program.

I guess just looking at all the different programs and their requirements will be the best guide for you, I'm sure you've already knocked out a few prereqs with the degrees you've already earned! Good luck with your pursuit

[Rob72]

Hi, Debbie,
I'm new here, but attending Rose (just finished 1st semester) so I thought I'd offer my $0.02:

First, at 53 (and without knowing your other circumstances) it may be to your benefit to go ahead and do an accelerated BS to BSN program. To be blunt, as a CNA you're doing the scut work now (I've done it for 18 years myself:nurse-hang, and the AN might not be the level you want/need. A BSN is pretty much ready to step up to the Nurse Mgr, Case mgr, Program Director, Research RN role off the bat. That BS carries some authority, particularly if you've already done hands-on. Just a thought.

To directly answer your question, your best bet is having the Nursing coordinator at each school do a transcript evaluation for you, and see who offers you more credit, given your education and experience.

As far as the programs, again, I've spent all but about 1 year working in University/teaching hospitals. Based on that experience, and having been at OU for 10 years, I went to Rose. Rose offers Anatomy, Physiology, and Anatomy and Physiology(combined); just bear in mind that the combined A&P may not be accepted, if you do go for a BSN later at another school.

If you are "advanced" as a CNA, (ie, the RNs you work with value your critical thinking and assessment skills, if you seek out learning experiences that may be a bit above the "average" CNS's interest or level of care) the combined A&P will be challenging, but not impossible. Much of the info transfers to and from Micro- I couldn't recommend taking one before the other, though Micro might be a bit easier to digest, as it isn't so broad, and the major focus is cellular metabolism.

Rose offers on-line and evening-weekend for the actual AN program- I'm in the on-line group.

My only prejudice against OCCC is that I haven't worked around many of their students, so I can't say what I think of their training curriculum. I have worked with/around Rose RN and RT students, and their programs seem to be molding some modestly adept minds, so...

Yeah, kinda digging this up from the grave, but at least I had something to offer ( ;

[DebbieMarie]

Hi everyone:

Thank you for your replies. I have attended two semesters at Rose with much success. I've taken A&P, Micro. of Infectious Diseases, and Alternative Therapies (Healing Touch, Reiki, etc.)

Tommorrow, June 24, 2009, I have an appointment with OUHSC to see what my chances are for being admitted to the BSN program. How things change, right?

I thought Micro. would do me in for sure. A&P was okay, although I know I have to take it over separately if I transfer to OUHSC.

Rose is too competitive to get into. The criteria is ridiculous. They will not consider any of my prior academic work from OU in Norman. They said they will not consider the GPA toward my BA or MA. They will only consider the GPA toward my first AA I earned back in 1982 when I was just starting out in college, while still living with my alcoholic parents and my GPA was not so hot. So I cannot compete with the other Rose students for entry into the nursing program.

I have to change to a college that will consider my other academic work. Once I moved away from my parents my GPA soared.

I will let you all know how the meeting goes tomorrow.

By the way, I'm looking for work right now. I'm a CHHA, and CNA, but I cannot lift patients. I don't have a back injury. I just don't have upper body strength. I'm wanting part-time work. No one wants to hire me because I can't lift. I'm very good with the elderly. I'm dependable and warm, friendly. Does anyone know where I can get a job?? I love working in Assisted living centers, especially the fancy ones. I live in Moore. I don't want to take my car too far. It's needs some repairs. But it's still running pretty good.

Hope to hear from someone. Thank you.

DebbieMarie

[cougarnurse]

Deb, glad to hear of your success thus far; sounds like things are going in your favour, slowly but surely. I am sure you'll find some job that's suited for you.

Please keep us posted on that meeting tomorrow!

[DebbieMarie]

Hi Again:

I visited with the Nurse Advisor from OUHSC this afternoon. She said nothing I've taken from Rose will transfer. So I will have to take Micro again, and A & P separately, which I knew. But Micro just about did me in. Gen. Chem. I think I can handle because I love formulas. I already have 36 hours in Statistics. She said I have to take US History again because I made a "D" in it back in the 80's. All of this I think I can handle.

What I can't handle is what she said after that. She said some of the core sciences I'd be taking after all the prereq's are taken are worse than Micro. For example in Nurs 3182 Human Experiences in Acute and Chronic Illness I. Or Nurs 3182 Pharmacology in Nursing,etc. She said there are very tough sciences courses throughout the BSN NOT just in the prereq phase.

I thought after the prereq. were out of the way I would get a break from the hard sciences, but I guess not. The sciences are a real struggle for me. I don't think I want to do this.

I think I'm going to go the LPN route. It breaks my heart to say this. I feel like I'm "settling." But if I have to endure all those hard sciences it will be torture for me.

DebbieMarie

[cougarnurse]

Mind you, there is nothing wrong with the LPN route. Many of us have gone that route for varying reasons. You still can 'learn and earn', if you so wish---so never give up, ok?

[suebird3]

:nurse-stupid: I agree; nothing wrong with being an LPN. as I took that route at first. I am sure you'll get your RN.

[piecebypiece]

Look into Univ of Central Oklahoma. I'm pretty sure that they'll have better news for you than OU. Give Barbara Brent a call: UCO - Department of Nursing: Contacts

Seriously, you won't have to jump through anywhere close to as many hoops at UCO as you would at OU.