1. careers
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How to become a NURSE, Get into Nursing School & Get it PAID for!
Copyright 2010 © Easy Learning University
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How to become a NURSE, Get into Nursing School & Get it PAID for!
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Copyright 2010 © Easy Learning University
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How to become a NURSE, Get into Nursing School & Get it PAID for!
THE SECRETS OF:
HOW TO BECOME A NURSE,
GET INTO NURSING SCHOOL
and GET IT PAID FOR !!
I want you to be successful, and I want you on your road to your dream job as soon as possible.
This book contains the secrets you need to get on the road fast! We need new nurses to be
there for when I am ready to retire…..to take my spot. Now is the time …....for the job that will
give you all the things that you desire and are missing.
Some of you will want and need some background information about what nursing is / tips
about nursing school and job availability….but for many of you …you will want to skip section A
& B and go to section C where you will find the “treasure”….Do not underestimate the power of
section A & B for these sections will give you the background necessary to understand nursing.
They will help you do well on the essay and interview to get into nursing school.
Section A: Nursing- what is it?:
_____________________Page:
What is the definition of nursing?
What does the history of nursing have to do with me?
Who will I work with and would I rather have their job?
Where will I work?
Can I make more $ in one area than another? What is the highest paying
area?
Will I be able to get a job?
What are specialties: certifications and certificates, and do I need or want
one?
What will I be doing?
What is nursing school like?
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Section B: Who can be a nurse?
I don’t like people, can I be a nurse?:
I have a past that involves the law; can I still be a nurse?
Do I have to be physically strong to be a nurse?
I have a physical disability, can I be a nurse?
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How to become a NURSE, Get into Nursing School & Get it PAID for!
What does it take to be licensed as an RN and do I have to continue to go
to school after I’m an RN?
What are Employers expectations for a new grad nurse?
How hard is it for a man to be a nurse?
I do not speak English well, can I be a nurse?
I have math anxiety and I do poorly in the subject when in school, can I still
be a nurse?
Am I too old or too young to be a nurse?
What kind of work schedule can I expect?
Will I get sick a lot…being around all those sick people?
Can I work Part-time as a nurse?
Do I need to join an organization or club to help me in nursing?
This will be a second career, will that hurt me?
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PART C: THE SECRETS: of getting into nursing school and getting it paid for: This is what you
paid the money for
Here it is:
WHAT YOU REALLY WANTED TO SEE
PAGE:
1.Secrets: Some schools are easier to get into than others. part 1:
2. part II Easier schools:
3. part III Easier schools:
4. The secret quarter to apply to:
5. The secret back door to get in:
6. The Secret of : Hidden truth about Accreditation vs. Approved
7. Secret Pass rates:
8. Secrets of: pass rates ( a different kind than in #7)
9.The secret of: Private and expensive schools:
10.The secret of: Private and expensive schools/ they like diversity:
11.The secret of:" Automatically in the nursing program"
12.The secret of: Lottery vs. waiting lists
13.Secret of: How much can I still work, and still get in and succeed?
14. Secret of: Paying for schooling so I can get in and stay.
15. Secret of: Working for someone to pay for it all.
16.The secret of: Using the Military to get into nursing school and pay
for your education
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17. The secret of: Using Military experience to become an RN
18. The secret of: Government programs that pay for your nursing school
19. Secret of: Skipping 2 -3 years if you already have a Bachelor’s degree
and get your master’s degree.
20. The secret of: All interactions are like an interview:
21. The secret: Un- written rules of the Advising appt.
22. The secret of: Letters of recommendation, how to get them and how
to write them.
23. Secrets: To a perfect interview/ and why you must follow them
24. Secrets of: The study groups
25. The secret to: Pre-requisites : and how to do well
26.The secret of: SNO , and how this group can help you get in
27. The secret of: A support person
28. The secret of: Support services at your school
29. The secret of: Getting your textbooks for cheap
30.The secret of: AD vs. BSN vs. Diploma
31. The secret: Hiring practices at your local hospital: You need to know
before picking your school
32. The secret of: Getting the perfect job before graduating from nursing
school
33.The secret of: The odds:
34. The secret of: The follow up:
35. The secret of : BEST study methods to score best on exams:
36. The Secret of: Exercise to Boost brain power & test results/ even a
little exercise!
37. The secret of: Keeping all the Rules: ALL of them!
38. The secret of: The killer ESSAY:
39. The secret of: Getting 85% of your loans paid for by someone else!
40. The secret of: Scholarships/ where and how do I get them
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PART A: NURSING WHAT IS IT?
Nursing defined:
Is it a profession/ occupation or technical discipline? Is it a science or is it art? Nurses
themselves cannot agree on a single definition. It involves knowing and doing.
Many colleges consider it a technical program. Because of this designation many people feel
that the respect it deserves is not present. There is a move to elevate the designation of nursing
to a profession. The majority of the public would view it as a profession and a very honorable
one at that.
Some of the attraction to nursing stems from the fact that it is both science and art. Nurses
must be aware of how the body works and the science of medicine but, it is mixed with the
ability to interact with the patient in a way that creates art. Some say it is high tech and high
touch….where you can make a difference!
The definition of a nurse has evolved through time. Progress continues in a positive direction.
Many people still do not understand the role of the nurse in healthcare….some may still see a
nurse as a handmaiden to the doctor and this keeps many people from seeking the profession.
The modern nurse today is a partner in the healthcare team. It is a team that works with the
patient. Today’s nurse must have knowledge and be capable of applying that knowledge. They
need the ability to critically think and do it on the run. Doctors look to nurses for advice and
have input for patient care. Complexities of care have increased at an alarming rate……the
nurse today must have technical skills as well as communicative skills.
Stereotypes may exist in nursing, for example: all nurses are women and all doctors are men.
These stereotypes have influenced the development and definition of nursing over the years.
They influence the development of those occupations. We can dismiss these stereotypes
today….. 55% of med schools consist of females and… 12-15% of nursing schools are male (with
each year increasing in number).
Media has a great influence on the definition and the public’s view of nursing. Adolescents with
limited exposure to actual nurses on the job will rely on media to formulate their views of
nursing. These views will influence their choice of occupation. It is common to have nurses in
the media shown incorrectly. Popular long running shows like ER and Greys Anatomy will have
MD’s performing the nurse’s job. The nurse may be portrayed only as a romantic interest. This
Copyright 2010 © Easy Learning University
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How to become a NURSE, Get into Nursing School & Get it PAID for!
inaccurate picture of nursing will influence the public’s view of what an actual nurse does and
may influence career choices.
As people have actual experience with the nurse in the hospital or health care setting, opinions
will change. As they see independent, thinking, competent people making major contributions
to health care, public definitions of nursing will change. I am amazed at how many students
enter the profession because of another nurse. They have had firsthand contact with the nurse
and see what they do, the influence they have on patients and healthcare. When people
experience it they know the truth.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing as: “ the protection, promotion, and
optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering
through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of
individuals, families, communities, and population.”
We will discuss the history of nursing next and you will be able to see how you we have been
influenced by its history in determining what nursing is today.
Copyright 2010 © Easy Learning University
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What is the history of nursing?
And what does it have to do with me today?
To understand nursing today and the attitudes that exist around nursing we must look at
nursing in the past.
Nursing has existed since the beginning of time, constantly evolving. Those performing this
occupation have varied, from gender to occupation. In ancient civilizations like Egypt, it was
performed by the priests, like most early cultures, they viewed health and security as keeping
the gods happy. Illness meant that some presence of evil spirit was in the possession of the sick
patient. To regain health the evil spirits needed to be driven out but, this culture did possess
technology for health care. Papyrus books were found dating to 3000B.C. that outline surgical
techniques, disease processes and classifications of over 700 drugs.
Some cultures believed that women were not pure enough for the act of nursing and only men
were allowed to care for the ill. Many religious groups controlled the care of the sick, and felt it
“a calling” requiring giving up all to “serve” believing the sacrifice would be rewarding in
another life, “ the martyr “. During what is referred to as the “dark ages” of nursing, hospital
nursing was performed by “uncommon women & men” consisting of prisoners, drunks and
prostitutes. Pay was poor, hours long and work was difficult. The nurse was regarded as the
most menial of servants.
The birth of modern nursing comes from Florence Nightingale. She was from a wealthy class
and well educated. She became a nurse and improved nursing drastically. Improving the public
image of nursing as a profession. She brought structure and nursing education to a new level.
But she also held beliefs that only women held the proper skills and temperament to be a
nurse. It was expected that the student nurse live at the hospital and work there. The student
was present at least 12 hours a day 6 ½ days a week. It consisted of on the job training or an
apprenticeship type model. This model continued for some time.
Even today the nurse is not portrayed by media in an accurate light. TV shows like ER, House,
and Greys Anatomy depict doctors carrying out nursing functions. Nurses are highlighted for
romantic /diversion drama.
Beliefs and practices of nursing have been carried forward and current media portrayal of
nursing continues to miss the mark. The past and the present media version helps to create
and contribute to many of the stereotypes of nursing that exist today. You need a true and
clear picture of what a nurse is today.
Copyright 2010 © Easy Learning University
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Stereotypes based on history and current media includes false impressions and beliefs that
affect nursing. From the history discussed above you can now understand possible examples
and beliefs given below…they may include:
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“low pay is deserved because it is your calling to serve” It is wrong for nurses to seek
raises or strike. Your reward will come in other non-tangible forms.
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“the doctor is on the floor, give up your seat”, serve him.
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“are you going into nursing so you can marry a doctor?”
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“ why are you complaining about mandatory overtime, you are a giver?”
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“ jump up in this bed and give me a kiss sweetie!”
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“ very long hard hours with verbal abuse in nursing school, that is what is expected to
earn your spot”
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“ don’t go into nursing, all you will be doing is emptying bed pans and wiping doctors
noses”
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“ why are nurses always so mean?”
These stereotypes all have a basis from history and from current media. They keep students
from seeking nursing as a profession and hold the profession back as well. This book will help
you see what nurses really do and what is in store for you.
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Who will I work with and would I rather have their job?
RN Nurses use to work as a single unit taking care of a specific number of patients. Now nurses
work in teams paired with many other medical professionals who support and work with the
RN. Maybe one of these occupations will interest you more, or will serve as a backup plan. The
salaries shown are averages; your geographical area may reflect higher or lower pay.
Let’s look at those supporting professions: I highlighted those areas taking less than two years
of education
Certified Nursing Assistant: Average wage 11-14$/hr.
Training time: 2-6 months, usually needs H.S. diploma and certification from an accredited
nursing assistant program.
Certified nursing assistants (CNA’s) assist with a variety of patient care activities and related
needs and services necessary for caring for patients. This can be a challenging physical job.
CNA’s check vital signs, bathe patients, empty catheters, assist with feeding patients, and assist
physical and occupational therapy, move and transport patients, dressing and hygiene, help
walk patients after surgery or in need of rehabilitation. May clean, sterilize, store and prepare
supplies as needed. May assist with certain procedures and document patient interactions as
needed. They may be allowed to draw blood or check blood sugar levels or do dressing
changes in some states with supervision. Reports to licensed practical nurse(LPN) or registered
nurse (RN). Many nursing programs require the applicant to obtain their CNA license prior to
applying to nursing school. Working as a CNA will allow you to get a feel for nursing and
working with patients. This is a good way to decide if you will like nursing. Generally students
who have worked as a CNA are more comfortable touching and interacting with the patient.
Your skills as a CNA will be utilized as a nurse. You may be required to supervise and delegate to
CNA’s as a nurse, if you have worked as one you will be more acclimated to what is required
and needed to perform.
Surgical Technician: Average wage 15-23$/hr.
9-20 months training time.
Some programs require a CNA license as a pre-requisite. Surgical technicians work in the
surgery area as the right hand to doctors and nurses, especially during surgery. They assist with
surgical instrument set up and maintain sterility and clean up. They assist with equipment and
surgical instruments as instructed. You may have to be on your feet for 12 hours in the
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operating room, so physical ability to do so is a must. You may work in a hospital or off site
surgical center.
Some hospitals may offer their own training.
Medical Assistant: Average wage: 14-20$/hr.
10-22 months training time.
Medical assistants (MA’s) and certified medical assistants work mostly in doctors’ offices or in a
clinic setting but may be crossed trained as ER techs in hospitals or other specialty positions.
Many health care sites are replacing LPN’s with MA’s.
MA’s do blood draws, vital signs, perform EKG’s, connect patients to monitors and assist with
procedures and well as scheduling of appointments for specialists / procedures etc.
They assist in examination and treatment of patients under the direction of a physician. They
will interview patients, measure vital signs (i.e., pulse rate, temperature, blood pressure,
weight, and height), and record information on patients' charts. They may be required to draw
and collect blood samples from patients and prepare specimens for laboratory analysis. They
are responsible to prepare treatment rooms for examination of patients.
A high school diploma or equivalent is needed for a medical assistant certificate.
They perform a variety of tasks and typically report to a supervisor or manager which may be a
nurse.
Health Unit Coordinator ( Secretary)
Average pay per hour $12-18/hr. 6-12 months training time.
Usually trained on the job. Health Unit coordinators (HUC’s) control the phone lines, make calls
to physicians, labs, x-ray etc. they may assist in admitting patients . In some emergency rooms
they may take report from inbound ambulances on the phone. They are the hub of hospital
floors. They know where things and people are and where they are going. They answer
questions from the public / family and have the “pulse” on the floor, they help keep things
running smoothly. A good understanding of medical terminology is a must, medical software,
billing procedures, form completion, lab and test procedures. Interpersonal communication /
and phone skills is a must. Nurses work closely with the HUC’s in hospitals and clinics.
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Licensed Practical Nurse:
Average pay $18-25/hr
12-18 months (national/state exam is required)
Workplace can vary. Hospital, clinic, long term care (LTC)(referred to as nursing homes in past
years), insurance companies, dialysis centers. Many times they do the next level of care that
MA’s aren’t allowed to do. They usually are found working in Clinics and LTC’ units. They may
handle telephone triage, catheterization, starting IV’s ( additional certification may be
required), clinical patient assessments, vaccinations, wound care and assist with clinical surgical
procedures. Might be required to supervise CNA’s and other team members. Usually supervised
by registered nurses.
PT Physical therapy tech or assistant /may be licensed
Average pay: 15-21$/hr.
2-24 months. Some states may require an accredited associates degree program and licensure
Possibly may be trained on the job if your state allows. You will be assisting a physical therapist
with rehabilitative activities to improve mobility and reduce pain. Physical therapist will oversee
the patients plan of care and you will assist in carrying the plan out. Reports to the Physical
therapist.
Emergency Medical Technician(EMT)
Average pay: $15-23/hr.
2-6 months; H.S. diploma usually required and usually an age requirement of 18. Must be
licensed by the state and registering with the EMT national registry. Licensure involves passing
a state test and practicum.
Workplace may be on an ambulance or Emergency Room. They respond to emergency calls ,
usually 911 calls and are dispatched to the scene. They must assess the situation , obtain a
medical history and conduct a physical examination on the patient. They provide emergency
care at the scene utilizing medical equipment and are then responsible to transport the patient
to the hospital. They communicate to the facility receiving the patient and give report on the
patients status and arrival time. May work and live with firemen. Many fireman are crosstrained as EMT’s.
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Emergency Room Technician
Average pay: $14-20/hr.
2-12months/ requirements vary from state to state: schools are available that offer certificate
programs, Some hospitals may train on the job with a MA or CNA or EMT license.
As the name implies you will be working in an emergency room which differs from an EMT who
has the training and licensing to work outside the hospital. You will be assisting the RN’s and ER
physicians. May assist or be responsible for EKG’s, drawing blood for tests, vital signs,
assessment of the patient and applying monitors, wound care and dressings, splint application,
medical procedures, clerical work ,manage equipment, transporting and moving patients for
exams and diagnostic tests.
These areas of health care generally involve working with registered nurses and patients. A
registered nurse may be required to supervise any or all of the above personnel. Training or
schooling time is less than a registered nurse which may be more appealing to you. Be wary of
schooling at specialty schools that charge very high tuitions for many of the positions listed. I
recently advised a young man who had incurred debt of over $50,000 to become an MA where
salaries started at 12$/hr. for a new MA in the area where he lived. It would be many years at
this salary before he could pay off this type of debt. Many community colleges offer these type
of programs for considerably less. Many of our applicants for nursing school come from one of
the areas discussed. They usually do very well in nursing school. They already understand the
culture of medicine and patient care. Medical terms are very comfortable to them. You may
consider one of these careers as a first step before coming a nurse to get your “feet wet” so to
speak.
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Where will I work?
Can I make more $ in one area than another
What is the highest paying area?
There are many different areas of nursing you can choose from. There is something for
everyone. And if down the road, you become bored or maybe you just need a change or a
challenge…..nursing has it. The pay may vary from one area to another. Let’s look at the latest
figures for average pay for the different areas of nursing. These are for RN’s.
This pay is the average in the U.S. Your area may differ, California is going to be significantly
higher and a more rural area of the country may be a bit less.
Home Health:
$78,000
Emergency Room:
$83,000
Case Manager
$ 73,000
NICU (neonatal ICU) $ 87,000
Operating Room
$ 81,000
Hospice
$ 78,000
Medical/ Surgical
$ 77,000
(The majority of hospital RN’s fall into this category)
Travel Nurse
$ 72,000 + benefits: may include housing & travel
ICU
$ 88,000
Clinical Manager
$ 83,000
Clinic
$ 61,000
There are many areas of nursing other than those listed. Add to the list all of these for
consideration:
Labor and Delivery
Pediatric
Cancer Care
Rehabilitation
Community Nurse
School Nurse
Research
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Long Term Care
Parish Nursing
Assisted Care Nurse
Neurological specialist
Women’s Health
Pharmacy Representative
Medical Equipment Representative
Health Educator
Diabetes Specialist
Orthopedics
Out Patient Surgery
Staff Development, in-service
Dermatology Clinic (Open your own dermatology clinic, very popular right now, and very
profitable)
Legal Consultant
Immunization Clinics
Teacher: of CNA’s LPN’s, MA’s, Phlebotomy and RN’s
Worldwide Mission work
Behavioral/Mental health
Addiction Recovery Nurse
Neuroscience nurse
Out Patient Procedure Nurse
Geriatric /Watch the video on the need for this type of nurse:
http://nursing.psu.edu/hartford/educators_caring.html
Occupational Health
Rehabilitation Nurse
Public Health
Genetics Nurse
Administration/ management
HIV/AIDS nurse
Renal/Dialysis
Intellectual and developmental disabilities nurse
Telemetry medical
Burn Care
Mother/Baby Care
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Neonatal
Cardiac Rehab
Prison nurses
Trauma nurse/ Air flight/ ambulance
Infection control nurse
Informatics nurse
Forensic nurse
SANE nurse (sexual assault nurse)
Holistic/ Alternative therapies i.e.: acupuncture, massage, aroma therapy etc.
Infusion nurse (IV therapy only) in hospital or home care
Wound/ ostomy care nurse
Transplant nurse
Special Procedures
Armed Forces/ Reserves
Business (many companies have found that it is easier to teach and train nurses about business,
than to teach business people about health care).
The list is long: for every medical specialty there is a career in nursing that goes along with it.
There is a book available to purchase titled "101 jobs in nursing!" You do not have to make a
decision now, but go in to nursing school with your eyes wide open to the possibilities. Your
choice of area to work in may influence your request for a certain clinical rotation while in
school.
Decide to go to school a few extra years and obtain a master’s degree: then…really look at the
numbers.
Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) $140,000 /watch this video on nurse anesthetist
http://www.aana.com/BecomingCRNA.aspx?id=1024
Nurse Practitioner $ 92,000 Watch the video on shortage of General Practitioner MD's and the
need for nurse practitioners
http://video.pbs.org/video/1951907817
Nurse midwife $ 97,000
These nurses work as advanced practice nurses who work independently or in collaboration
with physicians and focus on providing primary care services in many areas and may specialize.
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Nurse anesthetists provide anesthesia during surgery and other procedures. Nurse Practitioners
may specialize in the areas of family practice, adult or women’s health, pediatrics, acute care,
emergency medicine, and mental health. They may prescribe medications. Nurse midwife
provides prenatal care and assists with the delivery of the baby.
About 60-80% of RN jobs are in the hospital with 82% of new grad nurses reporting working in
acute care (hospital) environments. That percentage is forecasted to be reduced as more and
more procedures and care are moved to outpatient clinics/ services and surgery centers. Jobs
will switch to these locations. RN’s constitute the largest healthcare occupation with over 2.6
million jobs.
Many of the positions in the community environment require Baccalaureate degree’s vs.
Associates degree's but, this is often waived when RN’s are in short supply. Make sure there is
plenty of support if you decide to take more of an autonomous independent position in the
community as a new nurse.
Explore your likes and dislikes. What clinical rotation did you enjoy the most? Where did you
feel most comfortable? Do you like to work independently? Do you like action and
unpredictability or do you prefer more of a steady environment. How much freedom do you
want in your position? Consider both your personality and your strengths before choosing.
Create goals for yourself. You may have a short term goal that will lead to your long term
goal…..like….you may want a solid medical surgical background before you move to an
independent position in the community.
Ask yourself questions like these to help determine where you may want to specialize:
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Are you an adrenaline junkie?: If you love high adventure sports, then consider ER, flight
nurse, trauma. Especially if you handle emergency situations well.
Do you like babies and birth?: Can’t wait to hold one…consider mother / baby areas to
work.
Have family members or yourself who have certain conditions and you would like to
help others like you or them?: consider diabetes educator, oncology work, whatever the
experience there is a specialty to match.
Enjoy public speaking?: consider public health, or nurse educator in a school or at a
hospital.
Love the mind and your psych class?: Consider mental health. Help those with
emotional, addiction and mental disorders.
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Love technology?: consider high tech diagnostic procedure specialties.
Enjoy the aged?: geriatric nursing is always in need.
Want to travel?: join a traveling agency, see the world
Enjoy being independent?: consider home care.
Natural born leader?: pick areas where there are leadership opportunities
Like structure?: military might be an option.
Outstanding with children?: pediatrics may be your spot.
Want to help the world?: peace-corp., mission work may be for you.
And remember, you can always change. What fun!
An unlimited opportunity for career development and change!
You will NEVER be bored in nursing with so many options and directions to go.
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Will I be able to get a job?
The job of RN is in demand with a projected 800,000 shortage by 2020. Several reasons are
responsible for the shortage and demand for RN’s. The demand for RN’s is expected to increase
in all areas, with a increase in demand by 40% between 2000 and 2020. There are multiple
reasons for the demand.
 Aging workforce: the majority of RN’s in practice are age 48-57 and heading for
retirement. There are not enough student nurses in the pipeline to replace the number
projected to retire
 Aging population: The baby boomers are moving into retirement and aging. This large
group of people is moving into the lifespan when health care services are used more
readily.
 Increased longevity: Our ability to manage chronic illness has allowed us to live longer.
This also means this population will need increased health care. There is an expected
increase of 54% in those 65 and older. The aged are the largest group of consumers of
health care services.
 Too few nursing school openings:
o It costs a lot of money to educate nurses and many schools are hesitant to
commit more money to these slots. The ratio of instructor to student ratio for
clinical supervision is mandated by state regulation: usually no more than a 1-10
or 1-12 ratio…unlike intro to psychology that may have over 300 students in an
auditorium receiving instruction. There has been an increase in graduating
nurses in the past 10 years but, the trend is now going in the other direction.
With recent budget cuts to education, administrators are looking for costly
programs to eliminate or reduce and nursing is moving to the top of the list for
cuts to open slots in nursing school.
o Schools of nursing have to compete for clinical sites and may be limited to how
many students they can place at these sites. This leads to another reason for
limited admission numbers.
o Nursing faculty is hard to come by. A Masters in Nursing or PhD is required to
teach in most states or required by the college or university. The private sector
pays more than education salaries, making it difficult to recruit into these
nursing faculty positions.
So for these reasons: you will be in demand. In times of economic difficulty it may be more
difficult for a new nurse to find her first job. The recession of 2008—12 has found part time
nurses returning to full time and retired nurses returning to the work place. Full time nurses
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picking up extra shifts. Elective surgery numbers go down and thus lower hospital numbers and
need for nurses.
Watch this PBS broadcast on nursing shortage/ projected need for future:
http://video.pbs.org/video/1301585391
Hospitals will choose an experienced nurse over a new graduate. For this reason you may not
be able to be picky with your choice for jobs in a tight economy, which always turns around
sooner or later. I still see all the graduates finding jobs…..some taking a bit longer and choices
are not as plentiful. The top student nurses are finding their perfect job! Continue reading in my
secret section to find the answer to how to land these coveted jobs in the area of your choice.
Go to your states website below to see the projected need.
http://www.healthguideusa.org/careers/registered_nurse_job_outlook.htm"
http://www.realmarketing.com/job_outlook/job_outlook_by_State.htm
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What are specialties: certifications and certificates, and do I need or
want one?
I have listed many of the specialties above. Some of them have certifications you can obtain by
completing some additional requirements. National professional organizations representing
these specialties confer the certification. After completing the requirements and paying the fee
you will be awarded the right to wear additional initials after your name and RN initials on your
badge. Some nurses start to look a bit over the top when they acquire multiple certifications
and insist on putting all of them behind their name on their work name tag. It may require an
add on name badge to fit them on. Pick your favorite and the one that represents where you
are currently working…..so co-workers will still invite you for lunch and not make fun of you.
Most areas of specialty do not require certifications to work there but, many are starting to
require them after so many months or years of working the specialty unit. In a tight economy
with plentiful nurses they may opt to require certification. Having the certification may give you
a leg up when applying to work in the area of your chosen specialty.
Requirements vary for each area to receive your designation. Some require so many months or
years of working the area, along with passing a test. Many have online courses you can take to
prepare you to pass the test; others may have weekend conferences you can attend.
The designation does show you have knowledge and expertise in the area. Some employers
may give you a bonus if you earn one. Some may give you an increase in pay. And you just may
want to get one to make all your co-workers jealous with all those initials after your name….just
for fun!
A certificate is different; some may have more meaning than others. It may mean nothing more
than you attended an in-service of some type or class. Others may be a weekend long class with
an exam involved. Some certificates may be needed to work in specialty areas or work at the
facility. A current CPR certificate will be needed for all nurses, and possibly for nursing school
before admittance. Your employer or school may offer this type of certificate classes as part of
in-service or orientation. Other certificates you may see needed: ACLS (advanced cardiac life
support) a 1-2 day class to learn about meds and other areas to go along with your CPR. Or the
pediatric version of ACLS may be needed to work in pediatrics or Emergency Room: PALS
(pediatric advanced life support). Some may argue that the certificates just listed are really
certification/the term is seen as interchangeable in many instances: but you would be made fun
of if you listed CPR behind your name and RN.
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Nursing school is so packed with content that it is virtually impossible to fit any additional
training into it…....so we have certifications and certificates.
Here is a list of some of the certifications offered and what the initials stand for, there are
literally hundreds of these certifications. This is good news: more areas to work in and move
around in as you desire with special certification to demonstrate your expertise.
This is not a complete list! But it gives you an idea of what is available and more ideas for
where you might want to work. And you now know what all those initials mean.
AOCN: advanced oncology certified nurse
APN: advanced practice nurse
CAPA: certified ambulatory perianesthesia nurse
CARN: certified addictions registered nurse
CBN: certified bariatric nurse
CCCN certified continence care nurse
CCM: certified case manager
CCNS: certified critical care nurse
CCTN: certified clinical transplant nurse
CDDN: certified developmental disabilities nurse
CDE: certified diabetes educator
CDMS: certified disability management specialist
CDN: certified dialysis nurse
CDONA/LTC certified director of nursing administration/Long term care
CEN: certified emergency nurse
CETN: certified enerostomal therapy nurse
CFCN: certified foot care nurse
CFN: certified forensic nurse
CFRN: certified flight registered nurse
CHES: certified health education specialist
CGN: certified gastroenterology nurse
CHN: certified hemodyalisis nurse
CHPN: certified hospice and palliative nurse
CHRN: certified hyperbaric registered nurse
CIC: certified infection control
CMSRN: certified medical surgical registered nurse
CLNC: certified legal nurse consultant
CM: certified midwife
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CNE: certified nurse educator (I have this one)
CNLCP: certified nurse life care planner
CNN: certified in nephrology nursing
CNOR: certified nurse, operating room
CNRN: certified neuroscience registered nurse
CNSN: certified nutrition support nurse
COCN: certified ostomy care nurse
COHN: certified occupational health nurse
CORLN: certified otorhinolaryngology nurse
CPAN: certified post anesthesia nurse
CPDN: certified peritoneal dialysis nurse
CPEN: certified pediatric emergency nurse
CPSN: certified plastic surgical nurse
CRN: certified radiologic nurse
CRNA: certified registered nurse anesthetist
CRNI: certified registered nurse intravenous
CSC: cardiac surgery certification
CTN: certified transcultural nurse
CTRS: certified therapeutic recreational specialist
CVN: certified vascular nurse
CWCN: certified wound care nurse
NCSN: national certification school nurse
RNC-OB: registered nurse certified in maternal newborn nursing
RNC-NIC: registered nurse certified in neonatal intensive care
SANE-A: sexual assault nurse examiner-adult/adolescent
TNS: trauma nurse specialist
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What will I be doing?
Regardless of setting or specialty, nurses are usually involved with the care, treatment and
education of patients. Some of the above mentioned jobs involve the community as your
patient and education would occur to the community. You will provide emotional support to
the patent as well as the patient’s family.
I could write a book about each of the above specialty areas of work describing what you would
be doing in each area. You will be able to examine a lot of these areas as you are in school and
attend clinicals, observing first hand. Ask questions and observe what the nurse is doing and ask
yourself if you would enjoy that type of work. Ask them what special training they needed or
was on the job training available….do they hire new graduates to the area? And above all
impress the heck out of them so when graduation time comes they will want you!
Some of your general responsibilities as an RN may include but are not limited to: (these will
vary based on where you are working):
 Recording medical histories/ investigating symptoms
 Help perform diagnostic tests / exams and analyze results
 Operate medical equipment and machinery
 Administer treatments and medications: i.e.: IV’s, catheters, suctioning, wound care,
exercises, blood administration, to name a few.
 Teach patients and families how to manage illnesses/ injuries and home care needs
 Observe and assess the patient/ record and respond accordingly based on findings
 Consult with Physicians and other Healthcare members and coordinate care
 Delegation and supervision of assistive personnel which may include: LPN’s & nurses’
aides
 Maintain the safety of your patient
 Assist with attaining or maintaining or recovering health and quality of life from birth /
conception to death
 Work as part of a team/ which includes the patient as a partner
 Help individuals at some of the most difficult times of their lives
 Coaching, working with the patient as a partner in their health care
 Manage critical and rapidly changing conditions: identify the problem or crisis, react and
manage the situation until help arrives like the doctor
 Monitor the patient: detect changes in the condition as well as anticipate possible
problems with your patient and react accordingly
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RN’s create plans of care and modify existing plans. You will hear the term Nursing Process to
describe what nurses do. This process includes: Assessment: you will be assessing your patient
initially and on-going. You will use this information to decide what is going on, evaluating
weakness and strengths and in essence diagnosing them through a nurse’s eye. You will then
determine a plan of how to best take care of the patient which may include M.D orders
(medications, IV’s, etc.), and nursing interventions , your plan will involve other health care
workers ( the team working with the patient), and last you will be evaluating the plan and how
things are going, changing and adjusting your plan as necessary.
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What is nursing school like?
Nursing school is a full-time endeavor, unless you have found the option of a part-time program
(a few exist, but are hard to find) the norm is full time.
The nursing courses will include classroom with a few exceptions of online programs. Your
program may be a hybrid program which involves both online and classroom attendance. Most
states & national accreditation boards dictate how many hours and general material that needs
to be included.
The programs have a lot of freedom in what, how and the type of material to be taught but, still
need to meet state and national guidelines. Nursing school also includes supervised clinical
hands on experience in health care settings. These setting could include long term care centers
(nursing homes), hospitals, clinics, birthing centers, schools and other community health
outreach sites. Most likely the majority of your clinical time will be spent in the hospital on
different units or floors.
Your courses will include lab-time. Lab will include learning hands on skills, practicing on each
other and mannequins. You may be required to show proficiency of the skill in the lab before
attending the clinical site and performing the skill on an actual patient. The good news… you
will have a clinical instructor or experienced nurse who will be at your side for those “firsts”.
It will be difficult to work and attend nursing school. More discussion will occur later in this
book, in the "Secrets" section ( part C) on how much work is too much, and the secrets to
success.
Classes may be held anywhere from 2-5 days a week. Do not be surprised if clinical days are
held on the weekends or evenings. Clinical facilities are overburdened with nursing schools
asking for times the students can come to learn and work. Too many students working at the
same time can create a burden for the working nurses and the patients and make for unsafe
practice. Some facilities refuse to have students, possibly because of bad experiences or
employees not wanting to help teach or assist students. Requests are usually taken by your
school for certain clinical times that will work best for you. If you absolutely cannot work
weekends for clinical experience days, you may want to ask if this is a possibility before
applying to that particular school.
Class size will vary for classroom instruction. Most states have laws that govern how many
students are allowed per instructor for clinical instruction in public health care setting. Our
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state sets the limit at 10. Your lab instruction group will usually include a smaller number of
students as well. This allows for one on one help and assistance when caring for the patients.
Nursing school is a new adventure, you should enjoy the journey. It can be intense and stressful
to many students. The work load is generally greater than your pre-requisites. Time
management is a must. Learning to study more efficiently should be your goal. You may have to
change how you have studied in the past. Nursing textbooks are thick with lots of reading. You
may have to learn how to skim, highlight and study so you get the most “bang” for your time.
Advisors, instructors, counselors and study centers are available at all campuses to help you
with this process. It is important to get help sooner rather than later. Learn these skills during
your pre-requisites so you will be ready to hit the door running.
Your fellow classmates will become lifelong friends. You will be on the journey together and
bonding will occur. It is possible that you may be seeing more of them than some of your
friends for a few years. This support group of your peer students will help you get through on
days you want to quit. They will remind you of why you picked nursing. They will NOT let you
quit….and you will do the same for them on bad days….keep your eye on the prize!
You will want to stay in contact with them for ongoing updates of job openings and
information on the best place to work. They will be great resources for networking to further
your career.
It will amaze you on how fast the time will pass. You will be through before you know it! Enjoy
the journey……………………………….
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Section B: Who can be a nurse?
I don’t like people, can I be a nurse?:
You will be dealing with the public and a good trait for the occupation of nursing would be to
“like people” but not a total deal breaker.
I had a student once who came to me for advice after her first quarter of nursing school and
told me she was going to quit nursing school….her reason: “she had decided that she really
didn’t like people or being around people.” On the surface this sounds like a pretty good reason
to leave nursing.
After talking with her further, it came out that she had just broke up with a very long term
boyfriend and was still grieving the loss. She pretty much not only hated people in general…but
hated life in general. She had spent a lot of time doing all the pre-requisite courses and had
finished her first quarter successfully. She needed some time to heal before making the
decision to quit.
In the mean time I talked with her about all of the available jobs to nurses that did not involve
people. There are plenty of insurance companies who would love to hire you to work in a back
cubicle reviewing charts and claims all day long and doing case management work. I talked to
her about the opportunities in research and working behind a mask in the operating room or
doing chart audits in your own office. After reassuring her that jobs were available that did not
involve a lot of people contact she made the decision to stick around.
The good news, with time came some healing and by graduation she realized that she really did
like to work with people and avoided the insurance job working in the cubicle. I bring this story
up to demonstrate a point. No matter what your personality…..there is a job for you in nursing!
True, the ability and nature of liking people makes you a more likely candidate to enjoy the field
of nursing but it is not a deal breaker if you don’t.
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I have a past, which involves the law; can I still be a nurse?
This can be a deal buster. A record that included “rustling cattle” is a deal buster in our state.
What the state will or will not allow varies from state to state. If you are a registered sex
offender, this is most always a deal buster. Most schools will require a background check, which
will turn up any convictions you have on file. If you manage to get around the check for the
school …..you may not get by the check that the state does before issuing your license after you
have gone through all the schooling and are ready for licensure.
Word to the wise, if you have a past conviction, before applying to nursing school check with
your local state board of nursing to see if you will be allowed to hold a license in your state. Use
the state list I provide you in the bonus section to find the phone number and web site to
contact your state.
A sad story. A student who had an incident during his last year of nursing school which he kept
from everyone. He thought he was safe because he had passed the initial background check.
When he went to apply for his license from the state, his offense came up and he was
disallowed from holding an RN license. He said he agreed to a plea bargain for a guilty verdict.
He said if he had known he would have pleaded not guilty and fought the accusation.
The state has the responsibility to protect the public. Many of the individuals that nurses care
for are vulnerable, incapable of protecting themselves and need advocates on a state level to
protect them. So the state has created a list of offenses that they deem may pose a threat to
those individuals. You would be surprised as to what is allowed by many states…..be on the safe
side….if you have something in your past….research to make sure it is not a “ deal
breaker”…before you start taking your pre-requisites.
Nursing is seen as a very ethical profession. For the 11th year running it was named by Gallup
Poll as leading all others as "MOST ETHICAL ". The public viewed nurses as the most honest and
ethical, with military officers 2nd and pharmacists 3rd, at the bottom of the list were car
salespeople, lobbyist and members of congress. The only break in this 11year run was in 2001
when firemen beat out nurses after 9-11. The public has set the bar high for nurses. They
TRUST you.
Years ago I was setting up a display at an information session for H.S. seniors advertising our
school of nursing. I was approached by someone setting up their display from a different
private university in the same state. She immediately started telling me her very sad story
involving her health and personal problems related to her illness. Total stranger, yet she trusted
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me (a nurse) to keep her problems in confidence and she trusted that I could help her and
comfort her in some way. This is the trust she had in the profession of nursing, not in me the
stranger.
Most public schools have an open-door policy in regard to criminal records, so technically the
nursing program cannot refuse admittance based on this criteria. But if you push this open
admission policy, you may go through the entire nursing program and then be ineligible to
receive an RN license based on your states criteria.
Another dilemma that may exist: Your criminal offense will be allowed by the state for license
but the clinical sites used by the college/ nursing program have a stricter list of qualifications
and will not hire or allow students with certain criminal background to take care of patients at
their facility. So, you will not be eligible for placement for clinical experience and therefore will
fail your classes for incompletion of work. When in doubt, be upfront with a nursing advisor, so
she can assist you in your decision to pursue nursing before you have completed all of your prerequisites and then are faced with this dilemma?
Because of this image and because of the vulnerable that nurse’s care for, the public and
regulatory government will continue to hold nurses to a higher standard of behavior than those
who run for government office.
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Do I have to be physically strong to be a nurse?
I do not know of a program that requires a physical performance test, like firemen or police
candidates have to go through. You will NOT be asked to perform 50 push-ups or 10 pull-ups. A
rare program may require a physical exam. What you will probably be asked to do is sign a
document or a statement that says you have read and understand the requirements.
What are those requirements? Many times nursing programs will take the requirements from
their clinical sites. Clinical sites are those sites the program visits for training of their students.
These may vary, so the strictest guidelines will be used.
What might the guidelines look like? The Candidate must possess the physical abilities to
generally function and be able to execute movements required to provide care to patients in
the health care setting:
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Able to balance: Maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, stooping,
standing and in other conditions.
Reach: Extend hand and arm in all directions
Walk: move by foot to accomplish job, may include long distance
Stand: May include sustained periods
Bending/ crouching : frequent stooping may be needed
Pushing & Pulling
Lifting: raising objects/patients from a lower to a higher position or horizontally. 50#’s
Kneeling/crawling
Fingering: picking, pinching, typing and working with fingers
Physical stamina: energy to carry out duties
Senses: able to gather information with all senses- especially:
o eyesight: from afar and capable of close visual inspection
o hearing : able to understand conversation and gather auditory information: i.e.:
patient voice, heart tones, bowel and lung sounds
Other requirements may include items other than physical requirements: mental
competencies. Statements may be included to keep those that are mentally unstable
and mentally incapable of performing as a nurse at a distance to protect patients. These
statements may include items like:
o Adaptability to: situations, accepting responsibilities, direction, control, planning,
feelings, ideas, dealing with people, evaluations, decisions, giving and receiving
directions, perform under stress, set limits, tolerance, perform variety of duties,
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empathy, ambiguity, critically think, synthesize, effective communication oral
and written, effective relationships, changing tasks.
So how strict are these guidelines and if I have an old football injury from high school which
keeps me from kneeling for long periods of time will "I be ok?" "I am on anti-depressants." Will
disclosure keep me from being nurse? This leads to the next question below.
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I have a physical disability can I be a nurse?
You will not be asked to be tested in the above requirements. Although, I recently saw a 4’ 8”
75 pound nurse’s aide candidate be asked to demonstrate her ability to lift 50 #’s and transfer a
client unassisted at a Long Term Care Facility (LTC). She was unable to perform the task. She
was told that she would not be hired by the LTC but, she may be eligible for other places of
work like: assisted care where lifting would not be an issue. The facility was trying to keep
patients and the worker safe. With the cost of workmen’s comp insurance premium rates rising,
the facility wants no one getting injured. Better to identify potential problems ahead of time
before a claim occurs, and an employee becomes permanently disabled.
My admissions committee has allowed a candidate with only 3 fingers on one hand after he
demonstrated he could handle a syringe and perform other tasks a nurse would be asked to do.
Candidates with hearing difficulties have been evaluated and allowed in to the nursing program
with adaptive equipment purchased (electronic amplified stethoscope) for assistance.
Best judge, may be you. Job shadow a nurse to see what exactly the job entails and honestly ask
yourself if your old football injury would keep you from performing the job? Some areas of the
hospital do afford an easier physical load. While I was 8-9 months pregnant I opted to work in
the psychiatric floor. This area was much easier physically, skills needed here were all verbal,
and I still had those. Keep in mind you will have to perform at multiple clinical sites while in
school and will not have the option of picking the “easier” less physically demanding floor.
The college may have a very open policy which may include almost all disabilities. The disability
services department at your college provides accommodation. Many of these services will not
apply to the nursing school. Deaf and blind services might be available by the school but, not
the nursing dept. /program. The nursing department is only required to provide reasonable
accommodations. Emphasis is on the word: reasonable. The program is not required to make
modifications that would alter the nature or requirements of the program or provide an undue
burden at the college or its clinical sites (this means money).There are a few programs in the
country who do allow access to their nursing programs for blind and deaf students. The jobs
open to this candidate would be limited.
I have students who have struggled with test taking anxiety, I have advised them to go to
disability services to receive accommodations for extended test taking time in a quiet
environment. This accommodation has helped their performance tremendously. Be aware,
some colleges will not cover the cost of testing or exams to show/document a disability and
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these can be pricey. You may have a personal physician who knows you and can sign off for
your anxiety issue or other disability.
You may be asked to sign a statement on the nursing application and again when you are ready
to apply for your license. The statement will ask you if you have any disability: physical or
mental that would keep you from performing your job as a nurse. There may be an additional
statement related to current substance abuse, which you will need to sign as well.
Check with your state office of nursing or nursing advisor if you are questioning a physical,
mental disorder or current substance abuse problem that may later keep you from obtaining a
license and performing the duties of a nurse.
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What does it take to be licensed as an RN?
Do I have to continue to go to school after I’m an RN?
All registered nurses have to earn state licensure after graduation from a state approved
program which includes taking a national exam offered by the National Council of State Boards
of Nursing (NCSBN).The exam is often referred to as the NCLEX-RN exam (National Council
Licensure Examination). The job of LPN or practical nurse will require a similar exam (NCLEXPN). More information about these exams is available in my bonus manual about test taking.
Each state may vary for additional criteria for licensing i.e.: like background checks (talked
about earlier in this section). Go to the state list I provided you with to find out any additional
requirements.
To maintain your license, it may involve no more than paying an annual due of $30-150depending on your state. But, most states will require something more: either a certain number
of hours of continuing education courses or so many hours of active employment as an RN or a
little of both. The state list I provided you with will have the resources of where to go to find
what your state requires. But, don’t sweat it! Reading a few magazine articles and answering
the questions at the end of the article will usually qualify for the required continuing education
credits. Attending in-service classes at your place of work will count toward your needed hours
as well. No need to enroll back in college with tuition…unless you want too.
This part is fun…..to learn more about your job and to become better at it. To be better able to
help patients will bring you more job satisfaction than to remain stagnant. It will keep you from
burn out!
Will I ever have to go back to school to get my BSN if I only have an associate's degree? Two
states have tried to pass legislature that will make ADN RN's obtain their BSN within 10 years of
graduating. Old RN's would be grandfathered in. These did not pass and will continue to not
pass as long as a RN shortage exists. But, they may resurface at anytime. Remember, over 50%
of all RN's graduated last year came from ADN programs. It would be very difficult to change
the status quo with those percentages.
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What are Employers expectations for a new grad nurse?
They are looking for a new grad nurse to be competent, proficiency will come! This will happen
with time.
Expectations for competency would include:
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Be able to use the nursing process: talked about earlier: Assess Diagnosis, Plan, and
Evaluate. Can develop a care plan and follow an existing plan.
Recognize your own limitations and know your abilities: As a new nurse you will not
know all the answers or what to do in all situations, but you are expected to know when
to ask for help and to know when you are in over your head and to seek assistance. Best
not to fake it here, it is expected for you to ask for help! It may involve your patient’s
safety if you don’t.
Have enough knowledge to provide safe care and for decision-making. You must know
when an emergency or complication is occurring and where to go for help.
Be able to communicate effectively. Patients and family members will need support and
understanding. You will need to function in a health care team: collaborating,
coordinating and delegating. All require effective communication.
Be able to work with others. Do I really need to elaborate on this statement?
Be able to provide complete and accurate documentation. Good chance this will involve
computers. You need to be somewhat familiar with computer use. Training will be
provided to the facilities software and documentation system.
Be responsible: show up on time, be accountable to your own actions. Have a work ethic
and not abuse sick days…. No abuse of lunch time…… Work your share of holidays, be
ethical in your work ………do your share.
Have a basic nursing skill set: Be able to perform basic nursing skills: how to give meds,
IV’s, place catheters and gastric tubes, change dressings, suction patients, general
hygiene skills for the patient , feed and transfer patients to name a few. Others specific
to your place of work will be needed and possibly taught on the job or in orientation.
Self-motivated / able to prioritize and manage time efficiently
Able to get the job done in a reasonable time: Most employers will understand that a
new grad RN may be slower at first. But time is money and your employer will not be
happy with too many overtime hours on the clock…..if everyone else is getting the job
done on time. Most employers will offer an orientation period for new grad RN’s. This
may vary from 6 weeks to 1 year. During this time your patient assignment or workload
will be less. It will give you a chance to get use to the job and gain confidence. At the
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end of the orientation period it will be expected that you can handle the same load as
the other RN’s performing the same job as you. I caution all new nurses to look for jobs
that offer a long and thorough orientation period. Studies have shown that employers
who offer no orientation period to new grads, end up with new grads that quit within
the first two years.
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How hard is it for a man to be a nurse?
Ancient civilization has shown men in nursing. Around 250BC, in India only men were allowed
to be nurses. They were seen as the only gender worthy or holy enough for such a noble
service. This tradition and idea spread to the rest of the world and the nursing profession
remained exclusively limited to men only for a long period of time. As time changed Florence
Nightingales influence dominated the world’s views of women as nurses. Florence felt only
females had the temperament or skills necessary for care of the ill. Her schools were open to
females only.
You will be outnumbered. Approximately 10-20 % of nursing students are now male, that
number has done nothing but inch its way up. It may give you the upper hand when it comes to
admittance into a nursing school. The diversity is needed and many schools will give extra
points or credit for male gender. So inquire into those schools who will give you an advantage.
Males are attracted to nursing for the same reasons females are: make a difference, flexibility,
stability, excitement, challenging, good income, and interesting work.
It is so important for RN males to be visible in their community as role models to encourage
other males to enter nursing.
Media influences have hindered males from entering the profession of nursing. Inaccurate
portrayals and stereotyping of the male nurse has hindered progress of recruitment. As images
on TV and movies change and portrayal of male nurses are shown accurately, the numbers will
follow suit. Most males report having a role model as a main reason for entering the profession.
Males are more likely to seek areas of specialty for work which surround the more acute or
action oriented areas i.e. Emergency room, ICU, Operating room. Males are needed in all areas
of nursing, they may be favored for employment to help meet the need for diversity and
representation of the people nurses serve.
Many schools offer special support groups for their male students, to give them the needed
support with their peers and to discuss challenges of being males in a female majority field.
School brochures, textbooks and classroom materials have been updated to appeal to male
students. Photos that reflect male gender as nurses appear in informational brochures and are
used as examples in text books. Many schools and states are actively recruiting males. The state
of Oregon initiated a campaign that highlighted male nurses as role models. Their pictures and
bios were highlighted on numerous posters and ads. The enrollment of males increased to
more than 20% of the classes.
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Many males feel challenged during their women’s obstetrics rotation. An occasional female in
labor may request a female student vs. male. This is a rare occurrence in our program; I have
found most all patients to be welcoming and encouraging to male nursing students.
The majority of male students express equality in treatment through nursing school. They
express how comfortable they felt with female colleagues and fellow students. I have found
most male students easier to work with and educate than females. My experience has been
that they are welcomed by all. I am sure there are exceptions to this rule.
Female students are being asked to look at all biases and stereotypes they may have about
men/nursing/ others and to examine their own behavior and attitudes. This is standard
education for beginning nursing students. This type of examination helps with inclusion for all,
not just gender diversity.
In summary, you may have an advantage for admittance and employment because of your
gender diversity. Nursing schools value a diverse student body that includes cultures as well as
gender. And you may have some education to do with the public to dispel false stereotyping
and show what real nursing is about by serving as a role model to others. As more and more
people are cared for by male nurses and female doctors, we will continue to evolve as a society;
the public is slowly changing views of gender specific roles. There is a definite shift going on
into what has been traditionally thought of as a female occupation, the days of gender
stereotyping are quickly crumbling. Take a look at this national support organization for male
nurses/ they offer a magazine as well : aamn.org.
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I do not speak English well, can I be a nurse?
The diversity of patients being cared for demands nurses who speak more than English and
understand different cultures. These nurses are in great demand and sought after by
employers. But they must be proficient in English. Major errors/mistakes are made when
miscommunication occurs in any language.
Many nursing schools are now requiring applicants who are non-native speakers of English to
take an English proficiency exam. Other schools may use an interview to determine English
proficiency, or a writing sample.
Why are nursing schools requiring this exam? Nursing schools are accountable to community
clinical institutions where they will bring students to practice and care for patients. Patient
safety is a must. Studies and research has shown communication and lack of English proficiency
as a risk factor for medical errors that may harm the patient. Patients are demanding to be
understood and feel it a given right to be able to communicate with their health care workers.
Doctors are demanding the same.
A local hospital has just adopted a policy: two complaints by doctors for not being able to
understand the nurse’s speech will result in the nurse being fired. This has led the hospital to
do in depth interviews with the prospective nurses before hiring to assess English skills. Even if
you find a nursing school that accepts you and you graduate, your lack of English skills may hold
you back for employment.
Resources and help are available at most college campuses to help with your success in passing
the exam and improve your English. Many English as second language students underestimate
their accent and the clarity of speech. They hear themselves different than others do. It is
recommended you find a very honest English speaking person to give you an honest answer
about their ability to understand you. If people are constantly asking you to repeat yourself,
this may be your first clue for the need to improve. Nursing advisors and admission
committees may be reluctant to tell you the reason for non-admittance as lack of English skills.
This is due to campus climate. It is frowned upon to discriminate in any fashion based on
speech and mastery of English….but; it may still be the reason. This is one of the reasons
nursing schools are going with a test format for English proficiency.
Speaking and writing English comes with practice. If native language is spoken at home, practice
time is drastically reduced and this will lengthen your time to proficiency. Working a job where
interaction with the public requires speech will help with this practice. Classes that emphasize
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writing will help. Reading in English will also help. Hang in there, it will come…....work and time
will make it happen. Take the test again as you improve. With English proficiency and a second
language you will be a real asset and be in demand for employment.
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I have math anxiety and I do poorly in the subject when in school, can
I still be a nurse?
Most schools require some level of math competency for admittance or as a pre-requisite for
the science courses required. You will be required to know some math in the job of nursing,
some areas little to none and others more.
The math required is usually simple ratio’s involving some division and multiplication: you will
learn an easy formula to do the math, you will have to know which numbers to plug into where.
And when in doubt you can always call the pharmacy to confirm your math and double check if
you are not sure. You will learn the math needed for the job in nursing school. The math to get
into nursing school or required for your science pre-requisites will be much more difficult than
any on the job work.
Most problems involving math on the job are easy and can be done in your head…others will
require a bit more (calculators and assistance is available with computers, co-workers and
pharmacists). The easy in your head problems will look something like this, these are more the
norm, than elaborate problems.
You must give 750mg of Tylenol in liquid form. You have a bottle of Tylenol liquid. The
label reads 1tsp = 500mg. How many tsp. of Tylenol will you give? The answer 1 ½ tsp. of
Tylenol.
Your area of work may require more math and others less, you will need to know how to
perform both in your head problems like above and other more involved math medication
problems.
Now that I’ve convinced you that you can do the math on the job, let’s talk about concerns of
math anxiety and getting the scores you need on math for the entrance exams and to get into
your science pre-requisites. Math anxiety is a lot like stage fright, or being put in front of an
audience to speak. Your brain goes into a fight or flight mode and you are now dealing with a
lot of different hormones being released. Your brain is now working in different pathways and
cannot retrieve or access the needed areas of your brain where the information is stored to
solve the problems. It is tied to a strong emotional response, or a learned emotional response.
This response can be un-learned.
About 10% of every nursing class I have taught , has students dealing with this issue on
different levels of severity. With help from experts trained in this area, those wanting to change
were able to be successful. The good news is this help is available at most all schools for FREE.
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That’s right! FREE. The biggest problem….which keeps students from success is their reluctance
to seek out help. Their pride or inability to admit there is a problem will keep them from
success. Schools love to help students in math and have resources in abundance to assist with
this problem. See my bonus manual on how to take tests for more information on how to beat
math anxiety.
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Am I too old or too young to be a nurse?
Challenges exist on both ends of the spectrum. I have had 60 year olds and 18 year olds.
Too young: I presently have three 18 year olds in my class. They were motivated high school
students who opted into a program where they could attend college as a junior in H.S. and
obtain H.S. and college credit at the same time. Tuition is paid for by the school district while
they are H.S. age. The student takes pre-requisites while a junior and senior in H.S. and by age
18 they are ready to enter the nursing program. Sometimes they are home schooled students
who finished H.S. early.
How do they do? Lack of life experience puts them at a disadvantage in many areas when
communicating with patients. But, many are empathetic and very eager to learn, and they
become stars regardless of their age. Some are confident and others not. Home schooled
students and young students in general are more likely to lack social skills which can hamper
success in clinical work. With help from counselors and instructors they can gain these skills
quickly and be a success. Maturity varies by individuals. Lack of maturity may lead to the cause
of failure in nursing school, but I’ve seen 50 year olds with lack of maturity as well.
Health care institutions like to higher younger nurses…..healthy and young, which gives them
many more years of employment to help relieve the shortage of aging nurses. Many times the
maturity and wisdom of older student’s balances out these pros of youth and places of
employment are eager to hire either end of the spectrum.
Older students: It is never too late to learn and never too late to follow your dreams. Every year
you wait is one year longer in achieving what you want. People are working later in life, we
have an 78 year old nurse still working part time as a clinical nurse educator who enjoys
working with students.
Many retired people have a big regret of quitting work to soon. They miss it and the
contributions they can make. Nursing allows for part time work….so even after what society
considers retirement age you can continue contributing and making a difference without the
physical stresses of full time work.
What can you bring to nursing? Wisdom and life experiences will put you at an advantage to
youth. Your stress level and what “fazes” you will have more perspective after years of life.
Confidence is usually lacking with our older students….but only at the beginning of the program
when they are wondering if they can really do this. But it does not take them long to realize
that they can ….by the end of the program they are stars! They are motivated. They have put
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off this dream too long, and they are serious students. They rise to the top of the class as
leaders and are the “go to” people.
Caution: you may have to relearn and train your mind to study; you might have to work a bit
harder to get there. The difference with age?: you have the discipline to do it. To do what it
takes to make it happen. I love my older students….very little drama. They listen, take advice
and have life experience to draw from. This experience helps a lot when communicating with
clients and showing empathy. They usually are not as self-absorbed as our younger group and
make excellent nurses. They rise quickly to leadership positions when they do enter the
workplace as nurses.
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What kind of work schedule can I expect?
Your schedule is only bound by you. A new grad nurse might find it more difficult to find the
right shift or hours to your liking in a hard economy. But with a little bit of experience you
should be able to find what works for you.
If you need to work different shifts to spend time with your family you can do it. I’ve seen
4hour, 6 hour, 8 hour, 12 hour and even on call 24 hour shifts available. You can opt to work
only weekends. One hospital in critical need of nurses on weekends offered work of two 12
hour shifts on the weekend and would pay you for a 40 hour work week with benefits. Day
shift, evening, nights or weekends is available. Some areas of the hospital may require a
rotation on the weekends but many times there are plenty of volunteers for those shifts
because of the extra pay available.
What is the extra pay you are talking about? Evening shifts will usually pay anywhere from 3-5$
extra an hour. Night shift 4-8$ an hour extra. Weekends pay 3-6$ an hour extra. You can do the
math: work a weekend night shift and make an extra 10-15$ an hour. This is extra pay! On top
of your regular shift pay of 25-40$ an hour. Additional per hour money is available for taking
charge, on call work or working specialty units.
A tight employment market at the time of graduation may find day shift schedules more
difficult to come by. You may have to work evenings or nights on your preferred unit of the
hospital. This will get your foot in the door and it will not take long for you to move to the shift
that you prefer.
A great benefit of nursing involves the flexibility of available work schedules. Any combination
of days and hours is available in nursing. Many new innovative hospitals are allowing nurses to
create their own schedules and pick up additional shifts as needed. A computer software
system allows nurses to bid on shifts they want to work. The benefit to the hospital is having
their own nurses fill gaps in schedules without paying extra money for outside registry to come
into the hospital and work.
What is an outside registry? These are agencies that provide nurses to the hospital to fill any
gaps they have in schedules. Registry nurses can make double to triple the rate the hospital is
paying. After you have gained experience, many of you may want to consider this type of
employment for extra money or full time work. Hospitals are trying to avoid registries due to
the high cost. But, in a shortage environment they many have no other options.
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I have a friend who is a NICU nurse. She averaged 3 -12hr. shifts a week for a registry for years.
Always the same hospital and made close to $150,000 a year doing it. With her experience and
expertise, they were willing to pay! You can pick the hours and days you are willing to work. In a
poor economy with tight employment these agencies will still be used but, very sparingly.
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Will I get sick a lot…being around all those sick people?
RN’s will be in close contact with patients who have infectious disease and possibly be around
chemicals that can be hazardous to your health.
You will have the tools and equipment to protect yourself from infectious disease, but there is a
risk if you are unaware and the patient has not been diagnosed. Remember this risk exists even
if you were going to the mall on a shopping trip. The truth is you will probably be healthier than
you have ever been, you will be washing your hands so often it becomes a habit even when not
at work. This is usually how contagious disease is transmitted, by hand contact to your
face/nose/mouth.
Occupational risk does exist from needle sticks and body fluids with blood borne pathogens. A
lot of attention to the design of needles and needle-less systems has led to a reduction of risk.
Immunizations are usually required and given free from employers to cover many of these
potential diseases.
Your greatest risk for injury will come from back injury, because most of you will be providing
care directly to patients. This will involve lifting, turning, transferring and positioning patients
that are unable to do so themselves. Risk can drastically be reduced with: proper body
mechanics, technique, developing strong body core to support your spine, knowing your own
limitations and the use of moving devices.
OSHA: occupational Safety and Health Act is operated by the Federal government. Your state
government may have additional regulations. They are concerned with on the job safety. They
are continually looking for ways to improve safety and lessen injury on the job. Your place of
employment will have to be in compliance with their regulations. This may include a bloodborne pathogen prevention program, record keeping of incidents, the use of safer devices to
prevent needle stick injuries, storage and use of chemicals, procedures for clean-up of
hazardous material, to name a few. OSHA has been involved in developing laws and
recommendations for the effects of repetitive strain injuries which include back injuries.
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Can I work Part-time as a nurse?
Yes you can. About 20 % of RN’s worked part time in 2008. Hospitals and employers love parttime workers because they usually cost the hospital less money because they most often do not
qualify for benefits. Benefits may include health care, retirement, vacation days etc. Benefits
can add another 25-30% of your salary. Part-time workers are available to pick up extra shifts
when census in the hospital goes up. I’ve seen many people, both men and women benefit
from this option. Part-time work is used to supplement income from the main income source
or to supplement another job, other work at home, fire dept. etc.
Many times nurses will have two part-time jobs at two different sites. This gives them flexibility
and what they see as the best of two worlds. Consider this option when graduating when the
only jobs you are offered are part-time. Take two of them and you are in the door. Once in the
door full time jobs open up all the time. With experience, the fact that you are a trusted
employee will make you a logical choice vs. hiring new from an unknown source.
Many females with small children love the idea of working part-time, make great money and
still have time to raise a family.
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Do I need to join an organization or club to help me in nursing?
There are many organizations/clubs available to you as a nurse. Many of the listed
certifications/specialties above have an organization associated with it. There are groups
related to ethnic origin and male gender, they are organized on local and national levels and are
available to join. They are valuable for training, resources, conferences, politically involved
work and may even post job openings. They may assist you by mentoring and offering
scholarships while in school.
There are organizations that represent nurses as a nation and on a state level. The professional
association for RN’s is the (ANA) American Nurses Association, started in 1890. It has concerns
for the nurses it represents. As you join your state organization you become a member of the
ANA. Each state has the freedom to develop its own membership plan. A few states have opted
out of the national organization and have only a state organization. Membership fees can be a
bit pricey. It is common to find annual membership dues over $300.
Your state organization may be involved in collective bargaining by representing a group of
RN’s. They may require the group to maintain membership at a certain percentage before they
will represent the group.
ANA has been involved in many areas affecting the nurse. They are responsible for creating the
Code of Ethics for Nurses. Your state board that regulates nurses may use this code as a
blueprint for regulation. They are involved in research, credentialing, legislative work, collective
bargaining, offer liability insurance, group insurance for health, disability and accident
coverage, provide statistical information, special studies and educational services.
Legislative activity may include nursing education, human rights and health care issues. The
website of ANA: nursingworld.org has links to view current legislative efforts and other areas of
interest. The American Nurse is the publication of the organization where current news related
to nursing, and health care can be found. They also publish a journal: the American Journal of
Nursing. It is available monthly and contains mainly professional articles related to nursing.
Online access to these publications is available through their website.
The organization of most interest to you at this point is the National Student Nurses’
Association (NSNA). Your local state organization or club is often called (SNO) Students Nurses
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Organization. This is a professional organization for students in schools of nursing. The
organization works with ANA but is independent and run by students with student membership
monies. They work with ANA on certain issues, especially those pertaining to students. They
hold a yearly convention. Your state chapter or local club will hold conventions and legislature
trips.
NSNA is currently working on a project called “Breakthrough into Nursing”. The program is
geared to help with retention and recruitment of minorities into schools of nursing.
NSNA developed a student’s bill of rights. This document addresses the responsibilities and
rights of student nurses. This may be helpful if at some point, you have a grievance with your
program of nursing.
Your local chapter of NSNA or your SNO organization will have officers. These positions are
usually determined by the organization and are elected offices. It is always helpful to a resume
for scholarships to see participation in these organizations. Even better…….an elected position.
It holds a lot of clout on a scholarship application. Make sure your volunteer work as an officer
or member does not interfere with your studies as a nursing student or put your success at risk.
I recently had a student who was President of the organization fail a quarter. She was very
involved with SNO; she put her priority there vs. her studies. It was very sad to see her repeat a
quarter. Your school may limit the amount of times you can repeat a quarter/ class for the
entire program. My program limits it to one time and after that you are expelled from the
program and not allowed to return. There are too many other dedicated students waiting in the
wings to allow a student multiple repeats. So keep your focus on the ultimate goal!
The most useful elements of NSNA and SNO are how they can help you get into nursing school.
This benefit will be further discussed in the SECRET section of this book.
There are a couple of organizations to represent (LPN’s) Licensed Practical Nurses or PN’s
Practical Nurses or (LVN) Licensed Vocational Nurses. All three of these titles are for the same
person. You may see all three terms used to describe the same nurse. There are the same
requirements and license for all three.
NFLPN (National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses) and the (NAPNES) National
Association for Practical Nurse Education and Services are the two organizations concerned
with the interests of the LPN. You must be licensed before becoming a member. They publish a
journal and newsletter.
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There are other nursing organizations that will affect you in an indirect way. Related to nursing
education is the (NLN) National League of Nursing,(AACN) American Association of Colleges of
Nursing and (CCNE)the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. These may be the
organizations that give your school nursing accreditation. ( NCSBN ) National Council of State
Boards of Nursing is a legal regulatory body that represents all states to act together in
developing the licensing examination you will take at the end of your education to become a
licensed RN /LPN.
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This will be a second career, will that hurt me?
Approximately 20-50% of all students entering nursing programs are entering after completing
an education and working in another field or have trained and worked in another career area.
Some have experienced downsizing, layoffs, or reduction of force in their primary profession.
But many....are just plain unhappy in their primary career choice.
There are nursing programs which are created for the student with an existing bachelors
degree. They are usually accelerated, regardless of what the degree is. Usually these programs
are geared to 12- 18 months. It would be wise to seek after these programs if you hold a
bachelors degree, even if it is in basket weaving.
Programs also exist that are entry level as a MSN (Masters Degree in Nursing) if you hold a
bachelors degree in "whatever." Time frame is 18 to 24 months. Over 50 of these type of
programs exist. It makes no sense to force a second career nursing student into an ADN
(associates degree) program when they could enter an accelerated BSN or MSN program
instead. Not all states have these programs. Use the state grid provided in the bonus package to
see what programs are available in your state. You might even consider moving to an area
where this type of program is available.
Second career students are motivated and make desirable students. They have the maturity
and understanding to know what they are getting into. They have thought long and hard about
the decision. They are committed and willing to do what it takes to make it happen.
Life experience is utilized in relating to patients and team members. They know how to handle
adversity and come out the other end. Work experience and wisdom from life is utilized in
understanding the material taught and the patient. They are willing to work hard, and not give
up when nursing school gets hard. Your experience is viewed as an asset not a hindrance
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Here it is:
WHAT YOU REALLY WANTED TO SEE
1.Secrets: Some schools are easier to get into than others. part 1:
2. part II Easier schools:
3. part III Easier schools:
4. The secret quarter to apply to:
5. The secret back door to get in:
6. The Secret of : Hidden truth about Accreditation vs. Approved
7. Secret Pass rates:
8. Secrets of: pass rates ( a different kind than in #7)
9.The secret of: Private and expensive schools:
10.The secret of: Private and expensive schools/ they like diversity:
11.The secret of:" Automatically in the nursing program"
12.The secret of: Lottery vs. waiting lists
13.Secret of: How much can I still work, and still get in and succeed?
14. Secret of: Paying for schooling so I can get in and stay.
15. Secret of: Working for someone to pay for it all.
16.The secret of: Using the Military to get into nursing school and pay
for your education
17. The secret of: Using Military experience to become an RN
18. The secret of: Government programs that pay for your nursing school
19. Secret of: Skipping 2 -3 years if you already have a Bachelor’s degree
and get your master’s degree.
20. The secret of: All interactions are like an interview:
21. The secret: Un- written rules of the Advising appt.
22. The secret of: Letters of recommendation, how to get them and how
to write them.
23. Secrets: To a perfect interview/ and why you must follow them
24. Secrets of: The study groups
25. The secret to: Pre-requisites : and how to do well
26.The secret of: SNO , and how this group can help you get in
27. The secret of: A support person
28. The secret of: Support services at your school
29. The secret of: Getting your textbooks for cheap
30.The secret of: AD vs. BSN vs. Diploma
31. The secret: Hiring practices at your local hospital: You need to know
before picking your school
32. The secret of: Getting the perfect job before graduating from nursing
school
33.The secret of: The odds:
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34. The secret of: The follow up:
35. The secret of : BEST study methods to score best on exams:
36. The Secret of: Exercise to Boost brain power & test results/ even a
little exercise!
37. The secret of: Keeping all the Rules: ALL of them!
38. The secret of: The killer ESSAY:
39. The secret of: Getting 85% of your loans paid for by someone else!
40. The secret of: Scholarships/ where and how do I get them
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1. Some schools are easier to get into than others part 1:
This seems too obvious to be included: but this must be up front and center to get your
attention:
Now here is part of the secret: schools that are located in an area of less population are
generally easier to get into. I am amazed in advising students to this idea. I suggest that they
should apply to the ------ school and their reply " Well that is an extra 30 minutes away and too
far to drive." Every area has certain landmarks or cities or freeways which serve as a mental
barrier as "too far" My mother won't go beyond the "point of the mountain" for
ANYTHING...forget that an extra 10 minutes would open up her whole new world.
So get over it...and the mental barrier. That extra time becomes NOT wasted time but time
used wisely for: carpooling with fellow students where a study session occurs during the
commute. If driving on your own: reflection and review of the lecture or lab for the day for
increased learning . Consider mentally preparing for an exam. Most textbooks have options
now on many websites that allow books to be in the form of audio books that you listen to
while driving. Or how about taping a lecture to re-listen to. How about a bus ride where you
can do all the above and even be able to read or work on your laptop, make notes and study.
These are all things that you would do on your own at home, so when you do get home a lot of
your study is already done.
Consider moving to a rural area where your odds of acceptance may go way up. Odds are cost
of living is less as well. This may be considered a "drastic measure" but, not when you're talking
about a career for life that will pay the bills and be in a prestigious honored profession. You can
apply without moving. People go to school every day in other cities. Move beyond your comfort
level and consider this alternative, be open to driving, commuting or moving.
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2. Part II: Easier schools:
Consider small areas where there is more than one school that offers nursing programs. There
has been a big push in the last few years for more schools to offer RN programs or to grow or
increase available RN slots in their program . Government money has been available to increase
the size of programs as well as to start new programs. With this money available ...and up for
grabs , there are "A LOT" more nursing school slots available now than 15 years ago. If there is
money available, schools will follow that money.
There is a community 45 minutes north of my school which is small and it now has 2 RN
programs available, one program would be a lot for this area, and they have two! I advise many
students to make the drive and you are almost guaranteed a spot if you can maintain the
required C in your pre-requisites . Extra benefit: You will be competing with less competitive
students in your pre-requisites which should make things a lot easier for you to maintain that C.
You can even retake the classes if needed. There is no competition for admittance and the
number of applicants is lower. It is non-competitive because it is located in a less populated
area and there is more than one school, and not as competitive for the minimum grade of C
that you need in your pre-requisites.
Also consider how many students they take a year. Do they admit once a year or every
semester or quarter. Look at the number of slots open to you for the entire year. One school
that admits 30 students every quarter equals 90 slots a year vs. a school that admits 45
students once a year..........so be careful , initially you may think that the school with 45 spots is
50% bigger and would give you the best shot .... but really it is the 30 offered 3'x a year which is
100% bigger and 100% more opportunities.
So, I've made it easier for you to find the schools in your area.
Go to the list of state nursing boards that I gave you. Find your state on the list and go to the
website I gave you on the list. Here you will find a list of all of the approved schools in your
state and what type of programs they offer. Other information may be given about the school
as well as information on how to contact them.
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3.Easier schools: Part III
This is a well-kept secret that few people are aware of. Most states have Technical/ vocational/
trade tech colleges, they may be called by different names but they are always overlooked by
students looking for admittance to nursing school.
Nursing in most states is considered a vocational trade vs. a professional type trade and
therefore will qualify for these types of schools. These schools will have resources that might
not be found at other schools to help you succeed.
Don't overlook these schools for consideration. Admittance is usually less competitive at these
schools.
They might not have the "prestige" associated with other school names......but bottom line
is......you will end up with an RN license and this is what hospitals and employers are really
looking for. Same pay as someone graduating from a school with a different name
than..."technical or vocational school".
Don't let your pride keep you from applying to these types of schools!
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4. The secret quarter to apply to:
This information only works for those schools that have admittance to their program more than
one time a year. Most advisors or counselors won't admit that there is a quarter or semester
that is easier to get into, just in case it changes for that quarter. But the truth is it doesn't, that's
one of the secrets. In the 9 years that I have been doing this it hasn't changed for our school.
So the easiest semester to get into is Spring or Summer. The numbers of applicants decreases
and your odds increase. I've seen them change radically. It seems students are mentally and
academically more prepared for fall and so apply in greater numbers for this quarter. I've seen
students give up after getting their rejection letter for fall and never try again to reapply but ,
little do they know that if they had tried again for spring they would have been in. I've seen the
competition drop significantly, to the point that almost anybody that applies for spring quarter
gets in.
Sometimes students quit trying because they fear rejection and after receiving their first
rejection letter for fall their confidence is shot and they can't handle another rejection so they
don't even try …….all of that study and hope down the tubes, because they are afraid of the
letter....DON'T BE!!
So look at it like a game, the more times you play the better your chances of winning. So not
only do you need to apply for every quarter, especially in spring but apply to a lot of schools,
paying attention to the schools talked about above.
Consider applying Early. There are a few schools that have an early admission deadline which
increases your chances of being accepted if submitted before then. If your school has this
option...then use it.
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5. The secret back door to get in:
Let's talk about the secret back door to becoming a registered nurse. People overlook this
option, because they don't even know it exists.
In nursing you always hear about the registered nurse (RN) and when you read the want ads it
is always the registered nurse(RN) that is mentioned and offered the big salary.
What many of you don't know: there is another level of nursing called LPN or PN/VN or LVN
licensed practical nurse, practical nurse, vocational nurse, or licensed vocational nurse
(different terms used by different states). This nurse requires licensure by the state after an
exam is taken just like the RN( NCLEX-PN). The time & courses to complete this program is less
than an RN and usually no degree is given by the college (except for North Dakota). The back
door has to do with many schools offering this program and not an upfront RN program.
THE REAL BACKDOOR IS: They offer a PN program and an additional PN to RN program. After
completing the PN program you can work and make a good wage and get experience and then
come back and finish (usually an additional year for your RN). Better yet for some programs you
stay in and finish the PN to RN program..... and you have the ability to work as a PN while
finishing the RN making a pretty good wage while doing it. This could be a win-win opportunity
for you.
Another back door is going to a school that offers only a PN and then switching to a school that
offers the PN to RN track. Competition for these PN programs cost far less than the RN
programs.
Students overlook this option because they focus on the PN and know they want the RN.... BUT
use this back door and consider the PN to RN route. This strategy alone could change your life!!
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6. Secret : Hidden truth about Accreditation vs. Approved
This knowledge could save you thousands of dollars ,time and grief. It is the saddest thing to
talk to a student about the thousands of dollars that they turned over to an online college and
the time they invested in an education only to find out that the program was not approved and
therefore they do not qualify to take the RN exam and get a license. You're out time and money
and no JOB!
I've even seen really bizarre programs that require you to go to another state for clinical
training after you finished your online portion of the academics...... and then only in that one
state could you become an RN. So unless you wanted to move to this state, you are in a world
of hurt, oh,..... did I mention that FEW were prepared to pass the clinicals and failed even if
they did go to the other state?
So, the first thing on your radar before applying to nursing school is to make sure the program
is approved in your state. If it is on the list that I discussed at the end of secret #2, again go to
the state board of nursing for your States website and look at the list of approved nursing
programs. Your state may use the term accreditation vs. approved. Whatever the term, just
make sure the school you want is on their list.
Now for the tricky point that could get you into a nursing program that you may have ignored
applying to due to these terms.
Programs may say that they are accredited by the National League of Nursing Accrediting
Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). For
accreditation these national groups must have visited and examined the program for certain
standards. This might let you sleep better at night knowing that someone o.k.'s the program,
but keep in mind there still may be major flaws in the program even though it has accreditation
by these national groups. Keep reading in my secrets so you can identify the additional
questions you will need to ask.
There is a small group of nursing programs that are approved by your state but are not
accredited. Don't blow these off your list yet. In fact they might be your best chance for
becoming an RN. There may be several reasons they are not accredited but still be a darn good
program. Some of those reasons might be:


Accreditation costs money, and with budget cuts this might be one of the things to go.
New programs just getting started might want to get the bugs worked out first.
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
The program might not have jumped through the right hoops for these people and so
did not receive the accreditation but still may produce a great RN.
These programs will need more investigation and a few more questions answered about NCLEX
pass rates. Check with large hospital RN recruiters to see if they care... 9 out of 10 times their
biggest question is: Did you pass the NCLEX board and do you have your RN license? vs. does
the program have accreditation.
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7. Secret Pass rates:
Pass rates of what? The school program? We will get there....for now let's talk about the pass
rate of the national RN-NCLEX exam that all RN candidates have to take and pass to receive the
RN license to practice and get a job. Most departments of nursing for your state will have the
most accurate percentage of passers for their first try broken down by each school. The school
may try to scam you and keep their pass rate a secret or give you an old percentage or a
number that reflects multiple attempts at the exam.....you want a percentage of first timers
taking the exam .
Why is this so important to know? Well if you pick a school to go to that has a 50 % pass rate,
you do not want to finish all that schooling, time and money to find that you have only a 50%
chance of actually getting a license to work as an RN. Now if the rates jump to 75% on people
taking the exam on their second time then...it may be worth the risk especially if this is one of
those easier schools to get in to. And there are ways to boost the odds in your favor that you
will be the one in the 50% to pass and get your license. So don't totally rule out these
schools...but, if you get accepted to more than one school this is a consideration for which
school you should attend. Below is the national pass rate average ...use this link to see how the
schools you are looking at compare to the national average: https://www.ncsbn.org/1237.htm
In the Bonus Manual you have the complete list of states with addresses, websites and phone
numbers to refer to for finding the nursing schools in your state or neighboring states or where
you want to move to. The links will take you to the NCLEX pass rates and knowledge if the
program is approved. A few states do not post this information online. Use the phone numbers
provided to contact the state agency to find out what the pass rates and approval lists are for
the schools in your area. This state site will provide additional information like state
scholarships, laws and practices for your state, and application for your RN.
One last secret: be aware of really high pass rates and really high attrition rates. There is a
nursing program in my area that was boasting a 100% pass rate on the national NCLEX RN
exam. This looked wonderful on the surface until you found out that the school had a 70%
attrition rate...only 30% of the students finished that started. They would give a national type
exam every quarter to the students and if they failed the first time they were out of the
program.
So who was left?..... students who knew how to study for and pass a national exam, which the
NCLEX exam is. There was poor instruction going on with a high turnover rate of instructors
which also contributed to the problem. If you did not ask both questions together you would be
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led to believe this is a wonderful nursing program, with such high pass rates. This leads to our
next secret with more information on attrition rates.
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8. Secret of: Pass rates ( a different kind than in #7)
Before you can take the NCLEX RN exam for licensure you will need to pass through the nursing
program successfully. And before you sign on to the program you will need to ask...." what is
your attrition rate?" .
Attrition rate is a fancy way of saying, " how many started the program and did not finish"?. If
they say there is a 75% attrition rate this means in layman terms that if 100 students started
the nursing program only 25 student graduate. Ouch!!.... you will need to consider running
from this program. But, you will need to play detective to find out the real reasons before
running for the hills.
If the attrition rate is high because the program is non-competitive and the average GPA
coming into the program is 1.5.,you may want to consider staying, especially if your GPA is
higher.
What is the average number of outside working hours for the students? How many hours are
the students trying to work while going to school? Academic failure could be nothing more than
working to many hours to support themselves or others ...this leaves no time for study.
Talk to other students in the program and get their feedback. Is there no support, poor
instruction, no continuity, high faculty turnover, overzealous exams? Then ask yourself if these
are things you can overcome? Do you have the support to succeed and be one of the 25%?
I would be very hesitant to sign on to this program. As they say in poker "play the odds" and
25% odds is not so good considering all of the time, money and effort you will be putting into
schooling. If this is the only school you are accepted into, then you will need to work hard and
overcome the odds! Use my bonus manual on passing exams to help you.
Some states will have studies where you can find the average attrition rates. For example .
California has a 66% on time completion rate in 2000-2001( it varied from 4.3 to 100%)
(delayed rates averaged 14.5 %, meaning some students had to repeat a quarter or semester or
took off some time for some reason, they finished, just not on time) with the average attrition
rate at 20% in CA . This study was done in 2000-2001 and may have changed. Here is a link to
the study:
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1a/ea/
a3.pdf
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9.The secret of: Private and expensive schools:
These are the schools that you ignore and don't even consider. You see the name and say "only
the rich and famous go there." The secret is : because the rich and famous went there at one
time they give the school lots and lots of money and they continue to do so. They don't rely on
the government for support, which changes every year. They have given them so much money
that they have what is called endowment funds.....which means the school lives off the interest
and income and never touches the original money, it never goes away. So these funds build
year after year. So what do these schools do with this money?............here is the secret .
............lot of it goes to the students!
They put together what is called a financial package, the more in need you are the higher the
award. My student friend, Sarah , that was mentioned earlier benefited from this secret.
She came from a single parent household, with very limited income. She couldn't believe the
financial award they gave her,. Tuition was listed as $39,000 a year, after her award ... ..her cost
was 8,000$. This she took care of by working part time and taking out a loan. This was cheaper
than the local state school. Not only did she get her education paid for, but she has a degree
from one of those schools that the "rich and famous" attend.
There are a lot of these schools around and not all of them are household names that you have
heard of. The real popular ones are going to require a pretty good H.S. or transfer G.P.A. (grade
point average), but there is a whole list of private schools ( the less popular ones) that are
easier to get into. Use the lists from secret # 7 to find out their names ( they might already be
identified as private in the list from your state board of nursing). This is truly a well kept secret
that very few students consider for nursing school.
There is another well-kept secret about these schools...........and here it is:
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10.The secret of: Private and expensive schools/ They like diversity:
Because the "rich and famous" go to these schools and are usually from the same backgrounds,
the college has decided that the "rich and famous" would have a better experience and become
better-rounded and educated if they were surrounded by peers / fellow classmates that are
different than they are. So if you're not "rich and famous" and have some diversity element in
there.........you could be that person they are looking for.
So in your application you are going to play up the diversity fact and how much you could add
to the experience of the "rich and famous crowd". Whether your diversity comes from skin
color or birth origin or life experiences.......these elements will become your assets in finding a
home in these types of schools. These schools are more inclined to take a lower G.P.A. if you
have the diversity element.
Do NOT be intimidated by them.....and the title of the school... go for it!
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11.The secret of " Automatically in the nursing program"
What does the term "automatically in" mean? It sure sounds good. Wouldn't you love to be
"automatically in" without having to go through the competitive application process of most
nursing programs.
Many of the schools talked about in secret #8 do just that. The only requirement for admission
to their nursing program is admittance to the school. That's how the student Sarah did it. She
was admitted to the school and therefore could enter the nursing program. There may be
stipulations to stay in the program where they want you to maintain a 2.5 G.P.A. or no lower
than a C- in the nursing classes.....but they pretty much would all allow you to repeat a course if
you failed to meet the minimum G.P.A. , so don't stress about this little catch.
Now that you know you can afford to go to these schools ( secret #9) you will be even more
excited with this new information picked up here. Get accepted to the school and you are
automatically accepted into the nursing program.
In those schools talked about in secret #1 and #2 you may find some who have open door
policies as well. Probably due to the fact that they don't have the numbers to fill all the
available slots, so they are all open.
Other schools have board of directors for their college that support the philosophy of "all
should have an opportunity for education with no limitations on what they want to do or
become". It is this philosophy which leads you to be automatically accepted in the nursing
program/ put on a wait list or a lottery system of choosing candidates. Learn more next secret...
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12.The secret of: Lottery vs. waiting lists
Many colleges, especially community and 2 year colleges have the philosophy of "all should
have an opportunity for education with no limitations on what they want to do or become".
Because of this belief, they will NOT support their nursing programs to be competitive in
nature for admittance.
Colleges who hold this belief will go one of two ways. They will either hold a lottery drawing for
the applicants or they will have a waiting list. They usually require finishing the prerequisites
and other requirements before consideration for the lottery or wait list. The G.P.A. required is
usually around a 1.8 - 2.5 range. with repeats usually allowed.
If you're a lucky person then this might be your ticket in, but if the odds work against you, you
could be in this hold pattern for years. Each year or quarter your odds are based on how many
applicants are in the hat, they do not improve with time. I've never won the lottery or anything
in my life....so not so sure this would land me a spot. I suggest you put your application in the
hat for the drawing but, do not let this be your only school that you apply to.
The second method discussed here is the "wait list". If you reach minimum requirements, then
your name goes on the list. Your first question is: How long is the list? How many quarters or
years until my name pops to the top. One of the secrets that they don't tell you is that the list is
shorter than it really is.....Why is that? .. ..well people on the list fall out but, they don't call the
school and tell them. There are many reasons they fall out.












pregnancy
got into another school
divorce
got their old job back
got a good new job
moved
health problems ( theirs and family members)
financial problems
changed their mind about the occupation
boyfriend/ girlfriend problems
lost their transportation
decide they really don't like people ( really! this was one)
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and this is the short list of reasons....but these reasons serve to help you move up on the list.
The nursing program will always favor on the long side rather than the short side. They would
rather have you excited that your name made the in list than disappointed that you have to
wait longer. This makes it hard to plan your life when you really don't know when your
number is up...the secret is to call back often and find out where you are on the list.
A word to the wise, these programs are fast in changing their approach to admittance. In fact
the whole state of CA just had a mandate come down from their state government which
condemned these methods of picking students for their nursing programs. They are now all
moving to a point system based on different factors which include an exam and more
competitive G.P.A. If you are on a wait list or in a lottery system now, please check with your
college to make sure nothing has changed.
Why would the system change? A lot of it has to do with the attrition rates ( talked about in an
earlier secret) for the program, or in simpler terms there are many coming into the program but
few leave it. Many of the programs with a lottery or wait list policy and little or low G.P.A.
standards and find that the students are not prepared and have to leave for a combination of
reasons with the most common reason being:
* failure to meet academic standards or in simpler terms they "failed out!"
Don't be too frightened by this term: many times it is NOT because the student is not "smart
enough" but because they had to work too much, this leaves them with little time to study to
be successful. This leads us into:
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13.Secret of: How much can I work, and still get in and succeed?
This is a common question that I get asked , all the time. The reality is how do you support
yourself and attend nursing school? And what if you have others to support, spouses, children,
aging parents and even pets?
There are other bills besides school to consider like: rent, food & transportation.
I will spend some time in the other secrets talking about government grants/loans & programs
and scholarships, but for this secret, let's focus on work alone.
Is it possible to work full time (40 hrs.) and attend nursing school full time? The answer is yes
and no. Have I seen it done? Yes. Have I seen it done successfully? Not very often.
When I have seen it done successfully,... almost every single time it involved a job where there
was a lot of "down time" which allowed studying to happen. What do I mean by "down time"?
A night job at a small hospital admitting desk, where only a few admits a night occur. As an in
home caretaker working the night shift where the patient sleeps most of the night. These jobs
allow for time between your assigned duties to study and prep for class.
The only time I have seen it work for students with full time jobs with no "down time" is in
exceptional students. Students who can retain information at a glance and process it quickly.
If you need to work full time, consider seeking out programs that offer an extended time frame
or part-time attendance. It will take you longer but odds of success will increase.
How much part-time work can I do? I counsel students to keep it to weekends and work lots at
breaks and summer time to save up for when it gets intense. Scout out the schedule and try to
eliminate working before an exam.
Many schools are listening to students and what they want…..which is to have longer school
days and have days off during the week. The program I work in has listened to students and we
are in class longer which frees up 1-3 days a week for study or work. Seek out these programs.
Ask to see a typical students schedule for the week and for different quarters/ semesters.
Go to the students directly and ask them how much they work, and if there are some quarters
where they should work little or none. Ask these questions at the SNO ( student nurses
organization) meetings.
Don't fall into the trap of "trying it". Too often I see students " try it out" which quite often finds
them in a hole after the first 2 exams. They have to then cut back...which for some means giving
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notice or waiting for the next work schedule, which might mean two more exams... a deeper
hole dug. This usually ends in course failure. Try the opposite method, don't work and then add
days as you are able.
You will want to work as little as possible and still not starve. Your success will go up in
relationship to how much you work or don't work.
Many students will move back home in order to make it work, even with children. You may
need to take in a roommate. Consider all of your options to reduce your bills. Have these
measures in place BEFORE you start nursing school. Much easier to do it before you find
yourself in a crunch for the need for more time to study and the conflict of the need to work to
pay the bills.
All of these rules and suggestions apply to taking prerequisites. You will need the grades to get
into competitive nursing programs. You don't want your work schedule to interfere with
getting good grades which increase your odds of acceptance.
Please spend time reading and following the secrets on grants, loan paybacks, and scholarship.
Apply this knowledge to obtain money, which will free up your work schedule for emphasis on
nursing school.
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14. Secret of: Paying for schooling so I can get in and stay(
government help)
All students interested in financial aid for college will need to complete the FAFSA form. The
FAFSA is used to apply for federal student aid such as grants, work study programs and loans. It
may be required for state, private aid or scholarships. Apply sooner... the better. Many times
money available to your college is distributed on a first come first serve basis. So the sooner it is
in, the sooner or more likely you are to receive help. It may take several weeks to process your
application. Jan. 1 is the first day FAFSA will allow you to apply. It is free to apply.
Many students want to enter nursing and they have already acquired a lot of college credits
from years before or having attended school with another major. An inexperienced financial aid
counselor may advise you that you do not qualify, due to your credits number. There is usually
an appeal process, if this message is conveyed to you. The majority of the time..... if you take
the time to fill out this piece of paper you will qualify for consideration even with a high
number of credits . Nursing is in high demand and this looks favorable for the appeal process.
There forms are difficult to understand, and are not easy to fill out correctly. Many times
students are unaware of how to properly fill them out, and unknowingly they lose thousands of
dollars in aid just because they didn't understand what the question was asking.
There are different methods for completing the FAFSA. You can complete it electronically on
the Web, or you can fill out and mail a paper copy. Here is the link: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Each method is available in English and Spanish. Most schools participate in electronic data
exchange, which speeds the process up... check with your school. Only submit one application.
If you make a mistake or after reading about the secrets here (of filling out the form )you
realize you made a mistake... you will need to re-file. You are allowed to do this.
Fill out your tax return before filling out the FAFSA. So ask for your W-2 forms early and fill this
out in January if you can. You do not have to send your tax return form before filling out the
FAFSA. You may submit an estimated income tax information but after filing your tax return
you need to correct anything that was different and do the necessary forms.
You will receive a student aid report (SAR) within 3-4 weeks. Review this information and make
sure it is correct.
You can check the status of your submitted FAFSA by going to the following site a week after
submitting online and 2-3 wks. if mailed:
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/follow003.jsp
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You can also get an idea of what your legibility will be before even applying and filling out the
FASA by going to FAFSA 4 Caster.. ..this might save you some time in actually doing it, if you
don't qualify:
http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/F4CApp/index/index.jsf
Secret: you can change your FAFSA if circumstances change: you lose your job, your job changes
to part time, you get married, you become independent of your parents, you get divorced,
anything that might affect your eligibility for federal student aid.
Other helps:
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the words "you" and "your" always mean the student
the words "school" is the college or technical school or diploma program you are
applying to.
round to the nearest dollar and do not use commas or decimal points
enter dates like this 01012011 NOT January 1, 2012
school year means: July 1 to June 30 of the next year
do not mail tax forms or worksheets to FAFSA
if you have unusual circumstances talk with your financial aid counselor for assistance
the information needs to be correct, you may have to pay fines and fees, and if you give
false misleading information you could be sent to prison or fined or both. Never heard
of this happening to anyone but, it is a possibility.
Documents & information you will need to fill out the FAFSA:
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Social Security Number
Driver's license
W-2 forms and other records of money earned
Your ( and spouses if you are married) Federal Income Tax Return
Your parents Federal Income Tax Return(If you are a dependent)
Your untaxed income records like: child support received, workers compensation
(unemployment $), Veterans non education benefit record
Current bank statements
Current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records,
stock/bond and other investment records
Your alien registration or permanent resident card ( if you are NOT a U.S. citizen
So here are the secrets to properly fill out those forms:
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Are you independent or truly a dependent student or not. This is very
important...because either they will be looking at your income alone or they will be
looking at your parents income & yours. If you can answer yes to any of these questions
then you can apply as an independent:
o married/ older than 24 / have a child or dependent who receives more than
50% of support from you / both parents deceased/ a ward or dependent of the
court before you turned 18/active duty in U.S. armed forces for purposes other
than training/ veteran of U.S. armed forces.
The number of people attending college in the household and the household size are
very important in qualifying and the amount awarded: A secret not well advertised: if
anyone in the immediate family who receives more than 50% support from a dependent
students parents or independent student and spouse may be counted in the household
size, even if they do NOT reside in the house. And this is not subject to age. So if you
have a brother or sister who is age 30 or whatever age......lost their job or.... never got
their act together and your parents pay their rent or at least 50% of their support then
this person can be counted in the household size or even consider an uncle or aunt that
may be living with you...they count as person if the 50% rule applies. Support includes
money, gifts, loans, food, housing, clothing, car, medical and dental care, college costs..
An unborn child that will be born in the award year may also be counted in the
household size.
More than one member of the house going to school (college)? This may be the time for
anyone else who was thinking of going to school to go. The more students attending college
under one household will work in your favor.
You can call the FAFSA Aid information Center if you get lost and have additional questions: 1800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)
A website with great answers to frequently asked questions for different situations:
http://homeschooling.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&zTi=1&sdn=homeschooling&cdn=educa
tion&tm=790&f=10&tt=14&bt=0&bts=0&st=23&zu=http%3A//studentaid.ed.gov/students/pub
lications/completing_fafsa/2003_2004/ques2.html
Grants are federal, state and college funds that are awarded based on need. These do not have
to be repaid. AGAIN these do not have to be repaid. This type of financial aid is the first type to
seek . There is usually a limited amount of annual money available. Award priority is
determined by financial need.
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Let's look at the most common type of grants you may qualify for:
Federal Pell Grant: These are for undergraduate students ( not given to students trying to
receive a masters or higher degrees). This is the largest federal student grant program.
Eligibility is determined by the U.S. Dept. of Education. The award amount is based on the EFC
(expected family contribution) printed on the student aid report (SAR) which is sent directly to
you after you filed your FAFSA (talked about above).
Grant money available may include: Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant,
Federal Work-Study and the Federal Perkins Loan
Academic Competiveness Grants (ACG): For first and second year Pell grant recipients who have
completed certain academically rigorous courses in High School.
State need grants: these vary from state to state. Generally these will be more generous in
prosperous years and usually cut in depressive years, which seems opposite as to what is
actually needed.... in a depressive year there is a good chance you've lost your job and now get
to pursue the ideal job as a nurse only to see that these programs have been cut due to less
revenue taken in by the state. Federal government may match funding for some programs and
assist with funding for others, or be awarded based on grants. Each state will have their own
criteria for legibility. Use this link to find out what is available for your specific state and if you
qualify: http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/org_list.cfm?category_ID=SHE
College grants: money may be awarded from the college you are applying to, this money may
come from the state or if a private college then available through endowment funds.
Loans: Federal Stafford Loans: these are student loans where there is a financial obligation that
must be repaid. Pay careful attention to the terms and conditions of any loan you are
considering. Do not borrow more than what you need to be successful. Many students have to
worry about getting a job after school that will allow them to pay back these loans. That may be
more difficult for someone graduating in art vs. nursing. The nursing shortage will allow for you
to get a well-paying job making payment of these loans reasonable. Even in a tight economy
jobs are available for nursing but possibly not your ideal job. Because of this, I recommend you
take out loans if needed to pay for school/ books /transportation/ rent/and to reduce the
amount of time you have to work. The more you work the less chance you have of being
successful in nursing school, get a loan and repay it after you have your high paying nursing job.
Federal Subsidized Stafford loans: awarded based on financial need. Interest is deferred while
the student is enrolled in school on at least a halftime basis and during the grace period. You
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may receive both subsidized and unsubsidized loans. You may have up to 10 years to repay the
loan, depending on the total amount borrowed or less than ten years, if by making minimum
payments your loan is paid off sooner.
Federal Perkins Loan: Low interest loans that must be repaid,
Additional federal loans that are for nursing majors are available as well, they are similar to the
Federal Perkins loan and have a no payback until done or attending school more than half time.
It is based on financial need.
Parents can take out loans as well, there are special programs offered for these types of loans.
Use the incentive of..... tell them you will take care of them in their elder years now that you
will be a nurse! There is a Federal PLUS loans program available to parents of dependent
students. These loans are Unsubsidized. Unsubsidized means that the borrower is responsible
for interest that accrues during the life of the loan. Borrowers can request a loan for up to the
full cost of attendance ( including living expenses) minus any other financial aid . Consider
having your parents get the loan and then paying them back.
Loans: Loans from your local bank may be available for schooling directly to you..... Especially
nursing. Why? Because they know you will have a job and be able to pay it back.
Work Study: Your school may offer the federal as well as a state work study program. This
program gives you the opportunity to work part-time while going to school. Wages are
subsidized by federal or state funds. Usually the jobs are located on campus but may be with
government agencies or non- profit organizations or private corporations. You may work up to
19 hours a week.
Not all schools participate in all of the federal student aid programs. It would be wise to check
this out before applying. Especially if the FAFSA 4 caster web site shows you eligible.
Check your school for additional programs/ where financial aid and other assistance is available
through programs like: TRIO, Upward Bound, Talent Search & GEAR UP
Be aware of additional requirement from your school for receiving financial aid: which may
include maintaining a certain GPA, or credit load. And remember repayment may be required
for dropped classes, withdrawal or failure.
Secret many are not aware of: there is disaster assistance available if you have been impacted
by hurricanes and other federally declared natural disasters. This aide is for current and
applying students as well as former students paying off student loans. Help may be available to
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you. Check with your schools financial aid office or call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or
the federal student aid ombudsmen can help 1-877-557-2575 / 202-377-3800....
Not sure if your state was on the disaster list? Go to this site for a listing by state and by year. I
believe almost every state is on the list and if you were impacted in some way: your car was
flooded, car slid off the road in a major snow storm and was damaged etc., high utility bills due
to record snow and cold...... this help is worth checking into: Go to this website and search by
state or year to see if a natural disaster was declared. Use this money that few know about:
http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema
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15. Secret of: Working for someone to pay for it all.
So you've decided you need to work to pay for schooling and living expenses. Why not consider
working for someone who will not only pay you to work, but will pay for your education. A two
for one deal.
Some companies will want you to commit to work for so many years for them in exchange for
paying for your education. Sounds only fair if they are going to foot the bill for your education.
I've also seen these commitments waived. For instance if your spouse is transferred to another
state, there is a good chance that they will let you out of the commitment. Most companies are
flexible in this commitment clause. Pregnancy, hardship and other life events would be
considered.
Most of these companies will work with you on your schedule and be flexible in your hours and
commitment to them. They want you to be successful, and return as an RN to work for them.
Not only are you getting an education paid for but you will have a job on completion of school.
In a tight economy this could be a good thing, even for a new RN.
What company would do such a thing? I've see all types pay for education of their employees,
some wanting a commitment and others not. Hospitals, large and small, medical clinics
(doctors' offices) large and small, insurance companies, long term care facilities (nursing
homes), Rehabilitation centers, and aerospace companies like Boeing. I've seen students pass
through our program currently working for these employers totally unaware that this was an
option for them. These companies might not advertise this benefit but, it's there for the taking
for those that know about it. So now that you know about this little secret, that money could be
yours.
How do I find these companies? Call their human resource department and ask if they offer an
education benefit or offer scholarships for school. You will be amazed at the number of
companies that offer this benefit with very few people taking advantage of it.
Before you change jobs, ask your own employer if they would be willing to assist....there is no
harm in asking. Only lots to be gained in the way of a "free" education.
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16.The secret of: Using the Military to get into nursing school and
pay for your education
Consider the possibility of the military. They may be able to help you get into a nursing program
as well. The military will have reserved spots for nursing at some schools. These are spots that
you may use. These spots are usually competitive, but maybe not as much as you would think.
Now, for the money available to you. You can receive a scholarship offering up to $180,000 to
attend a nursing program of your choice for many of the military divisions. So now those
expensive schools talked about earlier with open door enrollment for nursing are really
available to you.
The money you receive will cover all the costs of school plus some spending money for monthly
expenses. The next plus is that they will give you a job when you graduate....and additional
training. You will have to commit to them for a certain amount of time, and it may be based on
the help received. The pay is pretty good and you will get some great experience while doing it.
You will be well respected while serving and be considered an officer. And all those benefits
that go with being an officer will be yours.
Another option is to be trained as a military corpsmen or medic, then upon returning from
service you can use secret # 17 below to help you get your PN or RN
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17. The secret of: Using Military experience to become an RN
If you were trained as a military Navy corpsmen or army medic, and receive the required
training you may have an automatic ticket to take the RN NCLEX or PN/LVN exam for many
states. Some states will allow for just the PN/LVN or licensed practical/vocational nurse exam to
be taken. I've even advised a medic to consider moving to CA, a state where this is offered .
Once you have your RN then transfer to another state, which is an easy process.
"So, do I have this right....just get my medic or corpsmen training in the military and I have a
ticket to take the RN NCLEX exam"? That's right, no college course required to enter the
military and start your training there.
IF you only receive your PN/LVN you can then search out the PN to RN schools ( remember the
back door discussed in secret # 5), and in one year's time there you are! If the school you are
looking at requires certain courses besides you PN/LVN license consider challenging the courses
by taking the exam. Good chance with your experience and a little study you could overcome
this hurdle without much difficulty.
If you have only your GRE or H.S. diploma and a desire to start right now, look at this option
and make sure you read all the fine print and review it for a few weeks before signing on. Make
sure they are giving you a spot as medic or corpsmen. And whatever they tell you in person
make sure you have them put it in writing as well.
I've seen some incredible RN's who went this route. They have experience that would never be
given to them working in the conventional non-military world. They have a degree of
confidence about them which has come from this experience.
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18. The secret of: Government programs that pay for your nursing
school
Let's talk about other programs besides those talked about in secret # 14. Many schools offer
an additional program called the TRIO-SSSP( not even sure what the initials stand for, only that
they always called it the TRIO program). This is a federally funded program to serve associates
degree seeking students. Students receive financial aid and other assistance. The school must
apply for a grant to be able to administer this program.
To qualify for this program you will need to show financial need and that you are the first in
your family to pursue a college degree or you have disabilities. The term disabilities may be
used to define a multitude of things: like test or math anxiety ( with some documentation ,
usually harmless to obtain), so if you are not the first in your family to pursue a college degree
then really look at the disability portion definition to see if you have overlooked qualifying in
this area ( get a list from the school).
This program provides some great services other than financial help. Consider all of these
areas that may be offered:
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Advising: help with choosing classes for your nursing pre-requisites, matching your time
and availability to credit load and instructors. They can help with other financial aid
opportunities and scholarships. They assist with transferring to a 4 year college or
university after finishing your AD RN degree if you desire to earn your RN- BSN degree.
Counseling: they help you learn to manage your time and prioritize. Assist with coping of
family demands or work demands, assisting with personal crises or anything that may
interfere with your success as a student.
Free tutoring : Usually this is one on one tutoring for most of your college classes,
provided by professional and trained peers or others knowledgeable in the course
content. They are helpful with strategies to help your learning.
Study skills help which may include: Information or seminars on key college success
skills. Which may include: how to take lecture notes effectively, study strategies, dealing
with and overcoming test anxiety, how to write a paper, time management, computer
assistance, possibly special study areas and other helpful topics.
The above services are a real asset to students. Good idea...if you qualify for this program is to
make sure it is offered at your school. It may be worth an extra 15 minute drive to attend a
school where this program is offered and you qualify. Once a college has this program they
usually are able to reapply and keep it every year. Remember FREE money and assistance with
TRIO.
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19. Secret of: Skipping 2 -3 years if you already have a Bachelor’s
degree and get your master’s degree or doctorate in Nursing
This probably sounds crazy to a lot of you who don't have one degree and you’re asking "why
would someone with a degree want another one?"
There are many of you out there who have a bachelor’s degree but want to become a RN. The
reasons vary: for example...
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Hold a degree in an area where it is difficult to get a job or a decent paying job
Worked in a field of study for so many years and really don't like it anymore/ or never
did.
Bored and ready for a new challenge
Had a life changing experience that is directing them to a new career
Pursuing their original interest of nursing, that was derailed by a well-meaning parent or
advisor to go in another direction.
Whatever the reason, you may be in luck. There are a lot of RN programs out there who value
your education and know that you have already proven that you can finish an education and
have the thinking ability to do it. You need to be steered toward those programs that would like
to fast track you . What do these programs do for you?
Programs that will let you finish in 12-20 months. Programs who at the end will award you a
MN, a Masters in Nursing degree or a BSN ( Bachelors Science Nursing degree). This degree will
open up additional doors that an associates degree in nursing would not be able to do. Not all
states have these programs. There are even a few programs that have a doctorate option and
the end point is an RN. But definitely worth checking it out.
If the master’s degree program is not an option, then ask those questions and pick a program
that gives priority/ points for a degree... for admission competitiveness. Use that degree to put
you first on the list... but even better pursue those schools that will give you a master’s degree.
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20. The secret of: ALL interactions are like an interview:
What interactions? Consider an interaction to be any of the following:
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Picking up the application from the secretary
Email an advisor or secretary /forms or questions
Contact in the community/ with your job or other
Advising appointments
Attending information sessions
Interactions in Pre-requisites classes
All telephone calls and messages you leave
Conversations in the hall
These are all ways that you interact with the people who will have input as to ...WILL YOU GET
IN to the program or NOT?
I am amazed at how many students are rude and downright mean to these influential people.
I've seen a student use 5 f words and throw paperwork at the nursing secretary who is
collecting information for their application. She will remember and pass the information on to
the admission committee.
Hummmmmm...would you really want someone with poor impulse control and anger
management issues working with vulnerable patients? Sounds like law suit to me!.....for the
school, instructor, and admission committee members that allows the "nut" into the nursing
program.
Present yourself with professionalism in all your interactions!!! Think your comments and
questions through before opening your mouth. Consider each interaction as if it is an interview
for acceptance. Think about your dress as well. Does your T-shirt have an inappropriate
message on it? Does my purple Mohawk and 6" nose ring really present the best image?
Ask yourself...can you find the answer to the question you are asking on the front page of the
application or website? And are you asking several of these type of questions one after the
other? By doing this, the message you are sending is: unable to read, can't think for self, unable
to problem solve, lazy, incapable of searching out answers to problems, has trouble using the
computer and reading a website, not really serious about any of it, ...all of these skills are really
really important for a nursing student.
So keep all your interactions on a level that says... I am good, and I am professional!
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21. The secret of: Un- written rules of the Advising appt.
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Rule number 1: Not all advisors are equal and fair.
If you find one that seems to treat you unfairly, then next time go to a different one. But
remember to always present yourself in a professional manner, even if you do not agree with
what is said. One advisor may allow for transfer of a certain class while another will not. New or
inexperienced advisors tend to be more strict with these type of situations. Older and more
seasoned advisors know when situations can be bent to help the student.
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Rule number 2: Remember to present yourself well.
As discussed in secret # 20 / it may influence your admittance as well as it may influence how
they respond to you and the amount of help they will give you. A NO Show for an appt. with no
phone call is not the best way to start out your relationship with the nursing school. Being late
sends a similar message. If you are late or can't make the appt. call ahead and explain your
situation and apologize and reschedule. Call as soon as you know you can’t make it...Don’t wait
until the time you are supposed to be there. Watch your dress. A suit is not necessary but,
neither are your grubby clothes. Notes are usually kept to record a no show appt. or late appt.
Inappropriate behavior may also be recorded or written down for later reference.
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Rule number 3: Some advisors have more experience, which you can benefit from.
A new advisor will lack the on the job training that lends itself to much better advice. They will
not know which instructors to avoid and which will add to your success. This type of
information only comes with time. Pick an advisor who has been at that school for 3 or more
years. 10 years is even better. They will know how to navigate the system.
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Rule number 4: Some advisors have more knowledge.
Just like students some advisors are more prepared and have more knowledge regardless of
how long they have been advising. So if you are unable to get your questions answered the first
time then try with another one.
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Rule number 5. General advisors are different than nursing advisors.
You need to know the difference and when seeking an advisor always ask for a nursing advisor.
Ask them when you first meet them if they advise nursing students on a regular basis. You need
someone who totally understands the admittance policies and requirements, usually a general
advisor will lack that information unless they have been specially trained and do it on a regular
basis.
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
Rule number 6. Come prepared, you will get more out of the appt. and you will look like
a "super star".
Do NOT show up having not read any information about the program or the requirements. Your
preparedness reflects on you as a potential nursing student. Come prepared with a list of
questions, written down. Come prepared with a proposed schedule that you think will work for
you. Come prepared with all of the appropriate documentation that you need. If it says bring
an official transcript, then DON’T bring an unofficial transcript.
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Rule number 7: The advisor will tell you the worst case scenario in order to cover their
rear.
Rather than have a bunch of students real angry that they were not admitted or some course
was not approved or whatever, and then have a disgruntled student file a grievance. They
would rather advise on the negative side of things and give the pessimistic side of your odds. A
few advisors will be very truthful, but advisors get burned a few times and this will make most
advisors lean toward the "dark" side and it will be the worst case scenario.
So keep this in mind with the advice given. Because of this tendency it is very important for you
to ask specific questions requiring specific answers… like: what percentage of students with my
qualifications are accepted? This will help to put things in real perspective.
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22. The secret of: Letters of recommendation, how to get them and
how to write them.
Many schools will require letters of recommendation, and others may have them as options. If
they are optional then consider the time involved in getting them. If they are optional ask the
advisor the very direct question: " will they help me get in? and use that answer as a guide to
whether it is worth your effort to gather them. Usually the term optional means " don't
bother". This secret could save you a lot of needless phone calls and hours collecting. If you
need them, please use these secrets in how to put them together. Remember, everyone can
find someone to write nice things about them…o how valuable are they in separating the
quality of applicants?...usually not very.
Most of us have a nature to be conservative when describing our attributes and
accomplishments...after all it is "bad" to brag... You must overcome this notion and be NOT
afraid to put your accomplishments on paper.
This is exactly what you will be doing for the person writing the letter. The letter will be much
more effective if you can give them a head start. They will be appreciative of the help as well.
They may not be aware of all of your talents and accomplishments. They may need a gentle
reminder of how wonderful you are.
The first rule is. Do NOT ask for a letter the day before it is due. Ask for the letter way before
the due date and then I would suggest the secret of telling them a few days before it is really
due. This will help with anxiety on your part for having it ready to go. The letter may have to be
mailed by them and not you, if so provide the needed envelope and stamp. In this case, make
sure you will get a good recommendation.
Now, it will be your job to help your friend, co-worker, employer by providing a bit of a bio
about yourself. Your employer could have no idea or have forgotten that you helped with your
son's fund raising for his baseball team, or that you volunteer for your church choir. These
items need to be presented on a sheet of paper in bullet format with some key words listed for
each item to help your letter writer.
For example: you put on paper this:

Leadership and organization skills demonstrated with organizing fundraising for the little
league team "The Stars". Coordinated efforts between parent volunteers and vendors
and created a team environment.
and this is what your writer can do with the information:
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
John has been a great asset to the little league team "The Stars", he has provided
leadership in helping to organize our fund raiser. He demonstrated the ability to work
with others and created a fun environment for all those involved. He was able to
coordinate volunteers successfully and worked with vendors for a successful outcome
for the team.
Wow..!!..... sounds pretty good for someone who helped run the refreshment stand at halftime. But, be kind to yourself. If you break-down what you did, all of these elements are
probably part of it.
Key words for your writer to use... which you will guide them to use with your bio's:
responsible, caring, dependable, patient, flexible, determined, leadership qualities, critical
thinker, problem solver, endurance, evaluate, analyze, integrity, honest, hard-working,
compassionate. These words mean much more when used in the context or example of your
activities or story that show how they worked. Use those hot buttons that appear in the
colleges mission statement, philosophy or goals/outcomes or the nursing departments list.
The HOT words may include: DIVERSITY, SUSTAINABLE, COMMUNICATION, LEADERSHIP,
SERVICE, WELLNESS, COMMUNITY, CRITCAL THINKER, LIFELONG LEARNER. Mention these to
whoever is writing the letter after you have researched the website of the college and Dept. of
Nursing. It will serve you well if they are mentioned in connection to you.
You have more input into the letters of reference than what you think. You should include
giving the person your resume and highlight items that were discussed above for the writer to
consider for inclusion. Stories and examples are needed as well.
Make sure the letter includes:
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How many years they've known the person
In what capacity have they known you. ( friend, teacher, employer, co-worker etc.)
Some colleges may want letters from certain types of people.
Never ask for a reference letter if you are unsure of how it will read. Make sure the person likes
you and will give a favorable letter before asking for a letter. And always send a thank-you
letter to them for helping you out… you may need another one for graduate school, your first
job as a nurse or scholarship.
Now you have the secret to get those perfect reference letters that play upon your qualities
and where you get credit for all of your talents and skills. You will be playing on the “HOT
WORD BUTTONS” that the college and Dept. of Nursing is looking for. And those letters will
help tremendously in getting you into nursing school.
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23. Secrets to: A perfect interview/ why you must follow them
Many of you will have to interview before you will be accepted into nursing school. Why do
schools interview? The reasons may include:
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See if the person matches the paperwork ( do they talk like a straight A student?) Can
you carry on an intelligent conversation? ( Something that is important for nurses to be
able to do).
Do they have only academic skills? (Social skills are as important as academic thinking
skills.) Nurses have to interact with a lot of people, they may work with computers but
mainly with people.
How do they communicate? ( Is your style argumentative, or submissive, neither is
appropriate for a nurse)
Can they speak English that can be understood? ( Lots of hospitals will not hire or allow
students to work with patients when doctors and patients cannot understand them, too
many chances for medical errors, and too many complaints from patients and doctors)
Can you handle a stressful situation and still think.. like an interview? (Nursing is a
stressful job and it will be stressful working with patients, can you still think and be able
to communicate and carry out your job?)
Are you angry? ( An angry individual does not belong anywhere near sick & vulnerable
patients)
Do you regard others while talking? (Do you “butt” in and finish peoples conversations,
not such a great team player in an environment which involves lots of communication
with heath care team members)
Can you answer the question that was asked? Can you understand a question well
enough to know what they are asking?
Can you think on your feet? ( A very important skill for nurses to possess )
A glimpse at their personality (No room for a "crazy" in nursing, too many vulnerable
people to help...heal yourself first before coming to nursing, or do they come across as a
"know it all" , very difficult to teach a "know it all")
Review these reasons and honestly assess yourself for each area. If you think that one of these
may fit you…then, you have identified an area to work on. For a truly honest answer ask
someone you live with.
Other hints for interview day:
Dress to the max...if you own a suit wear it for male and female, if not a tie for guys and
professional pants or dress/skirt for girls. Minimal jewelry, conservative hair color and make up,
artificial nails will have to go for work in the hospital so might as well get rid of them now, no
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short skirts, or shorts. Leave the 6 inch nose ring at home, and if the tongue piercing interferes
with talking or flashes when you talk leave it at home too. No wearing of dirty work scrubs.
Dress in a professional manner: something that says you can trust your life with me, I know
what I'm doing. Watch current dress style. What age are your interviewers and consider
dressing for what "they" would see as appropriate. Miniskirts and muscle shirts are out!!!
Remember these helps:
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Bring a pencil and paper to take notes if needed when questions are asked.
Make eye contact with the interviewer.
Smile
If you did not understand or hear the question ..then ask for it to be repeated....vs.
giving an answer that is way off track.
Take a deep breath before going in and un- hunch your shoulders and walk confidently.
Prepare by knowing your answer for these types of questions about nursing:
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Why do you want to be a nurse?
How does your job now help you to become a nurse?
What do you think a nurses job is?/ describe a day in a nurses job.
What qualities should a nurse have?
What experiences have you had in working with someone different than you? List good
or bad examples. What did you learn?
What do you think the most difficult thing will be in being a nurse? or nursing student?
Tell us about a stressful event in your life and how you handled it. A situation you
handled poorly and how would you change it if you could go back.
They will possibly hit on their “HOT “ words…those that appear in their mission
statement, philosophy or goal statements found on the nursing or college website. Be
familiar with examples in your life that could address those words. Formulate your own
definitions of these “HOT” button words.
Tell us about a situation where you were able to critically think.
Tell us about your most challenging course in school.
What do you see as barriers to being successful in nursing school and how will you
handle those?
Don't forget to prep for all those general questions that get asked in job interviews:
Practice with someone.
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What are your qualifications for the job?
Why are you right for the job?
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Tell me about yourself?
What do most people criticize you about? How do you handle criticism? What is your
greatest strength or weakness?
Why do you want to go to school here?
What motivates you?
What are you passionate about?
What was the last thing you were angry about?
Why should we give you a spot in the nursing program?
What are your goals for nursing school and career as a nurse?
What did you like or dislike about your last job?
Do you prefer to work independently or in a team?
Give me examples of when you worked as a team?
What are you looking for in this nursing school?
What is the greatest disappointment in your life?
Discuss something difficult you overcame and what you learned from it.
How do you handle stress or pressure / what support systems do you have in place?
You will not be asked all of these questions, but be prepared with answers for them in case they
are asked.
The interviewers may have to put on a poker face: What is a poker face?... they cannot coach
you or acknowledge that you gave the right answer etc...so you will see very little non-verbal
cues. We come to rely on these without knowing it, and it may throw you off your game if
you're not getting any feedback. It may come off as rudeness. But, if you are prepared and
know that you may encounter this then you will be OK. This is a great secret to be aware of.
Don't be late....be early so you can find the location and relax. Practice: with a friend, parent, or
significant other...
Be careful in giving practiced rehearsed / memorized answers that do not fit a question asked.
This is obvious and leaves you looking like you are clueless.
And remember to thank the interviewer for their time, and consider this secret: a thank- you
note is always in order ( this will really set you apart from the others.
It is hard to think when under stress. Please PRACTICE, PRACTICE with an audience. This will
help with the stress and practice makes perfect. It is important for a nurse to be able to think
under stress, the admission committee wants to know if you can think under stress during the
interview.
You now have the knowledge and secrets to "rock" the interview.
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24. Secrets of: The study groups
You need the best grades/scores in your pre-requisites for competitive admittance in many
nursing programs. In order to do that I want you to consider the use of study groups. Most
students seem to love or hate them. But 90% of the time a student that is struggling with
school, will benefit from them. I've had students turn their performance totally around by
using this one strategy. The top students end up doing even better. In order for a study group
to be the most beneficial... questions need answering and ground rules need to be set. But,
always remember two heads are better than one.
Why do study groups work? You are learning using different learning methods and the more
methods you incorporate into study... usually translates into better grades.
When you have to explain or teach a concept or material to a peer you begin to understand it
better. Because of this concept do not shy away from teaming up with the "weak" students in
class. You have to actively think and process the material to be able to teach or explain it to
someone else, this makes you understand it better. You are thinking out loud which
incorporates auditory learning which you will also benefit from. Your hearing the information
explained to you in a different manner than from the book or instructor did will benefit you too.
Memorizing for classes like anatomy may work for you but, when you get into classes where
you need a deeper understanding of more complicated material this method will fail you.
Nursing courses require critical thinking. Students who are stubborn and stick to the their old
method of memorizing facts will struggle. Be willing to look at other methods of learning for
success, this includes small study groups.
Keep the group small so you can have the opportunity to teach and explain to the other
members of the group. If your group becomes the popular group...then split it. "Too many
cooks spoil the soup."
Not only are you teaching each other aloud, you will have to support your answers. You may
argue about answers and concepts which will allow you to really explore why you think the way
you do. By figuring out why your teammates view or answer is different than yours, your grasp
of the material will increase to the level of being able to apply it, not just know it.
Other areas of benefit from study groups:
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Note taking exchange: different people grasp different things, which they deem
important.
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Different strengths: some team members will be better at organization, another will
concept map better, others will be better at talking, some will test better. Use and share
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these talents. Some people are nervous and intimidated to ask a question in class, this
gives you the opportunity to do so in a non-threatening environment.
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Divide and conquer: major tasks in organizing & reading the material could be divided.
Nursing school is famous for giving more reading pages than could possibly be read by
an ordinary individual .
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One of most effective study methods proven to show better scores on exams is the
retrieval method. This method can easily be practiced in groups. The retrieval method
involves studying the material and then practice retrieving it from your brain by
questions asked by peers. More about this secret in # 35.
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Support system: loved ones at home can help but they truly do not know what you are
going through like someone who is going through the same experience with you. You
have a common goal. To have someone to encourage you and support you is a very
powerful thing in your success. We will talk more about this one in other secrets.
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Socializing: usually more fun to study with someone than alone, but be wary, this part
should not exceed 10% -15% of the time you are together. Most people are willing to
spend more time doing something if it is fun. You will more than make up for the 10% 15% socializing with quality study time with your group.
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Motivation: & commitment: if you know others are waiting for you to show up for study,
you are more likely to "show up". Others will keep you motivated to study.
For study groups to work you will need rules:
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The number for your group: I would recommend not more than 4-5
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Who gets in:
o Pick peers with similar interests.
o Pick peers you get along with and respect.
o Male nursing students really need the support system of each other because
they generally are the minority.
o Those who are serious about doing well. Pick people that will contribute to the
group, no "parasites".
o Look for students that stay awake and are active during class with taking notes
or answering or asking questions. Nice to have someone brighter than you who
takes excellent notes. But, do not be afraid of the weaker student... One to help
explain to you and one you can explain to them. You learn both ways. It becomes
a win win situation.
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Pick the same place and time and try to stay consistent. Choose a location that is easy
for all to attend and is not a distraction. ( the back room at the local bar will not do).
Some libraries have rooms designated for this purpose and can be reserved for the
quarter for the same times
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The more consistent you are with the time, the more likely you will all go. You can
schedule other activities around this time. Three hours is about max. for study time,
your effectiveness decreases after this time. If you know you have only so much time for
study, your group will be more likely to stay on task.
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Make sure you know what you are going to do for each session. Assign out tasks and
duties ahead of time, so all will come prepared. Pick someone to be the study group
leader, this will help with organization and assignment of tasks. Make sure this is a
person that can get you back on task if it the social element creeps too far into the study
time.
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A negative team member... A negative member who only bad talks the teacher , the
program, the job, other students, will affect other members of the group, your attitude
and your performance . It will drag you down along with others. Solution: Ask that they
find a new study group. This may be the hardest part of the study group concept but, I
have seen one student pull down 3 students to failure...if they had only left the group or
removed the member they could have been successful. Your future as a nurse is more
important than a worry about "hurting feelings" . You can approach this situation in a
"nice" way and make it work. You can take the "cowards" way out and schedule your
meetings without letting this person know about them, and eventually they will figure it
out on their own.( worst case)
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25. The secret to: Pre-requisites, and how to do well
Most schools will require some classes ( pre-requisites) before you start to take nursing classes.
The trend is moving toward using your grades in these classes to determine admittance to the
nursing program. It not, then a minimum GPA requirement is needed. Studies show that
performance in pre-requisites can predict success in nursing school.
We can have a long discussion here about why pre-requisites exist but, it will not change the
fact that they are here and you have to take these classes before moving on to nursing school.
The bigger question is how do I do my best when taking them, and is there a secret in getting
good grades and finally where should I take them?
The biggest secret in taking pre-requisites is to go SLOW and do WELL. There are several
reasons why students take a heavy load of classes: big hurry to get to their ideal job, need to
make a good income now and financial aid is based on a higher class load. Because of many of
these reasons students load up on classes and by doing so reduce their ability to get good
grades. The science pre-requisites pose a huge challenge for most students. They are some of
the more difficult classes offered on campus. Because of this, it may be advised to take these
one at a time.
Review the secrets on working and study groups for great helps on how to do better in your
pre-requisites. Many students will try to "work the system" and find schools or instructors that
give the "easy A's". This may seem an easy fix to getting into nursing school but, good chance
you will end up not prepared for nursing school and not have the background necessary to
succeed. Great anatomy and physiology classes can help assist you in understanding the
material, and will reduce the need for you to study as much as a student that took the " easy
course with the easy instructor".
I will also caution you on taking your pre-requisites from a very very hard instructor. My
daughter took an anatomy class from an instructor who had a 80% drop out/failure rate for his
class. Why would she even sign up for the class knowing these numbers? His was the only
course offered for the time schedule she had open. This professor felt it was his job to prepare
the best doctors and nurses that existed to mankind. His methods worked for only a few. She
ended up retaking the class the following summer from a reasonable but, good instructor. How
will you know which instructors/professors are the choice picks for classes? By following the
advice in the next secret.
If you took your pre-requisites from a different school than you are applying to...make sure
they have an OFFICAL transcript of the class & grades. It may take time to get an official
transcript, so allow for the time, it may cost you a few dollars to get one. Make sure it equates
to the schools pre-requisites class, you may need a copy of the course description from the
catalog...bring it with you for approval of the course. If the class was taken years ago , check
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with the school.. they may have a limit on how old the class can be and still be accepted. A
course description may be obtained by asking the registrar...they may have to look in the
archives and photocopy it for you.
Before repeating a science class for a better grade check the admittance policy from the nursing
schools you are looking at attending to make sure that a repeat is not held against you. Better
yet, do your best the first time through by taking the science courses one at a time.
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26.The secret of SNO:
How this group can help you get into Nursing School
What do the initials SNO stand for? ( Student Nurses Organization) Most all schools have a
chapter of this organization. The big secret is you do not have to be in nursing school to be a
member. If you are just beginning your pre-requisites, or just started taking refresher courses
for math and considering nursing as a career.... you qualify.
The next step is finding out when they meet. Contact their faculty advisor or get a list of the
officers for SNO for this information, ask the nursing office secretary.
At these meetings you will be able to ask those " million dollar questions" Who should I take
my pre-requisites from... who should I avoid? Utilize advisors for this information, but be aware
that it could be seen as unprofessional to "rat out" a fellow professor on how easy or hard they
are, you might not get the truth from this source but you will from the SNO members.
At these meetings you will find students where additional questions can be asked that are
important and vital for secrets about getting into the nursing program. They can share :
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What resources they used to study for the admitting test?
How hard was the admitting test?
Was the interview stressful?
Do you like the program at this school or would you recommend another one?
Where and from whom should I take my pre-requisites?
How much do you work? Which quarters can I work more in? How much can I work
during my pre-requisites and still be successful?
Do you like nursing school ?
What is nursing school like?
Is it worth it?
Would you choose the same road again?
What type of GPA did you have in pre-requisites?
How competitive is it once I get in?
This resource is always overlooked. Of the 200 members of SNO at my college, there may be
only 1 member that is not in nursing school but only taking pre-requisites. Use this secret to
give you answers to those vital questions.
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27. The secret of: A support person
There was a study about inner city youth going to college and a follow up to determine why
some were successful and others not (failed or dropped out). The study showed many of the
usual items that you would have guessed: finances, H.S preparation, IQ. But none of these were
the #1 reason for the student succeeding. The secret ingredient was a support person who
believed they could do it. This person did not have to be a parent.
You need a person like this in your life. It could be a neighbor, parent, relative, instructor, friend
or peer. If you have a significant other in your life who is telling you to give up and quit, and
tells you it is not worth it, your odds of success will drop. But, the big secret is someone who
will stand by you and tell you that they have faith in you. They REALLY believe that you can do
it!
I have seen this phenomenon work. Students who on paper look destined for failure to get into
nursing school, but somehow they make it in and graduate and go on to make a great nurse.
These people have someone in their life to coach them, pick them up on bad days and never
flinch in their belief that they can do it. If you lack this person in your life you will need to find
them. Possibly in your study group you may find more than one of these types. You may
become their support person as well.
And always remember to be your own support person. Talk to yourself. REALLY! Positive selftalk has been proven to work. Tell yourself often that you can do it! Seems so simple yet so
powerful in results.
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28. The secret of: Support services at your school
Now that we have covered the secret of a support person lets discuss the secret services
offered at your school which may go unknown or ignored. Use of these services could mean the
difference of getting into nursing school or not and your success.
Studies show nursing program success rates increase for diverse students when support
services are available to them at the college. Mentors, tutors, learning resource centers, writing
centers, libraries, and child care is especially helpful.
A few of these were mentioned in the secret about the use of TRO for financial aid: let's review
those and look at others available. Many of these support services will come and go based on
grant and state money available.
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Advising: From general advisors and specific nursing advisors. Not all advisors are
created "equal", so you may need to request a new one... try to find a more
experienced advisor. These people will help with choosing classes for your nursing prerequisites, matching your time and availability to credit load and instructors.
Counseling: These people can become your support person as talked about a few
secrets ago. Life events may have lead you to nursing and life events or "stressors" will
continue to come both while trying to get into nursing school and after. These support
people can help you deal with these demands and work through the crises as they arise.
They can help you handle communication issues between you and your instructors as
well.
Disability Services: You may qualify for services that include:
 testing accommodations ( additional time/ scribes/ quiet location)
 note-takers ( copy of notes from another student in class ( usually paid a small
fee from disability services)
 books in alternative format ( audio, electronic, etc.)
 equipment loan ( chairs that don't hurt your back etc. )
 information and referral
 possible scholarships
 and other services
These services will require proper documentation. Contact them for the needed testing
or paperwork. Some accommodations will need time for the center to arrange, so
contact them early. Many students are embarrassed and will not seek the help that is
available to them. Read all of your nursing programs literature for their ability to accept
and handle disability and accommodations. Most laws do not require them to
accommodate for anything. Resources may not be available to admit a blind student
into the nursing program.
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Diversity/ multicultural/ women's / men's groups: May include special services like:
mentoring, support groups, clubs, counseling, financial aid & advice , guidance,
seminars, academic support, networking, referrals to outside sources. If English is a
second language for you…this service could make the difference in your success.
Tutoring : Tutoring is usually available at most colleges. Some of it for free and some
not. Sometimes it is as easy as just signing up. I have daughter who only survived her
upper division economics classes by using a tutor. When one tutor failed to help her like
she needed she found a new one who could present the information so she could
understand, all for free to her. These services may be available on a drop in basis on
certain days or they may need scheduling.
Child care center: Child care available for students at discounted rates for qualifying
individuals. Nice to be able to visit your child on your lunch break and know that these
centers usually are quality in nature. There may be waiting lists so contact them early.
Writing & math centers: Group sessions may be available as well as individual drop in or
appointment basis. When returning for my advanced degrees I found myself utilizing
these services for review of my papers. They were great at looking for grammar errors
as well as organizational issues. An online option may be available as well. Submit your
paper online for comments and feedback. I have seen students writing improve
dramatically by utilizing these services.
Financial Services/ work center: Make these people your best friends, visit them often
and find the most experienced people to ask questions. The center may include a work
center or it may be separate. Here you may find job offerings. Many times companies
will approach colleges for help before placing ads online and in the paper. These
companies are wanting individuals who are trying to better themselves and are taking
the initiative to do so. They may be more willing to work with your school schedule.
Library: Not only a great place for study, but for study groups as well. Computer usage is
usually available. The librarians are an underutilized resource. They can help with
research for your papers as well as formatting and referencing advice. You may even
find current films on DVD for viewing when rest and relaxation is needed. Course
textbooks may be on reserve shelf for use when yours have not arrived from your online source or maybe little used books need not be purchased. Copies are available. And
of course books for check out with usually inter library loans are available. Try
borrowing your text books from an interlibrary loan program for the quarter. I once
used the inter-library loan program to borrow a text book for an advanced degree class I
took. Heh...they wanted $140 for a 90 page book ... I only needed it for 4 weeks of the
class.
Student Services dept. varies from college to college but may include: additional
support, help, referrals, legal assistance and usually some great social activities offered
at no or reduced fees.
Health and Wellness Center: This may be a fully operational medical clinic with doctors
present...or something in between. Services are usually offered for a small co- pay or
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have reduced fees . Health information may be available at the center as well as sexual
assault and anti-violence information.
GYM or physical fitness equipment. You may be allowed to utilize equipment for little or
no fee. Cancel your gym membership and save a buck. De-stress at lunch for a better
study session after. Workout with study buddies and sweat and learn at the same time.
Career services: Help with resume building and interviews as well as job placement.
Computer & tech services: All types of help available: assistance to make your school
email work ...and maybe even almost free software if you live in a state where Bill
Gates has helped out. Some schools lend out computer laptops/notebooks for a small
fee. It only costs $10 a quarter at my school to borrow one of these units.
Study skills labs, classes and seminars: If you have been out of the "game" for a while, or
new to higher education your success may be based on the development of new skills or
updating old ones. The ability to take and organize notes during lecture is a skill that all
could benefit from. How do you most effectively study? How do you study to "know"
and "understand" the material? How do you learn other than memorizing? How do you
skim read a text book? How do you take notes in a book? A class that emphasizes these
skills should be considered for all, before any pre-requisites are taken. All could benefit
in this area.
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29. The secret of: Getting your textbooks for cheap
You may have seen this secret on the video I offered on my website. Here is a bit more
information on the subject and a reminder to use this secret to your advantage.
School tuition is expensive without even considering the costs of books. Academic books have
seen a tremendous increase in costs over the past few years. Companies are merging and this
reduces competition among themselves which means... more money charged for books...just
because they can.
Science books and nursing books can cost more than $200 each. Nursing classes usually require
several books for one class. You can see how this adds up. Ask an advisor upfront about the
total cost for the program so you will know what to plan for. But I have a better plan, the
secrets of getting those books for less than 10% of the normal price. I want to teach you the
secret of beating the system.
All students are frustrated with paying over $200 for a book and then when the course is over
they try to sell it back to the book store only to be told they will NOT take it or will give you $5
for the book. The reasoning... it is no longer a current edition. That is part of the racket of the
book companies. They come out with a new edition to the text book about every 3-5 years.
Why do they do this? They will tell you that they need to update and keep current. Do you
really think the anatomy of the body changes? Could it possibly be that $$$ is driving them to
come up with new editions every few years, to destroy your chances of reselling your text book
making everyone have to purchase a NEW book? Yes, I would have to say that this is part of
their motivation, if not the main reason.
The truth is, very little changes in the book. A book of 1000 pages may see a few new diagrams
or charts, a few changed pages or paragraphs, but 95% of the book remains the same. There
are a few exceptions to this, where there is major overall of the book but, this case is the
exception to the rule.
The secret is... professors like myself are not so likely to re-read the 1000 page text to note all
the changes and alter the syllabus/ curriculum based on the small changes in the text. What
does this mean to you?
They are less likely to admit this to their students. So when asked by the student, " do I need
the current edition of the textbook?" they will usually say " yes". They do not want to look like
they are incompetent or "not up to date". No professor or instructor will admit that they are OK
with using a book that is 3 or 4 years old...the truth...the real SECRET...they have not reviewed
the 1000 pages and have changed nothing with their lectures or PowerPoint slide presentation.
When I update I will use the most current information found in research journals. It takes
another several years before information from those journals make it into the text book. So
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rather than read that 1000 page book...I will read my research journals and stay current in the
medical news world and update my material I present this way. And all students will receive
this new information together regardless of what edition of book they are using.
So beat the system and gain from it...Go online and find the cheapest used book of the edition
down from the current one. If edition 8 is being used then look for the 7th edition. What will
this mean for you? Instead of $250 for the book you will be looking at $ 5-20. Use this system
especially if the new edition just barely came out. When in doubt ask your professor. Be honest,
tell them money is tight and ask if the older edition will work? 9 out of 10 times the answer will
be yes. Tell them this is your only option due to money being so tight..... many times they will
admit that the older edition will work if you really show how desperate you are....but don't be
surprised if they still want you to purchase the new edition of book based on the reasoning
above...the savings could result in $1,000's of dollars for you.
So, it is worth the purchase of these books and if you are still nervous about it then, compare it
to your classmates for the reading assignment to see if you are missing anything...after doing
this a couple of times...you will realize...they are the same!! You could be spending close to
$1500-3000 a year in books..if you don't utilize this secret.
Utilize websites like:
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amazon.com
campusbooks.com ( will search multiple sites at one time)
half.ebay.com or half.com ( not an auction site, students like you and used book stores
selling books)
( make sure you have the ISBN # and you are buying the book, not just the study guide
that is sometimes optional to go with the book, which costs considerably less than the
book)
Other methods of obtaining cheaper books. Use those SNO meetings I talked about earlier to
ask about buying used books, good chance that they are the older edition after 2 years of
nursing school and they will get nothing for them from the book store, so you give them $20
instead of the $10 the bookstore will give them.
Remember that the school book store will be the most expensive place to go to buy your books.
Online will be cheaper. Plan ahead to allow for shipping time, or utilize the library copy until it
arrives. Or borrow one from the SNO people you hooked up with until it arrives. Sometimes
your SNO organization will have a lending library. No cost, borrow the book and return it after
the quarter.
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30.The secret of: ADN vs. BSN vs. Diploma
There are multiple entry points for an RN and so there is a lot of confusion and a lot of different
opinions about who makes the best nurse. So let's shed some light on the secrets behind the
three main roads to a RN. We have already discussed the PN/VN /LPN to RN route in one of my
secrets, and if you have a bachelors the BSN or MN route to RN.
The three main roads are confusing and misunderstood. So the secret to knowing which
program is right for you involves understanding these 3 roads. The first road is the diploma RN
because literally it was the first road.
The Diploma RN route was at one time the only way to become an RN. It is one of the earliest
types of nursing education in the United States. Less than 4% of all RN education comes from
this type of program today but 20.4% of all RN's practicing today fall into this category. These
programs are and were administered by hospitals so may also be referred to as hospital-based
programs. By the 1950's these programs had affiliated with nearby colleges and universities;
these schools adopted general education requirements and science courses as part of the
curriculum. The diploma schools today offer just that, a diploma, no AD (associates degree) or
BSN ( bachelor of science in nursing) but, some of them are affiliated with a college or
university and allow for some postsecondary credit to be formally awarded.
The diploma schools in operation today have sound educational programs that meet the same
accreditation criteria necessary like the other programs. These programs vary from 27 to 36
months long. There is a strong emphasis on client experience and time spent in clinical areas.
These programs may be on the rise in the future as hospitals see a need to "grow their own
nurses" to help fill gaps in the nurse shortage. You may be working with many of the aging
nurse population in the hospital who came from these type of programs, and are great nurses.
Associates Degree RN (ADN)... the majority of nurses educated today come from these
programs. This education usually occurs at a community/ junior/ or technical college.
Originally RN nursing programs were moved from a 4yr. college or university setting to this new
setting because of nursing shortages around WWII time. There was a need to produce more
nurses in a faster time. The original thought was to move them back to a 4 yr. after the
shortage period..... NOT GOING to happen now!!! With RN's graduating in increasing
percentages from this setting and with the shortage of nurses still being an issue for many years
to come, this place of instruction is here to stay! Over 60% of all RN's graduating last year came
from this type of program. This setting produces great nurses, and is usually more assessable to
more people. Quality may vary by the program not by the setting. Some will still argue that
good nurses cannot be produced by two year programs, usually the criticism comes from the
university BSN programs
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Many ADN or 2 yr. RN's argue that by the time they finish their pre requisites and RN program
they have been in school for 4 yrs. Which may be the truth, if math and English skills were
needing to be refreshed or brought up to a college level. Students make the mistake of thinking
it will be harder to get into a 4yr.RN program than a 2yr.RN program.
It is assumed that all 4yr RN programs are competitive and this is not always the case as talked
about in secret #11. A recent survey showed 42% of ADN programs turned away qualified
candidates. This leaves 58% where you can assume they took every qualified candidate. This
number drops to 21% in BSN programs, that leaves 79% of all BSN programs took everyone that
qualified for admittance with no one being turned down. These figures tell you that for the
odds you should go with BSN.
National nurse organizations support the BSN route. There are two states who have tried to
pass legislation that requires you to have your BSN within 10 years of graduating with your
ADN. Other states are considering this type of legislature as well.
In a tight economy when there is not a nursing shortage due to:
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Nurses postponing retirement
Part-timers go to full time
Extra shifts worked
Retired nurses coming out of retirement
Elective surgeries postponed ..so hospital census is down
there is more power behind this type of discussion and more people listen to changing entry
level RN's to BSN. As long as a shortage exists with RN's this will be difficult legislature to get
passed.
Some of you may find it is harder to get into your competitive 2yr program at the local
community college than the private university sitting in your back door. So consider applying to
all options. You will however have to be accepted to the college or university and meet their
requirements.
What else can the 4yr.RN program do for you? It may open a few doors not available with a
2yr.RN. For example: supervisory or administrative jobs, public health including school nursing.
There are some specialty credentialing organizations that require a baccalaureate degree for
initial basic certification for nursing specialty, but not all do. Some hospitals may require it for
specialty areas, most do not.
Recently our local hospital is trying to obtain a special status. This status requires that a certain
percentage of RN's be BSN's. So, for right now they are favoring BSN graduates over ADN
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graduates for hiring and mentoring programs. In a tight economy where there is NOT a
shortage of RN's, the degree of BSN RN will be favored over the diploma or ADN RN for hire.
The national survey shows 25.2 % of RN's educated initially in AD or diploma programs obtain
baccalaureate degrees. Many times employee money is available for this education. These
programs are called RN to BSN programs. They are usually geared to accommodate the
schedule of the working nurse and many of them are online or partly online. They are
structured totally different than your RN training. Clinical work consists of usually, community
oriented nursing for a very limited time. Very little use of exams, you will be writing papers.
Will a BSN pay you more? One of the big questions in your mind is, will you be paid more from
one type of school or degree than another? The answer is probably not. If there is a difference,
it will be slight. Some hospitals will pay an extra $1-4 an hour for a BSN, others do not. Keep in
mind that nursing is a cost for hospitals and they can receive no additional compensation from
insurance reimbursement for higher degree nurses, hence no real desire to give more money
for nurses who can do the same job effectively.
I am always asked, " who produces the best RN?" There is a bit of a competitive nature among
educators as to who is the best. Generally speaking ADN programs contain more clinical hours
with the patient. Some hospitals prefer this. Others feel BSN programs produce better critical
thinkers and they can make up for the lack of clinical experience easier than developing the
thinking part.
I think the truth is in the program. There are good and bad programs in both ADN and BSN
programs. I can only answer what I know about my local area and program. I can boast that
our ADN program NCLEX RN pass rates beat all of the 4yr. RN programs in the state. And I can
also tell you that the local hospital prefers our ADN RN graduates for hire over the university
graduates. Is this the case for all ADN 2yr. programs?...NO. Which leads to the next very
important secret... # 31 to tell you what your local hospital prefers.
Go to the state grid list ( I provided for you in the bonus section) and it will tell you which
programs exist in your state and what type of programs they offer.
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31. The secret hiring practices at your local hospital: You need to
know before picking your school
I just mentioned how my local hospital prefers certain program ADN 2yr. RN's over certain
Universities RN's. Now...they are not going to advertise this information. This is all secret
information that is passed along through back channels. If this information gets out, they could
have all kinds of discrimination lawsuits and be charged with unfair hiring practices. So how are
you going to get this information?
Easy you are going to call the local hospital or place where you want to work and ask to talk to
their nurse recruiter or hiring personnel and you ask:
I am looking at becoming an RN and would like to work for your wonderful hospital someday,
could you recommend a school to go to for my RN?
What does this question do for you? It tells you which school the hospital prefers to hire from.
They will prefer to hire graduates from some schools and avoid others like the "plague". And
why is that? Because they have had to many problems with their graduates : had to fire, retrain
or even had lawsuits revolving around them. This means lots of work and money for the
hospital. When they start to see patterns coming from a certain school, it will become an unwritten rule to avoid or steer clear of the graduates from those schools. Unfortunately those
schools could have some very fine RN nurses but, the hospital might not be willing to "risk it" as
long as they have plenty of applicants from their preferred schools. They may hire a few from
these schools but, they are going to go where they have found success.
And you do want a job, when it is all said and done? So ask this simple question up front and
put yourself on the right track. There are ways to work around a bad reputation from a school
that we talk about in the next secret.
Some hospitals might be trying to obtain a certain status or designation i.e. "magnet" and other
designations. This designation may require a certain percentage of their nurses to be BSN or 4yr
degree graduates. Because of their desire to obtain this designation they may favor BSN’s for
hire over ADN regardless of their preference for work produced by ADN vs. BSN graduates. This
may give the advantage to the BSN degree. So ask the nurse recruiter from the hospital that
you would like to work at and ask about the hospital and their preference in regard to
designations. This may be very helpful in your choice of school.
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32. The secret of: Getting the perfect job before graduating from
nursing school
What do you do to beat the bad reputation of your school and get the competitive edge for the
ideal job?
Consider every day that you are providing patient care at a clinical location as a job interview.
Be looking for the perfect place to work. How will you know which floor of the hospital or
clinical site is the ideal one to work? You will be asking and watching for answers to these
questions:
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Are the nurses happy there and friendly?
Are the nurses helpful to the students?
Is it a team environment/ where everyone helps each other?
Does the nurse manager have great leadership skills and get along with all team
members?
Do nurses go there and stay?
Do float nurses request to work on this floor?
Are you recognized for your ideas and contributions on this floor?
So patients have a good experience on this floor?
When you find that place you want to work you will then:

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Give your best performance, show them your "stuff".
Be at your best professionally.
Make friends with the nurses that work there.
Do not avoid the nurse manager or charge nurse ( like most students do).Get to know
them.
Assist when needed even though it is not your "job".
Talk to the nurses about who hires for the floor and what it takes to get a spot there.
Now go talk to the person above before you have finished your rotation and let them
know you are interested. Because that person will watch you and ask around about you.
All nurse managers want to hire a known quantity vs. a random nurse who may not be
so good.
Not all nurse jobs are created equally. You want something more than just the ability to make
great money. That money will be so "Hard Earned" if you are working in an unpleasant
environment, it will not seem enough. So use the strategies listed above to land you the perfect
job now that you are finished with nursing school...yeah!!
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33.The secret of: The odds
This is one of the last secrets and might appear as the easiest or the one that makes the most
common sense. To increase your odds of getting into nursing school, apply to "A LOT" of
nursing schools. Not only should you apply to A LOT, but apply often, I have suggested this
method to multiple students only to receive comments like:
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"That will cost me 30$ for an application fee for every school I apply to!". My
answer..."and you will be making how much an hour to work as a nurse?"...this is equal
to what you will make as a nurse in one hour! If you really want to be a nurse, then play
the odds and pay the application fee.
"It is too much work to keep track of what is required for each school"... I will give you a
sample grid/checkbox form that will make your life easier to track the schools and to
make sure you have met all the requirements. (Refer to Bonus Book)
"I will wait and see if I get in, then maybe I will apply to some other school"... This will
only delay your dream, the amount of money you will be missing is significant by
waiting...your knowledge from your pre requisites will be harder to draw upon the
longer you wait.
"I am comfortable going to this school, I know the campus"...As a nurse you will be put
into new experiences and new situations daily...if you have trouble with this one...you
should re-think the occupation of nursing
"I don't want to drive the extra 15 minutes"... we covered this issue with our first
secrets...get over the mental barrier and drive the extra time and begin your career
sooner.
Play the odds and apply to many schools and apply often. Wouldn't it be nice to receive 5
acceptance letters and then have the option of asking some of those questions we discussed
earlier to determine the best program to sign on with? This is a nice problem to have...Which
one do I CHOOSE?
Other Odds to consider: What part of the country has the most RN programs? By region
consider these #'s for best Odds: Might want to consider moving to an area of 632 RN programs
and increase your odds.
West: 315/ South: 632 / Midwest: 489 / North Atlantic: 337
More odds to help you decide: where did everyone graduate from in 2009:
61% from AD programs/ 36% BSN / 3% diploma
Use these odds to your benefit: you always hear about how full nursing programs are and how
they turn away qualified candidates: well, Put the odds in your favor:
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LPN/PN: 21% of programs turned away qualified candidates which leaves... 79% who, if you
qualified you were accepted.
ADN: 42 % of programs turned away qualified candidates, which leaves... 58% who, if you
qualified you were accepted.
Diploma: 51% of programs turned away qualified candidates, which leaves...49% who, if you
qualified you were accepted.
BSN: 24% of programs turned away qualified candidates, which leaves... 76% who, if you
qualified you were accepted.
These odds say... play them and go for the BSN with a 76% or 79% for LPN ( remember to use
this one for the back door secret).
In 2008 , 1 in 10 programs had unfilled seats... empty seats they did NOT FILL! Play the odds
and... Better yet, play the local odds and ask around at the programs nearest you for the best
odds, apply a lot and often.
For more odds go to : http://www.nln.org/research/slides/ndr_0708.pdf
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34. The secret of: The follow up:
This secret is the one you use to find out WHY you did not get into the program you applied to.
Many students avoid doing this because of pride issues. They are upset and sad that they did
not get in. To discuss it further is upsetting to them. They are afraid of what might be said
about them. It is very important for you to swallow your pride and follow-up. No one likes
rejection! But, to improve your odds for applying again and to other programs you will need
this information.
The nursing program may send you a very generic letter stating you were not accepted. Others
may tell you why you did not get in, but in vague terms. You need specifics! Why do you need
specifics? Because you need to know what to fix! If it is test scores then you will seek out test
prep courses and practice taking the exams , because you can improve your scores. If grades
are an issue, then you will consider retaking some of the classes. And make sure that this will
spur you to apply to many programs and apply often, remember that different quarters and
different programs have different standards.
You will call and talk to the dean, or dept. chair or admission chairman or all three. Send a
follow up letter requesting this information. Why was I turned down, specifics please. This also
shows the program that you are determined, able to adjust, willing to improve, willing to look
at weakness for improvement.... all desirable characteristics in a nurse. When you talk to the
above program you will be polite and most appreciative of any feedback they have. If you
present yourself as angry, hostile, or contentious, then do not call !
If you are angry then wait before calling and practice in front of a mirror so none of those
attitudes come out.
Many times the reason for rejection is as simple as your CPR provider certification was expired
or you lack the proper documentation for some small item that was required like immunization
records. The program may not go to the trouble of telling you the specifics. These are easy
fixes. Better yet, make sure your file is complete before it is submitted for consideration. If you
want reassurance call the secretary in the nursing program and ask them if it is complete. This
measure will keep you from receiving a rejection letter based on some small fixable item.
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35. Secret of : BEST study methods to score HIGH on exams:
You will need to do well on pre-requisite class exams, admittance exams, nursing exams and
the final NCLEX exam to receive your RN license. In order to do well on these exams it is
prudent to follow what research says is the best way to study for exams.
What does the research say?
What is the most effective way to study?
A research study of 80 undergraduates studying scientific material was utilized.
Four methods of study were used:
1). Study once.
2) Study in four consecutive sessions.
3). Elaborative study: study, then create a concept map of what was read in the text.
4). Practice retrieval ( study, then use a free-recall test, restudy of the text and recall again
One week later students took a short answer test with direct conceptual and inferential
questions .
What method faired the BEST? All strategies performed better than the single study period.
Retrieval practice was the BEST strategy, it produced scores 50% HIGHER than the elaborative
study.
This study was repeated with 120 Biology students which involved using two biology texts and
two test formats ( a short answer and one requiring creation of a concept map). Two study
methods were used: one with elaborative study method for one text and retrieval practice for
another.
The retrieval method produced better results on both tests: 84% of students performed better
with retrieval practice than elaborative study.
What is Retrieval method? ....What this means to you is: never skip the review questions at the
back of the chapter. You will want to utilize study methods where you will need to retrieve the
information. Either by using questions or having a partner ask you questions. Use Sample tests!
Use books that are made for NCLEX review and are divided by subject matter. So when you are
studying endocrine diseases you can go to this section of the questions and practice retrieval.
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Look online for manuals with nothing but nursing questions in them divided by subjects. And
then don't forget, restudy that information you did not understand and practice retrieval
method.
Utilize the second best method : Creating concept maps based on your study, utilize them for
the restudy and retrieve method. This way you have the best of both worlds!
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36. The Secret of: Exercise to Boost brain power & test results/ even a
little exercise!
It is well known that exercise contributes to physical health and this has been clearly
established. Studies have shown the relationship between physical activity and cognitive health
in older adults but, not much has been done with young people.
Charles Hillman, PhD. from University of Illinois has done research in this area. His research
involves the studies of children age 9 to 10. High-fit kids showed greater hippocampal brain
volume, which positively affects how well they perform on certain memory tests, and greater
basal ganglia volume, which is related to cognitive control functions underlying action.
Translation: bigger brain that thinks better.
In one of his studies people were found to perform better on difficult memory tests 30 minutes
after doing cardio. They are not sure why. It may be due to increased blood flow to the brain
and it improves your ability to learn new things. Preliminary data of his research has shown
after exercise, more attentional resources are allocated to tasks, cognitive processing speed is
increased, and cognitive performance improves. So long term exercise shows brain changes
that help cognitively and even one time cardio sessions help brain performance.
What does this mean for you as a nursing student or pre-nursing student? It suggests that you
should park at the far side of campus and briskly walk to your classes. Utilize a 15-20 minute
walk to gain the benefits described above. You will probably be carrying a backpack that will aid
you in your cardiac exertion and capacity. Consider a walking or jogging lunch break. This will
wake you up for afternoon and make it easier to remember and process the information. So
instead of spending sleepy non-productive time in your seat you will be utilizing the time and
maximizing your brain power.
Meet early with your study group for exercise or a jog and review session. They will help you be
accountable , you will be more likely to show up and exercise. Your brain will be ready to retain
the information better!
Many of you have heard of the "Nursing School 20". Meaning 20 pound weight gain! Nursing
school is intense and takes lots of study time. Students tend to eat while they study and are
sitting more which contributes to the weight gain. There may not be as much time to fix
nutritional meals, you are inclined to use fast food restaurants. The above physical activity
mentioned will help with weight gain as well as assist cognitive function. Oh and don't forget a
bigger brain! A three for one benefit!
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37. The Secret of: Follow all the rules, All of them!
This seems too obvious to include. But time and time again, students will assume that not all
the rules apply to them. They will try to talk, yell, argue and even lie to show that the rules do
not apply to them.
I recently had a student lie about attending an advising appointment. One of our requirements
for admission is you must have attended an advising appointment. This student had not done
that and was up against the deadline date and no advising appointment was available. Her
solution: to create a piece of paper that had some classes handwritten on it and show it to the
secretary and tell her that an advisor( specific name given) had given it to her at an advising
appointment.
Did she really think that the secretary of 20+ years did not know advisors handwriting? As well
as the system for setting appointments and recording information? This student had great
grades..A’s! What happened? Her file was flagged as an untrustworthy person…capable of
fabricating. I’m not saying a "BIG LIAR" was written on the file. This is property that the student
has access to but, the handwritten note submitted by the student was included in her file along
with a note from faculty that she had NOT made an appointment.
Wow, Could we trust this person behind closed doors with at patient? Do we want this type of
person in our program? Of course not! She will not be called in for a large formal
explanation….she will be quietly denied admission every time she applies. A simple advisor
appointment seemed like a stupid unneeded requirement…so she took it upon herself to
change the rules to her liking.
Word to the wise. Follow the rules…even if you think they are stupid !...... Truth of the matter, I
think this requirement is a bit lame. If a student can figure it out on their own,…then why
require the advising appointment. But it was voted upon by the faculty and is part of the
admission process and part of the rules. KEEP THEM ALL and do not cheat on any of them. If
you think they are "lame"...keep that information to yourself as well.
Things will come back to haunt you if you do not do it right the first time, transcripts are
reviewed more than once and falsifications are caught. I’ve had a student ready to graduate, in
the process of final review of transcripts for a diploma. It was discovered he had altered a
transcript,….needless to say, that student did not graduate or become a nurse. Lots of effort,
time, and money down the tubes!!
FOLLOW THE RULES!! and NO CHEATING on the RULES!!
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38. The SECRETS of: The KILLER essay!
You may encounter the need to write an essay for admittance to nursing school. It may be
titled: a personal statement, letter of intent or definition of nursing. Schools may use these as
criteria for admittance to nursing school. Points may be assigned to the essay. Or it might be a
pass or fail type criteria.
My school of nursing uses an essay not so much as criteria to get into the program but, it could
be used as reason to keep you out. How so?
There are no points assigned to the essay we have students write. We use them to identify red
flags for non-admittance vs. for admittance. Essays that show limited use of the English
language are definitely a red flag. The essay needs to make sense. Be structurally sound. It
needs to show that you can write in English, be understandable and have some type of flow to
it. You would be amazed at some of the essays we have received, the grammar and formatting
told us right away that this student will not be successful due to their mastery of the English
language, regardless of the B grade they received in English 101. We are shocked when we see
that type of disconnect between a passing grade in English and what is written.
The subject of the essay is usually “Why I want to be a nurse”. They want to know why nursing
is for you. The nursing admission committee will be looking at multiple things in your essay.
They want to know why you will be successful and finish nursing school and become a great
nurse with all the qualities that define a great nurse.
AVOID these things in your ESSAY:

Anger
No one wants an angry student in their nursing program. Your essay should not reflect any type
of anger. You may be angry at the medical profession, health care system or education
system... that needs no discussion in the essay. Do not show anger at the political system
responsible for your layoff that drove you to find a new career. You may have anger at an exspouse who was responsible for your change in circumstances.
Angry people have a hard time not keeping the tone out of an essay. Ask someone else to read
it for an honest opinion. If you are an angry person, you will need to get rid of it before nursing
school. Self-coaching, reflection, journaling and professional help is in order!

Too much detailed personal information
The essay needs to be personalized; this does not mean detailed personal information. You may
include a short story that reflects your positive traits or reasons for picking nursing as your
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profession with personal examples. But, it should not disclose detailed personal information
that people do not want to hear.
On my admissions committee there is one member that hates these types of essays with a
passion. I have more of a tolerance for them. If you have this person on your committee looking
at your essay, then you are sunk. Do not tell the sordid details of your nasty divorce. One essay
we received gave us a step by step account of a rape. It appeared that some of the essays were
written as therapy for the student. Do not write those details that you might write in a journal.
To mention you had a traumatizing event occur in your life is OK, but to give the committee a
blow by blow account of the trauma is way too much personal information and does not belong
in the essay.
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Watch views/ opinions/ debate
This is not a soapbox. This is not where you tell how broken the health care system is. Do not
spend time telling the admissions committee how you were “screwed” by the medical
community, and how you single handedly will fix it. Watch for personal views, opinions, and
debatable or controversial subjects.

NO false views of nursing/ stereotypes
The admissions committee wants to know that you know what nursing is all about. You need to
know what you will be doing. Do not tell them you are going into nursing so you can serve the
doctor and be their handmaiden or marry one! This view is archaic and will definitely get you
thrown out of the pool for consideration. If you really do not know what nurses do in today’s
world! Please sign up to job shadow at your local hospital and ask them questions about what
they do and are responsible for.
Do not tell the admission committee that you dressed up in a slutty nurse costume for
Halloween last year and it inspired you to become one. This stereotype is not a favorable or
realistic view and only shows the students lack of understanding of the modern nurse of today.

Do not include items that might keep you from succeeding.
If you are currently working 60 hour work weeks, beware of bragging about it in your essay.
This is a red flag that the student is set for failure. If you have an addiction issue, best not to
disclose it here and seek help so you can be successful. Stay away from your weaknesses. I told
you to be honest but, that does not include disclosing all your weaknesses.
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
Do Not cover items already in your application packet
Your GPA is already covered in your admission packet. Do not review every course and A that
you have received. There are enough other items to cover that you will be using valuable space
on information already present.

No quotes
Do not quote famous nurses or theorists in the attempt to impress the admission committee.
They want to hear your thoughts and feeling! Tell your story. This is not a research paper on
nursing, although it may be helpful for you to read about modern nursing and what it entails so
you are better informed.

Do NOT Procrastinate
If will take some time to write the perfect essay. Do not put it off and throw it together at the
last minute. You work too hard in your pre-requisites all year to throw it away without taking
the essay seriously. Plan ahead, do a rough draft. Write it and then sit on it for a while. Go back
and re-read it. Time in-between will give you a new perspective on the essay. Your product will
be improved if you look at the essay more than once.
Don’t be surprised if it takes weeks to come up with the perfect essay. Start early and gather
ideas, make notes, formulate a plan of when to start, revise and finish the essay.

Do not tell lies or be deceitful/ Be Truthful
Can you imagine reading an essay that appears on the internet? Yes, this has happened, copied
word for word. I have even read an essay that was presented the quarter before, written by a
different student. A student thought they would lend theirs to a friend. There is no place in
nursing for dishonesty. Too much trust is needed in the profession.
Your nursing instructor has to trust you behind closed doors……the patient’s door. You are
expected to do what is right and if a mistake is made, to report it and be honest. This will keep
you out of the nursing program for more than one quarter or a year….try permanently! For this
reason I will not create a sample essay for you to review. There would be too much of a
temptation to use it.
Be truthful about yourself and your reasons for wanting into the nursing program. A sham essay
is easy to recognize. If you go over the top of being mushy it can appear as not being genuine.
Be yourself but don’t go over the top. Do not say what you think they want to hear. It will come
across as not being genuine.
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You may be asked about your essay in an interview, it will be difficult to answer their questions
if the stories you tell are untruthful. They will know if you are fibbing without watching your
nose grow.

Do NOT tell them something they already know
Do not produce an essay on the history of nursing. Do not quote a nursing theorist on her
definition of nursing. They know these things already. Tell them something that is more
personalized. What is your view and definition of nursing? You can review what is said in books
and online if it will help you formulate your own view and definition.
INCLUDE:

Use the right word count
This demonstrates you can follow directions. By going over the approved word count number
you demonstrate that the rules do not apply to me. It says that you are an exception. Know
what the word count number limit is and stay within it. You do not have to fill all of it but,
definitely do not go over. Make every word count.
Use the tool on your computer to count the words. Do not feel you have to use all the space
available. To write meaningless words will not help you. But, using only a quarter of the space
available tells the committee you have difficulty writing and no contributions to add. It may say
that you did not want to put in the time and effort to come up with something of value. If there
is a 500 word limit, try to use 480 of it.

Best foot forward/ you in a good light
This is about how you will make the nursing program proud of you. You will be representing the
program and their reputation is on the line with you. How will you be successful? These items
need to be included.

Life events that may have influenced your GPA
Explain extenuating circumstances. If you have a bad GPA for one quarter, tell them why.
Possibly Uncle Ned came to live with you after getting cancer and you had to care for him day
and night. Possibly you had a health problem. Life does happen, even while trying to get into
nursing school. Make sure they know the situation is corrected and you have things in control.
If the low GPA goes on for two years…..be very careful of making too many excuses. Nursing is
about accepting accountability. If you are full of excuses for everything that is not right about
your admission packet then this will not look favorable.
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The admission committee does not want a "pity parade". DO NOT do this! If things are not
favorable in your admission packet then, tell them why things will be different, tell them and
show them with examples how you have changed

Nurse mentors
It is OK to talk about nurses who have influenced your decision. It may be a friend, mother,
father, grandma. It is common to have someone who has influenced you this way. Because so
many students write about it, yours may be no different than most. Therefore, it is wise not to
devote your entire essay discussing their attributes; you need to focus on yours!

Items that made you who you are/ challenges
If you have had challenges you have overcome, tell about it. Be careful of too much personal
information as talked about earlier. The nursing committee wants to know what challenges you
have overcome as well as currently face. Talk about how you will be ok, and how you have
prepared to cope while in nursing school.

Experiences/ experiences health care related
Tell a short story about a health care experience. Maybe you have volunteered. Your
experience as a patient or as a friend or as a family member that was present for a health care
experience. What was it like, were you able to observe nurses and their positive qualities that
you would like to gain someday?
These experiences can demonstrate your personality a bit. A bit! Don’t go over the top in trying
to demonstrate your personality. I remember one essay that used profanity to try and
emphasize several points. This allowed us to see a bit too much of their personality!
What experiences have made you who you are today? An experience that shows your
compassion, leadership, dedication, involvement, would be appropriate in an essay. These are
qualities the nursing program is looking for. Let them know where you want to be in two years!
What do you see yourself being, doing, what type of person will you be?
If you work in the health care field, this is the time to discuss it and how it influenced your
decision to go into nursing. Tell of an incident or experience working with a certain patient or in
general how you like working with patients.

Positive traits
Do you have a story that demonstrated how you cared for a sick neighbor or friend? This may
show: dedication, caring, friendship, loyalty and the ability to succeed in nursing.
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Use an incident or story that demonstrates your ability to get along with others and like others.
Teamwork and communication skills are desirable traits for a nursing student.

Short personal story portraying your good traits/ or when giving care
A short story that shows a positive personal aspect of yourself is good to use. Find something
that shows your ability to work under-pressure or work as a team member. Some positive
quality that is required as a nurse should be highlighted. In this "Secrets Book" you have
learned about many of those qualities and should be very prepared to accent these.
Do you have a quality, skill, attribute, accomplishments; characteristic that lets you shine above
the others or distinguishes you?

Want to make a difference
It is OK to tell about the desire of wanting to make a difference. If you are changing careers, this
may be a big factor into why you are doing it. You may talk about past experiences when you
made a difference in someone’s life and how that felt. Do not devote the entire essay to this
subject.

Kiss up a bit
If you know the program you are applying to has a good reputation, tell them this is one of the
reasons you are applying to the program. Let them know you have done your research and you
want only the best. Keep this short.

Talk about your support systems
Nursing school requires a lot of time and effort. You will need support systems in place to be
able to handle the challenge. You will not be able to work much so, income will be needed. Let
them know how you will support yourself while in nursing school. Explain how all “your ducks
are in a row” and you are “ready to go” and have the support systems ready and waiting to
ensure your success.
The support systems may include a spouse willing to work extra shifts, financial aid,
grandparents willing to watch children, a boss who will allow you to go part-time and let you
create your schedule, a friend who said "move in with me for two years."

Abilities to work with people/ teamwork
Talk about when you have worked in teams. If in past employment you were a team leader or
project manager, it would be wise to discuss how you learned from other people and how you
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were able to get along and contribute. Nursing is all about people and working with people, not
just the patient but the whole healthcare team. Your teamwork could be voluntary in nature by
serving on a committee at your child’s grade school or local church.

Use correct English/ grammar
The essay will not be long, so use short paragraphs. Sound sentence structure is a must. One
mistake will make you look unprofessional and sloppy. Use spell check and re-check it yourself
for errors. Grammar needs to be checked. Utilize your schools writing lab or tutors to help if
needed. Remember you are making a first impression. Use one inch margins, half-inch indents
on paragraphs, size 12 fonts, use common font types: Arial, Times Roman or Calibri. Stay away
from fancy,cutsey or bold type font.

Include an introductory and conclusion paragraph
Your essay needs an opening and a closing. Your opening could tell there are 3 reasons you are
made for nursing, and then use the next three paragraphs to explain what they are. Conclude
with a paragraph that gives a summary and appreciatively thank them for consideration for
admittance to the nursing program.

Show why you have interest in the field of nursing
The admission committee needs to know why you are interested in the field of nursing. Job
security needs to be a very very small part of the essay. Include not only why you want to be a
nurse but, what TYPE of nurse you want to be. Type does not refer to specialty but what
characteristics.

Gather ideas from others
It may be difficult to toot your own horn or to identify areas or events where you shined. Talk
with friends, family and co-workers for ideas, read your essay to them and ask for ideas and
suggestions to improve it.
How would friends characterize you, your favorable traits? What would they write about you?
You now have the secrets of how to write a killer essay! This is the one area of your application
that you have total control over. It would be wise to maximize the opportunity. You need to
demonstrate that you are exceptional, a better pick than the next applicant. Catch their
attention!
So write it and re-read it with the above information in mind. Be honest with yourself when
reading it. This will be the nursing programs first impression of you….MAKE IT COUNT!
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39. The secret of: Getting 85% of your loans paid for by someone else:
We have talked about the importance of not working too much in nursing school and how that
can influence your success. So the question is how can I live and afford to go to nursing school?
If federal grant money, scholarships, employer money that was talked about earlier is not
available then you are in need of loans.
There are a multitude of loans available to you. Nursing as an educational pick qualifies you for
many loans. You can afford nursing school with the use of these. Some will have deferred
interest and all should have deferred payments until graduation from nursing school. Use these
resources vs. credit cards or loan sharks. The interest rate and pay back terms will be
manageable.
The real secret I am going to share with you is the ability to get 85% of your loans paid back. I
already talked about the military programs that will pay back your loans up to a certain amount.
This is not those. This is government money but, no military service attached to it. How does
the program work?
http://www.hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/repayment/nursing/index.html
This is the website that describes the payback program in detail. I will give you an overview of
the program. By knowing about this program ahead of time you may change your choice of
your first job, alter how much loan money to take and gear your actions to go after this money.
The program pays back 60% of your nursing loan amount for a commitment of two years of full
time work at qualifying health care facilities. A third year is available at another 25%....for a
total of 85%.
Last year the program gave away $56 million dollars! They received 6,978 applications and 954
awards were given out. Almost 14% of those applying received the award. Much better odds
than the lottery…free money. You can up your odds to close to 100% by looking at who they
give the money to first. There are 6 tiers, if you qualify for the first tier; the odds are really good
that you will get the award.
This program is for RN’s only who are working full time at an eligible site. Eligible sites are:
hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice, public health sites, skilled nursing
facilities, ambulatory surgical centers and other more ethnic specific sites.
First funding is given to those whose loans are 40% or greater than their base annual salary.
This criteria itself may influence you to take out another loan vs. working more hours that risk
your success in nursing school.
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First tier includes facilities like: Nursing homes, DSH designated hospitals, public health depts.,
federally designated health centers, specific ethnic oriented sites, CAH designated hospitals,
rural health centers. (See web site for designated descriptions and qualifications of these sites)
Details of the tiers and examples are given at the website along with deadlines, applications,
changes to the program and monies available. You may apply to this program not just as you
graduate and get your first job, but if you change jobs to a qualifying site and still have that 40%
loan ratio to base salary criteria for top tier status.
I know someone who received money from the second tier status. This tells me that everyone
who qualified for first tier status received the award. THIS is huge! 85 % of your loans paid
off….courtesy of Uncle Sam!
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40. Secret of scholarships: Where and how do I get them?
There is always a lot of hype around scholarships. And yes they are out there, but I will try to
tell you where to go and when to spend the time to fill out those applications and when it is a
total waste of your time.
I have a friend who recently went back to school to become a nutritionist. Her grades were
good, but not great. She was just awarded a $6,000 dollar scholarship from the 2 year
community college she was attending. This more than paid for all of her expenses for the year
of school. How did she do it?
With some coaching from me. Lori was concerned about how to pay for it all. I suggested she go
apply for scholarships at the financial aid office of her college to start with. She hesitated and
thought it would be a waste of time and effort. She said, " I'm not a straight A student". I told
her sometimes there is not enough people who fill out the applications so there is money
there." Seriously….I have seen scholarships go untouched from the college because no one
applied and took the time to fill out the forms and gather the necessary information.
First lesson, always start with local, local, local, local sources first. The financial aid officer told
her that very few students applied so they had lots of money left to divide up with the few
students who did apply. Why did no one apply? Because it is a bit of a hassle to fill out all the
forms correctly and to turn in all the needed documentation. And that is part of the secret:
finish it completely and on time.
My friend Lori was concerned that she had nothing that would give her an edge for a
scholarship, no special needs, after all her husband had a great job with a stable company and
made pretty good money.
I sat down with her and came up with some real attributes that those scholarship people like.
They like a good story: it needs to be truthful, but it's all in how you present the information.
Look for the key phrases, terms, words used that are hot buttons for scholarships, these are
what worked for Lori.




stay at home mom now returning to work ( money available for this situation)
lives in a rural area which required a commute to the college
she uses sustainable resources for living ( raises chickens with eggs, gardens, recycles,
composts,( the scholarship people love the term SUSTAINABLE) use it as it applies.
volunteers to teach these sustainable skills to community groups
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

husband had a heart attack a few years back so his income is not totally secure, (he
could die). ( key phrases here...his income, she depends on is not guaranteed , and she
gave a reason why)
will be working in the health care field ( a very hot topic and field that qualifies you for
funding not available for other career choices)
I am now coaching her on filling out her scholarships for local groups: The veterans groups,
Lions service group, etc. She will change her intro letter accordingly and highlight different
elements based on the group. Her father and uncle spent time in the military. This highlight will
be discussed and elaborated on for the scholarship application to the veterans group and if the
lions group members are all veterans then we will emphasize that part in their application.
Service organizations will be in need of lots of service ties. Everyone always undersells what
they have done. Take credit for things like:






coordinated meals for sick neighbor
assisted with intervention of a relative who had an addiction issue( alcohol or drug,
gambling, pornography)
served as role model or mentor to a youth or neighbor....describe in what capacity and
how/ counseling given/ this could be as simple as helping with homework, babysitting
until mom came home....the key word is "mentor"..by spending time with them ,
answering some questions, and giving some advice occasionally you are "mentoring"
provided transportation to someone in need of medical care, or other services
(relatives count,)
assistance in children's classroom/ sports teams/school clubs or associations.
any community involvement
Go into detail and emphasize when you had to coordinate and contribute.
It's not so much what you did , but how you present it.
Look at scholarships even if your grades are not solid A's. My son received a scholarship for
1500$ renewable for four years. $6,000! The scholarship was for students whose grade point
did not exceed a 3.2. Some elderly gentlemen wanted to leave a scholarship fund for the
average student in our area. It felt a bit wrong... rewarding my son for being average...for NOT
putting in the extra effort on homework, instead of snowboarding all the time!
Stay away from those national scholarships, they will always be on the list but, for the time and
effort you will be competing with a lot of other students and odds are not in your favor.
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Contact your local service groups, like mentioned above....and visit your schools financial aid
office more than once,.. different advisors will have more information than others and can help
more than others. A student employee working the desk at the financial aid office who has
worked there for 2 months will be limited in their knowledge. You are trying to find an edge. So
study the people behind the counter to decide who you should approach for help.
Read the bulletin boards at your financial aid office and at your nursing programs office area.
Many times local scholarships for nursing are posted there, and remember your place of
employment for these scholarships too. I have advised students to quit their job and work at
certain institutions only because they were known to give out scholarship money for school,
almost a guarantee. I have seen some hospitals really go all out to assist aides, clerks,
maintenance workers to go to nursing school….paying tuition and giving them schedules to
allow it.
These scholarships could be nurse education related or just general in nature for any type of
study. Forget trying to search on the internet...everyone else is doing it to and you will be
competing with lots and lots of people. I could give all types of websites for national
scholarships…..but unless you have a 4.0, perfect SAT, hardship story, and diversity, do not
waste your time here and "go LOCAL." Research and make some phone calls, your local nursing
organization as well as all the service organizations are a great place to start…..but number one
on your list should be the financial aid office of your school. This will pay off!!
Now GO FOR IT!!....and use these secrets to get into nursing school and make your dream
happen..... I know you can do it !!!
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