Nursing School Update

I've been checking my mailbox recently with a little extra spring in my step. I know the nursing school I applied to said that I'd hear by March "at the latest", and it is only December, but I don't know, I just hoped that I would hear something significant sooner.

About a week ago, after having sort of a crummy day at work, I got home, opened my mailbox and....there was an envelope inside with return address "Nursing Admissions" and the logo of the school I am applying to. I practically danced inside. I was so excited, and certain that the news would be wonderful, and was already planning when to share it with my family.

Inside, it read (roughly): Thank you for your application to blah-di-blah school of nursing. Your application is complete and your admission score was an 85. You will hear from us by March. Please do not call the nursing department for your admission results as we cannot give these out over the phone. Now is the time to start applying for financial aid and scholarships.... etc, etc.

So... not the big whooping news I was hoping for. But at least it's not a big denied stamp. I've already known what my admissions score was since I took the TEAS test, so that was no surprise.

There are all sorts of rumors that circulate around town about the nursing program I am applying to. During my phlebotomy externship, one girl told me that her friend who had an 85 admission score was 5th on the wait list to get in during her year (eep!). Another told me that she had a score "in the low 90s" which shot my confidence down a little further. Some say that you have to know someone in the administration in order to get in. I ran into my 5th grade teacher at Costco the other day, and when I told her I was trying to get into nursing, and about the admission process, she said "shouldn't teaching college biology count for something?!" I sure think so. She told me her sister in law is the assistant Dean (or something) of the program. I wonder if she'll put in a good word for me, and if it would matter if she did.

Someone told me recently that although the school I'm applying to doesn't put any time limit on how long ago you took your prerequisites, when you apply for your nursing license at graduation it matters. I took microbiology ten years ago. I hope that person was misinformed.

Another woman, someone I know well, told me that she was sure that nutrition class is required for getting your license. I looked at all of the state licensing web pages and school requirement pages I had the patience for, and didn't see anything about that. Not that it wouldn't be a good idea to take some nutrition.

So, I'm still waiting. And wishing. And Hoping.

Phlebotomy update

With my crazy schedule over the last couple of months I haven't written an update on my phlebotomy class recently.

So...it's done. I got the highest score in the class on the in-class written exam. I finished all the required clinical hours (40.5), and got about 105 successful draws (only 50 were required). I took the computer-administered, proctored, national exam a couple of weeks ago, and got a 91 on it, well above passing. I barely studied, because, again...way too much going on. Only one person in the class did better than me on it; she got a 92.

My friend and carpool buddy unfortunately didn't pass the national. She got a 68 (passing would have been 70). She had stayed out way too late the night before at a birthday celebration...like 2am late...and then the morning of the exam found out her father in the Phillipines was having some serious health issues. Plus, test taking is not her best skill; this was already her second time through the course. I'm sad for her.

Everyone else from my class section passed. I think most scored somewhere in the 80s, but there was at least one who only passed by a point or two.

We all went (except my carpool buddy, who was too distraught) out for late lunch and drinks afterward downtown. I had two good buddies in that class, my carpool partner and one other woman who lived in north county. I hope I can stay in touch with both. We were always a little separate from the rest of the class.

I have to wait, now, for my teacher to send me some forms, and then I can apply to the state for a phlebotomy license. I did really well in my externship, but I don't think that's a valid job opportunity for me, given my past history (see January '11 posts) with that lab. I didn't know really, that it was going to be set up such that there were 2 phlebotomy sections well connected with that lab, and one section connected to the local hospital. I was just grateful to get into the class, and have it work out with my crazy schedule this fall.

So it might not be as direct a job in as I had hoped for, but who knows, I may have a chance. Or, it may help me later on when I am a nurse.

...no consequences to work gutsiness.

(At least I tried)

I'm still at 19 hours per week at the retirement home and there wasn't any further discussion of full time or more hours or benefits. I haven't been reappointed at the university for Winter quarter (they use way less part-timers in Winter, and were able to cover all needs with graduate students). So here I am again, working half time, no benefits...closing out 2011 and the last few days of my COBRA insurance coverage.

But something better has got to be right around the corner.

Speaking of, I got about $620 worth of holiday bonus between the residents at the retirement home (the larger portion) and the company I work for (a measly portion). And, I should have another bonus coming to me just next week, for "recruiting" another employee and having them last 3 months. Doesn't change my current financial straits, but it will help at least.