Advice from a Middlesex Assistant Dean on How to Stand Out as a Nursing Applicant
By Jill Randolph
February 11, 2011
The following is an interview transcript with Katherine Gehly, Assistant Division Dean for Nursing at Middlesex Community College. Ms. Gehly has been a nurse for over 30 years and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Skidmore College in 1979, and a Master of Science in Nursing, specializing in Pediatric Primary Care, from Northeastern University in 1995. She has worked at various hospitals, and also was a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She began teaching at Middlesex in 1991 and and was appointed as Assistant Dean for Nursing in 2005.
Middlesex, founded in 1970 in Bedford, Massachusetts, began its Nursing Program in 1972 . In 1982, a second site at Lowell General Hospital was added. In 1995, the two campuses were consolidated into one in Lowell. A part-time evening weekend program option began in 2003, in addition to the full-time day program option. The nursing program currently admits about 100 students each year. Approximately 80 students graduate each year. The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) accredits the program, and it has full continuing accreditation granted until 2014.
Jill Randolph: What is most important for high school students to complete in order to be accepted into a program like yours and when should they start working on their plan?
Katherine Gehly: They should look at admissions requirements and start working on those as soon as possible. Nursing is a very popular field right now and since the economy started to decline, many people are waiting to be accepted into nursing programs. It's currently about a two-year wait from when someone has met all the admissions requirements to when they can start taking nursing classes.
High school students can take science classes such as chemistry and biology, as well as satisfying the math requirements of algebra I and algebra II; there are also placement tests, and other admissions materials they need to complete. Fulfilling those requirements is important because the sooner students do so, the sooner their name is on the list as a qualified applicant so that they are eligible for a seat.
Jill Randolph: Should students apply when they are sophomores or juniors in high school or should they wait until they have graduated from high school?
Katherine Gehly: High school students can apply once they have met the admissions requirements. They probably won't be able to meet the admissions requirements until they are at least a junior, or possibly a senior.
Jill Randolph: Do you recommend students take core classes that will apply towards a BSN? Is there anything they can work on while waiting to be admitted into your nursing program?
Katherine Gehly: Students can take classes at Middlesex that will apply towards the nursing program, but they cannot take any of the actual nursing classes until they are accepted into the program. There are a number of required classes they can take including science courses, English, Intro to Psychology, math, etc. Frequently, students spend a year or even two years taking those courses while waiting for a seat in the program. Then once they begin the program, all they have left are the nursing courses.
Jill Randolph: If a student needs to work their way through school, would you recommend he or she obtain a certificate and try to work in the nursing field, such as a CNA or LPN?
Katherine Gehly: Yes, often students earn a certificate to find a career-related part time job. We have a new program called the Academy of Health Professions, which is a career-ladder towards higher health career professions such as nursing. Students take courses in a shorter modular format and graduate with a certificate in phlebotomy, nursing assisting, or as a medical secretary, and then are able to work while going through the program.
We have two program options: a full-time day program and a part-time evening weekend program. If students need to work more than 20 to 30 hours a week, we encourage them to consider the part-time evening weekend option, because working more than 20 hours and being in the full-time day-program option makes success in our program more difficult.
Many people believe an associate degree program is easier than a four-year bachelor's program and in truth, it is not; if anything, it can be harder because they have to acquire the knowledge in two years to sit for the same licensure exam as students who go through a four-year bachelor's program.
It's very intense, it's very concentrated, and students literally have to hit the ground running. I emphasize this to the students, particularly those who are taking the core requisite courses and doing well, because they seriously underestimate the time required to be successful in the nursing program. The nursing classes alone are at least a 40-hour a week commitment between reading, preparation, clinical time, and all of the outside work.
Jill Randolph: What is the split between the full-time day students versus the part-time evening or weekend students?
Katherine Gehly: We admit twice a year into our full-time program and only once a year into our part-time program. We currently have about 200 students in the program, with about 120 in the day and 80 in the evening weekend.
Jill Randolph: Are more students, because of the economy, willing to relocate to find employment?
Katherine Gehly: We have students who are relocating because of the job situation here, but more often if they are relocating, it was their original plan. One characteristic of community colleges is that a majority of students who are local wish to remain in the area. Consequently, the vast majority of students don't want to relocate, and are willing to accept a job out of school even if it is not their dream job, if it is a way to gain experience and stay in the area.
Jill Randolph: I touched on the CNA and LPN certifications earlier. Do those credit hours apply towards an RN or an ASN or are they only to help the students gain nursing experience?
Katherine Gehly: The CNA does not apply other than providing students good experience and an opportunity to make connections with organizations that might hire them when they finish their RN degree.
Students with a LPN from a school we have an articulation agreement with have the option to matriculate into our program in the third semester, essentially earning credit for their first two semesters. We have articulation agreements with three local LPN schools, and students are eligible for the third semester if they graduated from one of them within the last five years with a B or better average.
If the students went to an LPN school other than the programs we have articulation agreements with, or do not meet the articulation eligibility requirements, they may be eligible for advanced placement into the second semester, essentially giving them credit for the first semester of the program.
Jill Randolph: I have heard of education graduates relocating to gain experience in order to be more hirable. If nursing students are willing to move away for immediate RN experience, will they be more employable when they return?
Katherine Gehly: There is always a period of transition from school to practice, and mentoring new graduates is an expensive undertaking for a facility. If they have an applicant with one or two years of experience, those facilities are more likely to consider experienced applicants over a brand new graduate who has never worked. The exception would be graduates who worked part-time as a nursing assistant at the facility, and the facility members know the applicants, their abilities, and have established a track record with them.
The students locating jobs after graduation are often the ones who worked at a facility, which is why we encourage our students to find a part-time job. It's a balance, because students shouldn't work too much and detract from their studies, but it does make them more attractive candidates to employers.
It doesn't hurt to relocate to gain experience, but it is more difficult when students are grounded in the community, and/or have families. We have students in their 30s or 40s who already have families and commitments to the area. They are less likely to want to move away to gain experience.
Jill Randolph: What does it take to be a great nurse? Besides passing board exams and having a strong science and math background, what personality traits and other characteristics make a great nurse?
Katherine Gehly: The most important trait is the desire to help people. Periodically, I speak with someone who is interested in nursing to make good money or to have job security. If they don't want to help people, most often they are not successful, because this is a job they really have to want to do.
A successful nurse also has strong communication skills, especially the ability to listen. Nursing involves a lot of teaching, whether in formal nursing education or working on a floor, so it is important to be willing and able to communicate so people can understand.
Being a problem solver is also important. Nurses are always putting together pieces to solve problems or identify alternative solutions. Nurses are like detectives, because they have to look at all the clues and figure out what is happening. Organization and time management skills are also essential to prioritize their duties.
Jill Randolph: Do nursing programs teach classes to empower nursing students to stand up to doctors when they feel a mistake has or is going to be made?
Katherine Gehly: Some of those skills are gained throughout the program. Although we don't have specific classes on how to collaborate with doctors, we emphasize the importance of being the patient's advocate and putting the patient's needs above others.
The empowerment is gained from experiences in the clinical setting, and the knowledge to know they are making the right decisions. Rather than standing up to the doctor, we approach it from a communication and collaboration viewpoint because everyone is trying to do the right thing even if they are overlooking a detail.
We have had instances where students were in clinical working with their instructor and they discovered a medication error. With the instructor's assistance, they called the physician to explain the dosage discrepancy. It is usually a positive experience and the students really learn and grow from it. It's not a teachable skill; they have to learn it through experience, which is why it's important for new graduates to find a setting with a support system to gain these skills.
Students should never do something because someone told them to do it. They should know why they are doing it and what the ramifications are. If they don't, they should ask. This is not challenging anyone, but rather seizing an opportunity to understand the rationale behind a decision.
Jill Randolph: How has the job market for nursing has changed over the past year in your area?
Katherine Gehly: Prior to this year, the majority of our students' first jobs were in hospitals or acute care facilities like hospitals. This past year, of the applicants who responded to our graduate survey, 90% were employed. Today, the percentage is probably well under 70%.
Those who are finding jobs are more likely to be in long-term care or rehabilitation facilities versus acute care hospitals. This causes concern because new graduates may not have enough support. Particularly in long-term care facilities, fewer nurses are on staff compared to hospitals, which have many nurses. Students need to make sure they are going to have the support to be successful in their first job.
Jill Randolph: Which nursing specialties have the highest demand?
Katherine Gehly: The intensive care nurses or nurses who work in emergency departments are the most sought after. Those positions are not typically filled with new graduates because the nature of the position requires experience.
Jill Randolph: Do you have any post-graduate certificate programs to help prepare students or are these skills learned on the job?
Katherine Gehly: We don't have post-graduate certificates. Usually, those skills are either learned through experience or the facility may have training programs for their employees.
Jill Randolph: What are the three most important things nursing students can do to prepare to find a job?
Katherine Gehly: Number one, employers are looking for experience outside of school. Second, students should identify themselves as unique whether through experiences at school such as volunteer work, or their participation in the Student Nurses Club. These first two points demonstrate they were willing to give more than is expected and be successful.
The third is to always present a professional image. Their resume and cover letter should be well organized and they should be dressed professionally for interviews. Employers tell me all the time about potential employees who arrive in jeans and t-shirts and chewing gum. Five years ago, employers may have overlooked those things but today when 100 people apply for two jobs, they are much more selective.
Our students take a course called Nursing Issues in their final semester. Part of the course prepares them to enter the job market. They have a career seminar day where one of our career counselors reviews how to create a resume and also the proper conduct for an interview.
We also have former graduates talk to students about how they found employment. Students find this very helpful because they treat this day as if it were an interview. They are given specific advice such as types of professional clothing to wear versus more casual or revealing street clothes.
Jill Randolph: Do you have any advice for students regarding social networking and traditional networking?
Katherine Gehly: It's important for students to be careful about the content they are posting on social networks such as Facebook. Employers may look at these sites, and pictures of applicants partying on the weekend can be the deciding factor even if they have a tremendous resume and had a wonderful interview.
We also encourage students to take advantage of any contacts they have through face-to-face and personal networking. If they know someone working at a facility where they are applying for a job, the student should contact that employee. When the job market is as tight as it is, these connections are far superior to blindly sending a resume and applying.
Jill Randolph: Do you recommend any websites related to nursing to help students decide whether nursing is the right path for them? Also are there any job search sites specifically for nursing?
Katherine Gehly: ADVANCE for Nurses frequently sends information about job fairs. The college also has a career and education planning tool called FOCUS2. Students answer questions about their likes, dislikes, hobbies and personality traits, and it helps match them with a suitable career.
I encourage potential students to use this tool as well as carefully assessing the responsibilities involved with nursing. Occasionally, students who have been on the waitlist for two years begin their studies to only realize nursing is not what they thought and they leave. It's a shame not only for them, but also for the person who is still waiting for a seat.
This confusion is partly because of the inaccurate media portrayal of nursing. Shows like "ER" give students the impression of nursing as a really "cool" profession, which it is, but not necessarily for the same reasons portrayed on television and in the media. Nursing is reality-based; I have nursing aides who want to be a nurse so they won't have to empty bedpans, but nurses empty bedpans.
Nursing is not sitting at a desk, talking on the phone and using a computer. It's caring for all types of people with all types of problems. There is a messy side of nursing; I doubt anyone becomes a nurse because they love body fluids, but body fluids are part of the profession and have to be accepted. Nurses deal with it because they know they are helping someone.
Jill Randolph: Does the possibility exist for a program such as FOCUS2 to become a mandatory prerequisite, to ensure students assessed if they were on the right path?
Katherine Gehly: It probably will not be a prerequisite because it is an educational tool. I strongly encourage people to use it because it is helpful, but also to understand that in this profession, students have to become involved and discover their passion for nursing first-hand.
I have talked to students for years about what nursing is and how much work it is, and some still enter the program not realizing how hard it would be for them. This situation will always happen because people have to decide the best route for them and it can change. Providing them with as much information as possible to make an informed decision is all we can do.
I am proud of my program, it's extremely challenging, and employers frequently tell me they like to hire Middlesex graduates because our students know how to think and are not afraid to work. I have a dedicated and committed group of faculty who go above and beyond on a regular basis to help these students gain the experience they need to be successful nurses.
