Bachelor in Nursing - State University of New York (Winner)
Editors Note: This nursing student story essay was selected as the second place winner of BrainTrack's Nursing Schools Scholarship for fall 2009. At the time of her submittal, the winner, Zoe Andrada, was studying for her accelerated bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree at State University of New York - Downstate Medical Center College of Nursing.
Wishes Had Known | Program Likes/Dislikes | Choosing NursingWhat do you wish you had known about selecting and entering your nursing school that would be helpful to others going into nursing?
When I started thinking about nursing school, I gathered as much information as I could about the various nursing schools and different programs offered. I thought that preparation and a careful search would provide me with the best fit school. I looked at the differences between the BSN, accelerated BSN, BSN/MSN direct-entry, part-time and full-time options, and kept in mind the start dates as some schools began their programs in Fall, others during Winter semester, and others during the Summer session. I carefully noted the statistics of the various schools including prerequisite courses, average GPA of accepted students, average GRE score (where applicable), number of recommendations, application deadlines, acceptance rate, class size, clinical size, location and even the surrounding public transportation.
I also considered the resources of the larger university or medical center in which the nursing program was a part. Some nursing programs that were part of larger universities or medical centers seemed to me like they might pose more opportunities for research or interdisciplinary work for the nursing students. I took note of whether students were required or encouraged to do research as part of the nursing program.
I learned a lot about each school by attending various information sessions, participating in online chat sessions with admissions committees, and contacting current students of the programs which I was considering. At the various information sessions I attended, I would approach students at the school and ask if they were nursing students as I knew that admissions offices that provide prospective students with e-mail addresses of current students most definitely would put prospective students in contact only with students who had positive things to say about the program. I looked for more information from current students in online blogs for nursing school and took note of the grades and numbers of previous students who applied to the schools of my choosing.
I visited the university bookstores to get book lists for the programs I was interested in and borrowed the books from the library and read ahead in hopes that I could get an overview of the various courses that I would be taking in nursing school. I also memorized medical terminology prefixes, suffixes and root words since I realized it was required for many Physician Assistant programs, but not for nursing programs. I thought taking a look at a Medical Terminology book would help me have an upper hand once classes began.
I thought that all of my preparation would help me get a head start once classes began. It didn’t. On my first day of school I realized that in this BSN program, there were students who had already worked as CNA’s, LPN’s, EMT’s, or Paramedics. There were others who had experience working in the field of healthcare in non-clinical settings. Although this was intimidating, there were many other students, like me, who were just getting introduced to the field of healthcare.
I realized that although my fellow classmates had much more experience, everyone was on equal footing on the first day. In fact, although I was feeling intimidated by everyone else in my class, I found out at the end of the first semester that many of my classmates assumed that I was the highest scorer on the Pathophysiology exams. I realized that my preparation before school had given me confidence and a certain level of comfort, but on the first day of class, we were all in the same place.
There is no one right way to prepare for nursing school since nursing as a profession, is very different from other professions, even other professions within the medical and healthcare fields. The skills that nurses have cannot only be learned from a book, or even from a simulation lab; they are skills that need to be practiced and fine-tuned over a period of time.
I do not regret the measures I took to prepare for nursing school because I realize that no education is wasted. My advice to students entering nursing school would be to read as much about nursing and healthcare that interests you even though it may not be directly related to your coursework. Do not try and read only in preparation for classes, rather read things that sincerely interest you. It is those topics and issues in healthcare and nursing that truly interest us that will give us the passion and drive to become the best nurses we can be.
What have you enjoyed most and least during your nursing degree program so far?
There are many things I have enjoyed about my nursing degree program so far. I am able to interact with other professionals and students in the field of healthcare because of my College of Nursing belongs to a large medical center that encompasses research, medical and health-related education, as well as two urban hospitals. I have attended conferences, lectures, and workshops offered by other departments and have become more aware of trends and issues that affect the field of healthcare at large. I have been fortunate enough to take full advantage of the offerings of the various departments and have been able to learn most from spending time in the medical student cadaver lab and Emergency Room on my own time.
After completion of my BSN, I hope to return to school for a graduate degree in nursing. I am certain that my interactions with students in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program, Midwifery, and CRNA programs, have made me more aware of the educational requirements and realities of the various nursing specialties. I value the contact that I have with other nursing students who can shed light on what the future may hold.
One of the reasons why I chose this nursing program was because of the small class size of 57 students. The class was able to bond quickly which makes it easier to learn together and from each other. It is too small of a program for individuals to isolate themselves or be overly competitive.
Due to the small class size, each student is able to design an independent project with an advisor from the college. Each student can create his or her own research project and is paired up with a nurse of the student’s choice in an affiliated hospital. My advisor indicated that my current project can be a possible foundation for further research in graduate school. It is empowering to work on a project I designed on my own knowing that I may be able to expand on it in the future.
I enjoy the fact that my clinical experiences are very fast-paced and eye opening. My college is located in a diverse urban community in that provides for much interaction with people from various backgrounds. While safety is a concern in the neighborhood, it has made for interesting learning experiences in the Emergency Room of the city hospital. I value the experiences in my clinical rotations because the cases found here in Brooklyn, NY are very different from those in smaller cities and rural areas.
While there are many things I enjoy about my nursing program, there are also many things I wish I could change. Because my program is a 15-month accelerated program, many courses were condensed into 5-week or 6-week blocks. We took Pathophysiology during our first block of 6 weeks along with health assessment, and a nursing theory course. Our second block of 5 weeks included pharmacology, OB-GYN, and two nursing theory courses. Because some of those courses serve as a foundation to further nursing coursework, I found it disadvantageous to have them crammed into such a short semester.
I have looked at other nursing programs’ course descriptions and many of the programs have a course called Nursing Fundamentals. I find it strange that my college does not require us to take such a course and does not offer it (or a similar alternative) as an elective. I presume the administration expects that we will learn those skills through other courses or even during clinical rotations, but after purchasing a Nursing Fundamentals book, I feel that as a class, we could have benefitted from a Nursing Fundamentals course.
While there are many things I enjoy, and possibly many more things I dislike, about the way my program is organized and set up, I strive to make the most out of the education and experience I am receiving. I do realize that there is no perfect nursing school and all programs have their own advantages and disadvantages. I realize that my school may be lacking in certain areas, it motivates me to learn the material independently which may help me in the long run because ultimately, each one of us is our own best teacher.
What led you to choose nursing as a career path?
As an undergraduate, I studied theater and music. Five years after graduating from college, I am now studying nursing in an accelerated BSN program. Although seemingly very different, I do believe that my experiences in the arts have prepared me well for the nursing profession. In both the performing arts and nursing, complete commitment must be given to the work at hand and being present means always being prepared to give of the self and the soul in an intellectual, physical, or emotional capacity. Because making personal connections is so essential in the arts as well as in providing care for patients in a hospital setting, my previous experiences in the arts have helped me interact with people during some of their most vulnerable times in their lives.
The ways in which I communicate and relate to others have been shaped greatly by my encounters through my travels, most notably in Mexico, India, and the Philippines. As a dual citizen of both the United States and the Philippines, I enjoy learning about different perspectives, philosophies and values that may be shaped by culture and tradition. My travels have also exposed me to the iniquities throughout the world’s nations, usually apparent in the healthcare of the people. I am now more aware that I, too, can learn about, appreciate, and show respect for others by being of service to them as the skills of nurses can be used universally to help others live well, live fully, and live happily.
In addition to my travels, I also witnessed a variety of health issues firsthand in my own family including my mother’s battle with breast cancer and my father’s receipt of a pacemaker. I often think about how grateful my family was when we were helped by healthcare professionals who happened to be in the airport when my father was feeling weak and unable to board the airplane. We were in a foreign country receiving the help of our fellow-passengers who were willing to help us and it was then that I realized and came to truly appreciate the importance and value of the skills that healthcare professionals possess. Additionally, it is that kindness for strangers shared with us that I hope to one day share with others especially in times of emergency situations.
I became more interested in the prospect of becoming a nurse when I realized that the positive characteristics I want to possess could be developed by being of service to others. I continually redefine success but my personal mission remains: to make a valuable contribution to my community. I now focus on what skills I would like to learn in order to do as many positive things I can for the greatest number of people possible. The versatility of the Registered Nurse license would fulfill this mission and enable me to serve all age groups in a clinical capacity while maintaining the options of integrating research, education, or policy into a practice that serves universal needs. I value patient and family interaction as it greatly assists not only the patient’s understanding of the treatment, but also plays an important role in the healing process.