Does going to a "top-rated" nursing school really make a difference?

I am torn between a public 4-year university, and a top-rated school; University of Central Arkansas (UCA) and Emory University. Both universities have a phenomenal nursing program, but the price is a big difference. UCA's cost of attendance is around $12,000 per year, while Emory is around $63,000. My question to any experienced nurse out there is, does going to Yale, Columbia, Emory, or any other top rated school truly make a difference in the nursing field? Read More...

Don't go into nursing school if_____

Fill in the blank with any advice you can give students who have just been accepted into a program or who are thinking about embarking on the journey of nursing school.

Here's mine:
DON'T GO INTO NURSING SCHOOL IF you haven't done your own research about the realities of the profession. Good, bad, truth, and common myths & misconceptions. Read More...

Mmmm, fruitcake is so good. :)

Everything tastes so much better when in school. What food have you eaten while in school (past or present) that you would never touch outside of school? Read More...

How is nursing competitive exactly?

I've had a conversation with a girl who is in year 2 of nursing. I asked her if nursing is as competitive as its reputation says it is. She agreed that it was competitive, but said that it was mostly the amount of work and not how challenging the work was.
I'm just confused by that. How is a heavy course load inherently competitive? Read More...

Best Christmas gift ever....I passed the NCLEX-VN!!.

I passed the NCLEX-VN on my first try!! I am so excited & feeling so blessed! What a great time to find out...it still hasn't hit me completely, but I wanted to share my excitement with my fellow nurses, and nurses to be! Its been such a hard journey, and it was never easy, but I did it!! Your stories and articles helped me when I was having a hard time in nursing school and I just wanted to say thank you! God Bless and Happy Holidays....and for those of you who are scheduled to take your NCLEX soon....the best advice I can give is just to be CONFIDENT and don't let your anxieties take over...YOU GOT THIS! Read More...

Tips for Nursing Students also working full time jobs (40hrs/week)

Lately, everyone I speak to about this issue (school vs. work) is consistently telling me it's virtually impossible and that most students working more than 8-10 hrs/week tend to fail or drop out. I'm getting really tired of hearing this.

I'm looking for people who have been able to manage both nursing school and full-time work. What did it take? Tips? Do's? Do not's? I'll take ANYTHING at this point. Help set me (and other students in this situation) up for success. Thank you for your time and attention! Read More...

Nurse jobs that allow modifications?

I am going to be a nurse practitioner, but I plan on having visible tattoos and piercings. I know there are places you can work other than a hospital (which obviously have very strict dress codes). I was wondering if any nurse jobs allow visible tattoos/piercings? Read More...

Does CNA job helps in Nursing School?

I am starting my ADN program soon. I currently work full time as an assistant store manger. I am planning to quit my job soon and work full time as a CNA. However, I am a little bit hesitant because I really don't know if the CNA job will help me in my career as a nurse. Read More...

If nursing doesn't work out

It's crazy how I never honestly truly gave it a thought that I would need to come up with a plan B if nursing doesn't happen. I have never put that question in my head but from hearing from a close personal friend of mine had failed her med surg class or was it labor and delivery? Either way she failed by a couple of points but the program allowed her a second chance to have her do better. But still I never really gave myself another option as if I do not want to end up being dropped from the program. Now I'm here just thinking like should I start with a plan B? Has anyone ever done this? Read More...

Best quality stethoscope

Any suggestions on which stethoscope is good for a beginning nursing student? I start CNA in January then nursing school in August. I just want something that I can carry into the nursing program! I've heard a lot of good things about Littman. Read More

How soon to prepare for NCLEX?

Start my first semester of my BSN program in a couple weeks, and I just wanted to ask if I should study for the NCLEX during the next 2 years or if I should wait to really focus on it after I graduate? Read More...

Advice on selling books online

Has anyone used Textbook Rush to sell their books? Or even the Amazon Trade-in program? Any other sources will work as well, I just need to get these books out of my room! Read More...