Anyone doing 1st year Nursing in September??

LadyE

Hi all,

Wandering if anyone is starting the nursing course in September?

I accepted the offer yesterday morning and am both nervous and terrified!:D:D

E

DarkSeraphim

Hey, i got my first choice on the CAO.. super delighted and also nervous. Tough long hours ahead, especially in second year. Which college did you get your place in? also which type of nursing are you doing?

DarkSeraphim

lol sorry just noticed this was in the UCD thread so that eliminates my first question about which college?!

LadyE

Yep am in UCD

Am doing general nusring, with hope to go onto Midwifery.

Are you in UCD too?

misschatty

Hi there i too applied for general nursing as a mature student and ucd was my first choice, i did not get an offer, but a keeping fingers crossed for next round of offfers. Just wondered what points people got who did get am offer?

LadyE

My points were 168 I think!

misschatty

i guess that kinda rules me out i only scores 153, will keep hopein just wish knew more about d whole round of offers process is v confusin!?

LadyE

Just checked - I got 164 not 168.

does your name begin with an L??

You might have a chance...dont be so negative about it!

DarkSeraphim

@ LadyE - Yeah i got UCD general nursing.. can't wait..

@ MissChatty - I got 163 in the exam maybe you just missed out on the first round, last year it was 150 points for general UCD, they could have put it up this year with the higher demand but if they didn't fill it they might drop the points down for round two. Also if anybody defers or rejects their place it means the next in line will get a place so try keep positive.

What were your other choices on the CAO?

Laura25

Hey!
I accepted my offer saturday just gone, mature student General Nursing.
I got 165. Remember this is the early round, still a few more to go, the waiting kills I know, but stay positive, Good Luck.

LadyE

Oh yay there is a few of us!

How many mature student places were there? most of us seem to be mature students?

Laura25

Average Intake DN110 & DN111: 180

So that must be all General Nursing, still no idea how many of us though.

misschatty

@Darkseraphim have also applied to dcu,dkit,AIT and ul
@LadyE yes name does start wit L, do i know u ???:)

Cherrypipp1

Me me too! I am so excited. I got Childrens and General Nursing at UCD and 171 points. It was my first choice and I am so bleedin' excited, and I am so pleased there are other people on here. I assume I'll be in the same lectures as you guys for the General side of things.

Did you know that you have to do 2 elective subjects in 1st year and they can be in ANYTHING that the university offers?! So if you've ever hankered after an English lit course, or want to do French or Physics, you can!!

Again, sorry for the all the exclamation points, but I am soooo excited.

BTW-if I can ask, how "mature" is everyone?! I'm a very mature 32 year old.:D

SandraD77

Hey Cherry... I got Childrens & general in TCD!!! Can't wait also - UCD was second choice! I'm also 32!!! Seriously auld one of the course!!! he he he

LadyE

Im a mature 23 year old

Did everyone get their packs this morning?

Laura25

Wow cherry, 171, that's great, well done!

I'm so excited, can't think of anything else at the moment.
Did you all get your hospital choice forms today, looks as tho we'll be in the hospitals sooner than i'd imagined, can't wait.
Can I ask where ye all are from?

I'm 25 by the way.

LadyE

Were in the hospitals at the end of the first semester aren't we? I got a call from UCD today asking me to post the lilac form back asap.

I'm living in Monkstown.

DarkSeraphim

I see up ahead on the thread, ages and places were asked:
i'm 24, live in Dun Laoghaire.

Which hospital did you all pick?

I put St. Michaels hospital down as it is around the corner from my house.. some people say you don't experience as much there, like you will pass exams and get your degree but you might find when you get a job after the 4 years there are things you might not know as St. Michaels doesn't deal with everything, alot of cases get sent to Vincents. A little worrying but i am sure it will be stuff that is easy to be shown.

one good thing is that all of us mature students will get our places in the hospitals of our choice as there is only a small amount of mature places on the general nursing course and the school leavers have yet to be offered places as the leaving cert result aren't out yet so it is only the mature forms in, first come first served.i think it is done that way as mature students tend to have a lot of responsibities like needing to have a job while in college, kids ect.. that way they can be at the hospital that is closer to home.

Anybody nervous about anything? i am nervous about taking blood.. i don't mind needles, giving injections or things like that .. it is just something about taking blood from the vein in the arm. i am sure i will get over it. Here's hoping

E

SandraD77

The first round points for this year are up at http://www.nursingcareers.ie/ScoresMature_51.html

LadyE

My hospital choice was 1. Vincents 2. Micheals and 3. Mater.

I dont mind going to Micheals, am on the same road as it and would be handy for getting the bambino to school, I put Vincents down for the experience thing, but I would be happy with either.

Has anyone done anything with getting the overseas Garda clearance?

Laura25

hey!
I put the same as you LadyE.
When do we need the garda clearance by?
Also, have you all got your proof of MMR vaccination, and blood test, I only went to the doctors to see about it today, hopefully they'll just give me a letter, tho i'm not entirely sure if i've had it, God i wish i'd done this last week!
when do most people get MMR vaccinations?

LadyE

I got my MMR in school, no proof though so will have to get blood tests to prove it (I havent done it yet!)

As far as I understand, we fill a Garda clearance form when we start but we have to get our overseas one ourselves. Ill go to the Garda station tomorrow.

Think we get some vaccinations when we start in clinical placement?

DarkSeraphim

My friend is just finishing her last year of general nursing in UCD so i asked her all about the proceedure, she said that once we are told which hospital we are assigned to, we then send that hospital the yellow questionaire form.

Our placement hospital well then organise all the vaccinations, blood tests etc. It is all free but if you don't turn up on the date/time and miss a vaccination they will make you paid to get it done again. My friend was told if she missed her chicken pox vaccination they would have to charge her €500 so make sure you turn up lol

if you are not sure if you have had a vaccination or you can't find the proof, don't worry as they will test your blood and find out that way.

Help some of that helps

LadyE

...so we dont actually have to go to the docs and get stuff sorted ourselves (in relation to blood test etc)?

Is anyone going to the english and maths workshops in August?

LadyE

The nursing dept just rang me to tell me that Id got my 1st choice, st. Vincents yay

She did say that I needed to send my yellow form off with proof of having the MMR for anyone who was wondering

DarkSeraphim

I know this is a long time old but i was wondering how everybody is getting on?

Its weird we probably have seen each other, even sat next to each other.

You's probably won't see this reply but in the off chance that any of you's let me know what you's think of the course?

I personally am loving it. I hope placement doesn't change that. :S

I think some people have dropped out already.. hope it was none of you guys and that you's are still happy you choose the course.

Elizabeth

misschatty

Hi there and happy new year to u all!

Well i didnt get on offer for sept but i went to cavan instead to do nursing studies- a pre nursing course and am loving it have to say. I think in a way im glad i didnt get an offer as this course is giving me a great foundation to carry on with. i have re applied to cao on mature entry and under fetac so i pray i get an offer one way or another this time round!! Ucd is again my frist choice. I hope you all are gettin on great wud love to hear how first year of nursing is treating you. :):)

leesmom

im doing midwifery, so were in a lot of the same lectures. i do like it so far but im really quite nervous about going out on placement!! and its pretty tough after having such a long break from it all:(

DarkSeraphim

@ Misschatty, good stuff on not giving up. It is definitely worth doing a pre course for many reasons. As you mentioned getting a foundation for starting the main degree and you'll also get to know if it is really for you or not.

There has been a few people drop out of our course already. Sometimes people have different ideas of what they expect from a Nursing degree, a few students in my course were expecting it to be easier and got a bit of a shock at how much science we have to do and how detailed it is.

I personally am loving it so far.. UCD is fantasic. It has lots of offer. Sports and social clubs ect I am loving the college scene.. its like a little community.. i have made some awesome friends in my course and it has made a world of difference.

@leesmom

Yeah i know the feeling.. i have totally lost any kind of routine i had going.. i am staying up really late and sleep in quite late.. not good.
I am seriously hoping that the placement doesn't change my mind because this is the only thing i can really see myself doing. I am so happy to be enjoying a course and hopefully will see myself at the end with a degree..

I don't know about you but the course is flying in.. i mean we are half way through first year. i reakon the second semester will also fly with having placement then college then placement.

I know this sounds so sad but i actually miss college. i love having the routine.. i am driven mad here at home... more bored than anything else.. i will have to get a job for the summer or i will explode. lol

Riveta

Hey guys i'm a 3rd year general student myself! Heading back to college now soon! Glad to hear the firsties are enyoing the course! You'll all be grand on placement, just be seen to be interested! Ask lots of questions! THose staff nurses were in the same boat only a few years ago themselves! Enjoy 1st year while it lasts! WE're expected to know things now!

DarkSeraphim

Thanks for commenting.. Glad you are still enjoying the course. 3rd is mostly college, isn't it. Where as second year is mostly placement?

I guess at the start us first years only have so much training that it feels we will be like lost puppies on our first placement. lol sure its all part of the process.. got to start somewhere i guess.

I am in St. Michaels but my first placement is in Blackrock Clinic which i heard is a really nice place so that something anyway.

I don't know how some people are going to get into the hospital if the snow gets worse. i think some people need two buses. Its crazy!

So what is your favourite part of the course? do you prefere being on placement over being in the college or visa versa?

Eliza

Riveta

Ya it's gonna be pretty hard for some to get to placement! Not the nicest thing to be dealing with on top of placement worry!

It's broken down like this

Second year: Semester 1 all college, semester 2 all placement

Third year: Semester 1 all placement, semester 2 all college with two weeks placement on the easter hols!

The whole year out on placement is hard I must say you kinda loose touch with college people and uni in general. I'm in the mater so we're especially isolated.

Ya you'll feel like a knob the first couple of days but just keep the head you'll be fine, everyone's had to do it at some point. I had to have some alone time in the ward staff loo on my first day! Close to tears I was! Love it now though.

Tbh I like both parts of the course I just think placement could structed a little better. There's too much specialist ****e and not enough on the wards. Alot of the modules really dont' prepare you for actually BEING a nurse but you need the academic backround I guess.

Any other questions?! lol

misschatty

Is great to hear all ur positive experiences, is a relief have to say. I really hope i get a place in sept in ucd!

jewell

Hi Miss Chatty,

I too have applied this yr as mature student ...gen 1st choice in ucc. Applied in 05, I had 167 points and the cut off was 168....gave up on idea but my heart was always on nursing so here i am again....typical applying again now the points have gone way up.fingers crossed we will be students this sept