<font color="#00088">Hi again my friends

I wanted to let you know I DID make it to my nursing accceptance interview by Xanax'ing my *** to death... Took a total of 4MG (2 bars) to get in the car (which I was a passenger - even worse) and get to the center. They had a panel of people who interviewd us.

The "head nurse", Ms. Callahan, did NOT even look at my academics in the least. I have held a 4.0 since HS and all any of them said was "oh wow - that is impressive". The BULK of the interview was about my phsyical and mental problems. The more they talked about it, the worse I got (aggitated, scared, the room began to close up, all that good ol' panic BS I have in addition to the BP and paranoid psychosis)....

I told them that this was a debilitating time for me, however my academics speak for themselves... Again, they shunned that and were more concerned if I was going to 'go off' on another student or possibly a patient or if I was going to be under control... They can't have a LOOSE CANNON in the classroom and certainly cannot have one on the floor of a SNF, AFC, or hospital setting...

So I do NOT think this went well at all, I'm VERY VERY upset that my medical life was the topic of conversation instead of my SUPERB academic record (sorry for saying this so much - it just pisses me right the hell off that this interview was nothing more than a slamming session). It put me into a panic attack where I asked to leave the room and she stopped and said "See - this is what we are talking about - you're not going to be able to handle this in your current state".... I again re-iterated that I am under strict medical care and that getting through this program is my ONLY chance of doing something with my life as I have not been able to work and I want to work despite filing for SSA. SSA is MOOT if I get through these 16 months of class and then I can take the State Boards to get licensed.

What happened to EEO or the equivalent? What right do they have to use my disability against me in this interview? DO they have a leg to stand on by 'pseudo-discriminating' by stating my disability is a hazard to the entire class and school? Are they currently treating me and/or have full knowledge of my diseases/disorders? Afterall, this panel consisted of all RN's with Master's... and all I got was the "you're scrwed up in the head" attitude - all becuase of me being HONEST with them... If I had lied and just said I was under the weather, they probably would have NEVER EVER known....

They want me to have a physical and psychological examination before 'fully' accepting me into the program... When I asked about clinicals, they said "lets see if you can handle the books first since you can't manage to even leave your house. This course has no tolerance for absences whether medically approved or not. If you miss, you're going to fail. If you do not do well, you're going to fail; if you cannot ACT LIKE A HUMAN BEING, YOU"RE GOING TO FAIL" I lost count on how many times the words/phrase "you're going to fail" was used - despite maintaining my 4.0 throughout my HS and college careers. Yes, I screwed up my last semster by dropping them all bcuz I could not concentrate, but this is changing my entire life by becoming an RN instead of being the Engineer that I already am. Hell if I could pass the 4 different "pre-entrance exams" and be invited to attend through the interview, I sure as hell did something right. I had the TOP scores out of 700 or so applicants. Yet they treated me SO unprofessionally that I could spit fire!!!!

I am in my right mind to go there today and speak with her agian one-on-one and tell her how I think she handled this interview... AND I'm going to poitn out how NONE - absolutely NONE - of my interview found out who/what I am academcially. Whether I am admitted or not, I still have to present how unprofessional and how discriminatory she behaved... It's just a shame.... I'm also going to point out that I don't care if this puts a hinder on my acceptance - the fact that I was degraded and torn a new one over my disorders was VERY - err IS VERY unprofessional and IMO, discriminating against someone who has a disability. Let me know if any of ya feel the same or any opinion.. You know me - I listen to all even if it is not what I want to hear or feel....

Glad to speak with everyone and hope all is well as it can be...... Keep in touch with me - you know where to find me!!!!
Hugs, Niko </font>