Is anyone here from Townsville?

Yes im from Townsville.. just joined up here yesterday.. and starting my diploma in March..

Hi minnie how you going? any ideas on where you can get cheap text books i need 3 more..
just going to start with the first semester first..
Cant wait to get started tho..

Hey Melinda, where in townsville are you? and why do you have to wait til next year?? I am 41, although i dont look or act it...lol...i only found this site the other day so it good to have and to be able to meet new friends..

Im 52....
and i managed to get anatomy and physiology and mosby's dictioanry really cheap off of ebay the are like brand new and latest editions at a quarter of the price. Just need to be patient and keep checking ebay, Im also only getting the 1st semester books but will probably use the TAFEs library ones for now and also if you go to google books then search the book u want they come up online for you to read

Also was waiting til next year to start as my son starts Prep next year so we might just be able to afford to put my daughter in fulltime kindy so I can start study, childcare is ridiculously expensive...would be easier if I waited til I was 31 when both kids were in school but I really don't want to wait that long if it can be done!

I've made a note of that website, thanks! I bought some from www.fishpond.com.au, they are discounted with free shipping in Australia despite the books coming from overseas. Mainly for my own A & P reading to try and get up to speed on the body...starting reading one of my other textbooks and it just overwhelmed me and I haven't picked it up for a few days, just does my head in. So I don't know how I am actually going to learn it all and remember it when I'm actually at TAFE =/

I looked into doing my diploma by correspondence but through GCIT it was going to cost $10k more - and then having to travel to the Goldy to do work placement for 400hrs or whatever it was just wasn't going to work - the expense of flights and accomodation/travel and not knowing where I was going on top of my other stress of study (as well as hubby being left to deal with the kids and still go to work fulltime) would just seem too much for me, if I just go to the TAFE here the course itself is only about $5k (then the expense of textbooks, uniforms, nurses kit & anything else) the only downside is it's fulltime (going to be overwhelming for me). And I know I can do my work placement here, I have a friend who is a nursing manager so I am sure he can help me with that.

Since it's been so long since I finished school (10yrs) I am really lacking discipline so I think being forced to go to classes rather than trust myself to work on it at home is probably better for me. Hopefully I will hit it off with some other students in class so we can all help each other in person.

Man it's going to be a big year next year if I do enrol...I've been stressing about it since I made the decision to do so if it was financially viable...waiting a few years when I don't have to pay for childcare would make things easier "but I don't want to wait" arrrgghhhh, why can't decisions just be easy!

Hi Ladies, I am starting the Dip Nursing in March online part time also through GCIT. I am in Qld but I live on the Gold Coast so the Residential schools aren't a problem for me. I totally understand the worry about $ and having the time to study with kids. I have 3 boys myself and also work part time. The GCIT course is $15000 but you do have the option of the VET FEE which I am doing. Seriously who has $15000 to spare when you have kids? MelindaS there is still time to enrol this year. Nursing is something I have wanted to do for 25 years(I am nearly 41) and was taked out of it when I was in high school but here I am 40, my youngest son is 4 and started Prep last week and all I can think about is being a nurse. I was still uming and arahing a couple of days ago but I have decided stuff it, this is something I have wanted to do the majority of my life. I am going to do it!!!!

MELINDA what is the endorsed course you are doing as I was under the impression that you coutdn't get your endorsement anymore in Qld ???? I know that they stopped offering it at Tafe here in cairns.
By the way pretty sure cairns tafe is the cheapest to do the course is only about $3000.and they only allow you to pay per semsester .
JOJO did tafe give you heads up on what chapters to read before your course commences , up here it was suggested that we preread chapters 1 and 3 of the anatomy and physiology book and chapters 1, 2, 3,4, 5 and 23 of fundamentals of nursing

Hey Ladies, Kysanne you sound abit like me, as this is something i have wanted to do for 25 years also and also doing it through GCIT and will study part time..I cant wait to get started although i am abit worried about the residential school..but at least i have til September to save.. I hope that i can get there..I chose online as i have a 3 and a half year old and he is home with me.I also have 3 older children 21. 19 and 18, and also a 2 year old grandson..MINNIE, no i havent been given any heads up at all on anything to read,i am getting my first 2 books this week tho.so ill be looking through them. I am only starting off withmy first semester books..I found textbookexchange.com.au and found books at a good price on there..Minnie is Cairns offering on line and od you have to attend there at all??

Whilst I don't want to be a nurse for the income, it certainly will be nice...my friend sent me a copy of the nursing payscale As from 1 April 2011 and I'll be earning about $20k more even at the lowest paypoint for the EN than the fulltime job I had in retail....

What confuses me though is the references I have seen/heard about an EN "only" being a Grade 2 Nurse where as according to this payscale the EN is actually in the Grade 3 Nurse category with 5 paypoints within that category. The next category is EN Advanced Practice which is a Grade 4 Nurse and there are just 2 paypoints in that category - not that it matters to me...I'll be happy if I can do this regardless what Grade Nurse I become. Just to do what I would love to do is satisfaction enough :) Would finally make myself feel like I achieved something substantial in life other than 'having children' and being a mum! (Which I love but it's not enough for me)

It would take awhile for me to get used to the extra money but it would make life a lot easier. Would be a strange feeling to have spending money! (And actually buy stuff for myself without breaking the bank for it or actually going on a holiday!)

I can see nothing but good things to come from being a nurse. Feeling excited for next year!

I can't wait to start study, feeling a bit more positive today. Have been stressing myself out trying to read and learn too much on my own, but it was just doing my head in.