LOR Issue

[Eemma]

Hi all!

 

So I recently was chatting with my charge nurse about my application. She had offered to complete a LOR for me and I gladly accepted as I was scrambling to find my last one since I have recently transitioned jobs. 

I told her what it was for and showed her examples but did not lead her in anything she should say as I felt that she should write what she felt appropriate. 

She mentioned what she wrote during our conversation and it was super basic. She knows me well enough to speak to my clinical ability and experience but she wrote it in a generic way. I think it is just her style as she is quite laid back. I really appreciate her taking the time to complete but I can not help but worry. I have been staying awake at night wondering if one lackluster LOR is going to hurt my chances.

 

My stats are as follows

Undergrad- Nursing (BSN)

cGPA-3.82

sGPA-3.94

LOR- Charge nurse mentioned above, hemoc charge nurse, NICU PA

PCE- 800 hours as a PCT on a hemoc unit, 1200 hours as a NICU RN

HCE- 600 hours- student nurse preceptorship

Volunteer- over 800 hours

Leadership-1040 hours

Shadow- 33 hours with two different PAs

6 years active-duty military, 3 years reserves

 

Thanks for any guidance you all may have based off of your past experiences.

[ANESMCR]

You should be more concerned about not having an LOR written by an MD.

[Eemma]

13 hours ago, ANESMCR said:

You should be more concerned about not having an LOR written by an MD.

I haven't had the relationship with our MDs that I have with our charge nurse and nurse practitioners. Most schools that I have applied to indicate that they prefer a clinician who can speak to your abilities in the healthcare field. I did not want to ask the doctors who do not see me interact with patients often, although I did shadow them. I also have a PA who wrote a letter of rec as well as we have built a relationship during shadowing hours and she has worked alongside me during stressful situations. I was more interested to see if the basic verbiage LOR would need to be addressed if I need to apply next year. 

Thanks for your feedback! 

[browens3pa]

Based off your stats and service history with the military I don't see how one mediocre letter is going to hurt you unless the nurse said bad things about you (which you know she didn't) I wouldn't sweat it as there isn't anyway to change it now anyway.

[KuchiKopi]

Yeah.  I think you'll be alright. 

[ANESMCR]

1 hour ago, Eemma said:

I haven't had the relationship with our MDs that I have with our charge nurse and nurse practitioners. Most schools that I have applied to indicate that they prefer a clinician who can speak to your abilities in the healthcare field. I did not want to ask the doctors who do not see me interact with patients often, although I did shadow them. I also have a PA who wrote a letter of rec as well as we have built a relationship during shadowing hours and she has worked alongside me during stressful situations. I was more interested to see if the basic verbiage LOR would need to be addressed if I need to apply next year. 

Thanks for your feedback! 

Wouldn’t worry too much, it would just be better. I agree with the above, you should be fine either way with your credentials/experience alone. 

[CXPAC]

I think you have a very strong application and I do not think a "basic" recommendation letter would hurt your application. I did not have a LOR from a MD and I was just fine. I do believe that it is more important to have someone who can speak about your passion for PA and your trait to become a good PA than another MD who does not know you well enough.