Any other Calhoun RN students out there?

U.S.A. Alabama

Published

Well, it's that time of year again, and I've finally been accepted into the RN program at Calhoun Community College! Got my acceptance letter yesterday. I am VERY stoked, to say the least. I have waited a LONG time for this, especially considering the fact that I was initially given a lot of incorrect information by several advisers, which resulted in my admission being delayed by over a year. Consequently I wasn't able to start along with my fellow classmates from all of my BIO classes. :( However, I'm just glad that this is all finally in motion now.

Anyway - any other Calhoun students out there (first year or otherwise)? Any Huntsville Hospital people out there?

Gwyneth - I don't live in Jackson County but welcome to the boards nevertheless. Good luck with finding a place to live; hopefully you can nail that down before school starts!

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hey! thanks iam very excited, nervous, and scared! like everything rolled up into one. what do you know about calhoun's program? is it typically hard to get into? when i applied to nursing school i applied to several places so when i went to orientation i really liked the setting and the teachers. i went to the alabama official like registry where it posts nclex scores and passing rates. calhoun to me was moderately average, defiantly was'nt bad though. if anybody has any info or anything please reply back! :)

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Let me give you al a little FYI...I just graduated from Calhoun RN program last May. Do not take the Red Cross CPR, it's crap. It will get you nowhere when you get to work for the real hospitals. Also..all these test..pay attention, do not try and slide by..the NCLEX will kick your butt if you do. Pay attention to your lab values..you will keep them forever, since everything evolves around those. You will cram and dump at this moment in your life, it is normal. But try and keep as much knowledge as possible.

Good luck, students..going for my Masters..:eek:

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Let me give you al a little FYI...I just graduated from Calhoun RN program last May. Do not take the Red Cross CPR, it's crap. It will get you nowhere when you get to work for the real hospitals. Also..all these test..pay attention, do not try and slide by..the NCLEX will kick your butt if you do. Pay attention to your lab values..you will keep them forever, since everything evolves around those. You will cram and dump at this moment in your life, it is normal. But try and keep as much knowledge as possible.

Good luck, students..going for my Masters..:eek:

Ok, you need to tell me everything you know! Did you like Calhoun's program? Which teachers did you like? what are their teaching skills, anyone you need to pay extra attention too? How are the tests? All NCLEX style? Are check-offs nerve wrecking? I have Mrs.Cobbs for my lab practices, and my favorite teachers so far are Mrs. M Lee, and Mrs.Peak. I love it so far, it just seems kinda chaos, and we have 300 students this year! was your class that big, how many get weeded out? Sorry for all the questions, im just sooo nervous and excited!

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I agree with Jamie. We need your guidance...we are so scared right now...lol

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I agree with Jamie. We need your guidance...we are so scared right now...lol

I've tried to message you multiple times, your mailbox is full. And i cant leave my email on here or it will be deleted for safety reasons, please clear your mailbox so i can send my email, I would love to be added to your list, and I also have some notes that may be of use to someone, have you put any thought into study groups? or do you go to the lab to practice any skills?

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Hello again..let me tell you all to calm down :cool: I can tell you this b/c I have been there. I loved both the 'Lee' sisters, except D Lee teaching styles are, 'what have ya.' :lol2: Ms. Roark is super cool and laid back..if you get her for clinicals your doing good. She will give you EVERYTHING you need to know for testing purposes. Hope and pray that Mr. King DOES NOT teach the diabetes lecture to ya'll. It will leave you more confused than when you walked in. :confused: He will tell you what will be 'smart' to know for testing. Ms. Cobbs can be a 'you know what' but she's a pretty good clinical instructor. When I went through my freshman year, it was her first time. SO, i think she may be a little more laid back. When she teaches she follows the notes, page by page. I can't remember his name right now, but he's a NP and teached ABG's..he's got glasses..reddish hair..he is smart, a great clinical instructor, but cannot teach class to save his life. I never could figure him out. Ms Lawless is awesome, she will help you out a lot in clinicals. Test purposes, you have to pay attention very closely for her hints!!! I never did have any much liking for Ms Peek. She will say she is there for you..but watch out!!!

Checkoffs are a joke. They could barely manage the 125 we had in our class (at that time WE were the biggest) if you can't do them they will send you to the back of the line until you can do them..it's that simple.:uhoh3:

STUDY YOUR NOTES. If they tell you to study something 'particular' in the book, then do...but don't waste your time. Read over it..that would be the smart thing to do, but take good notes, go to CLASS, and pay attention. Find a GOOD STUDY GROUP. That will be your backbone. :welcome:

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Hello again..let me tell you all to calm down :cool: I can tell you this b/c I have been there. I loved both the 'Lee' sisters, except D Lee teaching styles are, 'what have ya.' :lol2: Ms. Roark is super cool and laid back..if you get her for clinicals your doing good. She will give you EVERYTHING you need to know for testing purposes. Hope and pray that Mr. King DOES NOT teach the diabetes lecture to ya'll. It will leave you more confused than when you walked in. :confused: He will tell you what will be 'smart' to know for testing. Ms. Cobbs can be a 'you know what' but she's a pretty good clinical instructor. When I went through my freshman year, it was her first time. SO, i think she may be a little more laid back. When she teaches she follows the notes, page by page. I can't remember his name right now, but he's a NP and teached ABG's..he's got glasses..reddish hair..he is smart, a great clinical instructor, but cannot teach class to save his life. I never could figure him out. Ms Lawless is awesome, she will help you out a lot in clinicals. Test purposes, you have to pay attention very closely for her hints!!! I never did have any much liking for Ms Peek. She will say she is there for you..but watch out!!!

Checkoffs are a joke. They could barely manage the 125 we had in our class (at that time WE were the biggest) if you can't do them they will send you to the back of the line until you can do them..it's that simple.:uhoh3:

STUDY YOUR NOTES. If they tell you to study something 'particular' in the book, then do...but don't waste your time. Read over it..that would be the smart thing to do, but take good notes, go to CLASS, and pay attention. Find a GOOD STUDY GROUP. That will be your backbone. :welcome:

I think the man your referring to is the one who was in the army for 20 plus years...I didnt too much care for him during his lecture, and i dont have his name in front of me...then theres Mr.Galbreath who seems like a great individual, but reminds me of Ben Stein (Clear eyes for dry eyes) his voice is so monotone! and he reads straight from the book! Did you find that most of the test questions could be answered from reading over your notes, or did you have to study the books alot as well? Did you study everyday, and for how long? I know its different for everyone, and I'm sure you understand how nervous and scared we were, right now its not "hard material" it just seems to be ALOT of material, most of which is common sence, but maybe that comes from working in the medical field for a few years now. Does it just keep getting harder and harder from here on out, or is always ALOT of material vs.hard material. Sorry to ask so many questions, last one for now: Do you visit this website often, if not can i have your email so i can keep in contact with you? Its fantastic to know someone who has been through this, people on this website talk about how hard NS is, but you never know because their school could be so much different.

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Jamie,

SORRY about my full inbox. It's totally empty now; I just sent you a PM.

Yeah, it's funny you mention Ben Stein...b/c I was actually thinking that Mr. Galbreath reminds me more of Quentin Tarantino's character in "From Dusk Till Dawn".

The army guy's name is Mr. Holaway, btw.

rnbubbles - I've heard that a lot of test questions are very similiar - sometimes even verbatim - to the test questions in the NCLEX guide. Did you ever find that to be the case? Did you use the CDs with the textbooks much?

I know we're bombarding you with questions...and thank you for the info you've already given us!

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Some of the teachers (Lee, Roark, Hollawy) get just some of the questions word for word questions from those stupid end of the chapter questions out of your Saunders, so it would be a good idea to review that. LOVE THAT SAUNDERS BOOK...used it for NCLEX..helped BIG TIME. :idea:

Also, Lippencott, Kaplan and that's it..don't waste your time on any other crap out there to study for the NCLEX...when you get ready for that.

CHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL :penguin: have a :beer: and quit :banghead:. You don't have to be a :studyowl:, just look over it about an hour a day, and that's IF you have time. DO YOUR NOTES!!! :typing

I CANNOT EXPRESS THAT ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck future RN's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Some of the teachers (Lee, Roark, Hollawy) get just some of the questions word for word questions from those stupid end of the chapter questions out of your Saunders, so it would be a good idea to review that. LOVE THAT SAUNDERS BOOK...used it for NCLEX..helped BIG TIME. :idea:

Also, Lippencott, Kaplan and that's it..don't waste your time on any other crap out there to study for the NCLEX...when you get ready for that.

CHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL :penguin: have a :beer: and quit :banghead:. You don't have to be a :studyowl:, just look over it about an hour a day, and that's IF you have time. DO YOUR NOTES!!! :typing

I CANNOT EXPRESS THAT ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck future RN's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You make it all sound so easy...

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Hey, just wanted to introduce myself. I'm in the RN program at Calhoun and work at HH. A guy I work with is in his 4th semester, he also said the check-offs were no big deal. Just display a basic understanding and they'll pass you. Don't know how true that will be for us, but we'll see. I'm also feeling like so much of the info they are giving us is so basic it just seems to be common sense. I guess they have to start that way for those who've never had any exposure to a hospital or patients. Anyway, just wanted to say hi and intoduce myself. My real name is Kimberley.

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