UAA nursing through Fairbanks

Coldfoot · Sep 16, 2003

Not in in the program myself but have a couple friends in it and a co-worker that is an instructor. You mentioned distance class? It's really not, everything is done in Fairbanks but the administration. You do your clinicals at FMH. I've not heard anything bad about the program and they are increasing the frequancy of classes. It's pretty competetive and the more core classes you have done the better off you'll look for admission.

hikers · Aug 11, 2004

Hi- I'm interested in your question regarding nursing thru UAA Fairbanks extension. I'm in Dillingham, hoping to start nursing school as a second career sometime next year. We have a UAF ext in Dillingham - they told me I'd have to move to Anch for school. Have you found anyplace that does distance education for nursing? I've had NO luck. Thanks!

zfynxs · May 23, 2006

Sorry for reviving a really old thread but does anyone have a website for the program? Going into the Army's 91WM6 and trying to get stationed in AK, Thanks for the assist.

astnm · Jul 28, 2006

This is the website for the school of nursing at UAA. The program in Fairbanks is an extension of this program. If you contact the school of nursing at 1-907-786-4558 they should have contact phone numbers for you. Good luck!!

http://nursing.uaa.alaska.edu//ProspectiveStudents/index.cfm

General UAA website: www.uaa.alaska.edu

Gennaver, MSN · Sep 2, 2006

Sorry for reviving a really old thread but does anyone have a website for the program? Going into the Army's 91WM6 and trying to get stationed in AK, Thanks for the assist.

Hi zfynxs,

How'd it go? I only recently found out what 91WM6's are and really wonder if there was an opportunity for you to go to Fairbanks versus working as a medic elsewhere.

FT Wainwright is my first base preference too, I don't graduate until June 2007 but am applying as a 66H.

Gen

Justin_T_W · Nov 23, 2006

Did you talk to Shirley LaForge yet (she's the RN to BSN (paired with Russel Amerson) ) She will give you all the heads up when it comes to L.D Programs.

I guess first off

1) Are you going for your AAS or BS

2) Have you taken Anat 111/112 Microbio240 /342 or the core classes that are worth 1 point (Comm131 / Eng 111 213 / couple more, forgot them though)

3) Contact Gruening Building and set up a time to take the NET test (it isn't hard at all, it is just algebra / critical thinking / comprehensions / fraction conversion / simple stuff)

4) Take as many courses as you can required for your AAS or BS, there is only 2 deadlines a year to be accepted and Deadline 2 of 2 just passed

Fairbanks Grad · Nov 25, 2006

I have just finished the UAA nursing program in Fairbanks. Distance learning has been a challenge for me in this program. It is indeed a distance program, although you get instructor-guided labs to learn and practice skills, and once-a-week "Video conferences" for each course you take in which the whole class gathers and interacts with the intructors in Anchorage/Kodiak via a web-cam type connection. These videoconferences are very beneficial.

Standards are very high, and the grading scale is higher (75-82% is a "C", 83-91.5% is a "B", and 92.5% and above is an "A").

We did our clinicals at FMH, TVC, Ralph Purdue Center, and a couple of other places, and I would rate the clinical experiences as very high quality.

There is guidance, and EXCELLENT local instructors committed to student learning and success, but you have to dig deep and work hard to get the best possible education (due to distance learning/lack of lectures).

My advice to you is to contact the Coordinator about the program, see if you can "sit-in" on a class, and also set up a job-shadow at FMH to observe what RN's do on an everyday basis. Do your homework about the changing schedules from semester-to-semester so you won't be suprised.Nursing fits me very well, and I was able to complete the program despite obstacles, but I must say that the Nursing Career is not for everyone, and the Distance Program may not be for everyone either.

stacy8155 · Aug 12, 2009

I also apologize for reviving an ancient thread, but I am doing my pre-reqs now and am listed as a pre nursing major thru UAF and would love to hear success/horror stories. I am starting a little behind so it will take a little longer than normal for me to finish.

akkat · Aug 24, 2009

i will be graduating from this program soon.... as in life.... there is some good and some bad. u will get out of the program what u put in to it. it is a distance learning class. video conference for a few hours once a week, u must be highly motivated, organized and a great self motovator. it is highly competitive, get all ur pre req's done. go online to the uaa nusing website it will give u all the info u need. the grading scale has changed from an earlier post........ 94 -100- A, 84-93.9-B. 75-83.9 C. there r some awesome 1st year instructors!!! :yeah: good luck

meg816 · Nov 28, 2009

I happen to be graduating with akkat. This is an amazing program and if you truly have a passion for nursing, you will get so much out it. It is super intense and the distance part can be challenging, but not nearly as bad as I originally thought it would be. They tell you upfront you are responsible for your learning. Instructors are not going to read the material and do the assignments for you. They are there to facilitate your learning. This is a program for adults and I suspects most programs have this expectation from students. The first year instructors are super amazing. They are current ICU nurses and have a passion for nursing as well as teaching nursing. They know there stuff and challenge your thinking as well as demand excellence in nursing in a respectful,nurturing, motherly hen sort of way. I could not have asked for a better foundation for the rest of my career. And let this first year keep your head straight for the hell of a second year. This program is very competetive and the amount of pre requs you have done and the score of the NET (nurse entrance test) will mostly determine whether or not you get in. I graduate next week and I know this program was high quality and prepared me to go be a new grad which is when I really learn how to be a nurse (so I hear). Good luck, the end prize is so worth it.

lellenn · Feb 10, 2010

I work for the School of Nursing so let me say a few things - 1. Our number is 786-4550, not the other one that is posted. 2. Yes it is VERY competitive to get in to the program, the last ranking had about 3 students for every opening there in Fairbanks. It is based on your overall point total, and unless your GPA is high, your score on the PAX-RN is high (the PAX-RN is the new entrance test, they don't use the NET anymore) and unless you have completed all those core classes (biology, english, communications, lifespan, etc ) your chances of getting in are NOT good. I don't want to discourage anyone, but we get a lot of calls at the office from people saying "oh I'll just start out with the associate's degree for now", like that will be the easiest route to be an RN. Let me be very frank, that's not necessarily so. The work is just as hard, and it's harder to get in there than the Bachelor's program. I think people are put off by the wait for the Bachelor's program, but honestly, if your grades aren't as high, I'd try for that one vs the Bachelors. Yes you do have to maintain the GPA of 2.7 in the pre-reqs, and you can't repeat classes a bunch of times to get a good grade (you can only repeat 1 time to get that C or higher), but at least you're in.

Honestly though, the nursing profession is one that is very intolerant of mistakes. I mean, you literally have people's lives in your hands, so you really really don't want to be shaky in anything before going on.

Also, the information we put out on our website and on our info sheets is very serious when we say to get started on the process 6 months ahead of the deadline. ESPECIALLY if you are out of state and looking to transfer. Here's why. 1 - if you apply to UAA and submit transcripts, they will NOT evaulate ANY OF THEM for transfer credit until ALL of your classes are done at your current school and you are not enrolled in anything current or future. 2. You have to be FULLY admitted and have transfer credit evaluations done before you can apply. That's how they determine if you met the pre-reqs or not. 3. If any classes need to be petitioned/challenged, etc. you have to allow time for that. That can actually take several weeks to even a couple months. NO JOKE. So that now takes you up through 2-3 months easy right there. Then you can begin to gather the recommendations and take your PAX test and apply.

Also, it's a good idea to apply to UAA WELL IN ADVANCE of the semester you want to begin. That way, when registration opens up, you can actually get into the classes you need. We get SO MANY people calling the day classes start or a few days before who just apparently woke up that morning and said "i want to go to college and I want to go now!" Sorry folks, it ain't happening. The classes are all full and have been for months. Try again later.

Thanks for listening!!

PS can you tell I get a tad frustrated sometimes??? But if I help someone out with this then it will be all worth it!