Who got accepted into BSN program at CSU Stanislaus for Fall 2012?

tv6101 · Jun 26, 2012

I searched for the course NURS 2820 section 41301, and it said this class will take place 12am-12am. Is it a typo here?

Maria209 · Jul 11, 2012

Hi all,
I got accepted into BSN at CSU Stanislaus. I am waiting for the package about the mandatory orientation which takes place on Aug. Is there anyone out there who got accepted into BSN last year? If yes, how do you feel about the program?
All reponses would be much appreciated,
Thanks,
TN

I got accepted in Fall 2011. The program is definitely challenging. It is very stressful because they have plenty of tests that we have to pass that are not necessarily part of the class like the ATI tests and Math test we have to score 100% in each semester. It is worth it though. Just don't give up and take it day by day. I start my 3rd semester this Fall, also known as the Mama-Baby semester :)

Maria

Cali_Nurse_209 · Jul 14, 2012

I searched for the course NURS 2820 section 41301, and it said this class will take place 12am-12am. Is it a typo here?

Oh no it's not a typo. That class is a lab so you have to arrange your hours.

tv6101 · Jul 15, 2012

Hi Maria,Thanks so much for your valuable info. I am sure it will be challenging. Was the terminology and math tests hard? What do u mean by ATI test?

tv6101 · Jul 15, 2012

Oh no it's not a typo. That class is a lab so you have to arrange your hours.

So, we have to email the instructor to arrange the hours or the instructor will notice us before the 1st day of instruction?By the way, did y submit all needed documents to http://www.certifiedprofile.com yet? I did all of them except health insurance (looking for it). The due date posted in that website was 8/17/2011 not 2012. I asked the customer service and they told me to contact the school for correction. I sent 2 emails to Nursing department, but i didnt get any response yet.

danielle11 · Jul 17, 2012

Congrats to everyone accepted to Stan State's program!

Like Maria, I was accepted last fall and am now entering my 3rd semester of nursing school. I know they told us that you guys are not taking the Intro to Pharm/Nutrition course we had to take - not sure if they are replacing it with something else though.

As far N 2820 running from 12-12, Maria is correct in that it is open skills lab for Fundamentals. You do not need to email the instructors (****** and *****) about making time, they will tell you the hours skills lab is open and it will be up to you to arrange at least 6 hours (often times you need much more) of time each week to practice the skills taught to you in lecture (bed making, hygiene, canes/walkers/crutches, wound care, Foley's, NG tubes, medication administration, etc). You will have five check offs throughout the semester (Vitals, wound care, foleys, medications and one more I can't remember) so you need lots of practice in the skills lab.

You will have Health Assessment lecture Monday morning and then half the class goes to health assessment lab while the other half goes to fundamentals lecture then you switch so it really does not matter what time you sign up for health assessment lab because your Monday's will be full regardless.

Tuesday's and Wednesday's (after research) the skills lab is open for you to practice your skills. On check off weeks expect to be there much more than 6 hours - our class was often there as much as 12 hours some weeks.

I know they do not explain this to you anywhere and when we got to orientation we were all a little surprised at all this extra time we would be spending in school - trust me you will be there pretty much all day Mon-Wed.

Any other questions about 1st or 2nd semester let me know - I know how excited/nervous you guys are and how overwhelming it can be at times! And enjoy 1st semester before you get to clinicals and care plans in 2nd semester!!

danielle11 · Jul 17, 2012

I just realized I did not answer all your questions tv6101 - sorry about that. I put off studying the medical terminology test until only a few weeks before school started (beginning of August) and that was not the best decision. I wouldn't say it was hard but it was not overly simple either. I think you needed an 80 and I got a 92 but I studied a lot in those few weeks. Know prefixes and suffixes and general medical terms (ortho = straight, hemi = half, etc). Nobody didn't pass and it won't hold you back either. The first math test is a breeze and they get progressively harder although I would not say they are tough. I never had to retake one thankfully although when you have to get 100% it can be quite stressful. You will get a medication math book and you basically have to teach yourself and do it on your own, no class time is spent on math. It covers medication dosing based on weight, insulin dosing, IV drip rate and more but don't worry that isn't until the very last one.

ATI will be explained in much more detail at orientation but it is the company that puts on the TEAS test. Basically, every semester after your 1st semester you will take ATI exams at the end of the semester that covers the material from your courses that semester. You get two chances to take them or else you are out of the program and you must score at or above the national average to pass (you do not know the national average until after you have taken the exam). This past semester we took the Pharmacology and Fundamentals ATI and I think most people would agree that ATI is much mroe stressful than finals. It is a little odd that we take the fundamentals one after 2nd semester instead of 1st because you basically have to reteach yourself fundamentals to do well on the exam but that is the way it works. At orientation you will get a huge box of ATI study books that you already paid for and each week the instructors will have assigned reading from your regualr textbook and your ATI books.

Yes, I did submit all my paperwork to certified background and am actaully putting in my renewed TB tests today on that website so do not lose your username or password because you will need it all 3 years. Not sure about the dates but you can still upload them to the website and it will take them even if it says they are overdue. Last year they gave us an extension on the dates so don't worry too much but definitely start getting that stuff in because the computer has to process it and things like the background check can take a few weeks.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

Danielle

tv6101 · Jul 18, 2012

Hi Danielle,

Wow, i am so impressed with your detailed answer. I appreciate it so much. Thanks ALOT!

About the math test, do we have to take the math test at the first day of the semester? In the information packet which the Nursing program sent me, they only mentioned about the Medical Terminology test, not Math test. For TEAS, if you remember, we dont need to remember how many ounce in 1 oz or how many galon in 1 quart. They give us that info and we only need to know how to convert using the available info. I wonder if the Math test from the Nursing program is the same or I have to memorize how many ounce in 1 oz...

I am worrying about the WPST. I will take it on 7/21/2012. I came to the U.S 5 years ago, so I am not confident with the writing under time pressure. Did you pass this test? What did the prompt look like? I am so worried...

CSU Stan is the only school I applied and I got in, so I definitely commit to put as much effort as I can. I am impressed with your accomplishment and I wish you and all other Nursing students success!

My pleasure to talk to you,

TN

danielle11 · Jul 18, 2012

TN,

No, you do not take the med math test the first day of the semester. In fact, I think we start on a Wednesdy (not exactly sure but then you will only have research and nothing until the following week). Anyways, in Fundamentals you will get a calendar for each month that tells all the dates you will need to know. The med math test was about 2 weeks into the semester and there are 5 total, one every 2-3 weeks. The first one is basic math, no medication math at all. Also, you only need an 80 on the first four math tests, you only need 100% on the last one. As far as oz and mL and all that you should definitely start remembering that info once in schoool as you will need it. Things like 30mL in 1 tbsp, 15mL in 1 tsp, 8oz = 1 C, stuff like that. But, you do not need to know that stuff right now so don't worry about it yet!

Do not stress about the WPST at all! If you got into nursing school there is no doubt you will pass. Even if you don't, you can take it again because the nursing program does not care that you have passed it until 5th semester. I did pass but I really hate writing essays and didn't think I did too well but still passed. I do not remember what my prompt was as I took it over a year ago - sorry.

Not sure if you or any other 1st semesters know, but there is a new thing put on by the SNA (student nurse's association - you guys should join!) called boot camp for the incoming nursing students. You have to pay a small fee but you get a lot of info out of it (talks about clinical, how to study for nursing tests since they are much different than what you are used to, all about nursing diagnoses and more). If they haven't told you anything about it, I can find out the date for you and strongly encourage you guys to attend.

Congrats again on getting accepted - I know how much you all worked to get here and remember you are no longer competing against your classmates! You are all in and in nursing school a C = Continue!

Danielle

Cali_Nurse_209 · Jul 20, 2012

So, we have to email the instructor to arrange the hours or the instructor will notice us before the 1st day of instruction?By the way, did y submit all needed documents to http://www.certifiedprofile.com yet? I did all of them except health insurance (looking for it). The due date posted in that website was 8/17/2011 not 2012. I asked the customer service and they told me to contact the school for correction. I sent 2 emails to Nursing department, but i didnt get any response yet.

I've submitted most of my documents on certifiedprofile. The ones I still need to submit are my CPR/BLS and student health insurance.

Cali_Nurse_209 · Jul 20, 2012

The nursing boot camp will be held on Aug 13 from 0900-1600 and it's $20. There was a letter about it in the packet that they sent us.

Cali_Nurse_209 · Jul 20, 2012

I am worrying about the WPST. I will take it on 7/21/2012. I came to the U.S 5 years ago, so I am not confident with the writing under time pressure. Did you pass this test? What did the prompt look like? I am so worried...

You can go on CSU Stan's website and click on the a-z index and find the WPST section. On there they have actual past essay prompts along with the student's essays so you can see what it's like. It also tells you what the two reader's of the essays will be looking for and what each score means. I took the essay and passed last November and it wasn't as bad as I thought. I'm sure you will do fine. You mentioned that you came to the U.S. 5 yrs ago but that shouldn't be a problem because for the WPST it clearly states that English as a Second Language students shouldn't be penalized "for slight shifts in idiom, problems with articles, confusion over prepositions, and occasional misuse of verb tense and verb forms, so long as such features do not obscure meaning." That was taken right from the website.

"They are looking for papers that focus on the question and develop an idea in an organized, informative manner. Essays must be well edited."

Passing Essays:

Focus on the question
Demonstrate a purpose
Explain the main points
Have clear organization
Use language correctly

This too was taken from the website and if you have some time maybe you can go check out some of the sample essays and prompts. I hope that this helps.