Jan 2017 RPN - George Brown

bootzie · Jun 26, 2017

Congratulations on getting in! It's an intense program, but it will prepare well you for your career. I'm entering my final semester in the fall.

Textbooks are pretty easy to find. Buy from students or Amazon - much cheaper than the bookstore. I agree that most classes you can get away with older editions. I never updated my Med Surg book for example (my semester was the last to use the 2nd edition) and it did not hold me back.

yellowblueberries · Jun 26, 2017

Thank you! It was hard for me to choose a nursing school but I did tons of research on colleges and cpnre pass rates & just talking to people and I've heard a lot of great things about the academic environment for health sciences at GBC. Some people have said they knew people that found it too hard but I think that unless it's just an unsupportive environment that sets someone up for failure health sciences generally are and need to be hard. I know there's 9 courses in first semester and that I'll be busy as hell hence I'm moving out so I can be away from stress/family distractions at home. I'm very happy about my decision as well and I'm glad to hear you like it so much. I finished all the rest of my pre placement requirements already on the 23rd of June, days after the placement orientation lmao! That's how anxious I am! So looking forward to be in an engaging and challenging environment and welcome this new chapter in my life. â˜ºï¸Thanks for the tips and I hope to see you on campus!

yellowblueberries · Jun 26, 2017

Thanks for the tip on textbooks as well! And I know it's an intense program, it is because it's nursing and it has to be. But I'm a hard worker and I'm going to make sure I give it everything I have and see it through until the end, because I can do it. I'm an extremely dedicated student committed to my own betterment and success and my average getting into the program in the required subjects was 93%. My cousin was a premed student & then decided to change her path and get a masters in nursing to become an NP & professor and she teaches Nursing at Western University and has become really passionate about it! It took a while of changing my mind on what I wanted to major in and going back to Highschool to complete the math & science courses I never took to realize it. Two years after graduating, but better a tad bit late than never and glad I didn't commit to something else because that would've been the wrong thing for me! I've been reading anatomy and physiology books and I took out a Saunders NCLEX-PN review book from the library just to take a look at some nursing related practice questions because I know getting used to using critical thinking is essential. I love what I'm learning & know that it will help since I'm following what's written in the course outlines online for each semester. I also called one of the members of the nursing faculty last week and she told me that for starting September students this year will have the opportunity to take their semesters back to back and "fast track" to graduate early (in December of next year) if they wish to! So that's my plan on what I want to do, I'm determined & can't wait to get started!

bootzie · Jun 26, 2017

Well, the reason for the incredible pass rate is because it's not an easy program haha. If you can handle that program you can handle the CPRNE, I believe is the message there. Do not stress about first semester. Things get more challenging in the second. It's not an issue of the material being too difficult, it's just training you to master multitasking I think as the volume can be quite heavy in some courses as you balance clinical. Well done on getting everything handled early! It'll save you stress later. :) Definitely invest in an agenda as things get a little nutty with all the dates you need to know! Enjoy the summer. :)

bootzie · Jun 26, 2017

Edit: I missed the latest post, sorry!

I'm not sure what she means by fast track? Semester 4 is offered to a limited number of students in the summer but that's all I've been aware of haha. I actually was told the same thing when I applied, that I could do school in the summer, but that was not true (prior to semester 4).

Sounds like you'll nail this, good luck!

GBC_Student, BSN, RN · Jun 27, 2017

When I did the rpn program at gbc they offered a summer semester for students who were interested. They told them that they needed all of their grades from semester 3 to be above 70%. They offered 20-25 spots. But if they don't get that number of people with those grades they are willing to go below that 70% cut off.

Gbc is really inconsistent with their rules. But that can be to your advantage. I just finished the first year of the rpn-rn bridging program at gbc and they tell you that the requirements to get into trent are set in stone. But a few people didn't achieve the pathology grade but were still accepted.

yellowblueberries · Jun 28, 2017

Thank you for all the information everyone! And Last person^, how are you liking the bridge so far? I know it's intense and difficult but just trying to weigh the different schools programs and get reviews on how people like them before I start so I can have some idea of where I might like to go after. I wonder if it's even possible to do the post rn bridge full time with a child. I don't have one now, but if I do in a few years I mean.

GBC_Student, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2017

The bridge was okay. Not really difficult at all of you can pass the rpn program. It's just a lot and I mean a lot of little assignments. Some of it makes me roll my eyes but my placement was good and the teachers seem better than the rpn program. They treat you with more respect. So far I'd say it's worth it.

bootzie · Jun 28, 2017

It's odd, I hear such mixed experiences! One friend aced the PN program but literally failed the bridge year. Another said she found it to be as big a leap as 1st semester to 2nd in the PN (but still passed with hard work). Interesting!

GBC_Student, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2017

I find that very surprising. The workload in the bridge is heavy but the content is familiar and approachable. I had decent grades during the pn program but I did really well in the bridge. I guess everyone is different.

yellowblueberries · Jul 1, 2017

I find that very surprising. The workload in the bridge is heavy but the content is familiar and approachable. I had decent grades during the pn program but I did really well in the bridge. I guess everyone is different.

Those are some interesting experiences. I have heard from a few sources that you need an 85 average to stay in the third and last year of the ryerson bridge. I think they should have a high average for you to get in and one for you to maintain for sure but once you're in the bscn program and going into your last year I think that holding that over people's heads after they've paid all the money and done the work and kept High grades the rest of the time is a bit ridiculous so I'm not sure if I want to go to ryerson afterward. I wonder if it's better to just stay at GBC since GB is a good school and we will be more familiar with the schools delivery style of content. I wanted to go to Vancouver community college because they have a bridging program there that's only 2 years but I heard there's huge wait lists so that was a bit off putting, aha. The only thing is I would rather get this all done as soon as possible and I don't know if I want to have children in 2 years as I'll be done PN in just over a year. Decisions, decisions...

dishes, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2017

Maintaining a high GPA helps ensure higher NCLEX pass rates for first time writers. The pass rates of first time writers is part of the criteria that CNO uses to approve nursing programs.