Anyone else starting nursing school in the fall???

I was just curious if anyone else is starting nursing in sept 2008. I am really exicted, scared and nervous. I can't believe that I still have one month to wait. The months since feb 2008 since I got accepted have been long. I was just curious what other new students are feeling about the waiting game. Also, I was curious what school your going into??? I am going to Lambton College in Sarnia. Thanks good luck to all!!!

First congrats on being accepted in to nursing. I will be taking the Rpn program this fall. I recently just completed all my pre-reqs including chemistry and biology. Good luck!!

Hey Utopia,

Sorry I could not PM you because I don't have enough posts but I can tell you about the program:

I did the Centennial-Ryerson program and it was a good experience. At Centennial, you get the advantage of having smaller class sizes (under 50 people), more time with professors and overall a more intimate learning experience. Some of the professors are really sweet and great and truly will go out of their way to ensure your success. Courses.. I really liked Health Assessment and Nursing Practice, it was all about hands on learning and group work where you can practice your skills on your colleagues. Pay lots of attention here as this is where you learn all those important nursing skills. Also in health assessment, you have a head-to-toe assessment that you need to demonstrate at the end of year which is a bit nerve racking but pay attention and you'll be fine! (Everyone always seems to get worked up over this).. During second sem around March, you'll get to start clinicals.. you will most likely be in long term care.. we were placed at Providence or Bridgepoint hospitals for 3 days.. you get put into groups of 8-10 and each group takes a floor with an instructor.. Nursing Theory was really boring to me.. yes it's important to learn theory but I feel they could add some spice to it lol.. Anatomy and Physiology was also boring and was mostly a refresher from grade 12 Bio.. Nutrition was a nice refresher from high school's Food and Nutrition course.. I forget if there are any other classes.. other than electives.. There was lots of group work and a few presentations.. so you definitely get to work on leadership skills and collaborating skills. One downside is the Centennial Library lacked a little... most of our courses require research, research and more research from journals and I found that Centennial lacked in the availability of nursing journals as well as psych and soc journals (at least when I was there). Also, there's not a lot of books.. in a library!!.. there's a computer room.. a study room.. and another few rows of computer.. and one small section with some books... Second year was fun, more independence, more time in the hospital, a really great learning experience..

To contrast, at Ryerson, you get that nice feeling of being a part of the huge downtown univ student community.. You get to study and play all in the same area as Eaton Centre is soooo close.. There's just so much more to do at Ryerson (other than study!! lol) There are sooo many classes to choose from for electives so you barely see the same faces other than in nursing classes whereas at Centennial, you usually only had 3 choices for electives and those electives were only offered to nursing students meaning those are the only students you really had contact with..At Ryerson, electives are mixed with Journalism, Politics, Social Work, Psychology... every type of program's students so you don't get bored with same faces! There's also lots of space to study and just lounge.. there's a big cafetaria with lots of different choices, there's a huge library (several floors) and a good research database... Profs are good..however I find that classes are huge and professors really have no clue who you are as an individual, it's hard to get some time just to talk to them...

Overall, I've enjoyed the past few years in the program.. I find that this program really lives up to it's name (Ryerson has a reputation for producing great nurses haha).. Hope you enjoy going into it in... 19 days!!!.. you'll make great friendships and learn so much in the next few years and it will go by sooo fast.. (I feel like I JUST started.. that's how fast) the school years really do just flip by so remember to study hard but make time for yourself to enjoy!

Hope that helps

hey.. i'm not sure the exact figures.. but in first year there were maybe 10-20 people who failed or just dropped out b/c of personal issues... The thing with this program is that if you fail one of the nursing courses, you have to repeat them ALL.. so even if you get 90 in health assessment, and a 55 in theory, you have to retake all nursing courses.. I think that's because they're co-requisites.. but nonetheless UNFAIR!..Passing grade for all nursing courses is 63. In second year, I know maybe 15 people who failed.. Second year is in my opinion the most difficult year as you have Patho, Research (which includes Statistics) and Practice (which you have to understand and write the LONG roy care plans.. You also gotta know your stuff at clinicals as you'll be tested left, right and centre.. just be prepared!.. Potter and Perry will become ur bestfriend. Do you have ur timetable yet? Who are your profs?