[brian]

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — People like Kate Zajdel are desperately needed to fill a worldwide shortage of nurses. Yet she was among tens of thousands of qualified applicants turned away by U.S. nursing programs last year because there are not enough teachers or space. The dilemma brought the 22-year-old New Yorker to a new international nursing school in the Caribbean country of St. Kitts and Nevis.

“I got put on a waiting list at four community colleges,” Zajdel said. “I decided that instead of waiting, I would come here. ... I will actually be able to save lives.”

American entrepreneur Robert Ross inaugurated the International University of Nursing on Wednesday, inspired by staffing shortages that are forcing nurses to work overtime in hospitals from the United States to Japan.

The $10 million institution, surrounded by sugar cane fields and overlooking the sea, accepted 200 students for the fall semester and aims to enroll 3,000 by 2008. Tuition for the program lasting about 79 weeks is $41,505 and students have to make their own living arrangements. After about 45 weeks here, the students will do approximately 34 weeks of clinical work at affiliated U.S. colleges.

Zajdel joined a class of 24, including a Filipino soap opera writer looking for a new purpose in life and an engaged Egyptian couple desperate to work in the United States.

The school prepares students to take licensing exams to work as registered nurses in the United States, promising to lure foreign students eager to fill a shortage that the American Nurses Association expects to reach 275,000 by 2010. U.S. nursing programs rejected more than 125,000 qualified applicants last year because they did not have enough slots, according to the New York-based National League for Nursing, which estimates the United States needs triple the 20,000 nursing teachers it has.

U.S. nursing programs rejected more than 125,000 qualified applicants last year because they did not have enough slots, according to the New York-based National League for Nursing, which estimates the United States needs triple the 20,000 nursing teachers it has.

''Every day nurses are making decisions about which patients to go and see first,'' said Cheryl Peterson, an analyst for the American Nurses Association. ``Who is the sickest? Do I have the time to sit and talk them?''

Full Story: http://www.smdailyjournal.org/articl...&storyID=44167

[sunnyjohn]

I ahd read about the nursing school at Ross.

Does anyone know how long it will take them to get accredidation?

After the first graduating class?

[traumaRUs]

St. Kitts is gorgeous - I would have a hard time getting homework done! I've got my MSN now and think I could put up with the poor pay (the norm for instructors) in order to live there!

[sunnyjohn]

Do you think attending this school would be a good idea?

I read about it months ago and sent away for info.

Its Ross University, the same Ross that has the offshore med school.

They have a really, really good scholarship program and the library and nursing school labs and classrooms are lovely.

I am really thinking about it. They promised to have one of their students call me so I could get the 411. I talked to one of the instructors and she had impressive credentials and was extremely cordial.

I'm American, but I grew up in the Bahamas so the culture shock would be no big deal for me.

What do you think?

They say they will get accredidation from NLN before they graduate their first class.

Any opinions??


This is from the school's website:
Students spend three semesters in the Caribbean and then transfer to the U.S. to complete their clinical and didactic education at one of IUON's affiliated institutions. Graduates receive their degree from both the U.S. school and IUON. This allows students to sit for the NCLEX-RN (National Council for Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses ) and continue on to practice in the U.S. After graduating from IUON, students may also pursue advanced degrees, such as a Bachelor or Master of Science in Nursing.

http://www.iuon.org

[purplemania]

A local nursing school has been contracted to provide the clinical portion of this type school (not sure if it is Ross). It will DOUBLE their enrollment. So far they have not been able to hire nurses to fill the faculty roles needed. Texas requires one clinical instructor for every 10 nursing students, and the school does not pay as well as the local university (and even less than working as RN in hospital). Don't know how they intend to honor that contract. As a foreign student I would wonder if having the credentials will help you get a green card. As an American student I can see how it might work, but could get the education cheaper stateside. I got my MSN and for all my education I have been out less than $5000 due to scholarships and tuition reimbursement. I hope this plan works, but we will see.

[Jessy_RN]

Originally Posted by sunnyjohn

Do you think attending this school would be a good idea?

I read about it months ago and sent away for info.

Its Ross University, the same Ross that has the offshore med school.

They have a really, really good scholarship program and the library and nursing school labs and classrooms are lovely.

I am really thinking about it. They promised to have one of their students call me so I could get the 411. I talked to one of the instructors and she had impressive credentials and was extremely cordial.

I'm American, but I grew up in the Bahamas so the culture shock would be no big deal for me.

What do you think?

They say they will get accredidation from NLN before they graduate their first class.

Any opinions??


This is from the school's website:
Students spend three semesters in the Caribbean and then transfer to the U.S. to complete their clinical and didactic education at one of IUON's affiliated institutions. Graduates receive their degree from both the U.S. school and IUON. This allows students to sit for the NCLEX-RN (National Council for Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses ) and continue on to practice in the U.S. After graduating from IUON, students may also pursue advanced degrees, such as a Bachelor or Master of Science in Nursing.

http://www.iuon.org

I don't think they can get NLN accreditation until After the first graduating class. They need to have the NCLEX passing rates etc....

Anyhow, it sounds like a good opportunity with a promising outcome. Make sure you get all the 411 and then make a decision.

Good Luck,

Jessica

[suzanne4]

And there were students here complaining about the tuition of Pima Medical Institute at about $30,000.................

[sunnyjohn]

Hello everyone.

A few people have asked me to keep them up to date on the info I have collected on IUON. They just put some great video feed on their website. I thought it was very interesting. A lot of people had very psotitive things to say about them. Here is the link if anyone wants to check it out:

http://www.iuon.org/index.html

Click on the Video series.

Just thought you guys might like to know.

[sassyd1999]

Hello
Everyone ,Iam new to the site. I am an LPN applying to several colleges to get my RN degree and was interested if anyone heard anything more about the International University of Nursing Program in St Kitts?

Originally Posted by sunnyjohn

Hello everyone.

A few people have asked me to keep them up to date on the info I have collected on IUON. They just put some great video feed on their website. I thought it was very interesting. A lot of people had very psotitive things to say about them. Here is the link if anyone wants to check it out:

http://www.iuon.org/index.html

Click on the Video series.

Just thought you guys might like to know.

[BornRN]

Sounds to me like they are not really going to learn nursing there. QUOTE: the students will do approximately 34 weeks of clinical work at affiliated U.S. colleges. Application of the knowledge is accomplished in the clinical work. My question is that if the US schools have waiting lists -- they are usually because of the limitation in clinical spaces and teachers-- How will these students get to do clinical at these colleges? Most of us cannot just do clinicals, we must integrate it with the theory. I'd like to know which colleges in the US are agreeing to this affiliation BEFORE I enrolled, and have a letter of guarantee that I would be placed for clinical study.

Also 34 weeks of how many days, how many hours?


BornRN