Anyone attended OLOL?

Hi I'm a graduate of the LPN-RN program at OLOL in Baton Rouge. Maybe I can answer some questions for you if you don't have the answers by now. AL

Has anyone out there been a student at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge? I would like to ask some questions if so!

TIA

Meredith

Meredith,

I graduated in 1998 as an RN from OLOL. Shoot me your questions, I would be happy to answer if I can.

Pam:)

I am also interested in OLOL college... did you enjoy your experience there? Have you heard if it is a better college than Charity? I am applying to both, but I think I would rather go to OLOL. However, with Charity, they tell you ahead of time what clinical days-times are like, and when I tried to ask that of OLOL they were just like "It varies". Can you tell me how often clinicals were there?? Thanks so much!!

Alissa

OLOL college was a GREAT! experience for me, Any college you choose will be good they both have good reputations in their communities. The clinical rotation at OLOL does vary per rotation and clinical setting, you have to be flexible, although clinical days may only be 4-5 days per rotation. If you have any more questions I'll be glad to answer them. Good Luck in your studies.:) AL

I am also interested in OLOL college... did you enjoy your experience there? Have you heard if it is a better college than Charity? I am applying to both, but I think I would rather go to OLOL. However, with Charity, they tell you ahead of time what clinical days-times are like, and when I tried to ask that of OLOL they were just like "It varies". Can you tell me how often clinicals were there?? Thanks so much!!

Alissa

What do you mean when you say "you have to be flexible, although clinical days may only be 4-5 days per rotation."?? I am still new to all this, so Im not sure. Does that mean that I would have to go to clinicals 4-5 days in a row? The reason I ask is because either school I go to, Im going to have to drive almost 1 1/2 hrs to get there (Im on the northshore) and Charity is basically telling me that I can plan on having 2 days of clinicals and one of classes... I just need to know because I will be attempting to keep my job, part time. Thanks for your help!

Alissa

What do you mean when you say "you have to be flexible, although clinical days may only be 4-5 days per rotation."?? I am still new to all this, so Im not sure. Does that mean that I would have to go to clinicals 4-5 days in a row? The reason I ask is because either school I go to, Im going to have to drive almost 1 1/2 hrs to get there (Im on the northshore) and Charity is basically telling me that I can plan on having 2 days of clinicals and one of classes... I just need to know because I will be attempting to keep my job, part time. Thanks for your help!

Alissa

Okay, the way that OLOL has done it in the past is as follows: 3 days per week of theory or classroom, 2 days per week of clinicals. I graduated in 1998, so it has changed a bit since then, in that they rotate the days and hours of clinicals a bit, so it can vary. I have kept up on it because I became a nurse manager and so had students from various schools on my unit. Some have clinicals on Thursday and Friday 7a-2p, some have them on other days, some are evening clinicals, it just depends on which teacher you are assigned.

In Baton Rouge, I think OLOL is the best school. In New Orleans, I think that Charity is excellent. I state this because I hired several nurses from Charity who came out of school having been exposed to a great deal more than students from other schools had. They were more well rounded, not easily shaken, had "been in the war zone" if you will. Nurses from OLOL seem to have the same exposure prior to graduating. It is an excellent school.

If I were you and had to make a choice between the two, it would be very difficult. I would think that Charity is cheaper than OLOL, but are they only offering a Diploma program? I don't ask this because I think that Diploma nurses are lesser, only that if you decide you want to go for your BSN or a different degree, I know that OLOL offers a variety and is continuing to expand.

Let me know if I can answer any more questions, and good luck!

Pam:)

Now that you say that, Im pretty sure about Charity now. Charity offers a ADN, as well as when you sign up for classes, it tells you what clincal day\hrs you get. From what I see, at Charity, you go to classes 2 days a week (1 hr one day and 2-3 the other) and one day of clinicals a week (Normally 7-2:30). Thats going to work alot better with my work, because I would only have to take one full day off work, because I can get my classes to end by 12, allowing me back at work at 1. I have visited both campuses, and I have to say I love OLOL a lot. However, it is 70 miles away (Charity is 40) and if the clinicals are like how you say, I wouldnt be able to work at all. So I assume Im going to cross my fingers and pray I get into Charity. I will know prob by August (I have to take the entrance exam June 19)

Thanks so much for all your help. I honestly dont know what I would do if it wasnt for you and all the other great people on this board being so helpful to new students!!

Alissa

Alissa let me start by saying that nursing school once you are actually in the nursing dept. where ever you choose to go is very demanding, stressful, and challenging. I just graduated from the LPN-RN program at OLOL this May. The college is on a 7-week rotation. That is 7 weeks for one class, then 1week off then 7-weeks for another class. When I say you may only have 4-5 clinical days that is within the 7-week rotation. For example you may have lecture schedule for Thurs and Fri 8-1 and clinical on Tue and Wed if you are in the first rotation of clinicals you may have this schedule for the first 2- weeks of the 7-week rotation the other 5 weeks your classmates will be in clinical rotation and you will only have lecture days left, and lots of projects and group activities to keep you busy, not to mention alot of reading and studying. All of our lecture days were at least 4-5 hours in length.The senior med- surg 3 rotation was a preceptorship and we had to complete 80 hours of clinical/ work in any area of the hospital that we decided, basically making our own schedule. I hope this clarified the clinical/ class schedule. Most people in our graduating class had to quit their jobs or only worked on weekends when we got to the last 2 final semesters. Me personally I worked PRN for an agency about 2-3 shifts per month I basically had to live off a student loan because the classes were very fast track alot of information in a very short time it takes alot of focus and all your attention, you have no life! But it is all worth it in the end. OLOL is an excellent school I enjoyed every second I will be returning in the Fall 04 to complete the RN-BSN.:) AL (p.s. this is also a very long drive you will need all the rest you can get nursing school takes a toll on your body physically and mentally.)

Now that you say that, Im pretty sure about Charity now. Charity offers a ADN, as well as when you sign up for classes, it tells you what clincal day\hrs you get. From what I see, at Charity, you go to classes 2 days a week (1 hr one day and 2-3 the other) and one day of clinicals a week (Normally 7-2:30). Thats going to work alot better with my work, because I would only have to take one full day off work, because I can get my classes to end by 12, allowing me back at work at 1. I have visited both campuses, and I have to say I love OLOL a lot. However, it is 70 miles away (Charity is 40) and if the clinicals are like how you say, I wouldnt be able to work at all. So I assume Im going to cross my fingers and pray I get into Charity. I will know prob by August (I have to take the entrance exam June 19)

Thanks so much for all your help. I honestly dont know what I would do if it wasnt for you and all the other great people on this board being so helpful to new students!!

Alissa

Thanks that helped alot. When you have to do the 80 hrs of clinical at the hospital, is that at OLOL Hospital? Or can you do it elsewhere? Im getting the impression that Charity is giving the option of working at different hospitals for such. Although I do like the fact that I would only do clinicals for the two days for about 2 weeks out of 7, Im thinking that the drive would kill me. At least with Charity you know your sched. from the get go for the whole semester (theirs is not 7 weeks, its just like the reg. college semesters) with 2 days of class (an average of 4 hrs per week) and clinicals 7-2:30. That just seems like a better combo for studying and working on top of it all!! Thanks so much for your imput! I still applied to OLOL and I would have to take 6 hrs there in order to apply for nursing, but Im going to wait till I hear the yay or nay from Charity. ::sigh:: if only I lived in BR it would be so easy!!!

Alissa

Sorry you don't live here it would make things alot easier, for the 80 hours we could do them at OLOL hospital, BR.general, or St. Elizabeth in Gonzales. It sounds like Charity may be a better option for you travel and study wise if you want to continue to work. Good Luck! AL:)

Thanks that helped alot. When you have to do the 80 hrs of clinical at the hospital, is that at OLOL Hospital? Or can you do it elsewhere? Im getting the impression that Charity is giving the option of working at different hospitals for such. Although I do like the fact that I would only do clinicals for the two days for about 2 weeks out of 7, Im thinking that the drive would kill me. At least with Charity you know your sched. from the get go for the whole semester (theirs is not 7 weeks, its just like the reg. college semesters) with 2 days of class (an average of 4 hrs per week) and clinicals 7-2:30. That just seems like a better combo for studying and working on top of it all!! Thanks so much for your imput! I still applied to OLOL and I would have to take 6 hrs there in order to apply for nursing, but Im going to wait till I hear the yay or nay from Charity. ::sigh:: if only I lived in BR it would be so easy!!!

Alissa