Hospital Based program VS Communtiy College

Nurses General Nursing

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Ok....

I just wondered if anyone had any advise... or thoughts on the pros and cons of Hospital based programs and Community College programs.... I'm having a hard deciding... I live in Los Angeles County (CA) and they have a hospital based RN program and they even have a contract program where they will pay for you to attend so long as you commit to work for them for "X" number of years...will I get more clinical experience this way? Will I be employable at other facilities after my contract is up? I can't really afford to go to an expensive four-year so these are my options right now. I had considered going the CC route by getting my LVN first... but I have a feeling that the school does most of their clinicals at LTC facilites and I really want to be an RN in the long run and honestly Im afraid that I'll get pigeonholed in LTC .... Has anyone else done a hospital based program?

S:confused:

hello? anyone out there?

I am going to a CC at the moment for my LPN and we will start out at one hospital in September and go thru Decembr but it will only be 2 days a week for now. I called about the hospital thing myself and wasnt sure that I would want to commit to that hospital for as long as they were asking

How long did they want you to commit to?

I know everything shouldn't be about $$ but did the hospital say anything about if their payrate for newly graduated nurses was comparable to other area hospitals? I'm also a little concerned about that too....

S

I think it was 2 years,but this hospital doen't have a very good rep. No, unfortunately I didn't talk about th money situation

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

I went to a diploma program and we had oodles of clinicals. Those programs are phasing out though, sadly. But, the ones around here that are still in existence do the same thing...and then you can also go on to get your degree if your hospital offers tuition reimbursement. Personally, if they were going to pay for my education I would do it. And doing your clinicals there, you will be able to meet other nurses and decide where you like :)

Sometimes with the CC, there is a big long waiting list for clinicals, and that can be a real drag!

Nicugal,

Once graduated do you think(in your own opinion) that you had been exposed to more than the average CC graduate? The hospital Im talking about is General Hospital...County USC medical(huge facility)... I think I would probably get to be exposed to a lot more... My husband was a patient once there about five years ago and he still says it was the best he was ever cared for in a hospital because the students were so eager... they waited on him hand and foot... when he came home he wanted me to be giving him baths and the whole bit! Ha ha lol!!!funny to think now I want to be one of those eager students...

S

ok,I have a question for you... A friend of mine mentioned this to me the other day, just wanted to know if you have ever heard of such a thing. I am wanting to go into the RN program after I finishe LPN school. Well, to get to my point, there is a hospital that is offering RN classes on the weekend only. You would have to go Friday evening to class, Saturday would be dedicated to clinicals and Sunday would be lectures. Have you ever heard of this? I am just curious, I don't know how long you would have to do this, but seems like it would take you forever, only going on the weekends

I am currently enrolled in a hospital based program, one of the last in our area. I am really glad I chose this program instead of the CC program. We have tons of clincal time and we have clinicals at several different hospitals in the area. There are loan programs that help pay for tuition in return for 2 years of work after we graduate. I get help paying for tuition and a hopefully won't have to search for a job after a graduate. We are affiliated with a CC, in which we have to get our associates degree along with the nursing diploma. Ithink it's a shame that most of the hospital programs are phasing out, I think it's a better experience.

soon2blpn,

I have heard of this in fact I got info from a program close by to me... (not hospital based) but it defenitley takes a lot longer.... like twice as long... i checked the Board of Registered Nurses for Ca and it's a accredited program... they're trying to make nursing education more accessable (sp?)

Andi2634- thanks I needed to hear from someone else... I think I would get a lot more expierence too.... plus I feel like I want to help "stand in the gap" I know that there is going to be a "gap" wherever I go... so this would help me feel like I was going where the "gap" (need) was greatest... Im hispanic and I know if I was a non-english speaker from mexico I would appreciate a nurse who I could identify with... it probably sound silly but I really think about things like this... By the way i couldn't figure out how to find the pass rates of the NCLEX for California Accredited Programs can someone help me? I emailed the webmaster for the Board's (CA) site but who knows how long it will be till they get back to me...

Thanks All!

S

Hi there,

In regards to choosing a college program via a hospital based program, I would just like to say that I have just graduated from a hospital based program, and I loved it. I completed all my clinical experiences at the hospital, the only clinical I had to do was my Geriatric rotation, and that was completed at a Skilled Nursing Facility. I had tried going the route of a college based program, but after spending 2 years getting my pre-reqs, I decided that that was just not for me. So please let me know what you decide on doing. I did have the option of signing a contract for 2 years if I wanted the hospital to pay for my tuition, but I decided not to take that option.......but good luck to you.....keeps us updated.:D

Jayne:nurse:

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