No Peds courses in nursing program...vent!

[student456]

Hi,

im going into my third year of nursing school (out of 4 yrs) and i love it but heres the dilemna...

my nursing program doent really have a specific class for peds or mental health that 'everyone' has to take for the first 3 yrs. In the last semester of year 4, there is a one semester mental health class and a one semester "family health" course (we have to pick one class out of a list to take...these are just two options) (it focuses on the entire family not just peds though) but basically if its full you cant get in and are screwed! Im going into year 3 and the most weve learned about peds/OB is one small chapter in our nursing assessment (first year) on pregnancy. it was very basic and we have not taken any other classes an OB or labour and delivery or peds yet. Also, my program is sortof annoying in the fact that year 3 is ALL community and we dont get to choose the specialty that we want to do. most nursing students in year 3 are placed in high schools or elementary teaching nutrition, gym or sex ed basically. its not the place id want to go! so many people complain that by the time we enter year 4, we havent even taken a bp or pulse in over 1.5 yrs. in community clinical you dont use your stetho or any "hospital nursing skills" at all...its alot of therapuetic relationship stuff...i know community is important but i feel that we sortof get cheated in the end since by 4th year ill probably forget everythign ive learned in clinical

Another problem is in 4th year for our final clinical. ive heard nursing students complain that they really want to graduate and be a peds nurse and they are stuck in ortho for their final clincal spot. we dont have much choice at all in where we get placed for clinical, so if i want to do peds or labour and delivery after i graduate, i wont feel prepared.

does anyone else have the same experience with their nursing School?

* I would like to move to the US after i graduate. Would all of this put me at a disadvantage for taking the NCLEX? Is there a ton of peds questions on the exam? Also, other nursing students at diff universities/colleges are shocked when i tell them this...for example, a second year nursing student at another university in my town told me they took an ENTIRE semester long course on peds and labour and delivery and another course on mental health (and that everyone in the program was required to take them). ARGH

thanks for listening to my vent hehe :)

[ICRN2008, BSN, RN]

We had a class on OB/Women's Health/Peds- our pediatric classroom experience consisted of learning about communicable diseases, immunizations, etc. We had a choice between peds, OB or psych in the second semester of our senior year, but had to spend 8 weeks doing community. From what I hear, many BSN programs operate similarly.

I learned a long time ago (and am learning again) that if you want to know anything well you're going to have to teach yourself. The quality of instruction in nursing programs varies widely, as does the extent and quality of clinical experiences.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

The cynic in me wonders if some countries that have been losing nurses to the United States may be changing curricula and clinical rotations on purpose. If their nurses can't meet US requirements, then they can't leave too easily, now can they?

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

You might also want to read the Canadian forum to see what your countrymen have to say. Will you take the NCLEX in Canada? What state in the US would you be interested in? Write or read the BON to see what they have to say.

[sunnydaydream]

Your welcome to have my crash course of OB/peds this summer ... all ten weeks of it! (Four days a week- 8am to 4:30pm!) (Usually it's a 16 week course though.)

Really though, I am in an ASN program, and the first year we had a clinical rotation at a LTC, second semester med-surg, third OB/peds (this includes a lot of outside observation such as dr. offices, health department, etc.), and the fourth semester is med-surg II where we get into critical care, psych nursing and nurse management.

I have enjoy all of my rotations though I wish there was less observing and more hands on at many of these places, but since we don't have an instructor I completely understand. I just feel like I am in the way and useless unless I can help.

Good luck to you!

[student456]

thanks to everyone! when i graduate i would like to move to either california, new york or any other place that has a subway (i dont drive at all haha). youve give me all good advice...i just wish we didnt have so much theory and learned more practical stuff that you can apply directly. i know nursing theory is important but it seems like thats all we do ^__^. i guess ill appreciate it more when i graduate

[MB37]

At my school (ABSN) we do have a whole semester of psych. However, our final semester is "integrated": OB/Peds/Women's Health, Leadership/Community Heath, and Preceptorship. All of that in 10 weeks. I'm sure it'll be...interesting.