Where are you Texas Students?

pkmom · Nov 30, 2001

I went to brookhaven!!! I would have started my first semester in the nursing program this fall, but we moved to oklahoma. I was quite impressed with the school. It was a lot more than I thought community colleges would be. Not cost though, $74 per course was GREAT. Good luck, there were a few really nice people in the program, but there were more little snots. If you haven't taken A&P yet, Kasparian was a good teacher, the other guy was really sneaky and made things more difficult than they needed to be, and he wrote the tests.

dgh1973 · Nov 30, 2001

:cool:

I'm actually transferring into Brookhavens nursing program from another nursing program. I had previously attended Trinity Valley Comm. College ADN program for a year. I opted not to go back for 2nd year because we were moving and it was going to be my last year home before my daughter started kindergarten. It was going to be more than my brain could handle. Anyway, to make a long story short my first semester credits transferred in fine but my 2nd semester's did not. So, I'm starting in the 2nd semester at Brookhaven. I'm excited but nervous at the same time. I don't know how much different it will be from the other program I was in. Anyway, thanks for writing. If any of your are currently in the Brookhaven ADN program I'd love to hear from you!

nrice · Nov 30, 2001

Waving my hand really high!!!

I am going to Brookhaven this year.

AppyHorseFan · Nov 30, 2001

DGH...I am about to finish up my first semester of ADN at Trinity Valley in Kaufman. How did you like the second semester? What was it like? Email me and we can compare instructor comments...LOL. :eek: :rolleyes:

dgh1973 · Nov 30, 2001

I had my share of ups and downs at Trinity Valley. I had an instructor for clinical both semesters that is now no longer at the school that pretty much tortured her students. I was in the weekend program as well and from what I understand they are discontinuing that program partly because of what us students went through. The weekday people were kept very abreast of what all was going on, but the weekend crew (me and my fellow students) seemed to always be in the dark and our instructors were kept there as well. Then, things would be sprung on us last minute and it turned out to be very hectic and at times we felt very degraded. I had the instructor that left and then Mary Elizabeth for lecture. From what I understand Mary Elizabeth was very good in the clinical area, but she admittedly lacked in her lecture preparation and classroom skills. My 2nd semester of clinical was at Lake Point in Rockwall. A very nice hospital, with some very nice staff. Our main focus was OB content so I rotated through all of womens and childrens svcs.. One good thing about our instructor was that she sought out opportunities for us to learn from. I was able to witness many surgeries, rotated through ER, ICU and alot of med/surg. I worked my way up to 3 patients before the semester ended. We also had to find an OB patient to follow; go to her prenatal visits, childbirth classes, visit her home for a home safety evaluation and ultimately attend her delivery and once again visit her home after the birth. I lived in Cedar Hill at the time and my patient lived in Royce City (we had to choose a pt who was delivering at Lake Point) This was a very long drive for me and besides our OB pt we had ALOT of community work! Overall, the classmates that continued on to the 2nd year and graduated had a much better experience after the other instructor quit. They continued on with lecture during the week and had Mary Elizabeth for clinicals on the weekend. They compared it as night and day from what we went through during our first and second semesters. I decided to not continue my sophomore year there because we really didn't want to put my then 3 year old daughter in daycare and we decided to sell our home and move closer to my husbands work. I sometimes wish I would have just gone ahead and finished there but ulitimately I made the right decision for my family. I'm now transferring into Brookhaven (closer to home now) into their 2nd semester. From what I understand their curriculum is similar to Trinity Valleys for 2nd semester, so I'm hoping to be ahead of the curve since I've already had this content. The only thing that makes me nervous is just the difference in paperwork and possible instructor expectations. I'm sure that is nothing I can't get over after a little time in their program however. I wish you the very best of luck at Trinity Valley. I have run into people in the past that rave about it and just loved their instructors and I've run into some that absolutely hated it and wouldn't step foot on the campus again. So, it really differs from person to person. Hopefully, you'll have a good experience there. One piece of advice I would give you is to go ahead and get your CNA (which you shold be able to do after you complete 1st sem). I did not think I needed to do this and then when I didn't go back for my soph. year I was no longer eligible to take the exam. Also, from my experience there the instructors I had tended to be disorganized, so keep yourself organized and try to stay one step ahead of them if at all possible. Good luck and let me know if I can be of any assistance to you!

dgh1973 · Nov 30, 2001

NRICE---- Are you beginning your 1st or 2nd semester in the Spring? I will be starting the 2nd semester there. I am awaiting their space availability go ahead but the counselor is confident there will be space for me. They called me the night before Fall classes began and told me they had space for me, but I told her I would just wait until the Spring to begin since I was notified at such a late time. It was a good decision since we were building a house and my daughter was starting kindergarten. Anyway, I'm praying she calls me soon and lets me know when I can register. I had to go through that Maps 3 test, a skills test and a few other things for transfer acceptance. Luckily, I did fine on all that stuff but it's only good for a year and I wouldn't want to do it all again! The Maps 3 test was ridiculous! Let me know what semester you'll be starting, maybe we can chat on here and pick each others brains! LOL

nrice · Nov 30, 2001

DGH, I am just starting out with my pre courses. This is my first time back to school in about 10 years. I also have small children so it will be a bit of work. I probably wont be any help to you because I haven't gone before. I did however go to their nursing session but it just went over the same stuff in their packet.

You can actually register with the school now. They have an application on line and you can print it off. I heard not to do it via online because things are getting lost.

I know you are WAY ahead of me but it is nice to know a fellow student. I will be doing all the testing this next week.

dgh1973 · Nov 30, 2001

I wish you the best of luck. If you need any help with your pre-reqs just let me know. I attended Mountain View College for all of my pre-reqs.

nrice · Nov 30, 2001

OH thanks SO much. I might have to do that. I find out next week what I will have to take before getting to take the 4 pre courses (unless I fly by the testing)(lol)

:eek:

AppyHorseFan · Dec 1, 2001

DGH...as it stands now, the weekenders (which as far as I know they are continuing with) take lecture the same day as the weekday students. They do have their clinicals on the weekend with Mary Elizabeth and they all seem to like her. There is one instructor who is as old as dirt (hope she didn't spit on you too much...LOL) that is really giving one of my friends a really hard time. She can't decide if she's getting raked across the coals because she is liked or disliked...either way...this instuctor was her clinical instructor and just totally tore her first care plan apart!! We have all vowed that if we get her next semester we are going to the Dean and requesting a change. There are a couple of new instructors this semester that are really wonderful. They don't mind helping and offering assistance, one is a freshman instructor (I had her for clinicals) and the other is a sophomore instructor (and was the soph. instructor at my clinical). We have already been given our OB reading assignment for next semester and it was HIGHLY suggested that we start reading over Christmas break. I was hoping to get to do my OB rotation at LakePointe, but I feel like they will either send me to Athens or Palestine.

Well, I've rambled enough. I wish you the best of luck at Brookhaven. I know how hard it is having a small child and trying to go to school. I have a son, 10 and a daughter, 6...I'm divorced and thank goodness for my parents and their support!!!

Happy Riding,

Shonda

lalajenn · Dec 1, 2001

I live in Garland. I am in the Dallas Community College District. Right now I am going to Eastfield but have been to Brookhaven and suppose to be going to Brookhaven in the Fall. I have been accepted into the nursing program at Brookhaven but financial aid isn't working out again. Good luck to you!!

dgh1973 · Dec 1, 2001

Hi Shonda-

I'm glad to hear you're having a pretty positive experience. I think I know what instructor you're talking about. Don't sweat them tearing yours or anyone elses careplans apart...that is really just part of the learning experience. The only thing you have to be careful of is inconsistency on the instructors parts. I found that to be the rule of thumb there. We went to the Dean several times for issues we were faced with as a group and although she took our issues seriously it was made clear that her alliances were with the faculty (right or wrong). There were a couple of people in my class that were given contracts that were obviously unjustly given and upheld. They stuck with it however and just "played the game". That is the best advice I can give you is to just play the game. Don't take everything seriously because it's just part of the experience. Also, realize that you've only got a year and a half of your life left with them and it will fly by before you know it. You'll be glad you stuck with it. I'm glad they are still doing the weekend program because it was a great thing for people who had to work or had kids they needed to be home w/ during the week. Part of my reason for not going back was they had told me my clinicals would be in Greenville on the weekends and that was about an hour and a half from my house. It ended up my group went to Terrell for their 3rd semester which would have been fine for me but how was I to know at the time? LOL Also, there were more weekdays going to be added on than had been presented to me at the beginning of the program. It's good to hear they have some new instructors there. Take care and if you ever need any advice just let me know!