ISU LVN to BSN program California

Nursing Students Indiana (ISU)

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ISU has two distant learning LVN to BSN programs. One is for California LVNs and the other is for non-California LPN students. While the programs are similar there are some differences.

1. The Calif BON has placed a limit on the amount of nursing classes that Calif ISU LVN to BSN students can take during a semester. Other states have no restrictions and non-Calif students would matriculate through the program and graduate faster than Calif students;

2. California ISU students are also students of Sanoma State University and must pay an extra fee to Sanoma State; ISU issues the diploma but Sanoma State is the qualifying university that will sign the paperwork for the Calif BON;

3. Lastly, TCN has one employee--the Sanoma State liaison--who deals with the paperwork and another person who is responsible for arranging the Calif clinical facilities and getting the paperwork signed.

This thread has been started to address the issues that California ISU LPN to BSN students or potential students are facing. Have questions about the California ISU LVN to BSN program, feel free to share.

Was it very hard for Millie to find you a clinical site. I sent in my clinical map for success and was wondering how long she took until she called your two clinical choices. They must have a way to make a deal with the hospitals, i know a lot of ppl who say its hard because we dont have an instructor on site. This is the only prt of the program that worries me.

I doubt she called my clincal sites. I clled her 2 weeks before start of class and I asked her about my placement. I will let you know when I get one. So far all I have gotten is assurance.

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There has not been any posts in a few months. For those of you who are in the ISU/Sanoma State Calif program or thinking about the ISU/Sanoma State Calif program, what are your thoughts, experiences, wishes.

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For those of you in the ISU LVN to BSN -- where are you in your classes?

Have you been able to keep in touch with those in classes ahead of you so you can see the syllibus for upcoming classes?

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I am almost done with the first semester. It has been tough, but I did it! whew! I am looking forward to my first clinical experience next sem. How was yours?

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I am almost done with the first semester. It has been tough, but I did it! whew! I am looking forward to my first clinical experience next sem. How was yours?

:yeah: That first semester is difficult, especially if you take the assessment and intro to nursing at the same time. Congrats on making it through.

Are you taking mental health next semester? If so, you should enjoy it. Again, much of the work is focused on the first 10 weeks. There is a clinical work book that must be filled out and submitted to the professor before the end of the program. It is not graded but you receive pass or fail.

I suggest you start the workbook early into the semester as it has 4 sections and they all are long. Over the holidays, read the ATI book. You must pass the ATI exam before you can go to the next course. Reading it and rereading it over the semester is essential if you are to retain the info (the book info has nothing to do with the ATI exam--although I was told that the author who wrote the ATI exam wrote the book, but I am not sure of this). By the end of the course, you will have had so much mental health--the two courses with their own quizzes/exams and the ATI exam.--that you will probably have had enough of mental health.

Here is a heads up: your clinical workbook, journal, medicaton assignment, and patient assessment is to be attached to your student dossier. This dossier is a file that ISU keeps on you, and it shows your work. Professors, admin & staff can look at your file and see the work you are turning out.

The clinical dossier was not mentioned in the syllibus but the school just popped it on us a week before finals. If we do not submit the info to the clinical dossier we will not pass the course despite passing ATI and getting a passing grade in the class. So,when filling out these documents, remember that they will follow you through out your stay with ISU so take extra care when filling out and submitting these documents. The other classes now have the same requirement.

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Specializes in Clinical Research.

LadyinScrubs,

In a previous post somewhere around here you mentioned that you thought that there may be an LPN to RN ADN program in Washington state? I believe you said you thought it was basically distance learning, but there were clinicals towards the end in which people would split a hotel room together and get through it together.

I've done some searching on Google and can't seem to find anything of the sort. Wondering if you had any additional information on that?

Thanks in advance!

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Instead of Googleing, go to the Washington State board of nursing and see what schools are authorized by the board. There is a community college that offers distant learning but the clinicals are done once a semester for a 2-3 week period (so I have been told). Also go to the regional AN board and ask the same question of the nurses there--they may have the answer.

There are only so many community colleges in Washington State--find out which community colleges offer nursing and then narrow it down from there.

Some where on the AN student nursing blog was someone's blog about the program. That is all I can help you with.

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Specializes in Clinical Research.

Thank you! I will search far and wide and see what I can dig up!

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Hi LadyinScrubs! I am planning on doing the LVN to BSN with Indiana State. Are the classes really hard? I mean I know nothing is easy but is it really doable? Like as long as you read and study you'll do fine? How are the test? Multiple choice? Short answer? I've done online classes before but I'm scared this might be different.

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Hi LadyinScrubs! I am planning on doing the LVN to BSN with Indiana State. Are the classes really hard? I mean I know nothing is easy but is it really doable? Like as long as you read and study you'll do fine? How are the test? Multiple choice? Short answer? I've done online classes before but I'm scared this might be different. If I put alot of effort into it, do you think I could finish the program in at least two years? I'm planning to work part time while I'm doing this program.

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Another question I have is when did you start the LVN to BSN? When do you finish?

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I am planning on doing the LVN to BSN with Indiana State. Are the classes really hard? I mean I know nothing is easy but is it really doable? Like as long as you read and study you'll do fine? ISU is a university level nursing school. All nursing schools are difficult. ISU is more rigorous because they tend to give busy work. If you have children, work full time, or have other responsibilities, just take one class at a time. It may take you longer to graduate, but you will not be killing yourself. What the program does is front load the assignments--much of the reports, assignments, etc. will be due the first half of the semester. However, the chapter readings and exams are scheduled thorughout the semester. I have no idea why the program is set up this way.

How are the test? Multiple choice? Short answer? I've done online classes before but I'm scared this might be different. The exams are like most other exams in other courses. Because the exams are via computer they are normally multiple choice and true false. I don't remember doing short answer. That all sounds easy doesn't it. However, the questions are challenging because if you do not knnow the rationale behind why you should pick a certain answer, you will have a prolem. The multiple choice questions tend to have one easy wrong question. The other three questions could be right or wrong. If you don't know why the question is wrong or right, then you would have a problem.

If I put alot of effort into it, do you think I could finish the program in at least two years? I'm planning to work part time while I'm doing this program. At ISU, because Calif has specific mandates on the program, you must follow the way ISU set up the classes. You must take them in order. Normally you will take 2 classes a semester. There are 6 clinicals and 8 lecture classes. Plus, if you do not already have a bachelors degree, you must take the general ed classes also--if you do not have a bachelors, take those classes before you start nursing school. You do not want to have to take gen ed classes at the same time you are taking nursing classes.

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