Bluegrass BCTCS Nursing Students

KentuckyRN2Be · Feb 18, 2008

I was going to apply at BCTC, but missed the conferences as I didn't know about them until too late. I am a UK pre-nursing student right now and thought that I'd look at BCTC to get my RN sooner, go back and do the RN-BSN plan at UK while working as an RN. I couldn't get everything in that I needed for BCTC in the time frame and so have decided to stay at UK for now. I like the research program that UK has for undergrads, so I guess I'm staying put.

Good luck! Nice to see someone else from Kentucky!

Neoma · Feb 19, 2008

Nice to see another Kentucky student on here. I'm so sorry you missed the deadline. I don't know if I'm in the program or not yet. From what I understand, we won't hear until the beginning of April. I've thought about doing the RN-BSN route after I graduate, but not sure at this point. I'll be nearly 44 by the time I graduate, so we'll see, assuming I get into the fall semester this year.

I checked the pass rate for the NCLEX for Bluegrass, which looks to have stayed in the 90s, so I guess that's pretty good.

Good luck with your studies.

Maryann

KentuckyRN2Be · Feb 19, 2008

Maryann,

I battled back and forth a long time about whether to look at the 2 year program or the 4 year. I didn't realize that BCTC's application deadline was earlier than UK's. I want to go on past an RN and so I will need the BSN - I'm just not sure yet what direction I will take in the end. I am 42 so I will be 45 when I get through just the BSN. I sure wish I had done this years ago, but I took time to raise my kids - something I will never regret doing. But when I went through my divorce several years ago, I sure wished I had a degree to fall back on. But in the end I really believe that I will be a better nurse than I would have been 20 years ago. I'm much more patient and care more about people than I did then.

How did your pre-reqs go? A lot of what UK has for pre-reqs are in the actual program at BCTC. I could have cut my time by almost a semester if I had gotten in there. But I'm really excited about the research opportunities at UK and wanting to get involved in that.

We don't find out until May whether we get in - so I don't think BCTC is too behind on that one - it's just a long wait when you want to know!

Good luck!!

Sarah

Neoma · Feb 21, 2008

Good for you, Sarah. It's nice to see someone my age on here. You and I took the same road it seems. I stayed home with my four kids until my youngest started kindergarten. I wish I'd attempted to start school then, but we really needed the extra income with four kids in school and all the extracurricular activities they participated in. Anyway, I feel like I'm in a better position at this point in my life than I was before anyway.

I'm taking A & P II this semester. The only class I still need other than the actual nursing classes is Medical Micro. I thought about taking it this summer, but if I do get admitted to the nursing program, I'll have to get my CNA class out of the way this summer. I didn't think it would be a good idea to do back to back classes with no break. I did that last year, and by the time fall classes were over with, I was completely exhausted and so ready for them to be done. I managed to maintain a 4.0, but don't know about from here on out, not that I won't try. This Anatomy class is coming close to kicking my butt this semester. I'm learning a lot, but it just seems we cover the material so fast, and there's so much of it, that you don't completely grasp it before you're testing over it.

Better scoot. I've got one test, and four exams this week, so I better get back to the books.

Good luck.

Maryann

NeuroNP · Mar 1, 2008

I'm finishing my first year at Bluegrass right now. I'm 32 and have a BA already. I also plan to go on to get my MSN (Neonatal Nurse Practitioner). I ended up at Bluegrass vs UK because the tuition was 3x less. I've got a scholarship that pays for everything at Bluegrass (and then some) but would leave me short at UK. What would you like to know about Bluegrass?

Bryan

Neoma · Mar 1, 2008

Hi, Bryan.

Thanks for your reply and good luck with your studies. I'm trying to get an idea of what to expect as far as the nursing classes go, and the instructors. From everything I've heard and read, nursing classes are way different than the gen ed classes. Anything you can think of or recommend that would help someone do well in the nursing classes would be a big help.

Thanks,

Maryann

NeuroNP · Mar 1, 2008

Hi, Bryan.
Thanks for your reply and good luck with your studies. I'm trying to get an idea of what to expect as far as the nursing classes go, and the instructors. From everything I've heard and read, nursing classes are way different than the gen ed classes. Anything you can think of or recommend that would help someone do well in the nursing classes would be a big help.
Thanks,
Maryann

Nursing classes are different than gen ed. I only took a few gen ed classes there, as I've already got a BA from UK.

You'll get a list of textbooks to buy before the first semester, don't let it intimidate you, it's a lot, but with one exception (there is a Med-Surg book to buy second semester) those are all the books you need in two years. They told us to budget $700-800 for books, but I bought mine on half.com and saved a ton. I also didn't buy all of them. If you want, when you get the list, PM me and I'll tell you which ones I think you can do without (I honestly think I could do without most of mine...).

The only other generic tip I could give is don't let OB fool you. For me (I've got extensive experience in health care), the first semester was easy. I hardly studied at all. I actually know a few other people like that as well. When we got to OB this past semester, it was much harder. It's a lot to learn, only 6 weeks to do it in, only 3 tests (so if you bomb one, you could easily get in trouble), and unless you have experience in OB, it's probably all new. Out of 10 people in my original clinical group, only 4 are left. Several of those failed out due to OB. Also, the grading scale is different. 90-100 = A, 83-89 = B, 77-82 = C. I can't remember the rest, because below 77 is failing.

Feel free to PM me with specific questions.

Bryan

Serendipity318 · Jul 12, 2008

Hey, I just graduated from the ADN program at BCTC and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to be a RN. They set it up to where you have clinical rotations at the local hospitals shortly after you start class and complete them throughout the 2 yr program. This gives you great experience and what to expect working as a floor nurse in a local hospital.

The program is definitely not easy but as long as you devote enough time to studying and preparing, you should do fine!!

I just took and passed the NCLEX Exam last weds. BCTC has a very high pass rate for the exam (always in the 90's%). They definitely prepare you for boards and teach you how to be a safe, efficient nurse.

I recently accepted a job at UK Hospital and started orientation this week. I'm definitely learning a lot and am excited to finally be out of school and working (as a registered nurse applicant - until I complete the 120 hour preceptorship after which I will recieve my RN license).

Good luck to everyone and if you have any questions or want any advice, don't hestitate to ask :)

Neoma · Jul 12, 2008

Congratulations!!! I remember them mentioning that at the pre-nursing conference we had to attend before applying for the program. So the 120 hours is after you graduate? Just from the way they were talking at the time, I thought maybe that was actually part of your class the last semester. I start my first semester of nursing classes next month, so any advice for a newbie would be greatly appreciated.

Maryann

Hey, I just graduated from the ADN program at BCTC and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to be a RN. They set it up to where you have clinical rotations at the local hospitals shortly after you start class and complete them throughout the 2 yr program. This gives you great experience and what to expect working as a floor nurse in a local hospital.
The program is definitely not easy but as long as you devote enough time to studying and preparing, you should do fine!!
I just took and passed the NCLEX Exam last weds. BCTC has a very high pass rate for the exam (always in the 90's%). They definitely prepare you for boards and teach you how to be a safe, efficient nurse.
I recently accepted a job at UK Hospital and started orientation this week. I'm definitely learning a lot and am excited to finally be out of school and working (as a registered nurse applicant - until I complete the 120 hour preceptorship after which I will recieve my RN license).
Good luck to everyone and if you have any questions or want any advice, don't hestitate to ask :)

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jul 12, 2008

Neoma- the state of KY requires the 120 hrs of preceptorship after graduation.

http://kbn.ky.gov/education/pon/entry/internship.htm

Here is more info from the KY BON.

This is actually a good thing, because it guarantees you precepted hours as a new grad, and prevents facilities from just throwing you out there to swim alone.

Serendipity318 · Jul 12, 2008

There is actually two 120 hour "preceptorships" that you have to do to become a RN. One of the requirements to complete the ADN program at BCTC is to complete a 120 hour preceptorship which is done the last semester of your 2nd year. It's basically the last thing you do in school before you take finals and graduate. At the begininning of 2nd year they will give you a form to fill out and ask which two "specialities" you would prefer to do your preceptorship at and will try to match you with that, although it doesn't always work out that way b/c of limited available precepting nurses at the hospitals in lexington. I put that I preferred a Med/Surg unit, Women's health (I liked my OB rotation) or the ER, preffereably at CBH (central baptist) which was my # 1 choice to work at after graduation (even though it didn't work out that way since I'm at UK now...lol) But anyway I got placed on 5 East at CBH which is a telemetry unit (they get a lot of older pts with multiple health problems including heart problems and need constant heart monitoring = telemetry. (Telemetry is considered a "speciality" and you have to go through extra training on how to read and interpret EKG strips and pts' heart ryhthms and what to do w/each one). Anyway I had a really good preceptorship and my nurse was awesome. She taught me a lot and wasn't intimadating at all.

Another requirement to graduate is taking the Kaplan Review Program for NCLEX (the state boards test) and costs $ 285 But it does really help. The last week of class before finals you have to attend 4 days of Kaplan reviews from 8a-5p each day where they teach you stratagies on how to answer questions as well as hundreds and hundreds of practice questions. You also get a 600 + page review book which basically sums up 2 years of nursing school. They state that you don't even need to study any of your past notes or books from school, that you will only need to study that book (cover to cover) in order to prepare yourself for boards. I think that the book is the best part of the "program" and it does a good job explaining everything (although beware, sometimes it assumes you know certain facts and doesn't explain them so if you don't know a certain term or whatever, you might have to use a medical dictionary to refresh yourself).

Now once you graduate, you are considered a RNA = registered nurse applicant until you pass NCLEX and complete (another) 120 hour preceptorship/internship which is what I was referring to in my first posting that I am working on to get my RN license. You have to meet both of these requirements in order to get your license and if you don't you basically are nothing more that a nurse's aid or nursing tech!!

I know that this is becoming a long posting but I would like to pass along as much info as possible and try to prepare you for school, and I'm sure you don't mind as long as it becomes helpful/useful info :)

Now perhaps most importantly for you coming up is to prepare you for the begininning of school. Prepare yourself: the first few weeks can be a little overwhelming: they throw you a lot of info and complicated schedules. Not only do you have your main nursing lecture on Tues & Thurs, but you'll have campus lab on Mondays, Media class (which is usually programs on the computer or watching videos). Now your schedule you signed up for doesn't include Media, you will sign up for a class (one day a week) after you start school. You also have Skills Practice where you practice skills you learned in campus lab that monday. For example, this is will you will learn skills like taking vital signs, inserting a foley cath, NG tube, starting and maintaining IV's and fluids, etc. For each skill you will have time to practice on your own, as well as on campus before you have to check off with a teacher demonstrating you can perform that skill. You will have 2 separate chances to pass that skill and if you fail the 2nd time you will be kicked out of the program (but don't worry, very few % of people acutally fail both chances and have to leave). The last type of "class" on your schedule will be your clinical days, at first it's usually a few hours on tues or thurs afternoon and then a full day wed or fri - depending on your particular schedule.

Finally what I highly recommend you do if you haven't already done this summer is read and work on your Math book you had to buy - it's Math for Nursing and teaches how to do drug calcuations. I think you should have gotten in the mail along with your paperwork saying they want you to read and do certain chapters in that book (it's like 10 chapters) before school starts. I know it seems like a lot of work but you will be better off if you do that, or at least get a big chunk of it done. It prepares you for ProCalc, which is a math test you have to take every semester of school and you have to pass it with a 100% accurracy or you fail out of the program. But don't worry they give you as many chances as you need to pass but it really does help to study and practice before school starts b/c then you will be so busy and bogged down with other stuff, it makes it hard to learn and concentrate on the math.

I know this is extremely long and full of info but it should really help prepare you and give you a peek at what school will be like. I hope it helps :) Good luck with school, I'm sure you;ll do great. Like I said before if you have any more questions or need help with something, I don't mind at all to help so let me know. You can contact me via email. Talk to you later :)