St. Kate's Post-Bacc Program

maxxineo · Feb 11, 2008

I just graduated from St Kates post-bacc program....Great program, but check into some school's bridge to Master's program first....

Post-bacc is two nights a week, every other weekend....very managable, can be done while working full time (I did it!). I just finished school in December and am working full time at the VA. My only complaint with the program is that there isn't as much clinical time as there maybe should be...it's hard when everyone in class works!

maxxineo · Feb 11, 2008

oh yes...and our pass rate for post-bac was 100 last year, and so far it's 100 as well....

Toots71506 · Feb 11, 2008

Maxxineo - Thanks so much for the info! I talked to one of the advisors there and she said that next year they're planning on transforming the post-bacc into a master's level program. I have a few more questions that I'm hoping you can answer...

1 - Did most of the students have families? I have children and that's my biggest reason why I'm waiting because I'm afraid I'll be too busy with course stuff to spend time with them.

2 - Was there tons of studying to do outside of class?

3 - Was it really competitive to get in? I have a 3.75 but I'm not sure if I'll be competing with 4.0's.

4 - Do you know of the average cost to complete the program?

Thanks for all your feedback!

littleneoRN · Feb 11, 2008

Hi! I did not attend St. Kate's, nor do I know much about thier Accelerated program. But I did go through an accelerated program. Here are some things I would think about.

1. There is no way that any program can teach nursing students what you need to learn in 2 years (4 semesters) without taking a very significant commitment of your time. Working full time, in my mind, would have been very difficult. But I don't mean that to be discouraging. Realistically it will be difficult, but it will be worth it. :)

2. Clinical time is extremely important. If, in order to make it less of a time burden, they have less clinical time than other programs, it puts a student at a significant disadvantage in clinical learning, being prepared for the NCLEX, and getting the job of your choice when you're done.

3. I don't know about Metro State, but I know that the U's Masters program for RN and for MSU-Mankato's program are truly 4 semesters, one of those semesters is just summer. So all three are the same length in reality. So if they are much more intense than St. Kate's, I would wonder why?

maxxineo · Feb 11, 2008

Maxxineo - Thanks so much for the info! I talked to one of the advisors there and she said that next year they're planning on transforming the post-bacc into a master's level program. I have a few more questions that I'm hoping you can answer...
1 - Did most of the students have families? I have children and that's my biggest reason why I'm waiting because I'm afraid I'll be too busy with course stuff to spend time with them.
2 - Was there tons of studying to do outside of class?
3 - Was it really competitive to get in? I have a 3.75 but I'm not sure if I'll be competing with 4.0's.
4 - Do you know of the average cost to complete the program?
Thanks for all your feedback!

1. Heck yes....there was a baby factory in my class..MANY people had families and/or part-time and full time jobs.

2. Sometimes yes....lots of studying, it was a lot of work, definitely, especially when you have clinicals and such to do.

3. When I was accepted....the class size was 24 and 150 or so people applied. I had a degree in bio... Your GPA is great :-)

4. Yeah, st kates isn't cheap...depends on how many pre-req's you need...with 2 years of nursing, and 3 pre-req classed, I'd say I added at least 20K.

I'd also recommend looking into the master's bridging program....makes a lot of sense...as far as the clinicals...no one outside my program has a right to say how it is because they weren't in class.....SO....Yes, we don't do as many clinicals as 2 year RN's or traditional students...we did a good amount of med-surg, couple OB, couple mental health, good amounts of public health stuff. Also we mentored in an area of interest...hopefully they will take that apart and give more time to other areas of the hospital like surgery, ICU, etc. You can definitely get enough clinical time in....they don't let us go out unprepared!

Holla

littleneoRN · Feb 12, 2008

I'm not intending to knock St. Kate's because like I said, I don't know much about it. I'm just thinking about the things I know are important in nursing school, and suggesting those as questions to raise as you compare various programs.

For clinicals, here is what I had for an idea. This varies widely from program to program.

160 hours in nursing home setting (2 different sites--focus on both basic nursing skills and geriatric care)

240 hours in med/surg setting (2 different sites/units)

90 hours mental health

90 hours community health

120 hours OB

120 hours peds

120 hours with a preceptor in a specialty of your choice

Clinicals are also valuable as you evaluate what you might want to do as you graduate. It's great to get a real life feel for areas you think you're interested in, and areas you didn't think you were interested in might grab your attention. However much clinical time you do end up getting, take advantage of it. I made it a little higher priority than work for classroom classes. Ask questions. Look for opportunities to see and try new things.

Good luck in your search!

maxxineo · Feb 12, 2008

wow seriously? That's a lot! There's no way that would fit a post-bac program...would be nice, but honestly, it's not necessarily needed. It's great to get the experience before deciding what areas to go into and so you are "prepared" before starting work.....definitely, but with many hospitals in the metro offering 3 month preceptorships, the clinicals and school work done while in school is sufficient. You can always be a student nurse and "get experience" of course, but you don't get a real feel for it until you really start working as a nurse with a colleague and not just a clinical instructor. Also, this brings to light the importance of students to get jobs as hucks or nursing assistants so that students can be immersed in the nursing culture....if they're not doing clinicals, they are at least experiencing some form of nursing and getting real points of view.

Toots71506 · Feb 12, 2008

Thanks for your feedback Maxxineo! I really appreciate it. I really think the St. Kate's evening and weekend post-bacc or masters would be the way for me to go and that is why I'm strongly leaning on applying there. One other thing, awhile back I posted a question on here about BSN vs. MSN and I received a lot of response saying that getting a masters before having any nursing experience makes no sense. My thought is that if these schools are now changing from BSN to MSN there must be a reason and a need...do you have any thoughts on this?

littleneoRN · Feb 12, 2008

Those clinicals I described were all in a 16 month second degree BSN program for people who already had other degrees and were seeking to be nurses. So the same as St. Kate's program except that the degree you get at the end is a BSN. The St. Kate's program is credit toward a master's correct? There advantages and disadvantages to both. One thing I know is that two of my interviews for positions, I got several questions about my program being a second degree program and wanting to know if I had the same amount of classes, work, and clinicals as a traditional student. This seemed important to these two managers, but then at my other two interviews it was never brought it. So, type of degree, amount of clinicals etc., may be important to some managers but not others. I definitely agree with max that your true learning and experience comes when you start working. So you need to do what works best for you.

maxxineo · Feb 12, 2008

My opinion is that since the post bac program is for students who already have their bachelors degree and are pursuing a degree in nursing, the big deal is that getting a masters degree requires really the same amount of work given to get the BSN in the post-bac program adding maybe one or two classes. Granted, I haven't researched much into the MSN world, I only just finished passing my NCLEX, but had I had the choice...I would have picked getting the MSN....it simply LOOKS better and will give you more money...are new grad MSN nurses any better than the BSN nurses in skills....heck no, i agree with that...but for convenience, money, and hassle sake, do the MSN program if able. I can't tell you how loud the groan was in my class when we found out that our program may get changed to a Masters program or that a new bridging program may get started....we have to apply again when we could have just taken one or two classes...

Toots71506 · Feb 13, 2008

Hi Maxxineo - One quick question for you. You mentioned that there was a lot of work outside of class and I'm wondering what kind of work that was...is it papers, memorizing medicines, preparing for speeches, etc. Or, a little of everything?

Bennie44 · Feb 13, 2008

Maxxineo-

I am so glad that you posted! Toots and I have been wondering about the St. Kate's program for a while now!

Sorry to throw a lot of questions at you and I would appreciate anything you have to offer! I applied for the Post-Bacc program for Fall '08.

1. do you have any idea of the emphasis of acceptance? GPA? Pre-Req's? Essays? Work/Life experience? I graduated with a 3.3 GPA but know that going back to school as an adult would be a totally different deal. I hope my GPA isn't too low.

2. I have a 4 year old and twins that are 10 months. Before anyone says I am crazy, I have a great husband, mother and mother-in -law to help. How much (on average) study time did you need each day?

3. I would also need to work, but thinking of going part time to be done by noon each day. Would I HAVE to do that to make it manageable? Or did others seem to make it work?

4. I have been out of school for 8 years. Was it hard for you to go back? How long were you out of school?

5. What was the age range of your classmates? I am 33 and feel ancient compared to "newbies".

any insight would be great and, again, sorry for all the questions, I am just so excited to hear from someone who has been though the program!