STLCC Forest Park - Starting Jan '09

luvs2readlotsRN · Oct 9, 2008

FYI: Found out that Student Nurse Association at Forest Park is only for students in the nursing program at SLCC or those currently taking courses at SLCC/Forest Park.

LeesaRN · Oct 10, 2008

congrats to you both!!! :yeah: I am a thid semester student at Forest Park. I love it. The instructors are great and very supportive. My advice to you would stay on top of your reading and your outcomes. I study two hours a day every day. I am also a menber of SNA. Great way to meet other students in different semesters. We are all in the same boat no matter what semester. Hope to meet both of you in January.

STL2008, RN · Oct 10, 2008

Thank you to everyone. I turned in my acceptance letter yesterday! I hope I can do this!

listener · Oct 11, 2008

Thanks again WDW! I've been away from the forum for about a week.

Oh! One more very important thing...Join the Student Nurse Association. It's only five dollars a semester, but they give away textbooks at most of their meetings. I've gotten free: a careplanning book, a drug book, a pathophysiology book, an NCLEX book. That $5 investment a semester has certainly paid off. Plus they have some great speakers and/or recruiters come in to talk. The last two semester they have also picked one "charitable project". Last semester it was to buy things for Nurses for Newborns. This semester we are buying items for one of the instructors to take to a hospital in Mexico. I cant praise Forest Park SNA enough! Again, good luck!

This is great info too! I will definitely sign up. I can't wait for orientation.

And thankyou doeRAYmee and nurs2be09!

And see you STL2008 in November!!

STL2008, RN · Oct 22, 2008

This is for anyone who has attended any of the communtiy colleges for nursing. Is it possible to work during the first semester?? Obviously not fulltime but maybe like 40hrs every 2 weeks.

Jess_Missouri_RN · Oct 22, 2008

This is for anyone who has attended any of the communtiy colleges for nursing. Is it possible to work during the first semester?? Obviously not fulltime but maybe like 40hrs every 2 weeks.

About 1/2 my class works PT and some of them are doing fine and others are not. I made the choice to NOT work my first semester, I knew it would take me time to get into a nursing routine and I was so right. Fundamentals at my school (LSN) was a kicker and I really had to fight to get my 84%, lol.

Good luck :)

WDWpixieRN, RN · Oct 22, 2008

Yes, it's definately possible. Many at my school did through all 4 semesters, some full-time. Now, as to whether they started first semester full-time or not, I'm not sure....

I think the hardest part about first semester was getting in to the swing of it all. The material wasn't any harder than the following semesters, but for me, never having worked in any facet of health care, it was overwhelming. For those who were currently working in hospitals, I don't think it was so bad. Probably timewise, the hardest part of first semester is getting time in to practice the checkoffs outside of the scheduled class times. If you're diligent, have a good memory and/or have been exposed to taking blood pressure, doing catheters, etc., it might be much easier.

Best wishes!!

STL2008, RN · Oct 23, 2008

I also got accepted to Meramec's Program. I dont know which to chose. :cry:

WDWpixieRN, RN · Oct 23, 2008

I also got accepted to Meramec's Program. I dont know which to chose.

I went to Meramec and work with a few recent FP grads.

My suggestion is to go to the one that is closest to you in distance or is the most convenient, keeping in mind any childcare or employment issues. Between the Hwy. 40 closures, our weird winter weather, and the cost of gas, those should probably be the criteria you use to choose.

Program-wise, I think they're pretty close to identical. Different instructors and possibly slight differences within their programs, but I think you'd essentially graduate with the same basic knowledge and all the STLCC campuses have good reputations!

Best wishes!!

luvs2readlotsRN · Oct 23, 2008

oooo...that's a toughie..They are both great programs from what I have heard about Meramec and experience at Forest Park. The class schedule times don't change from semester to semester...you might want to look at when the classes meet & how that plays into your own schedule. Also, which campus are you closer to? Where do you want to do clinicals at? I can't speak for Meramec(maybe wdwpixie can)but Forest Park: 1st semester clinical groups go to: Bethesda Nursing Home and Barnes West County. Second semester groups go to: St. Mary's Health Center, MoBap, Barnes(2 clinical groups to Barnes that I know of)and maybe St Johns?(unsure)..third semester clinical groups go to St. Mary's, Depaul Health Center, St Johns(I believe),Barnes and another hospital that I'm unsure of. You also go to Barnes for Psych and Childrens Hospital for Peds in third semester. Fourth semester groups go to: Barnes, St. Mary's, St. Johns, St. Joseph's Hospital Kirkwood and MoBap. You are in one clinical group each semester that goes to one hospital...except for third semester when you rotate medsurg/peds/psych. If I've really confused you , you may want to call each campus and ask any quesitons that may sway you one way or another. Hope this has helped!

WDWpixieRN, RN · Oct 23, 2008

Let me think....and remember, this is based on my experience as a grad from last spring:

1st semester: St. Joe's Kirkwood, MoBap, & St. Anthony's

2nd semester: DePaul, St. Joe's, MoBap (and maybe St. Anthony's?)

3rd semester: St. Joe's, St. Anthony's, ??!?! - each for 1/2 semester, then rotate through psych @ St. John's and peds @ Children's.

4th semester: St. Anthony's, St. John's, St. Joe's, St. Lukes, MoBap

Yes, good idea throwing clinical sites out there....those are also "transportation" issues to weigh in....

Keep in mind that some semesters you will NOT be placed where you prefer. Sometimes we were allowed to switch if we could find someone willing to do so in order to be closer to home, etc. However, in 4th semester I wanted to be at St. John's or St. Luke's and it just didn't happen; there was no one interested in switching.

Good luck!!

STL2008, RN · Oct 24, 2008

I think im going to Meramec instead. The distance is the same for both schools. Im at meramec right now taking Microbiology. The only thing good about me going to Forest Park is that I work down the street. But at this point I dont care because I hate my job! and after the first semester or SOONER i can get a hospital job. I have a friend who I went to highschool with who is also going to be in my class. Which is good. Because we get to be study buddies. I missed orientation this week at meramec because I didnt think i was going since i didnt get a letter. but then i got my letter that day but i was at work when i got it. So i have an appt. with one of the nursing advisors at Meramec on thursday! I can't wait.