Puerto Rico school feedback - thread #2

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Wow after 9 years and 1336 posts they closed our thread because it was too long.

The original thread and all the helpful posts can be found here:

https://allnurses.com/international-nursing/puerto-rico-school-28678.html

There are 134 pages in that thread but the last 130 pages were from 2010 and beyond and there is a ton of helpful info in there. Hopefully the current students will continue this thread as I graduate this month. Please try to read that thread at least a little bit before posting your questions here as it is very likely your question has been asked and answered on the other thread more than once.

Good luck on whatever path you choose!

thanks again yogi. I totally know what you are talking about being prepared for if we don't have a professor first week. This happened to me during my first semester at nursing school in california. One of the first semester teacher passed away right before the term started, and we didn't have a teacher the first few weeks and the rest of the term we had about..... 5 different teachers for our clinicals. On top of that the entire nursing department was in the transition of moving onto a different campus, was really chaotic.

- Had another question, i was reading that some hospitals require a CPR... Did you have to have to get a CPR card?

-Does the school offer a CPR class if they do come upon hospitals that require this?

I would do CPR before you leave the states. If you do BLS now it will be valid the whole two years you are in school. Here there are some people that do it independently but through Red Cross or American Heart Assoc but it is really shody. In Spanish you can find a normal class. Just do it in the states.

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Specializes in ER.
quote

from bigk6888

i decided to apply to the schools in puerto rico. i finally got an acceptance letter a few weeks ago.

congratulations! and welcome to la inter (a short form of the whole uni's name ;) that i've picked up on after a trimester - i started feb 2012). as i start my nursing cores in aug, i'm sure i'll see you around campus.

since i've been through this only a few months ago (though it seems forever ago!), i can give you some advice:

unfortunately i have not even been in contact with the nursing department, as i cannot seem to get a hold of them. the only person whom i have been in contact with is “e” from la inter. i’m kind of panicking over here. the program starts august 1rst and i live in oregon…..

'e' is great but he's not in the nursing dept, he's just an international counselor who deals with us students as well.

i want to go out to puerto rico to talk to someone in the nursing department and sit down and see all which classes i have left to take… since i have about 150 credits… and have one semester of nursing school completed…

dealing with the school in person is much better than on your own via phone/email etc - i'm learning it's the pr way of life - or maybe just the island way of life ;) i'm from orlando and i'm not hispanic and i've studied abroad before so i've learned all this through trial and error. when i first came down the last weekend of jan for the feb start date which was around 25th something - i was there a tad earlier than the start date but it felt like (on an american school time line) that i was cutting it close.. but i came for a week with my dad and i had to get the lay of the land, ping pong between admissions, financial aid, nursing dept, registration, etc... luckily i had a family friend who was a godsend ;) so my best advice would be take a deep breathe, stay calm and remember pr is different from the states so you have to keep that in mind when things get frustrating.

i'm guessing because you mentioned your credits you don't actually have a bachelors? if that's correct than technically you're in the non accelerated program.

all they sent me with my acceptance letter was a piece of paper with about 10 of my classes handwritten down with the credits next to them. not really sure what that means, since i cant get in contact with anyone its really frustrating.

those 10 classes are the officially transferred credits/classes you've received. so when you look at the sheet for the 3 yr program you can see on the right hand column (if it's the same one i had) it should say what course it substitutes for.

does anybody have any advice as to what i should do? i want to make an appointment with someone in the nursing program that will be able to tell me exactly which classes i have left to take and if i am accepted into the “accelerated program”.

yes, go in person...less (but not free of) headache. i never made appts but maybe someone else can tell you if that helps. i just went to the nursing building, signed my name on the sign in sheet and had to be a tad more aggressive (but w/ grace ;) ) than my normal personality (had a few people who were upper trimesters try and cut in front of me ;) but technically you can save your self that step and figure it out yourself. i'll pm you the trimester sheet and whatever i have in my file.

also i want to see what other documents they need before i start the program so i can try to get all those in oregon before the program starts in august.

from what i remember doing, i had color photocopied copies of my official transcripts that i keep in my personal file to the admissions dept and then when i got there i physically handed them 'missing' transcripts (officially sealed envelopes from the schools) (i had originally ordered them all sent to them and 2 to myself (so that spare is what i ended up giving them. on that transfer credit sheet it should say if they're missing any official transcripts (mine did). from what i remember you only need your transcripts, (though i threw in my hs one too ;) but i don't think that matters)

another thing…… is there any furnished apartments near school or the area??

there are but like the others mentioned you have to 'search' for it... i'm kinda hoping to find one as well... when i get there july 12th

also i will be looking for a roommate as well….. any where i can look for room mates?

there are a couple people i've come across on here and the fb school association site (for those who are already in school) one of the upperclassmen advised me to come to this board to look for one ;) (which is what i'm doing now ;) ) i'll pm you ;)

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congratulations! and welcome to la inter...

i know who this is. i am pretty sure you have the initals lst (just like your handle says). by the way just so the rest of you are not confused. she has been taking her general classes online and that is why she started in feb and is moving here in july. it may have been a little confusing.

and thank you thank you for starting to answer questions. :-)

that is another thing. a lot of generals can be taken online. most actually. in the accelerated program the only generals are history of pr and christian faith and it seems like everyone is exempt from one or the other. history and poly sci majors were exempt from history of pr. i was exempt from christian faith because i went to a catholic uni and minored in religous studies.

but if you are in the non accelerated program and have a lot of generals you can do them online from your home state. just an idea.

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congratulations! and welcome to la inter (a short form of the whole uni's name ;) that i've picked up on after a trimester - i started feb 2012). as i start my nursing cores in aug, i'm sure i'll see you around campus.

since i've been through this only a few months ago (though it seems forever ago!), i can give you some advice:

'e' is great but he's not in the nursing dept, he's just an international counselor who deals with us students as well.

dealing with the school in person is much better than on your own via phone/email etc - i'm learning it's the pr way of life - or maybe just the island way of life ;) i'm from orlando and i'm not hispanic and i've studied abroad before so i've learned all this through trial and error. when i first came down the last weekend of jan for the feb start date which was around 25th something - i was there a tad earlier than the start date but it felt like (on an american school time line) that i was cutting it close.. but i came for a week with my dad and i had to get the lay of the land, ping pong between admissions, financial aid, nursing dept, registration, etc... luckily i had a family friend who was a godsend ;) so my best advice would be take a deep breathe, stay calm and remember pr is different from the states so you have to keep that in mind when things get frustrating.

i'm guessing because you mentioned your credits you don't actually have a bachelors? if that's correct than technically you're in the non accelerated program.

those 10 classes are the officially transferred credits/classes you've received. so when you look at the sheet for the 3 yr program you can see on the right hand column (if it's the same one i had) it should say what course it substitutes for.

yes, go in person...less (but not free of) headache. i never made appts but maybe someone else can tell you if that helps. i just went to the nursing building, signed my name on the sign in sheet and had to be a tad more aggressive (but w/ grace ;) ) than my normal personality (had a few people who were upper trimesters try and cut in front of me ;) but technically you can save your self that step and figure it out yourself. i'll pm you the trimester sheet and whatever i have in my file.

from what i remember doing, i had color photocopied copies of my official transcripts that i keep in my personal file to the admissions dept and then when i got there i physically handed them 'missing' transcripts (officially sealed envelopes from the schools) (i had originally ordered them all sent to them and 2 to myself (so that spare is what i ended up giving them. on that transfer credit sheet it should say if they're missing any official transcripts (mine did). from what i remember you only need your transcripts, (though i threw in my hs one too ;) but i don't think that matters)

there are but like the others mentioned you have to 'search' for it... i'm kinda hoping to find one as well... when i get there july 12th

there are a couple people i've come across on here and the fb school association site (for those who are already in school) one of the upperclassmen advised me to come to this board to look for one ;) (which is what i'm doing now ;) ) i'll pm you ;)

........ i was wondering if there was a fb page for the nursing program at la inter..... do you happen to know the page and could post the website on here??

0 Votes
Specializes in ER.
I was wondering if there was a fb page for the nursing program at LA inter..... do you happen to know the page and could post the website on here?

I can but it's a closed group, look for Asociacion de Enfunmeria so I don't know how useful that would be. I think you have to get added to the group by someone already in the group (I believe they did this for privacy/security reasons)

I emailed you (saw your earlier email post).

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Hey all,

Curious if there is any word on the new director starting at La Inter? I am still planning on coming down to start in November, if under somewhat tenuous circumstances.

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floridaborn,

hey, i just got ur pm.... i guess i cant pm back yet until my 15 posts.... email me at [email protected]

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I have a quick question I notice that july is still available for summer courses. I have already registered for August but wanted to take some electives in July. However when I went on the blackboard I didn't see anything about registering online. Can someone tell me how its done cause I've been calling the school for the week now and have gotten no help

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Hey all,

Curious if there is any word on the new director starting at La Inter? I am still planning on coming down to start in November, if under somewhat tenuous circumstances.

I believe they hired someone but I think they start in August. DOn't quote me on this. The assistant director is around though.

DO NOT count on starting in November unless it is for the non accelerated program to general only.

There have been a lot of changes. They are getting way too many students and have to turn away people. When I started in 2010 we had a student (also on this board as JebinMinneapolis) that arrived a week before school started, applied, was accepted, and got is classes.

He has posted in the past telling people what he did and not to worry, just show up. But several people I know where told they have to register in June as they are not allowing any July new registers.

They really are making a lot of changes and that November start date was always an unofficial. SO don't be surprised if it does not happen.

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I have a quick question I notice that july is still available for summer courses. I have already registered for August but wanted to take some electives in July. However when I went on the blackboard I didn't see anything about registering online. Can someone tell me how its done cause I've been calling the school for the week now and have gotten no help

Blackboard is an online education portal. That is where professors post HW assinments or handouts to download or where you take online quizes and exams.

You would register for classes on Inter Web BUT as I new student you canot register online.

I have no idea what to tell you to do because I NEVER got through to anyone 2 years ago when I called. I really think the registration has to be done in person. But this is only for new students. Your second trimester you can register online.

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Thank you!

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i wanted to know before i started my real search for apartments is..... are there a lot of places to run outside in san juan area? or are the streets way too busy? i usually run about 10 miles and i don't like to run in circles.... would to live by the beach be my best bet?

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