Tri-C in Cleveland

U.S.A. Ohio

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A while ago I posted asking about the nursing program application process at Tri-C. I just wanted to update that I received acceptance into the Spring 2010 semester :D. The process was actually pretty fast. I am very excited. Hope to hear from others that will also start at Tri-C in the Spring.

NewStart2010:yeah:

* Everything you ever wanted to know about Tri-C’s Nursing Program. Well, maybe not but this is all the information I’ve been able to accumulate. All this information is based on the traditional ADN program. At the end, I’ll throw in a little bit of information on the differences in the evening/weekend program and the accelerated program.

1.Admissions

a.Students are admitted twice a year: January and August

b.Admissions are first come first serve – they are not competitive

c.The prerequisites are Intro to Biological Chemistry, College Composition I, Intermediate Algebra (or higher), General Psychology, and a minimum 2.5 GPA. If you do not have a cumulative 2.5 GPA, don't worry. If you have a minimum 9 credit hours at Tri-C, they will ONLY look at your Tri-C GPA. That means you can have a 1.9 GPA from 200 credit hours, take 9 credit hours at Tri-C and get a 2.5 and VIOLA. You are eligible for the nursing program.

d.Once all prerequisites are met, you call the program and they review your file. Once they verify that you meet the prerequisites, they give you the information to take the entrance exam (Hesi A2). Once acceptable scores are received by Tri-C, they send you the application and then place you in the first available class

e.The Fall class typically fills up in May of each year and the Winter class typically fills up around October.

2.Clinical Coursework

a.NURS 1450 is Med/Surg I. This is your traditional hospital based medical/surgical rotation. As typical in most all nursing programs, this is more of learning the basic nursing fundamentals. You will spend most of your time doing things like baths, helping patients with ambulation, vital signs, accu checks, etc. You will also be passing PO meds and doing Sub-Q injections. A lot of what you learn first semester is time management skills, how to do head to toe assessments, and writing care plans. You will have 1-2 patients.

b.NURS 1600 is Med/Surg II. This is an extension of NURS 1450. You are still on a basic med/surg floor but you are doing more nursing skills and less of the nurse aide skills. You will have 1-2 patients again, but will be doing more for those patients.

c.NURS 2300 is your specialty clinicals. They include pediatrics, OB, and psych. OB clinicals involve assessments and following someone who is pregnant. You will have the opportunity to witness a birth. I’m not sure if this is common, but the only person I know who has done the psych clinical did it at a lockdown unit for the criminally insane. The pediatric rotation is done on a basic pediatric floor learning the basics of the differences in math and such.

d.NURS 2500 is Advanced Med/Surg. This is a critical care rotation. Patients typically have multiple organ failure and are stable, but still in pretty bad shape. Flutteryby is doing her Advanced Med/Surg rotation on a trauma surgical floor. This is the semester when you really test your knowledge as an “independent nurse.” You fully manage multiple patients, including all their medications, care plans, communication with doctors, assessments, etc.

e.Clinicals start off pretty short and gradually get longer and longer. I believe your clinicals are only 4 hours first semester, second semester 7a-130p, and NURS 2500 is 7a-330p. Nursing classes are two days a week and clinicals are two days a week. The rest of the classes you fit in elsewhere or they can be done online/hybrid.

f.Some clinical instructors require students to go to the hospital the night before to get their patient info and research their conditions and medications. Not all require this.

g.There are a wide variety of clinical sites including Parma, Marymount, Metro, University Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Southpoint, Lutheran, Lakewood, Hillcrest, etc.

h.Prior to registration for the upcoming semester, the school will list a spreadsheet with all your clinical options. Then you stay up late and when the clock strikes midnight, you hope you get that spot you want before the rest of the nursing students who are staying up until midnight do. Then you hope that those clinicals get confirmed or else you’ll get switched elsewhere. As a result, you don’t get a lot of control over your clinical assignments, but you deal with it for 15 weeks and move on.

3.Lab classes

a.Each lab will teach you a new skill and you practice for an hour outside of class. The following week you test out of the skill. You have 3 tries to test out of the skill. Then you are allowed to perform that skill in clinicals.

b.Skills include passing meds, giving injections, bandaging wounds, cleaning wounds, etc

c.You learn to start IVs and phlebotomy in your second semester.

d.Tri-C does not allow you to practice these skills on one another and it will lead to being kicked out of the program. I would imagine they have some super cool fake arms that have “blood” flowing through them.

e.Tri-C also has a patient simulation lab that students use

4.Other nursing classes

a.NURS 1300 is your assessment course. This is the course where you learn to observe each body system and know what it means

b.NURS 1701 is community nursing which is only half a semester. You watch some videos and do two projects and I hear it is pretty easy.

5. Other programs

a. The accelerated and evening/weekend program start once a year in August.

b. The accelerated program has Microbiology, A&P I, and A&P II as prerequisite as well. Then, the students do not have summers off. The program is 15 months instead of 21 months.

c. The evening/weekend program doesn't start before 5pm so it is easier for working individuals. The program is held at the East campus.

Well I think that is everything I know. If you have any questions let me know. If I don't know it, I'll figure it out :)

Thanks to Flutterby (in the accelerated program) and a friend from high school (in the traditional program) for the info!

Thanks so much for the info regarding the actual nursing classes, clinicals, and labs. I'm scheduled to begin Fall 2010 and your info really helped me.

A few people have asked about Tri-C's uniforms.

Tri-C will give you a list of uniforms for you to purchase during orientation. We had to get them from Affordable Uniforms. They are all white and are very similar to scrubs. You have a couple different styles to chose from. You will need to buy a patch and have it sewn onto the sleeve of all your tops, including you lab coat. You will also need to purchase a name tag from Affordable Uniforms. You will have to wear that on your lab coat and on your uniform top. When you are at clinicals you will be wearing your uniform. Our first day of clinicals was orientation and our last day was our evaluations so on those days we could wear dress casual with our lab coat. This is because we had a very cool instructor. Be prepared to wear your uniform whenever you are in the hospital even if you aren't providing patient care.

The uniforms aren't the most flattering thing and aren't as cute as Kent State who has a cool blue color but oh well.

How soon can we get our background check?

A few people have asked about Tri-C's uniforms.

Tri-C will give you a list of uniforms for you to purchase during orientation. We had to get them from Affordable Uniforms. They are all white and are very similar to scrubs. You have a couple different styles to chose from. You will need to buy a patch and have it sewn onto the sleeve of all your tops, including you lab coat. You will also need to purchase a name tag from Affordable Uniforms. You will have to wear that on your lab coat and on your uniform top. When you are at clinicals you will be wearing your uniform. Our first day of clinicals was orientation and our last day was our evaluations so on those days we could wear dress casual with our lab coat. This is because we had a very cool instructor. Be prepared to wear your uniform whenever you are in the hospital even if you aren't providing patient care.

The uniforms aren't the most flattering thing and aren't as cute as Kent State who has a cool blue color but oh well.

I forgot to mention that the patches are purchased at Tri-C's bookstore.

How soon can we get our background check?

You can get it done as soon as you are admitted. They will send you information on where to go and how to get it done. It costs $85 and results are sent directly to Tri-C. It has to be done like 2 months or so before you start the program so don't wait too long.

Thank you so much for all of that.. so helpful!!

Does anyone happen to know if the evening/weekend program happens to fill up faster than the day program? I plan on applying for the evening one and just wanted to know if they were about the same popularity wise.

Thank you so much for all of that.. so helpful!!

Does anyone happen to know if the evening/weekend program happens to fill up faster than the day program? I plan on applying for the evening one and just wanted to know if they were about the same popularity wise.

When I asked, they said they tend to fill up at about the same time. The only difference is that the evening/weekend program places once a year where the day program places twice a year.

When I asked, they said they tend to fill up at about the same time. The only difference is that the evening/weekend program places once a year where the day program places twice a year.

Thanks for the info! I figured they would be kind of close.. but wasn't positive. Going to the Eastern campus is much more convenient than having to drive downtown for classes.

Thanks for the info! I figured they would be kind of close.. but wasn't positive. Going to the Eastern campus is much more convenient than having to drive downtown for classes.

I agree. I wish it was more than once a year - I would have preferred it because I don't do mornings and rush hour + Cleveland + bad winters = no fun.

I agree. I wish it was more than once a year - I would have preferred it because I don't do mornings and rush hour + Cleveland + bad winters = no fun.

Exactly! Especially with living in the snow belt (geauga county, ugh).. it's even worse. The Eastern campus is like a 25 minute drive for me.. the Metro campus is about 45 minutes.

Plus, even though I work second shift now (2-10).. I've been looking for new positions, specifically at hospitals to work days which would leave my nights open for school. Right now I go to class in the morning then have to go to work right after. It's hectic.

The evening/weekend program was renamed the "modified" evening/weekend program a number of years ago. While lecture typically starts at 5 p.m., clinicals can begin as early as 3 p.m. Saturday/Sunday clinicals may begin at 7 a.m. or 3 p.m.

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