What's the deal with Columbus State admission?

[foreverLaur]

My friend applied in January 2009 for their traditional ADN program and was accepted (as all students are) and was told her start date was March 2011. In the meantime, she applied twice to their online program and was rejected.

Their website states for application dates...

Traditional Track

• Jan. 6-15, 2010 for the Autumn 2010 class
  
• July 1-9, 2010 for the Spring 2011 class
  
• Jan. 10-19, 2011 for the Autumn 2011 class
  

I called the school and asked: "So, If I apply during the July 2010 application period and meet all the requirements, I'll definitely get to start in March of 2011?" Their answer? YES OF COURSE YOU WILL!

Is the waitlist gone at CSCC or is the nursing school misleading me? I don't want to hold out and stay in Columbus an extra year only to be disappointed and realize I could have started at Tri-C sooner after all.

Also, what is the deal with CSCC requiring the anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and biology sections for the Hesi A2 exam?!

They require organic/biochem as a prerequisite, but a lot of the chemistry seems to be stuff covered in general chemistry (nuclear chem, molar relationships, stoichiometry, etc). Additionally, biology isn't a prerequisite in any way, shape, or form. Anatomy and physiology are taken during the nursing program and are not requirements. The Hesi review book states: "A one-year course in anatomy and physiology should be taken before the student prepares for the anatomy examination." Yet, CSCC expects us to rock that section BEFORE taking any form of A&P. What is up with all that?! Luckily I've taken biology and general chemistry for science majors and I've taken anatomy (not physiology) so I'm a bit better off, but that seems really unfair. Additionally, I took anatomy twice (As both times) and both were high level with human cadavers taught by medical school faculty and there is a lot of anatomy stuff in the review book I never learned. Needless to say, I'm frustrated and worried.

Thoughts?

[msteeleart]

A girl in my anatomy class said she had a 2.9 GPA for her undergrad and she got into the online program.

[foreverLaur]

I'm just worried because I am applying in July to start March 2011 for the traditional program. If I apply in September for he March 2011 online program and don't get in, my seat in the traditional program is canceled. Not sure if it is worth the risk... as much as I hate going to class and learn better by not...

[msteeleart]

I thought they don't cancel your seat until you accept. Didn't you say your friend applied to the online twice and then was accepted into the traditional? Did she apply to the online after she was accepted into the traditional? I just wonder why they are making her wait so long since she applied in January of 2009. They should have let her start in September of 2009. I looked at the schedules and it looks like there are plenty of open seats in the traditional classes. Did they give her any reason for making her wait so long?

The letter that I got said that I must maintain a 2.6 GPA or better to enter the nursing program. I don't think they mean your undergrad degree.

[foreverLaur]

I'm not sure. I've gotten so many conflicting stories. I applied with her back in January of 2008 and her letter had a start date of March 2011. She did apply and get rejected twice to the online program with a great GPA, great NET score, and patient care experience. I wonder if every time she did that, if it bumped her traditional program start date to the next class and maybe that wasn't what her original letter said? Or maybe there used to be a long wait list. Or maybe she just got screwed. Others have said once you get into one, it cancels the rest. Who really knows. I like the idea of switching to the online after first quarter though. I just really really want to start ASAP!!

I am, however, dreaded the first clinical in a nursing home. I had 2 clinicals for NURC 101 there and I hated it with a passion. I am going into health care to "fix" people and make them better so they can go home. Why can't students learn to pass PO meds and do SC injections on a med/surg floor, especially since they are required to take a nurse aid training course first?

[achiever]

You can absolutely switch to the the online program after you start in traditional. And I'm confused about passing meds. You won't first quarter because everyone is in an ECF. But starting quarter two you'll be passing meds, PO, IM SQ and Push.

Michelle

[foreverLaur]

You can absolutely switch to the the online program after you start in traditional. And I'm confused about passing meds. You won't first quarter because everyone is in an ECF. But starting quarter two you'll be passing meds, PO, IM SQ and Push.

Michelle

Wow really? All nursing students I have talked to were doing SC injections and passing PO meds by the end of their first clinical (Chamberlain, OSU, Tri-C, Kent). What do you do in the nursing home first quarter that you don't learn in the required nurse aid training course before beginning the nursing program? I've worked in a nurse aid capacity for quite a while and I quit because I got burnt out. I don't know if I can go back to doing strictly nurse aid duties without some nursing work mixed in there...

[msteeleart]

After nurc-101, I have started to feel a lot of empathy for people in nursing homes. It motivates me to stay healthy so I don't have to be there when I am old. My mother has alzheimers and she lives in an assisted living place. She has gotten progressively worse over the last few months so I have to deal with it personally and she will probably soon be in a nursing home. No one really wants to do clinicals in nursing homes but I am looking at it as a learning experience. I heard you only really have to go around and do vital signs a lot of the time. Once we are through that then we can move on to a hospital clinical.

[achiever]

That's just not how its done at CSCC I guess. Every student is in some sort of long term care facility, but not necessarily an acute care setting. So quarter one you focus on assessment and therapeutic communication, no med passes. Every other quarter you are responsible for 1-3 patients depending on your abilities and all of their meds. Seventh quarter you have 6 patients and are responsible for all meds.

To be honest, I thought it was a nice easy transition. I had done lots of tech work before, but for many students other than the clinical time for NURC they had no clinical experience, and I don't think that I would want that person passing meds to my mom, know what I mean?

Michelle

[shortnorthstudent]

It is so hard when there is very little information forthcoming from the nursing department. I would contact them directly about the effect that applying to the online would have on your traditional application. I have had great experiences speaking with the women in the nursing department. They have answered lots of questions and concerns. I deal with rumors and innuendo in my children's school all the time and most of the time it's better to go straight to the people who have the information.

As far as clinicals in the nursing home, I definitely think that working in geriatrics is a huge calling and I very much admire anyone called to this area of nursing. However, the census in the hospitals are made up in large part with the elderly, unless you work in peds, so we will be working with the eldery whether we're in hospital or nursing home. And, unfortunately whether or not patients are young, many who enter the hospital will pass away while they are there as well. Passing meds is only a small aspect of nursing and I am certain that we will be learning loads of assessment and critical thinking skills in the nursing homes.

[foreverLaur]

My dislike of nursing homes doesn't center around the age. I have an interest in trauma/EM and LTC is pretty much the exact opposite. In one area, you have people coming in who are truly sick and need immediate care to become well again. In LTC, you are simply keeping someone comfortable and happy because they are unable to care entirely for themselves. I agree - the calling to LTC is a great one because it takes a very special person to do that - it just isn't me. My great grandmother lived in one for a long time and I am very grateful to those who were there day in and day out to make the remainder of her life as comfortable as possible. It is a tough environment to be in - on both ends.

How have you tried contacting the nursing department? I have tried leaving voicemails and e-mails and I have never been able to get a response. I've tried the walk-in advising hours but they don't seem to be nursing specific because they have been unable to answer any of my specific questions.

The med/surg floor I worked on for a long time had a lot of elderly patients. However, they were sick, needed to get better, and then were going back to their previous life. I loved that I was able to be a part of getting that patient back "home" - wherever that may be. Most were also up ad lib which was very nice (especially on my back from gymnastics!).

I'm looking forward to doing multiple elective clinicals at CSCC - particularly trauma, critical care, and neonatal. Babies and trauma are definitely where my heart is.

[msteeleart]

I am also interested in neonatal and trauma but I also have an interest in psych nursing. I used to have neighbors that were both nurses. The man worked in the ER and his wife worked at Talbot Hall. I loved hearing about their jobs.

[foreverLaur]

I am also interested in neonatal and trauma but I also have an interest in psych nursing. I used to have neighbors that were both nurses. The man worked in the ER and his wife worked at Talbot Hall. I loved hearing about their jobs.

More power to ya! I have a degree in psychology and have done a lot of research in the area in undergrad but I don't think I could do it.