Any Info on Grayson or NCTC?

I hear ya, Melissa...too much negativity on this thread!! That's why I've tried to point out things to ya'll that people can look at negatively and tell how they positively affected me. Every school has their share of "whiners"...you just can't listen to them or let their opinions get to you.

Nursing school is HARD. There's nothing easy about it, no matter where you go. The profession is based on life and death, so I'd personally prefer school to be hard so I feel prepared.

Just hang in there, ya'll will be fine!!

I liked the smaller class sizes too. I know our pass rate is very high. This web site: http://www.bne.state.tx.us/nursinged..._students.html shows the pass rates for all the colleges in Texas. The pass rate for 2005 was 49/56 (86.6%).

I know the LVN program is set up a little different than the RN program. In the RN program, we had classes in Gainesville (3 or 4 days/week....I don't recall which). After our last class, we'd go to the hospital (in first semester, we were all at Gainesville Memorial) and pick our patients for the next day. NCTC focuses a lot on having a good careplan. Then we'd go from 7a-3p the following day for clinical. Picking a patient, and collecting information doesn't take as long once you get the hang of it. The instructors are great in directing you on your careplans.

The other two semesters, they divide the students up to different hospitals with each clinical instructor. They try to assign students to the hospital they are closest to. I did clinicals at Grapevine and Carrollton. Some students did clinicals at Ardmore, OK, and Lewisville. I don't recall what the other clinical sites were. In second and third semester we did have to go pick patients and write up paperwork the night before. But, as I said before, this gets easier with time and practice. I was never up all night doing clinical paperwork, like some of the "horror stories"...lol.

In fourth semester, we were assigned preceptors at the hospital we wanted to go to. Most people had picked a nurse they enjoyed working with during their previous clinical. I was able to do clinicals in my home town (Decatur). You have a set number of clinical hours to complete, and you work your preceptor's schedule. I did 1 clinicals/week at 12 hours each (a few weeks I did 2 days). I enjoyed this clinical the most because by the end of the clinical, I was taking 5-6 patients on a Med/Surg floor.....and my preceptor was there for backup. When I got out into the "real world" of nursing, I didn't have the culture shock that some new grads experience.

If you do decide on NCTC, just keep in mind, the first semester is rough. I truly believe it's some sort of "hazing" (lol) to see who's going to make it and who's not. The quitters tend to give up in the first semester. It gets easier from there. As far as the (what seems like enormous at the time) amount of paperwork, I am thankful they made me do all that. At work, I got a very nice compliment from a nursing supervisor I respect very much about the quality of my first careplan I'd completed there. I know if they hadn't made me do it the long way while I was in school, I wouldn't have the skills to critically think to do the short way we use in the hospitals.

Sorry this is so long. Anymore questions, feel free to ask.

Good luck to you!
~T

I graduated from NCTC the semester after TCDTX did. I have heard horror stories about her 1st semester, but they removed the teacher who was causing all the commotion from 1st semester. My first semester was pretty easy compared to hers. Her class lost quite a few people that 1st semester and then a couple more as the semesters progressed. My class lost one person half-way through 1st semester (due to personal issues), two people at the beginning of 2nd semester (due to grades from a non-nursing class and drug use), five people failed 3rd semester, and everyone that was left graduated AND passed NCLEX.
I think I rec'd a great education from NCTC. Good luck!!!