El Centro Lvn-Rn Bridge Fall 2018

phalanx · Dec 20, 2017

I graduated from the bridge program (with honors, before anyone calls any of this sour grapes.)

It's extreeeeemely disorganized. Get ready to annoy your employer with constant last minute schedule changes, things taking hours longer than they are supposed to, etc. Rules change daily depending on who you're talking to. Many faculty members are ignorant and rude. There are just as many who really care and advocate for the students and teach well, but the Head Honcho is unfortunately not one of the good ones.

One thing that bridgers should note is that despite going for 3 semesters, you only get two semesters of clinical rotations, meaning less opportunities for networking compared to your generic classmates. And bridgers do not get to do both OB and Pediatrics clinicals -- you have to choose one rotation or the other. I was working double weekends during the program so I could not take OB clinicals because the only OB rotations were on Sat/Sun. And the pediatrics "rotation" was sending you to Head Start and a Doctor's office. Basically useless.

The skills lab is extremely boring if you have actually worked as an LVN (and not in home health, no disrespect to HH nurses but they struggled with tasks they hadn't done in years whereas those of us who worked in facilites did not) I found it weird that they made us spend a whole semester doing it when the program required experience to be admitted. It should have been a short review course, then a checkoff, with remediation for those who NEEDED it...

I honestly don't understand why transition takes a whole long semester. It should be in the summer, then doing fall-spring so the program takes a year...as it is, the program takes a year and a half, which is the same amount of time as Brookhaven even though they are a generic program. So you may as well apply to Brookhaven as well, in my opinion.

If you have any specific questions, let me know...i know I am coming off very negatively here. However the program is much cheaper than all the other area alternatives and I got the degree I wanted, so...

They are increasing the standards (needing a 78 to pass instead of 76) and changing the textbooks. What they need to do is give MORE LECTURE TIME, LESS PNC, and BETTER FACULTY. Not like they'd ever listen!

J.rizzled, RN · Jan 28, 2018

Thanks a lot for replying phalanx. Yeah ive heard a lot of similar things and also with their nlcex pass rate I imagined it must not be as smoothly run as other programs. The length of the program also bothers me a bit as well. I'd much rather the bridge take one calendar year than 1.5. Kinda odd that it's considered a bridge and not just testing out like other traditional adn programs.

What kind of places are the clinicals held? I some schools do a lot of nursing home and step down units. I hope that this program gives student work in a hospital setting.

Also what is the schedule like? Hopefully not as 8-5 everyday like LVN school.

I just recently submitted my application so the count down until April 30th starts now!

phalanx · Jan 28, 2018

The school offers clinicals at some area hospitals but due to issues with faculty rudeness they have lost a few sites. Bridgers only get to choose peds OR OB, iff you choose peds clinical, it likely won't be at a hospital, you will go to a doctor's office, head start, pedi clinic, and have one day at Scottish rite where you aren't allowed to pass meds or touch the kids really. If you choose ob, it will be at a hospital. Your psych clinical 3rd semester is at a drug and alcohol AA meetings center. 4th semester you get two days at a psych facility.

Med surg clinicals - 3rd semester everyone's group was placed in a hospital. Parkland, Methodist Charlton, Baylor Carrollton, Baylor Dallas, Las Colinas Medical Center, the VA are some I remember. However 4th semester spots were very competitive because they are precepted clinicals, meaning your instructor and group don't go with you. You are assigned to a nurse and they are your instructor and you work the shifts they work, and submit your paperwork to your instructor, who will come by once in awhile and check on you.

The fourth semester spots last year were almost all at LTACs because the hospitals give most of their availability for precepted clinicals to the BSN programs in the area. If they have fixed their relationship with hospitals maybe it'll be better by the time you get there. I got to go to a medical center but I was lucky (one out of maybe 10 who got to do so.) Also, all the 4th semester clinical spots at the hospital were night shifts and they have a lot of rules about when you can schedule them so it was kind of a hassle. They do the clinical site allotment by lottery.

J.rizzled, RN · Feb 3, 2018

That's really lucky of you to be able to get a great clinical spots. If you don't mind me asking , how was the job search after your degree? Was your degree from El Centro well received?

I just heard that El Centro is currently on conditional staus and a quick google search confirmed. While on conditional they can't admit anymore students I'm not sure what's going to happen with the application process. Hopefully there's an appeal process they can do. Good thing I've applied to more than one school!

phalanx · Feb 3, 2018

El Centro is still seen positively by most employers in the community. However a lot more hospitals are wanting BSN now so even the ones who hire ADNs are making you sign a promise to get it. BUMC only hired internal candidates with an ADN. And UTSW is only looking for BSN as well and I think only hired like one tech from the ADN class. I would try and get a job at one of parkland's clinics or JPS or something and get the foot in the door for after you graduate that way. Because most people who had jobs when we graduated made the connection in clinicals (which we get far less of as LVNs) or they worked there already.

trinabart5 · Nov 13, 2018

I am looking to apply for fall I was going to do Excelsior but after much consideration decided something more traditional would be best. I have to get the teas 6 not hesi and in comparison are they the same that is the only thing I worry about. I am an LVN so it i will apply for the bridge program any tips would be a preciated on being able to successfully start my next journey

J.rizzled, RN · Nov 14, 2018

Hi trinabart5, I did apply for El centro last spring but they did not accept anyone for Fall 2018 because of an issue with there status with the board of nursing. They did reach out to me and offer be a spot for accelerated fall entrance that started in October or November and/or for spring 2019 but that I declined since I already started an ADN at a different school. My GPA isn't the best maybe a 2.7, but my HESI scores where high most areas in high 90s and I think 90 overall average. The Teas is a little harder than HESI, they are both not bad if you prepare. I used the Admissions assessment review by Elsevier to prepare with. If you have taken a lot of your pre reqs you should be able to do well on it. I don't remember how many points I had exactly, but It seems like if you have a high gpa you can do a little lower on the HESI and vise versa. Its probably best to have the majority of the optional prereqs done if you can.

I know someone who's going to El Centro now and the biggest complaint they have is that its disorganized and there is a lot of self teaching involved. But If you are a strong student its do able. My best advice is to apply to a few schools so you can have a plan B and plan C. If I didn't have a back up plan and waited just on El Centro, I would have had to wait 9 months until I could have started nursing school!

deemin220, ADN, RN · Nov 14, 2018

Hello! Could you share a bit more about what the person you know who is going to El Centro right now said about the program? Are they an ADN student? I was accepted to both programs but decided to go with Mountain View ADN because I also didn't really hear great things about the program (unorganized, low NCLEX scores, not clear with expectations, issues with instructions).

trinabart5 · Nov 14, 2018

im also going put in my application to NCTC. So any1 in el centro already is it 5 days a week classes and is it poss to work still. I work q MWF

trinabart5 · Nov 14, 2018

Mountain view where r they