San Antonio college

myrose · Nov 14, 2009

I was accepted to Sac also. I chose however to go to Baptist School of Health Professions instead. I didn't like SAC's lack of organization (to say the least.) Baptist is also an ASN program and has an evening program. The evening scheldue is Mon-Thur (6-9 or 10 I think) and an all day clinical on Sat.

Both schools produce great nurses so I am sure you will do fine at SAC. Good luck. The 2 years will fly by.

sacstudent2010 · Nov 15, 2009

I also got accepted into the nursing program. :yeah: I'm not sure if I will go in the mornings or evenings. I do know that I start in March, Flex II. I am so excited. What part of the addmission process have you guys completed.

Dottie, RN · Nov 15, 2009

Wow, this is good to know...thanks for the warning. I'll need to have a long talk with my boss about all this. She is flexible, so I'm hoping she will be okay with it if I have to be out for school.

As far as the admission process, I've already gotten my drug screening and background check done. Tomorrow I turn in my acceptance paperwork and next month on the 15th, is when I'll turn in the rest of the paperwork like the immunization info. What about you?

sacstudent2010 · Nov 16, 2009

I too turn in my letter tomorrow. I'm gonna meet my assigned advisor tomorrow as well. I'm also gonna get my drug screen tomorrow. I get my last last Hep B shot in January 1. When do you start in Jan or March?

Dottie, RN · Nov 16, 2009

Yeah, I'll be getting my TB test done Tuesday, and that's all I'll need. What is the difference between starting in March, than in January? So we are assigned an advisor? That wasn't stated in my packet, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow. I'm starting in January.

Starting to get anxious...

sacstudent2010 · Nov 16, 2009

Yeah. Apparently they have posted a list of advisor on the second floor. We will be assigned an advisor for the entire program. My acceptance packet said I would be starting in Flex 2. Which is March 12. I figure they are doing that to try and accept more students. I have to be honest. I am extremely terrified. Mainly about the math portion of nursing. Have you done the CPR course? I'm doing mine on Dec 5.

Dottie, RN · Nov 16, 2009

Oh gosh, I'm with you on that...I've never been a math whiz, so that part scares me too. I'm nervous but trying to get myself prepared.

I have not done the CPR course yet, but I'm also signed up for Dec. 5th. Maybe we'll see each other there.

sacstudent2010 · Nov 16, 2009

Yea sounds good. Maybe we can help each other. I hope we can use calculators. Becuase my brain does not function well with out one. Good luck with everything.

SolaireSolstice, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2009

You are allowed a basic calculator for all exams. Not a graphing calculator, though a scientific one is ok. You should pretty much carry one with you throughout the program anyway, as you never know when you might have a calculation on an exam, or do a med calculation during clinical. You'll need to pass a medication math test for each clinical class with an 80, and you get 2 tries to pass it. Most of it is basic ratio and proportion type of problem solving. There are a few practice problems on the main SAC nursing website you can get your feet wet with. http://www.accd.edu/sac/nursing/math/default.html

I only know 1 person who has not passed the math requirement, and she had to drop her clinical and retake it the next semester.

They register you for your first classes on the day you go to show that you have fulfilled all your requirements. If you don't have your requirements done, you cannot be registered, though I think if you are in the process of getting a series of a vaccination, it's ok.

The advisors are assigned to you for the next semester of classes you will register yourself for. Those lists on the 2nd floor are for those already through the first class(es). You will not be released for registering until you get clearance from the advisors, though all they do is tell you what classes to register for next. That reminds me, I need to e-mail my advisor to get cleared to register for my last semester...

sacstudent2010 you are a "half-stepper", meaning you will have started mid semester, during the second flex of the spring 2010 semester. You'll get priority for registering during summer classes if you want to, in order to "catch up" to the ones who started in Flex 1. Student in 2010 will be starting the first flex. They break (most of) the classes into 2 flexes, each 8 weeks long. They have to start half the new students at the second flex because otherwise, what would the instructors that teach that 1st level course do once the first flex is done? Every class is a pre-requisite for the next class until you get through the full 1st semester. Fundamentals before Med surg 1, Med Surg 1 before Mental Health or Med Surg 2.

2 classes, pharmacology and transitions, are full semester long lecture classes. You'll take pharmacology during your 2nd semester, and transitions during your 3rd semester. My recommendation is to take these classes during the summer if you can, as they interfere alot with the other classes. I didn't, and I wish I had.

Take the optional IV Therapy class that is available during the beginning of summer, before you take Med Surg 2. It will also save you time because you won't need to do clinical check offs for IV Therapy if you have taken that course, and you get more practice time in. It's 3 days, 1 of lecture and lab, 2 in the hospital actually starting IVs, hanging IVs, and doing IV pushes.

That's alot of crap I just typed. I hope I didn't over whelm you. It's really not that bad though. Just focus and push through.

SolaireSolstice, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2009

Oh, and if you haven't yet gotten your "student nurse" ID, you need to do that. You go to the student ID center, in the Fletcher Administration building, right next to the payment windows. Tell them you are a student nurse and need a nursing student ID. They will take the picture but you won't get the ID until you go turn in your paperwork showing you have completed the requirements. Francis or Michael will have it. Do this BEFORE classes start. You need it for your 1st clinical day.

And for each clinical, on the first day of clinical, you will have to show your clinical instructor proof of immunizations or immunity, your current CPR card, you hospital orientation card (you will get yours at new nursing student orientation and it's good for 1 year, then you'll have to watch the stupid videos again), and proof of current health insurance. Just make a *copy* of all of these things (front and back) and put them in an envelope so you can just hand it over for each clinical. It's easier than fumbling through all your stuff when your instuctor asks for them.

sacstudent2010 · Nov 17, 2009

Oh my this is a lot of info. But thank you so much I really appreciate it. It will defenitely help me get organized and get through these next couple of months. I have already purchased some of the book like essential Drug Dosage Calculations, and fundamental in nursing. I would like to start reading up on it asap. I dont want to get behind. I would like to get myself prepared for everythings. Where did you buy your uniforms and supplies? Do they give you a list of supplies needed for clinicals?

Thanks again for all of your help and imput. very very helpful.

SolaireSolstice, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2009

-Well, you need the nursing school handbook sold at the sac bookstore or the L&M behind SAC.

-You will need a Prentice Hall Nursing Drug Guide.

-You need the "Handbook of nursing diagnosis" by Carpenito.

(You will use both of those books throughout, so spring for new copies)

-You need the SAC Nursing School patches (the navy blue ones, not the brown ones, get at least 3 of them, extras are good, they always run out when you buy new scrub tops). They are only sold at the sac bookstore and I think the L&M which is right behind SAC.

-You need plain WHITE scrubs (though if you like the kind with a little lace or something on the collar, it's fine, as long as the embellishment is white), get 2 tops and 1 bottom (at least). Get scrub tops with pockets at the waist (trust me) You sew the badges/patches on the left chest of the tops (or you can use the plastic "make your own button" holders. They sell them at Hobby Lobby or Michael's) I had mine sewn on, it's easier, you won't lose them, and they don't bleach out when you bleach your scrubs, so don't worry about that. After 1 1/2 years, mine are as navy blue as when they started.

-You need a white lab coat and sew a badge/patch onto the left arm, just below the seam (so it can be seen from the side, not the front).

(There is a place off Fredricksburg Road called Medix Discount uniforms right across from the Methodist Human Resources building (the strip center at Datapoint and Fredricksberg.) You can get your scrubs & lab coat there for very cheap (starting at 7$ for tops, 11 for pants, 15 for lab coats), and they also have ugly white nursing shoes, stethoscope, and other stuff. I get all my stuff there. Other wise there are a ton of medical supply stores and scrubs shops around town.)

-Get a decent stethoscope and an adult manual blood pressure cuff. Don't bother springing for a Littmann yet, a decent prestige will do you fine.

- A pen light. Any decent medical supply place will have one.

-Get a pair of comfortable plain white shoes or sneakers (CLEAN, if you are using an old pair). Don't go for fashion here. Some of these clinical instructors are very old school. SAS makes some of the ugliest comfortable nursing shoes and they'll work fine. You're gonna want to paint them when you graduate anyway, if they have survived fundamentals clinicals.

All the rest of your supplies can wait until you've "gotten your feet wet" (which you will in fundamentals clinicals. Count on it).

Later on, you'll want a decent pair of scissors and a pair of hemostats, a measuring tape of some kind with cm (to measure wounds and such), and a ton of books, too many to list.

You find out most of this stuff from the handbook and during orientation, but if you're excited and want to get started, this is a pretty comprehensive list. Some instuctors will want you to have some special item, but they'll let you know.