NVCC Class of 2013 Meet and Greet + Q&A

[callduck]

Hello All,

I wanted to start a new thread for everyone who was accepted (and because the other one was getting really long). :) If you could please share some information about yourself and any questions you have about the program, that'd be great!

For Example:

Name: Carolyn

Years at NVCC: 1

Joined the FBook Group: Yes

Track: Traditional

Career Goal: CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist)

Planning to Transfer: Yes (Mason, BSN Program)

Classes Completed: SDV 101, BIO 141, 142, 205, CHM 111, CST 229, ITE 115, HLT 141 + AP Credit in BIO, ENG, and PSY.

About me: I know I've always wanted to work in healthcare but when I started volunteering as an EMT, I knew that I wanted to be a nurse. My senior year I applied to UVa and was not accepted and decided to go to NVCC because they have a well spoken about nursing program, and I could work to make money while I was at school. I plan to earn my RN through NVCC, then transfer to Mason and earn my BSN. I'm excited and overwhelmed but I have great confidence that our class will make it through together!

Questions:

- Is anyone else dreading buying the NUR 111 book? It's 520 dollars....

- Does anyone living near campus need a roommate/also looking to move closer to Springfield for the year? The drive for me is 70+ minutes.

- Do we need to buy our own scrubs? Any limitations on colors/prints/style? What color do our shoes have to be?

Can't wait to meet you all!

[NOVA EMT]

Thanks to both "excitedtobehere" and "SleeplessNVa" for your quick replies.

Your answers have confirmed what I suspected. FYI, I decided to enroll in Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 (BIO-141 and 142) and Microbiology (BIO-205) instead of NAS 161 and 162 because I was advised by a professor in the NVCC Biology department at that completing the Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology courses would also meet the science prerequisites for acceptance at other two-year ADN programs such as the nursing programs at Lord Fairfax Community College and Germanna Community College (as well as most 4-year BSN programs), while completing NAS 161 and 162 would only satisfy the science prerequisites for the NVCC ADN program. Completing Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology would therefore allow me to apply to two other community college ADN programs in addition to the NVCC ADN program (which is actually my preferred choice). Lord Fairfax Community College requires BIO-141, BIO-142, and BIO-150 (Introductory Microbiology). Germanna Community College requires BIO-141, BIO-142, and BIO-149 (Introductory Microbiology). I completed BIO-141 during the Spring 2012 first 8-week session and I am now taking BIO-142 during the Spring 2012 second 8-week session. I plan to take BIO-205 during the 2012 Fall 16-week semester. However, I discovered that there are also two science prerequisites for taking General Microbiology (BIO-205), which are "one year of college Biology and one year of college Chemistry or division approval". I have to complete BIO-141 and BIO-142 anyway to meet the NVCC ADN program admission requirements, but I did not expect to have to take a year of college chemistry just so that I can enroll in General Microbiology (BIO-205). I asked the NVCC Biology to waive the one year of college chemistry prerequisite based upon the fact that I had successfully completed a college Introductory Microbiology course over thirty years ago, but they refused to approve my waiver request based upon the fact that my Introductory Microbiology course was over thirty years old and their policy position is that I need to complete college Chemistry so that I will be adequately prepared to successfully complete the General Microbiology course. Note that I did not ask that the requirement for the General Microbiology (BIO-205) course be waived based upon completion of the thirty-year old Introductory Microbiology course; I just wanted the Chemistry prerequisite to be waived. So now I am trapped into taking two semesters of college Chemistry courses over this summer in order to be allowed to enroll in the General Microbiology course in the Fall, even though I do not want or need the two Chemistry courses.

Does anyone know a community college or private college where I can complete General Biology (BIO-205) or an equivalent Microbiology course that will be accepted by NVCC without having to first take a year of college Chemistry? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[SleeplessNVa]

Hi again,

Not sure what NVCC will take because I never tried to get in there with something other than 205. They accepted my CHM101 (4 credits) and BIO141-142 (8 credits) and let me right into 205? Maybe ask someone else at NVCC; sometimes all you need to do is contact a professor directly and they will let you into their class...or take it at Germana/Lord Fairfax, and transfer it over. I did my CHM101 at Southside Community College (another VCCS school) online over the summer and transferred it to NVCC no problem. They were the only school offering online and I couldn't take the in class at a local school because it was middle of the day everywhere; work conflict. Remember NVCC is just another VCCS school, so never give up at no :)

As for going to another VCCS school for nursing, I recommend you check the NCLEX pass rates...just saying.

There's a thread about online microbiology programs, I believe under distance learning. One is at Eastern Oregon, another is at Ocean County Community College, and finally one is Kansas. You could take the course descriptions up to a counselor and see if they would accept one of those? I'd make sure you get it in writing if they will accept one of those.

Personally, I'd try to get in at Lord Fairfax or Germanna though, if you really can't convince NVCC to let you in.

Microbiology Online at Ocean County College

Eastern Oregon University | Eastern Oregon University

Edukan Website

You can search at vccs.edu for courses offered at all the Virginia Community College System schools. There has to be an option somewhere!

Again - Good LUCK!!! :)

[excitedtobehere]

I also STRONGLY recommend checking NCLEX pass rates. I distinctly remember one of those schools listed as being pretty bad. Don't recall the stats for the other. I'm not really much help recommending where to take additional classes, as I took NAS 161 and 162, and had AP credit from high school for chemistry and biology. Martha has given you some awesome suggestions though, so I would definitely look into those. Good luck!

[NOVA EMT]

Thanks for your advice.

FYI, I spoke with another NVCC student who intends to apply to the NVCC traditional ADN program next month and she told me that NVCC allowed her to take General Microbiology 205 without having to take any college Chemistry because she was credited with the Chemistry prerequisite for having taking Chemistry in High School, presumably less than ten years ago. So it appears that NVCC exercises wide discretion in determining whether the Chemistry prerequisite courses will be waived or not.

Also, I looked at the George Mason University BSN program webpage and it specifically states the following:

NAS 161 and NAS 162 does NOT transfer to fulfill requirements for admission to the George Mason University School of Nursing.

GMU requires either Introductory Microbiology 150 or General Microbiology 205 as prerequisites for acceptance to the BSN program, which means that you are wasting your time taking NVCC's NAS 161 and NAS 162 courses if you have any intention of applying later to GMU for the BSN degree program since you will have to take BIO-141 and BIO-142/BIO-231 and BIO-232, and also BIO-150/BIO-205 anyway. So the bottom line is that anyone contemplating applying to the NVCC ADN program would be wise to take BIO-141, BIO-142, CHM-101, CHM-102, and BIO-205 to maximize further educational options, which is a total of 20 semester credit hours and will take at least one year to complete.

[penguin2012]

Hi, I am applying for traditional nursing program this Fall 2012. Still waiting!!! I don't have any degree in US. I am worried that I got rejected. Is someone who doesn't have any degree (ex: AS) got accepted?

Could somebody please let me know which Humanities/Fine Arts Elective class (easiest) should I take? Thanks.

[summer03]

It is a lot of work once you are in the program and I graduated in Spring 2012 with a 3.4. (I got in Fall 2010 with a 3.8.) I currently work at INOVA Fair Oaks as an RN1 and am making almost $70K/year because I get a differential for being on the night and weekend shift, which was the only placement available to me as an ADN. The hospitals seem to give prefence to BSNs, but demand has been sufficient for more people in my class to still have been hired by hospitals than for any other type of job. NOVA nurses seem to have very good reputations with hospitals and it was not much work for me to get a job in one. I hope you find this information helpful and wish you the best of luck. NVCC is a solid program and I am finding the work rewarding.

[summer03]

Well, now I am a float pool nurse. Inova seems like a good place in terms of compensation, training, and work environment, but they also tend to tell you when and where you will work and it is not a 2-way conversation. As a new nurse, I don't really mind because I want good experience and am getting it. If I were more experienced, I would probably want more say; Maybe Inova would give me that or may be it would not.

[summer03]

Gotta be flexible in this job. No longer in float pool and now at Alexandria. Floating was good, as I got to see lots of places. I like having a home unit better, though.

[cmon7306]

Do anyone know what company NOVA use for background checks, I want to order one to see if I pass or not?

Thank You

[hanoi98]

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