Viterbo University

[admorn03]

Has anyone attended Viterbo University BSN completion program? Is the program any good? Is it very expensive?

I am trying to decide where to apply to obtain my BSN. I attended College of St. Catherine-MPLS graduating with my ADN December 2002. So I have been a burse for about 7 years, and I am so ready to move up, because I would really love to be a wound/ostomy nurse specialist. I love wounds, and educating patients. From the research I have done so far the certification program that I would want requires a BSN, to obtain.

Thanks for any and all input.

[clearblue3]

Hi Erin!

Thanks for all of the info! I emailed a couple people at Marian and figured out that it just wasn't going to work for me. I didn't know that Madison was the ADN to BSN program. I don't have my ADN yet so I would have to go on campus to Marian and it is probably a little over an hour from my house which is a little too far. Also from one of the advisors emails she told me I would be a sophomore and made it sound like from my first BS degree that my non-nursing liberal arts classes would be waived, but anything else I had to take at Marian--she made it sound like my A&P's or micro wouldn't transfer. Maybe I read things wrong, but I specifically asked her about those and she made it sound like I would have to retake them. Also she said it would take me 3 years. Maybe if I EVER get my ADN :-) I will look at Marian for the BSN. By the way how did you like Herzing? When did you graduate and are they accredited yet? I thought about Herzing, but I read some negatives on here about the accreditation ( which was in the works and maybe done by now) The price was also a little steep, but to not have to be on a waiting list might be worth it. I am not sure how difficult it is to get in now days. I also have little kids and wasn't sure if the schedule would work out. Did you feel like it was pretty full time? Was it all during the day? What are your other degrees in and what are you going to specialize in? Thanks again!! Have a great weekend!

Marisa

[em7008019]

I'm an ophthalmology nurse, specifically retina. One of my others degrees is optometric technician form MATC. I worked for the same doctors I work for now as a certifed ophthalmic technician for 7 years prior to becoming an RN for them so I'm pretty comitted to staying in the specialty. I left for 6 mos just after finishing my RN (this is when I was in Appleton), hated it and then was like "what am I doing I loved the job I had" I'm very fortunate that they took me back and I lost no senority.

I was in the very first class of nurses Herzing had so I was in the class the you here all the hub-bub about. It pretty much boiled down to the upper officals in the organization being clueless. They thought that because they had their approval from the state of WI they were good to go. It wasn't until about 2 months before we graduated that they realized it was really a huge deal that they had not completed their NLN accreditation. That's what you get from a group of people who ran a business school jumping in to a field they knew nothing about. I'm not sure if the problem has been resolved yet or not so definately look into it prior to going there.

Overall though it was an excellent education we had an excellent rate of people passing boards on the 1st try. I only know of one person that didn't pass on the 1st try. Doesn't mean their aren't others I didn't here about. The down fall to this is with all the hub-bub that happened most of the instructors that taught the 1st class of us are no longer their so I can't speak for the quality of their instructors now.

It is full time, but it's not to bad if you have courses to tranfer in. They also allowed my to transfer in my Microbiology, A&P I & II, Physchology and some other stuff. This is also a program with 8 week sections so I only had a few terms when I had more than one class.

When I was there and assume it is still the same when you were accepted to the program you either chose AM or PM section. AM people attended class room courses from 730a - 1130a and had clinicals on 1st shift usually starting between 630a -730a until about 2p-3p. I was a PM person so I am a little more firmilar with these hours. We had classroom courses from 1230p to 400p and clinical from usually around 3- 10p. I think the very first clinical was 230p-930p. It worked really well for me because of working in a clinic I got to keep my job this way.

There are four clinicals as well as a preceptorship so you get a lot of hands on experience. Some of the clinical instructors were awesome others really sucked. I managed to get one of the really good ones a few times, but I know she is no longer with Herzing.

I also have more info on their course layout if you are curious. The one down fall to the program is you have to stick to their schedule, otherwise it is a year before they offer the course again.

My advise is to make sure that you can tranfer both A&P, their was horrible and super hard from what my friends told me and was during the same term as med/surg nurses (one of the hardest nursing courses). Also be sure you have Microbiology out of the way becasue I'm told this class really sucked there also.

It was expensive, I think I had like $33,000 in student loans, but as you mentioned you don't have to deal with the waiting list issue or at least you didn't when I went. You had to take an assessment test, turned in all previous college transcripts and I think a work history and they rated everyone based on their prior qualifications not the order you turned in your application. I think we only had two students who were straight out of high school. Everyone else had at the very least attended some college (most had previous degrees) and the vast majority already worked in health care in some aspect.

Hope this answers some of your questions about Herzing. Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

The other program you may want to check into is a think through Divine Savior hospital in Portage I'm pretty sure it is an ADN program, I'm not sure you may have to be an employee to be eligible. We had one person leave our program to finish up through them, but I know he was an employee there.

Good luck finding a program.

Erin

[clearblue3]

Hey Erin!

Thanks once again for all of the info/advice!! I might check out Herzing some more...as far as I recall I think you apply in the spring and start in July or something so I will see if they have any info sessions coming up. I like that you can chose am or pm classes/clinicals. Did you find yourself studying all morning? I have two young kids (1 will be in school, 1 will be 2) so I am also trying to work around their schedules and make sure that I see them. Did you have any classmates that had young children? I have heard nurses from Herzing feel very prepared. Great advice about the a&p and micro. I am doing a&p 2 right now with an awesome professor so I was going to try to take micro from her in the spring so those would be out of the way. I might also get on the MATC waiting list just in case. I can't remember if I told you that I am applying to Moraine Park's program for Jan. but they changed from a wait list to a petition process. That would be fine except I guess one of the things they look at is your "residency" and I am not in Moraine Park's even though i live in columbus which is 15 min away and they use Columbus hospital for clinicals. so I am not sure if applying is a waste of time, but I thought I would give it a go. I like their program because you have the option of going part time. (sorry if I told you all this already. I can't see my first post to you on this page) When I decided that I wanted to go back to school for nursing I never thought it would be this difficult! It is so difficult to know what to do. I am sure it will all work out :-) That is awesome that you love your job! That is also great that you can finish your BSN in Madison. oh, got to go, the babe is up :-) talk to you soon! Marisa

[clearblue3]

Hey Erin!

I got some info today and I had to share...I ran into some MATC nursing students at Borders today and I was asking them a few questions and they said MATC is trying to get the waiting list shorter by saying that you have to have lived in Dane county for the past 2 years. We live just across the dane/columbia county line. :-( funny since pay taxes toward MATC. I am going to check out if that is true, but that basically means that where I live there isn't a tech school option. bummer. oh well, maybe Herzing.... Hope you had a lovely Monday and talk to you soon!

Marisa

[em7008019]

Marisa,

What a bummer. I live in Jefferson county so that will kind of such for people around here to. I wonder if that means people in Jefferson Co. will now start getting perferntial treatment to attend MATCs program @ Fort Atkinson.

I thought of something else to tell you about Herzing. Your tuition includes most of your books the rest you get as loaners and can purchase them for like 75% off the cover price. So our Med/Surg, maternal & peds books and Nursing Assesment books we didn't have to pay for and some of those books are a couple hundered dollars. Off sets the high price a little bit.

Good Luck,

Erin

[clearblue3]

Thanks for the tip Erin! the price of books can really add up and I tend to forget about that...until I go to the bookstore :-) I wonder about the fort campus too. I wish it was easier to get all the right info. Maybe I will call this week and see if I can find anything out. Are you starting your program now for the BSN or one of these next semesters? Have a good week!

Marisa

[em7008019]

Probably in March.

I just remember one other question you had asked. I have no children so I don't have any advise on how to handle that, but a lot of my classmates. Most of them were married with very helpful husbands & wives.

Have a good weekend, hopefully you'll get to do something fun.

If you think of any others questions let me know.

Erin

[brewcrew]

Hi Em, I'm currently a pre-nursing student at UW-M. I have a couple of questions regarding Herzing. I was hoping that I could either get in touch with you through email or the telephone.

[em7008019]

Sure my personal email is [email protected]

[clearblue3]

Hey Erin!

I am sorry to bother you with yet another Herzing question :-) But I was looking on their website and noticed that they have an LPN 10mo program, then the ADN 2 year program, and the BSN completion program. I am trying to work things around my kids and such so I was thinking about doing the lpn thing as a first step and then I could maybe work some hours until I am ready to go on. Did they have the lpn program when you were there? They don't give much info about it on the website in terms of classes, but do you know if you can do that program and then finish your ADN at herzing? I am not sure where you would jump into the ADN program or if that is even possible...or if it would take a lot longer to finish in terms of classes required. I know that at the WI tech schools the first year is all the same for ADN and LPN students and then if you want to stop after the first year and just have your LPN you can or you can go on and get your ADN. and at some schools you can just apply to an LPN to ADN program (basically the second year of the nursing program) and finish up. just kind of like taking a break between the lpn and adn programs. Any thoughts? Thanks much and I hope that you had a fabulous weekend! Marisa

[em7008019]

When I was there the ADN & LPN programs were one in the same. You had the option to stop after the 1st year. I have one friend who did that, but everyone else continued on. You also have the option to take your LPN boards even if you are continuing on in the ADN program. A lot of my classmates did this. I did not. I made more as an ophthalmology technician than I would as an LPN, but it is a good option and helped a lot of my classmates get better jobs the 2nd year of school.

People who either stop after the 1st year or fail a class are how they come up with spots the 2nd year for LPNs to complete their ADNs.

Hope this helps.