Accepted to Mohawk RPN!!!

Congrats! I graduated in December 2013.

1. Did you enjoy the program?

Yes, I enjoyed it. I liked learning hands-on skills and putting them to practice in clinical. The teachers were very supportive and I met a lot of really great people.

2. Is it true that placements start first semester?

Yes, your first semester placement will be in a Long-term Care facility.

3. Did you get a different placement every semester?

I personally did, but some people had the same placement twice. It's unfortunate, but there aren't enough placements for all the students. Semester 1 is LTC, semester 2 is "suppose" to be complex care/rehab, 3 is "suppose" to be medical/surgical and 4th is "suppose" to be psych/maternity. I had complex care, medical and rehab.

4. What was your favourite course and why?

I liked anatomy the best, because I love science and because the teacher is awesome. You'll love her.

5. Are there any courses you found particularly difficult?

Ironically I found anatomy the most difficult. Health and Healing is tricky also because it's based on case studies and the answers are often open to interpretation.

6. I know that nursing is a very hard program, but overall was it fairly doable to maintain a good GPA?

I didn't really find the program difficult. I graduated with an 86% average (not sure what gpa that is).

7. I know that it is a 16 month program (no summer break). How did you cope with that? Are there any types of breaks between semesters? At least the plus side is that you get to graduate earlier.

I liked it because I felt like I finished the program super fast. I felt like I was in school for a year and then I get to be an RPN. It was awesome! There is a reading week each semester and 2-3 weeks off in-between semesters.

8. How were the profs/teachers there?

Some are great, some are not. It really depends. Most are really great and supportive. The annoying thing with Mohawk is that when I went there they told us that the college was mandating them to only "teach" for a certain amount of time and then leave the rest for us to do for self-learning. To be honest, you really teach yourself in this program. It definitely isn't big lectures or teaching sessions....much of it is up to you...and that was the biggest downfall for me.

Good luck!

1. Did you enjoy the program?

Yes, I enjoyed it almost finished!

2. Is it true that placements start first semester?

Yes, as VintagePN said. In semester 1 its just 1x 6 hour placement a week, semester 2, 3 and first half of semester 4 its 1x 12 hour placement a week and pregrad is following your preceptor around 264hours in 7 weeks (22x 12hours or 33 x8 hour all depends on where you get)

3. Did you get a different placement every semester?

I was lucky too, LTC sem1, rehab sem2, surgical unit sem3, maternity first half of sem4 and my pregrad is at an ER dept

4. What was your favourite course and why?

I loved health science lots to learn but health & healing in the later semesters was great for scenario based learning.

5. Are there any courses you found particularly difficult?

Sociology was difficult but that I had issues with the way it was taught.

6. I know that nursing is a very hard program, but overall was it fairly doable to maintain a good GPA?

Again like VintagePN I did very well 90% average no idea how that translates to GPA

7. I know that it is a 16 month program (no summer break). How did you cope with that? Are there any types of breaks between semesters? At least the plus side is that you get to graduate earlier.

See VintagePN post above.

8. How were the profs/teachers there?

Great teachers many different styles some you might like more than others though but they tend to really know their stuff.

9. Were tests and exams extremely hard?

Some felt very difficult and I did great while others not so good compared to the effort I put in. Best advice is you will get out what you put in.

LOL I don't expect answers to all of these I know that's a lot of questions.But if you can answer anything that'd be great. :)

Hi Wjustine! I am a current student in the program- 3rd semester. To answer your questions:

1. Mostly. The program is very self-directed. You need to find a study group rather quickly in order to split up the homework. The homework manuals are supposed to be done prior to class and they can be heavy. Also it's key to do a decent job on them since the profs don't cover review each question in class.

2. Yes, I was in a nursing home for first semester, once per week, for 6 hours per day. You will learn basic care and work alongside PSWs.

3. Yes, but not the placements I was supposed to get. In third semester, you are supposed to get a surgical placement, but due to availability in the region, not everyone gets one. I ended up in a long term care setting again, which is not ideal since they just took away our 4th semester clinicals. You do however get a pregrad experience for your last 7 weeks of semester 4, so I am hoping I get a good one! Pregrad is where you work alongside an RPN full time to gain experience before graduating.

4.Lab course since you learn your hands on skills, also clinical if you get a good placement and a good instructor!

5. Health and Healing. I dont even know where to start with that one. It's essentially nursing theory.

6. I had an 88 average in my first semester, 85 in second and currently have low 90s. I put in a lot of studying time for tests and have a reliable study group I work with.

7. I'm in 3rd semeseter now and I am having huge attention span issues getting through the summer. Hahah. I won't lie, school in the summer kind of sucks.

8. Profs were mostly approachable and had real world experience. Mostly they were willing to chat with you after class and meet up to discuss any questions/ concerns. Clinical instructors can vary I've heard- I've personally had good experiences with mine. Very knowledgeable. Clinical is where I have learned the most.

9. Most tests are fair. For Biology, the content is a bit overwhelming so again- study groups are key. The end of the semesters we have practical exams for lab where you are evaluated one on one by a prof and have to demonstrate somewhat randomly selected skills. This exam is worth 60% of your grade, and I find that it's key to start practicing skills early on. In semester one we had 6 clinical exams (aka OSCEs in some schools) so we were tested on transferring/ positioning patients, vital signs, respiratory assessments, cardiovascular assessments, abdominal assessments communication/ interviewing. Basic skills you learn in first semester.

Feel free to PM me... I remember how crazy it all seemed and I had no idea what I was getting into this time last year. Good luck and you will be fine!!! :) -Poko

On 7/21/2014 at 7:56 PM, poko said:

Hi Wjustine! I am a current student in the program- 3rd semester. To answer your questions:

1. Mostly. The program is very self-directed. You need to find a study group rather quickly in order to split up the homework. The homework manuals are supposed to be done prior to class and they can be heavy. Also it's key to do a decent job on them since the profs don't cover review each question in class.

2. Yes, I was in a nursing home for first semester, once per week, for 6 hours per day. You will learn basic care and work alongside PSWs.

3. Yes, but not the placements I was supposed to get. In third semester, you are supposed to get a surgical placement, but due to availability in the region, not everyone gets one. I ended up in a long term care setting again, which is not ideal since they just took away our 4th semester clinicals. You do however get a pregrad experience for your last 7 weeks of semester 4, so I am hoping I get a good one! Pregrad is where you work alongside an RPN full time to gain experience before graduating.

4.Lab course since you learn your hands on skills, also clinical if you get a good placement and a good instructor!

5. Health and Healing. I don't even know where to start with that one. It's essentially nursing theory.

6. I had an 88 average in my first semester, 85 in second and currently have low 90s. I put in a lot of studying time for tests and have a reliable study group I work with.

7. I'm in 3rd semeseter now and I am having huge attention span issues getting through the Summer. Hahah. I won't lie, school in the Summer kind of sucks.

8. Profs were mostly approachable and had real world experience. Mostly they were willing to chat with you after class and meet up to discuss any questions/ concerns. Clinical instructors can vary I've heard- I've personally had good experiences with mine. Very knowledgeable. Clinical is where I have learned the most.

9. Most tests are fair. For Biology, the content is a bit overwhelming so again- study groups are key. The end of the semesters we have practical exams for lab where you are evaluated one on one by a prof and have to demonstrate somewhat randomly selected skills. This exam is worth 60% of your grade, and I find that it's key to start practicing skills early on. In semester one we had 6 clinical exams (aka OSCEs in some schools) so we were tested on transferring/ positioning patients, vital signs, respiratory assessments, cardiovascular assessments, abdominal assessments communication/ interviewing. Basic skills you learn in first semester.

Feel free to PM me... I remember how crazy it all seemed and I had no idea what I was getting into this time last year. Good luck and you will be fine! ? -Poko

Can I PM you?

For sure

On 3/24/2014 at 11:20 PM, theRPN2b said:

Yay I got accepted to Mohawk college practical nursing for September 2014!!

So I just wanna know from current/previous students from that program:

1. Did you enjoy the program?

2. Is it true that placements start first semester?

3. Did you get a different placement every semester?

4. What was your favourite course and why?

5. Are there any courses you found particularly difficult?

6. I know that nursing is a very hard program, but overall was it fairly doable to maintain a good GPA?

7. I know that it is a 16 month program (no Summer break). How did you cope with that? Are there any types of breaks between semesters? At least the plus side is that you get to graduate earlier.

8. How were the profs/teachers there?

9. Were tests and exams extremely hard?

LOL I don't expect answers to all of these I know that's a lot of questions.But if you can answer anything that'd be great. ?

Hey!  How do you like the program? Deciding between Mohawk and HUmber for the RPN program! have to decide so soon ?