I'm a Fall 2010 applicant at ACC and thought it would be nice for all the Fall 2010 hopefuls to have our own thread to share exciting news, information, and support with each other.
I turned in my application last Friday (Dec. 18th) after taking the HESI exam. I feel good about my scores but I anticipate competition for the Fall spots is going to be quite fierce. After that large applicant pool for Spring I think we will see a lot of re-applicants applying with the 5 extra re-application points. Not sure what that will mean for the ranking scores but it will be interesting to see . . .
I'm so sorry RADIATION-I was pulling for you! I remember crying all the way home from work when I got my letter. It is a great time to save money, and enjoy your sanity while you still can. Especially because the Spring 2011 will be a breeze for you to get into.:)
And yes, you will get 6 points with nursing skills (1)and the reapplication points (5). :)
Good luck in Level 1 guys! Please let me know if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.
I have a question, to lecture and lab do you wear normal cloths, scrubs or the school's scrub's? If you could do level 1 all over again what would you do different? What is a good way to study? Do you work in the ER for level 1 clinicals or where in a hospital and how many people will normally be with you on a clinical? thanks
Yeah I am looking at it like I got accepted but just not for the August class, but the January class 6 months from now. It was really hard to tell the doctor I work for but he told me that he was pulling for me but he hated to lose me in August since he was getting a new radiation oncologist partner in August and our patient load will double! He did give me good encouragement though, he told me that when I am an old nurse ratchett that it won't matter to me at all that my start date was delayed by 6 months. True, true.
3 of my Seton associates were also denied so at least I will know 3 people in the Spring 2011 class. My question is....since I had a 50.973 for this round and got denied, does that mean I will automatically be a 55.973 for the Spring class? Is that how it works? I got an "A" in RNSG 1105 so I know that will be counted as a new grade.
Jackfackmasta - for lecture just think of it as normal class, you can wear anything and the same goes for lab except no open toed shoes. Clinicals you have to wear your ACC scrubs, badge, and lab coat if desired. There can be a maximum of 10 clinical students per clinical instructor. My friend just finished level 1 and her instructor had them at Round Rock hospital on a med surg floor. Level 1 you are allowed to do basic PCT stuff like vitals, baths, and assist to bathroom. I don't believe any of the ACC clinical rotations have us in an ER. Hope this helps.
Radiation, you will also be able to take mental health (level 2 class) over the summer, which is a bonus that you woudn't be able to do if you started in the fall. It will help lighten your load. And yes, you will get all those points. You will def. be at the top of the Spring 2011 list.
Yeah nobody at ACC does clinicals in the ER. I think a few students do an IV day there, where you learn to start IVs, but not clinicals. They are usually in heavy med surg areas - think fairly acute patients needing a lot of patient care. We've had them all over, SAH, NAMC, RR, etc. but you will use a lot of your nursing skills in level 1, and then you will start administering medications too. This includes injections! You do this in front of your instructor in level 1, but in level 2, you only do IV stuff in front of them. (this may vary by clinical instructor)
You just wear normal clothes in class and in lab. Scrubs in clinical. Lab coat is worn over nice clothes when you go to the hospital to get your patient info the night before clinical. (Look up meds, etc.)
Level 1 is a great time to get comfortable working with patients and getting comfortable in a nursing role. Especially if you don't have tech experience. I don't think I would do anything different. Just be nice to everyone in your class and clinical groups. They will become your family and eventually your coworkers. It's a small world! In clinical, use it as an opportunity to ask questions and network. You can easily get a job like that! I've seen it! Ask a lot of questions and don't shy away from learning experiences.
As for studying? Do what works for you. I use flash cards, but everyone is so different. I like flash cards because I can go back to them before the finals (they are cumulative) and study over things from the beginning of the semester pretty easily. It works really well for me.
The test are definitely tricky, I recommend getting an NCLEX book to help you with some of the harder concepts as you go along. I didn't look at it too much for Level 1, but I used it a lot in Level 2.
Radiation - So glad that you have great people around you helping you get through. On the bright side you have more time to be super ready for Spring and be there for a what sounds like a transition period for your office. The worst part of yesterday for me was hearing you didn't make it in. I so wanted to continue our fun run as lab partners and go through the Hybrid program together too . . and if there aren't enough spots in the Hybrid program for Fall - we still might!
You're correct about the point calculation - Basically take your existing classes and calculate the addition of the RNSG 1105 class into your GPA, then divide by 11. Add in your HESI score and the 6 points from this application cycle plus an additional 5 review points.
For those that are starting in the Fall, anyone interested in starting an email list to exchange tips and info?
I am excited to get confirmation that they are offering Round Rock campus as an onsite option in addition to the hybrid being housed there. So if I can't get hybrid, I can hopefully get Round Rock as option # 2 since it is only 10 minutes from my house, and if I am going to have to be on campus 4 days out of the week I would prefer that!
To those accepted, when ya'll replied with the option you wanted, did you put a second option just in case you don't get your first choice or will ACC stick you in any open slot?
I really hope that if I don't get hybrid, I can do EVC or CEC. I can tolerate RR as part of the hybrid program, but full-time? This South Austinite would die from the commute ...
An email list sounds good to me too. I'm not sure how we would exchange our email addresses on the allnurses board unless it was through private messages. We could start something like google groups but we would all have to have a google account to use it. Any other ideas?
We should also get together this summer and go to open lab.
It will help lighten your load. And yes, you will get all those points. You will def. be at the top of the Spring 2011 list.
little_bird
22 Posts
I'm so sorry RADIATION-I was pulling for you! I remember crying all the way home from work when I got my letter. It is a great time to save money, and enjoy your sanity while you still can. Especially because the Spring 2011 will be a breeze for you to get into.:)
And yes, you will get 6 points with nursing skills (1)and the reapplication points (5). :)
Good luck in Level 1 guys! Please let me know if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.