Austin Community College - ACC - Spring '11 hopefuls

Hi RADIATIONRN2BE!

Did you use anything to help you study for the HESI? I was thinking of getting the HESI review book but I heard a lot of mixed reviews. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much!

Anna

Yes, I actually picked up the review book that the ACC website said to. For me, it was really helpful for the math portion. Everything that was reviewed in the book for the math section was on the test. For me, math was my biggest worry because it had been forever since I had multiplied and divided fractions and decimal points and so on. All I did was review the night before the test to brush up on that part and I ended up getting like a 94 on that section.

The reading comprehension section was a little tricky but it wasn't something I needed to review for. I am a big reader by nature so I wasn't worried about that section so I can't give an opinion on the review book for that part.

The A&P had me a little worried because it is such a broad area to cover and yet it was the section on the test with the fewest questions. I did use the review in the book but the A&P section on the actual test was way easier than I thought. I ended up getting the max 10 points on the HESI without too much studying. I was more stressed about it than I needed to be.

The last three sections aren't graded so no need to worry about those.

Hey, wakeupmaggie! You mentioned you wanted to start the nursing program in Spring '12, but just to save you the disappointment and messing up of plans I went through nearly a year after starting my prereq's, the nursing school makes you wait a semester after getting accepted before you're actually in the school. If you're taking your classes in the summer and fall of this year and apply after that, you'll still have to wait out the spring and summer next year, and will be starting the ADN classes in the Fall '12. They make you wait so that you can take ONE stupid little pre-nursing class that you can't take until you're accepted into the program. It's so dumb, and it totally screwed up my plans, so hopefully knowing early will save you some trouble. Good luck!

Another tip on textbooks is to check out the International versions available on eBay. I used International versions of the textbooks for both my pre-reqs and ADN degree courses like Med-Surg. They can be as much as 1/2 off the prices you can find through the bookstore or other online booksellers and contain the SAME information, page numbers, and illustrations/tables - they are just printed for use overseas. The only other thing I look for is a notation in the ad that they use color ink (as I was cautioned that some really cheapo printers don't - although I've never had a problem.)

Laptops were definitely allowed in our classroom along with ebooks - although your mileage may vary based on your professor. Always best to double check with a call or an email before making any book purchases different from the list.

Were you sitting with your EVC group?? If so, I was WAY across the room with the hybrids in the back. One of only a few guys in the whole session. I liked the Q&A too, I also loved loved loved the breakout session with the nursing tutors! They cracked us all up! Maybe it was because we were the last group of the day but they were like a comedy team. I also enjoyed meeting and getting to ask questions from the Dean of Nursing. That was neat. She's very down to Earth.

Yes, I was with the EVC group. I saw a couple of guys in the Hybrid group but didn't want to go up to each one and say "Radiation?" since most of them would have been like, "HUH?!?"

I wish I would have met you! I liked the tutors, too. I happened to meet Brian the evening before in the hallway at EVC as I was leaving 1105 and he chided me for my bad body mechanics because I was wrestling with my rolling briefcase! Kinda funny, I did not realize until the next day that he was the nursing tutor.

I am getting conflicting info on the Level 1 Stipend. The DON you mentioned above said during her info session that we can note financial circumstances that are not apparent on our FASFA on the application (there is no place for this but DON said to use the white space at the top or bottom of the form) whereas a gal I talked to in Financial Aid said they only look at your FASFA info. DON's comment was "well, it's decided by committee not by a computer so I sure would use that white space." Anyone heard anything about this?

I didn't hear anything about the stipend. We didn't discuss that with the DON. When I emailed my application for the stipend I added the comment about me working full time now but once school starts in January I will be part-time and they said they would make a note of it.

So I clicked on the textbook list for Spring 2011 just for the heck of it a few minutes ago and I noticed they made some changes. Did anyone else notice they updated it to include the new edition of the Med Surg book??? Apparently there is an 8th edition which just came out in November. Did I miss this somehow because I could've sworn it said 7th edition when it was first put out. You think we can get by with the 7th edition?

So I clicked on the textbook list for Spring 2011 just for the heck of it a few minutes ago and I noticed they made some changes. Did anyone else notice they updated it to include the new edition of the Med Surg book??? Apparently there is an 8th edition which just came out in November. Did I miss this somehow because I could've sworn it said 7th edition when it was first put out. You think we can get by with the 7th edition?

Uhmmm...I sure as helk hope so! I bought the seventh edition too, as well as the clinical companion and study guide. Having to re-purchase will TRULY stink.

Uhmmm...I sure as helk hope so! I bought the seventh edition too, as well as the clinical companion and study guide. Having to re-purchase will TRULY stink.

I had a great happy hour with a friend of mine last night who just graduated the hybrid program in May 2010 and she was telling me not to worry about buying the new version. She had classmates who were using the 3rd edition and doing fine. Heck she even went as far to tell me that aside from the Med Surg book, the other books that were "required" half the students didn't buy because the professors notes were sufficient enough and other stuff like lab values and care plans you can search for online for info.

I'm still not returning the books I already bought but it did help me relax more.

I had a great happy hour with a friend of mine last night who just graduated the hybrid program in May 2010 and she was telling me not to worry about buying the new version. She had classmates who were using the 3rd edition and doing fine. Heck she even went as far to tell me that aside from the Med Surg book, the other books that were "required" half the students didn't buy because the professors notes were sufficient enough and other stuff like lab values and care plans you can search for online for info.

I'm still not returning the books I already bought but it did help me relax more.

Thanks for the recon work, you're the bomb! Hope the same is true for the classroom cohorts as far as books. I'm not buying anything else until we start in January.

Hey fellow CECers & others interested,

I was wondering if any of you would like to get a head start and practice "mastery skills" at EVC Nursing Skills Lab before school starts. I would be a great way to meet each other. I checked the lab times and they will be open after winter break starting Jan. 3rd. I'd like to get in as much practice as I can. I tend to freeze up during check offs. Also, it would be a great way to learn what each of us has learned from Nursing Skills - apparently not all skills were the same. This was very apparent in my Nursing Skills class.

All of you are further along than I am so I am hoping for some advice.

I anticipate finishing my pre-req's in December 2011 and then applying for the Fall 2012 semester.

I've already taken all my co-req's so once I complete the pre-req's, I will only have RNSG classes to take.

Is there any way to speed up the program by taking RNSG classes in the Summer or adding a level 2 class while I am level 1 or something?

Thank you, in advance.

All of you are further along than I am so I am hoping for some advice.

I anticipate finishing my pre-req's in December 2011 and then applying for the Fall 2012 semester.

I've already taken all my co-req's so once I complete the pre-req's, I will only have RNSG classes to take.

Is there any way to speed up the program by taking RNSG classes in the Summer or adding a level 2 class while I am level 1 or something?

Thank you, in advance.

Nursing classes are offered in the summer, but you can't "speed up" the program to my knowledge. The website says:

"Are there classes in the summer? Traditional - 2 year program . NO. There are no required nursing courses to be taken in the summer. However, optional nursing courses are offered and any co-requisite course(s) may be taken during that time."

My understanding is that you can lighten your load by taking 1/2 of Level 2 in summer (mental health has been recommended to me over Med/Surg since Med/Surg is so intensive) but you will still be a Level 2 come Fall.

Thank you. That's the kind of info I was looking for. Good luck!