Published Mar 28, 2011
I applied for BCTC nursing program beginning fall 2011. I am thinking whoever applied should find out this week or next week. Anyone else here apply?
LuckyinKY
229 Posts
They accepted around 15-20 alternates I think last year. Many people apply to multiple schools, others will move, marry, get pregnant, etc... As number 9, I am sure you will get in.
DA314
362 Posts
Hi all you new BCTC ADN students! I just graduated from there in May. I had a decent experience. I was a little disappointed overall in the kowledge of their teachers. The instructors are wonderful people with huge hearts, but they didn't seem to know much about the subjects they were teaching.
That being said, if you study the powerpoints like crazy you will do just fine. I never even cracked open a textbook. Also, the ipod and software are not necessary. They told me we had to buy it, so I spent $400 to get the ipod touch and the software for it. Total waste of money. Get yourself a used drug book and you'll be fine. Don't spend $1000 on the books they recommend. They have copies of all the books on hold at the library, so you can always just go study there if you really want to use a book.
I would suggest getting yourself a good care plan book and a good stethoscope- they will save your life during nursing school!
Be prepared for a lot of boring lectures, people asking irrelevant questions, people offering up too many personal experiences, and CNAs who think they know everything.
Most of all, take the time to enjoy it! We were a close-knit class and had a lot of fun together during clinicals and such.
Good luck everyone.
vinceharrisky
7 Posts
To all students starting the program I wish you the absolute best of luck. I left the program midway through the 2nd semester and am currently pursuing legal action against the school for breach of contract. I was a 4.0 student recently inducted into PTK on campus before anyone starts thinking I'm just some bitter student that flunked out. I've had a few contact me and since I don't know or have enough points to reply directly I'll post in brief regarding my experiences. While this is being posted only as opinion the truth will come out.
-Disorganization
Where do I start with this one? From losing your immunization records, signature forms and study guides just to name a few you'll quickly hear them explain that it's not their responsibility to keep up with your paperwork so be prepared to keep doing the same amount of leg work if not more than you did to apply.
-Unprofessional Behavior
There honestly isn't enough in the whole span of the Internet itself to list the behaviors of some of these instructors. If you're not one of their favorite students that kiss up and interrupt class time to talk about "well what we do at where I work is...." then don't expect a good experience overall. Your study guides/books/handouts will often not match the information being given in the books and any attempt to have the incorrect information marginalized will be seen as hostile behavior. You WILL be constantly reminded that you are held to a higher standard than the rest of the students and to be on your very best of behavior or the Fuhrer will get a phone call and you'll get an a$$ chewing for it.
-Audio recordings
One thing you're going to hear and read is that audio recording isn't permitted in the classes without special permission. Kentucky is a one way state when it comes to recording anything from phone calls to lectures. Only one person has to have knowledge that something is being recorded and if it helps you study and you know you're recording it then no law is being broken. Video is another matter as that's a privacy violation but having an audio version of the lecture that you can refer to will help your overall success I promise.
-Tests
Make something up like ADD/ADHD or whatever and go to Disability Support Services so you can get more time and less stress in taking your exams. With the Fuhrer running the tests, walking the rows like a lioness seeking whom she can devour and the stress of your future careers on the line it's just a good way to get away from it all so you can examine what you're being "taught" with some modicum of confidence.
-Scores/Grades
You WILL have to fight for your grade. One teacher will say one thing while two others say three different things. Questions will be thrown out for some but not others and they don't round up. If you get and 84.99 as your final average that is considered failing cause it's not an 85.
-Skills
Practice practice practice, make a study group, find a nurse friend, do SOMETHING but do not expect that just because your class schedule says "Lab" that you'll be practicing anything other than how to survive utter bedlam. Oh and expect the favorite students that I mentioned before to check you off during your skills assessment even though it's the instructors that are supposed to be doing it. They'll be much more interested in making sure the candy by 3rd semester is getting sold for their graduation ceremony.
-Class assessments
You have never been pushed to complete a piece of paper so fast in your entire life, I promise. These are the forms that administration will use to gauge your overall satisfaction with everything to do with the nursing program and you will be threatened not to list anything negative by the Fuhrer herself.
-Clinicals
Your clinical instructors will be great as long as they're not your actual instructors who will be there and will say the exact opposite of what your clinical instructors at the hospital tell you to do so watch out. They will take points for going to the bathroom, your fellow students will tattle on you for doing something you were told to do just so they can look better to the instructor.
I could go on and on and allnurses may delete this but if you'd like to copy and paste this around feel free since a couple of newspapers are putting a story together about it anyway. I'm not the only student that left and won't be the last. For more information go ahead and email me at vincentharris(underscore)97(at)yahoo(dot)com
Good luck and God bless
RN_2012, BSN, RN
154 Posts
I don't know what school year you had trouble in, but I am just starting my 2nd year and have had none of the problems you listed. Last years class at a 97% NCLEX first time pass rate.
To all students starting the program I wish you the absolute best of luck. I left the program midway through the 2nd semester and am currently pursuing legal action against the school for breach of contract. I was a 4.0 student recently inducted into PTK on campus before anyone starts thinking I'm just some bitter student that flunked out. I've had a few contact me and since I don't know or have enough points to reply directly I'll post in brief regarding my experiences. While this is being posted only as opinion the truth will come out. -DisorganizationWhere do I start with this one? From losing your immunization records, signature forms and study guides just to name a few you'll quickly hear them explain that it's not their responsibility to keep up with your paperwork so be prepared to keep doing the same amount of leg work if not more than you did to apply. -Unprofessional BehaviorThere honestly isn't enough in the whole span of the Internet itself to list the behaviors of some of these instructors. If you're not one of their favorite students that kiss up and interrupt class time to talk about "well what we do at where I work is...." then don't expect a good experience overall. Your study guides/books/handouts will often not match the information being given in the books and any attempt to have the incorrect information marginalized will be seen as hostile behavior. You WILL be constantly reminded that you are held to a higher standard than the rest of the students and to be on your very best of behavior or the Fuhrer will get a phone call and you'll get an a$$ chewing for it. -Audio recordingsOne thing you're going to hear and read is that audio recording isn't permitted in the classes without special permission. Kentucky is a one way state when it comes to recording anything from phone calls to lectures. Only one person has to have knowledge that something is being recorded and if it helps you study and you know you're recording it then no law is being broken. Video is another matter as that's a privacy violation but having an audio version of the lecture that you can refer to will help your overall success I promise. -TestsMake something up like ADD/ADHD or whatever and go to Disability Support Services so you can get more time and less stress in taking your exams. With the Fuhrer running the tests, walking the rows like a lioness seeking whom she can devour and the stress of your future careers on the line it's just a good way to get away from it all so you can examine what you're being "taught" with some modicum of confidence. -Scores/GradesYou WILL have to fight for your grade. One teacher will say one thing while two others say three different things. Questions will be thrown out for some but not others and they don't round up. If you get and 84.99 as your final average that is considered failing cause it's not an 85. -SkillsPractice practice practice, make a study group, find a nurse friend, do SOMETHING but do not expect that just because your class schedule says "Lab" that you'll be practicing anything other than how to survive utter bedlam. Oh and expect the favorite students that I mentioned before to check you off during your skills assessment even though it's the instructors that are supposed to be doing it. They'll be much more interested in making sure the candy by 3rd semester is getting sold for their graduation ceremony. -Class assessmentsYou have never been pushed to complete a piece of paper so fast in your entire life, I promise. These are the forms that administration will use to gauge your overall satisfaction with everything to do with the nursing program and you will be threatened not to list anything negative by the Fuhrer herself. -ClinicalsYour clinical instructors will be great as long as they're not your actual instructors who will be there and will say the exact opposite of what your clinical instructors at the hospital tell you to do so watch out. They will take points for going to the bathroom, your fellow students will tattle on you for doing something you were told to do just so they can look better to the instructor. I could go on and on and allnurses may delete this but if you'd like to copy and paste this around feel free since a couple of newspapers are putting a story together about it anyway. I'm not the only student that left and won't be the last. For more information go ahead and email me at vincentharris(underscore)97(at)yahoo(dot)comGood luck and God bless
Donnie-RN
5 Posts
I don't know what program you attended, but it wasn't Lawrenceburg.
I just graduated the Lawrenceburg ADN Program, Class of 2012 and it was the most wonderful experience of my life. It had a great atmosphere, the faculty was like family, you don't get any special favors and it is hard work but you will know your stuff when you are finished. I was highly educated and highly trained by our faculty and I am very confident in myself as an RN. The 2011 class had 100% pass rate on NCLEX, and I am positive we will do the same.
I hate that you didn't have a very good experience with Bluegrass, but for the one's thinking about going to Bluegrass, go to Lawrenceburg's program, you will be one heck of a nurse when you graduate.
As Donnie-RN stated, you couldn't have been at Lawrenceburg. I can now come back and say that I have graduated from there in the same class of 2012. I am fully prepared to pass the NCLEX and have already scheduled it. Pretty much everyone who started in our program was a 4.0 student but nursing school is hard, it is different than any other type of course you have taken. You do have to take responsibility for your self(keeping copies of your own immunization records and anything else you have) and you have to be proactive in your learning (study guides are a plus, not something owed to anyone). This is what will separate the one's who fail out and those who do not.
icantw8
44 Posts
Thanks for the insight! I start the Cooper ADN program in August, and I'm pumped!!! After Summer II I will have EVERYTHING out of the way except nursing classes, and I'm prepared to work my behind off to maintain my spot in the program! Good luck on your NCLEX!!!