Last Thursday I was at the college for the purpose of collecting my Chemistry grade with some classmates. Apparently, there was a graduation ceremony for RN's going on that night as well, and my friends started talking to one student to ask her about the program. I didn't hear the entire conversation, but one of my cohorts told me the student had stated that ELEVEN people had failed out of NUR-181 alone during her course!
Now, there's always a chance there was some sort of misunderstanding or miscommunication, but does this sound right? For what it's worth, I would think the application process and competitiveness of getting in to the program would assure a strong student population, so it makes me nervous to hear these things. I already received some insight from someone privately, but I was wondering what the public population made of this info.
Congrats to all of you who got in!!!! I am finishing up Level 1 now. Jschroder-I would recommend taking the least amount of non-nursing classes while take the nursing classes. I'm going part time and I work full time and it is EXTREMELY difficult. There are a lot of stressful nights. For the first few weeks I went home after class and just cried thinking "***!" But please don't be scared. I love what I'm doing and I wouldn't change it for anything. You just have to have the mindset that this is what you want and have to work hard for.. Thankfully, I am doing extremely well and I hope to continue this way. If you or anyone else on this thread have questions, please feel free to ask. I will try and answer as quick as possible but I've got exams like crazy. Took 3 this week and I have 4 more to go. YIKES!!!! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!!!!! :)
Thank you for responding. I don't want to fail which is why i asked the question. I was considering taking French (which I've studied for years) and volleyball on top of nursing. The demand doesn't bother me, it's the extra hours that I will have to sacrifice. I have to take these courses anyway, and am trying to find the most opportune time to take them. I am taking micro and eng comp two next summer. Thoughts?
Thanks for the tip on the externship.
I suggest to get started with Level 1 first, find your groove and then add the courses. The demands are no joke. doable, but no joke. Just keep it simple that first semester.
@Gabby and Daddy-o...thanks:) I think I am going to take your advice. The thing is I am not working. I took time off to go back to school. Does that change your perspective?
The haven't released the names of the professors on webadvisor, but I appreciate your help:)
Is there anyone in particular you would recommend for pharm and assesment? How are the math tests for pharm? I did well on the hesi (96), but math makes me a little nervous..
i too made sure i took all required courses before applying, so when september comes all i need to focus on is the nursing courses which i hear take up a lot of your time, along with the clinicals and travel time to & from plus validations and overall studying for the course...maybe just focus on these and see how you do, if your confident take the other courses on level ii and so on. the drop-out rate for nursing program, not just bergen's is really eye opening.
anyone going to join the nursing club? daddy-o or gaby are you in it? can you shed some info on the club?
@Gabby and Daddy-o...thanks:) I think I am going to take your advice. The thing is I am not working. I took time off to go back to school. Does that change your perspective?
The haven't released the names of the professors on webadvisor, but I appreciate your help:)
Is there anyone in particular you would recommend for pharm and assesment? How are the math tests for pharm? I did well on the hesi (96), but math makes me a little nervous..
Good luck on your exams:)
Not working still doesnt change things for me...I would rather you to devote more time to study and keep your GPA up. For me, I started with a 3.4 - 3.5...and by the time i graduated...i barely kept it over the 3.0. Not sure about you, but I had no healthcare experience and I thought since i already had a Bachelors in business, i would be fine....Buzzzzzz ! WRONG !!!!! LOLOLOL
you will work...but the Profs will help you succeed IMO. you will have to put in the time and this is why i say to hold off....find your groove and then consider the other classes.
The math is not that difficult, but lets not take it lightly. I will look for the Pharm practice sheet from level 1 and send to you. You will need an 80 to pass. If you don't pass, you cannot start clinical. But again, its not difficult but you will need to remember a formula or two and conversions. The test has 10 - 12 questions . but they give you a really good practice sheet to prepare.
sample math test from a good friend that helped me get thru the program
25000u heparin in 250cc dw to infuse at 10/ml/hr. how many m l per hr will patient receive?
*ok formula to solve this is simple d (dose) over h (have) multiplied times the infusion rate-
d x r so, that means you will have doses ordered 25000 10 (infusion rate)
-------- divided by --------- x
h on hand quantity 250
after you divide 25000 by 250 you get 100, then multiply it times the infusion rate of 10. your final answer is 1000ml/hr.
you may also see once that ask you the drip rate like the following:
ordered: 500cc ns to infuse in 4 hours
have: 60gtts/cc microset
this formual is dose over time multiplied times the drip factor (or rate) so here we go:
500cc 60
--------- x
240
after you divide 500 by 240 you get 2.0833.....,20you then multiply it by the drip factor which is 60, and your final answer is 125 gtts/min (they may not tell you its 60 gtts/cc, they may just say you have a micro set- and you need to know that means its a 60cc gtts/min set, or a macroset- which is a 15 gtts/cc set).
you may also see more conversion type questions like this:
ordered: go-lytely 1.2 liters
on hand: 8 oz cup
how much would you give?
ok, you will need to know that there are 30ml in an ounce. that means that since you have an 8 ounce cup, that each cup will hold 240ml (8 x 30=240), now you would need to know that 1 liter is 1000ml, so if you have 1.2 liters that is going to be 1200ml. now all that is left to do is divide 1200 by 240 and your answer is 5 cups:
30ml in 1 oz. 1.2 liters= 1200ml (you just need to know that every .10 of a liter is
x 8 oz cup 100ml)
----------------------
240ml in an 8 oz cup
*last calculation 1200 ------- = 5 cups
240
you should also see some injection question like this:
ordered: garamycin 60mg im
on hand: garamycin 80mg/cc
this is simple dose divided by have: 60
----- = 0.75cc
80
biggest things to remember with the pharm is dont forget to put you zero and decimal point (like above), know your conversions (teaspoons to tablespoons, how many cc's in each- cc and ml are the same thing, ounces to liters, pints, gallons, whatever they feel like asking, and check your work. thats basically it. like i think i told you original ly, there are just certain conversions, calculations, and formulas that need to be memorized. practice doing as many problems over and over again (even if they are the same problem) and you should be fine. play games with it for yourself. on a seperate sheet of paper just quiz yourself on the conversions. if you can list them on your own then you'll be fine.
@Gabby and Daddy-o...thanks:) I think I am going to take your advice. The thing is I am not working. I took time off to go back to school. Does that change your perspective?
The haven't released the names of the professors on webadvisor, but I appreciate your help:)
Is there anyone in particular you would recommend for pharm and assesment? How are the math tests for pharm? I did well on the hesi (96), but math makes me a little nervous..
Good luck on your exams:)
The pharm math test is simple. It's simple conversions and knowing the formula. You will have 3 classes before the math test which gives you plenty of time to learn the formula and conversions. If you got a 96 on the HESI then you will have no problem :) I had Professor Salort for Assessment. I don't know how the other assessment professor was. Profesor Baudo, Salort, and Bowersox were all for section 601. However, rumor has it that Bowersox is teaching GI/GU for Level 2. Who knows!! lol
take advantage of the fact that you're not working. i guess an extra class won't hurt. but i agree with daddy-o, you should get a feel for the classes and its demands before taking on too much. Remember, once clinicals start in addition to whatever material you have to study for, there are nurse's notes, care plans, objective check list, abnormal lab interpretations etc... And they're all due the next clinical day.
hey daddy-o, any particular shoes and stethoscope you recommend?
no need to go crazy and buy an expensive steth. just make sure it has a bell and diaphragm. buy online or the uniform store sells them. i would also get at least two name plates. with the shoes...the ones i saw looked kinda dull...bad enough i had to wear an all white uniform..lolol (we shared a floor with seton hall once..and they have cool uniforms...hehehe
important: they must be all white. some profs will hold this against you if they are not. your grade is contingent on your appearance and if you conform to the programs rules.
hey daddy-o, any particular shoes and stethoscope you recommend?
i got crocs but the kind without holes and that have a back (no clogs allowed). they were $40 bucks and super comfortable!! i purchased a stethoscope at "scubs and beyond" at the jersey garden's mall. it was pretty cheap (for financial reasons i couldn't get the nice expensive ones). however, i didn't use it much since most of my patients were on isolation...as a matter of fact, all of them were on isolation. when patients are on isolation, nothing goes in. the steth, thermometer, b/p cuff is already in there and is only used for that patient.
Gabby820
69 Posts
Congrats to all of you who got in!!!! I am finishing up Level 1 now. Jschroder-I would recommend taking the least amount of non-nursing classes while take the nursing classes. I'm going part time and I work full time and it is EXTREMELY difficult. There are a lot of stressful nights. For the first few weeks I went home after class and just cried thinking "***!" But please don't be scared. I love what I'm doing and I wouldn't change it for anything. You just have to have the mindset that this is what you want and have to work hard for.. Thankfully, I am doing extremely well and I hope to continue this way. If you or anyone else on this thread have questions, please feel free to ask. I will try and answer as quick as possible but I've got exams like crazy. Took 3 this week and I have 4 more to go. YIKES!!!! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!!!!! :)