Broward College Central Campus Nursing Program

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I must warn you about this particular nursing school. RUN far far away. The Broward College Central campus Nursing program is an an extremely corrupt program. I should begin with the facts. I attended this program with a 3.8 GPA. My starting class had over 100 students. I watched in horror as the instructors failed students left and right for the silliest of reasons. For example one fellow classmate was failed because during a clinical they went over the timed physical assessment by less than a minute. So they failed that student and you can only fail 2 classes which could include 2 clinical classes or 1 lecture and 1 clinical. Then you would have to go to LPN school to even be reconsidered to go to an RN program again. Most of the times for Clinicals they don't even need a valid reason to fail you, except it seemed to make room for the many students who had to retrack into the program from failing or perhaps to get more money. Clinicals was their easiest way to fail students. Although in Lecture they could easily make the exams nearly impossible to pass. FACT: Every student in my class was barely getting by with the minimum passing C. The faculty liked to warn us in the beginning that the C is the new A in nursing school. If you have ever gone to a descent Nursing school you would know this not to be true. There is a math test that they make you take every semester which you can only miss one question. No calculators permitted. If you fail this math test then you have to sit out an entire semester and are not allowed to go to the lecture nor clinical til you pass the math test the following semester. When I attended this program only 8 students out of my starting class of 150 ended up graduating. It seemed that if too many people were passing they made the exams that much harder. I remember students who were failed bringing lawyers to the school to try to fight the absurdities of the reasons they were failed. I did not give them the chance to fail me as I withdrew. I could not bare seeing the tears, agony and wasted money of another fellow classmate who would of made and exceptional nurse have their chances crushed of becoming a nurse because they naively went to this nightmare of a school. There were many of us and we literally dropped like flys. You are on pins and needles the entire time with these instructors as they seem to want to instill fear in the students. In clinicals I repeat they do not need a valid reason to fail you. I believe they are told to pass only a certain amount of students in each clinical. There are many other examples and horror stories I could relay about this program of seeing what was done to other students but it could probably fill a book. One student after having to retrack and sit out semesters made it to the end of the program, she had one class left to graduate and failed an exam by one point. They told her she had to go to LPN school to be reconsidered to get back into their RN program. I mainly write this to warn potential students to do your research before choosing a nursing program and do it well. But I am sure if you do your research on this particular nursing program via Central campus you will find what I say to be true. I do not know how a nursing program as horrific as this one is still able to continue. Perhaps it is from all the money they have made from 'retracking' their 'failed' students. Once you fail 2 nursing classes you are not eligible to get into any other RN program. Try explaining to another Nursing school the absurd reasons this particular school failed you out and they will look at you like you are crazy. I was one of the smart ones and withdrew from their program before they had the chance to fail me for some absurd reason and ruin my chances of getting into a legit nursing program. Nursing school is very difficult as it is but to know you are attending a school where they don't even need a valid reason to fail you is madness. This is just a warning take from it what you will.

Specializes in Telemetry, IMCU.
Yeah I was referring to Broward county and specifically Memorial, Broward General and Cleveland clinic. I don't know anything about Miami. From my graduating class majority of my peers are working on various departments in the ER, tele, med/surg, ICU, pediatrics. I definitely agree that all nursing schools you go to are hard but I experienced something interesting this week during my new grad program 4 of us are from BC. The instructor randomly called upon two volunteers to do a physical assessment. The BC grad was thorough and everyone including the instructor asked what school did she come from. Some of the fellow nurses, not all, never even heard of some of the assessments that were performed. It was interesting to see. My 2 cents! I'm happy I went to BC not all of my friends feel this way. One said she would never go back. Yeah majority fail and retrack. Make an informed decision. There are a million routes to getting your RN degree. For me the ASN was my personal choice.

BC= hella hard, but thorough. :)

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To Piggyback off of dream61792 is saying. I feel it's not what you know it it is who you know as well. I'm a former employee of Memorial and Broward Health, and when I went back to do my clinicals with BC. I was happy and surprised that I received business cards from former ADN nurses who are now BSN and MSN nurses who would love to hire me as well. Mind you I was in Process 1 when this happened. I also feel that no matter what school you go to all that matters is that once you pass your NCLEX that's all that matters. Each nursing school for profit or not is looking for one thing and is our money and we are looking to accomplish one thing that is to get our state board license. That is the jackpot.

Your state board license is the golden ticket. If you can pass that then whatever school and studying you did paid off.

I have now decided to retrack for January 2015 because I've visited other schools and only feel comfortable at BC. Even though I'm a South campus student Lord knows how I feel about that. The only thing I can do is to push forward and make it happen.

Also... dream61792 I agree with you and I am sure Miami hospitals feels like that about the schools in their area. The way I see it is all nursing schools make you go through hell and high water to get through their program. Nursing isn't a degree that comes easy. That's just my 2 cents. :)

That is the truth ASN or BSN does not come easy. I wish you the best once you start back the program. Do what is best for you :-)

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I agree completely that BC sends out some great nurses "The Best of the Best". In the two months I was in the program back in 2012 I learned a tremendous amount but like many students you will find on previous threads and in person I fell short of being "the best of the best". I was not Bitter either I did what I had to do so I could get a letter from the dean of nursing at the south campus stating that I was in "Good Academic Standing" so I could move on to a BSN program. I did not want to retrack back into the program and God forbid make it all the way to Trends, Cardio or Neuro and still fall short of being the"Best of the Best" I did what I felt was adequate for my situation. Best of Luck to Everyone :-)

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Hi, I have not yet gotten into the program but I am curious to know what re-track means? I don't understand what you do when you fail a class since the program it is a separate entity from the rest of the regular classes. When you're in the program considering how the schedule is setup do you wait until the next group of nurses enter the school to retake the class you failed. For instance, MariposaLPN said I am restarting my last specialty next month?, what does that mean?

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Specializes in Telemetry, IMCU.
Hi, I have not yet gotten into the program but I am curious to know what re-track means? I don't understand what you do when you fail a class since the program it is a separate entity from the rest of the regular classes. When you're in the program considering how the schedule is setup do you wait until the next group of nurses enter the school to retake the class you failed. For instance, MariposaLPN said I am restarting my last specialty next month?, what does that mean?

This is the easiest way to explain.

My situation:

Started May 2013.

Failed Peds May 2014.

Dropped Ortho lecture and clinical to sign up for a Nursing skills remedial lab and an SLS course (mandatory)

Passed both. (June/July)

Signed up to retake Peds August.

Passed Peds October (this month)

In ortho currently.

Will graduate May 2015 instead of my original December 2014.

You're held back 6 ******* months basically.

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Hey all! Just wanted to add my experience here. I started the program in May 2010. Started with over 100 students at north campus and maybe 40 made it past process 1 and 2. 7 people from my original class graduated on time. I failed ortho/Neuro by 3 points and anyone who's taken it at north campus can't attest that it wasn't for lack of trying. I retracked and graduated may 2012, passed my nclex in 75 questions a month later. Broward's program no matter which campus is BRUTAL. You have to eat, sleep (or not), and breath the program. As someone who failed, and then graduated, and now has been a working nurse almost 2 years, I am happy Broward is so hard. Not everyone who wants to be a nurse, should be one. Many people will take offense to this, but I've witnessed countless RNs lack common sense and basic skills. I scratch my head and wonder how they became nurses. I never really felt supported at Broward by the faculty but that program made me a damn good nurse. I work in another county and when I work alongside exceptional RNs I ask where they went to school. 9/10 times they say Broward college. I work in a very busy emergency department now, and I know I would not be as successful as I am without getting mentally and physically beat down by BC. When searching for a program, you don't want to be coddled and pass just because you try hard and pay good money. The nursing world is dog eat dog and only the strong survive. I see both sides of the coin. For those who didn't pass, if you really truly want to be an RN, you will find a way. Nursing isn't glamorous and it doesn't pay that well. You do it because you were born to, and it's the only thing you could see yourself doing. Just my opinion, from someone who has been through it, and lived to see the other side.

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I graduated from BCC(that is what it was called at the time) in 2002 and it appears to be the same. If you can make it through their program, you can make it through any program. BCC is a state funded college so virtually every one has a shot. Even if you did poorly in important science courses, you still can get in the program. That explains the high attrition rate. There is a positive correlation between getting good good grades in prerequisites and passing the program. While there are always exceptions to the rule, this formula is a good measure.

However, I will admit that BCC had some mean professors. Some were on clear power trips while others were poor instructors. The best advice I can give is to, don't listen to others because it will simply discourage you. If you don't have time to read the chapters and to critically think about the topics, expect to have a difficult time. Find a serious study buddy! Don't rely completely on lectures but read and take external test ( from study guides ). The nursing program trains you to critically think applying medical/nursing theory.

I started at North (because I got in at that campus) and switched to Central in GI/GU. Honestly, both campus had mean instructors. The program is doable but you have to take control of your learning. Don't trust instructors to provide you with everything. Read your book and take prep test to make sure you are comprehending.

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Anybody has experience at PBSC (Palm Beach State College), or transferring from BC (Broward College) to PBSC ? Share?

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Anybody has experience at PBSC (Palm Beach State College), or transferring from BC (Broward College) to PBSC ? Share?

Were you in the Broward College's nursing program?

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You hit the nail on the head here!

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All the horror stories from broward college are true. In south campus a lab instructor failed me on return demo for process one because I forgot to take my calculator to the hospital and she was very mean to me by saying: don't you disrespect your patients like that and don't you waste my time.....I couldn't believe my ears......that same day she tested me for return demo and failed me on purpose, not only failed me but she was very rude and mean to me........stay away from broward college, for your own good.

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Specializes in Peds, Trauma, Neuro, Burns.

Would just like to say the RN-BSN program at BC is NOT like what you are reading above!

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