Broward College Nursing Review 2019

mortui vivos docent · Mar 10, 2019

Hi! I graduated December 2018 and took my NCLEX in February (& passed!). The BC nursing program is VERY challenging but it prepares you for the challenges you will face as a nurse. Prior to applying, I had heard the horror stories & knew students that had failed out. This is an accelerated program and demands so much from you. You need to be prepared to invest your time and energy into this. With that said, IT IS doable. There were single mothers in program, students that worked a full time job, and so on. I worked throughout the program.

YOU can do this. Do not let other people’s experiences shape your own. You can’t retreat at the first sign of danger and expect to reach the finish line. This is hard work but if you put in the hours, create a support system with classmates, and remain motivated... you will see this through. The first semester is the heaviest load of classes.

Some TIPS: Create healthy study habits. If you are someone that has gone unscathed with cramming before exams, this nursing program will discipline you and kick your butt into shape. Stay up to date with the reading and read ahead prior to class. You will need to be familiar with the material to be able to ask the appropriate questions. Watch videos that help explain the information. Do practice questions. Build a network— a small study group that is productive and ON TASK without gossip. It helps to be reviewing material you read so that in a group setting, you pose questions and discuss concepts you’re familiar with. You will fail an exam. You will be disappointed and distraught. And that’s OKAY. Just pick yourself up.

Broward College nursing students are highly regarded by hospitals. If anyone has questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. This program is not a competition of who is the most intelligent or even most skilled.... it’s about resilience and remaining motivated.

Good luck to everyone!

❣️

aceofstace · Mar 17, 2019

I also graduated from Broward College in May 2015. It was very challenging however, I passed my NCLEX the first time and I was better prepared for the world of nursing once I started working bedside. If you want to be a nurse you need to be 100% dedicated and this program expects 100% of your dedication. Therefore, in my opinion helps you prepare yourself. Best of luck

Mrs137 · May 26, 2019

Hi! I just applied for the fall 2019. I passed the Hesi with a 93% and my gpa for the program is 3.4. I'm very nervous because of some of the stories I've heard. Any comments?

2011Emily · May 31, 2019

Hi everyone I just had my nclex pn test 5 hours a go in California at 2 pm I finished my test at 117 questions and till now i have not resived my email saying that “now you finished your NCLEX test ....., is that normal ??? Im very much nervous I don’t know what to do??? Please help ...

Danaash123 · Jul 26, 2019

Mortui vivos docent your post really spoke to me today I was distraught between choosing schools because of the horror stories I’ve heard as well about broward. I’m a mom of 3 so I automatically ruled it out due to finances I’m rethinking it and your pose really spoke to my heart. Thank you!!

Ana · Sep 4, 2019

Does anyone have any recommendations about the RN - BSN program at Broward? Is it like the RN program or easier? I’d like to work while earning my BSN.

mashley89 · Sep 7, 2019

On 9/4/2019 at 2:09 AM, Ana said:
Does anyone have any recommendations about the RN - BSN program at Broward? Is it like the RN program or easier? I’d like to work while earning my BSN.

I don't know much about it, but many RN-BSN programs are made for working nurses. The ones I am looking into are FIU and FAU. I would make an appt to talk to advisor about it!

Kenytb1 · Nov 5, 2020

Hi. What is the price for RN to BSN at Broward College?

Jeniffer Garcia · Feb 22, 2022

Hi everyone,

After reading a lot of these comments/responses I feel like I have a lot of useful information that may answer questions more clearly.

1. My experience Nursing program at Broward College.

I was in the nursing program at BC-South & North campus in 2004. I was an honor student and had heard horror stories as well. I failed Nursing process I and that was a REAL wake-up call for me. I changed my study habits and committed a bit more time. My biggest challenge was learning how to apply what I was studying to the nursing process when it came to answering questions. The old "All answers are right, but only one is correct" is something they still say in this program. I repeated I and passed both processes I & II. My next Professor, Brickman, liked to stand in the class read from the power points. She was so rude and nasty to anyone who asked questions. At the end of this class, I needed 1 point to pass and move on. She always said after exams that if anyone had questions about their grade or test questions to make an appt to review and she will show you where the answer is in the book. This was to clarify questions were from the 10+ chapters were studied for each exam. Well, I did that and found one I got marked wrong on the scantron and asked for her to show me in the book where I could verify the answer. It was a SATA (select all that apply) question and those are KILLERS! and she said, "Honey if I have to show you where that is you shouldn't be a nurse." I stood up, walked out of her office, and registered at FAU.

2. My opinion of the Nursing program at Broward College.

Any nursing program will be challenging. If it isn't then leave. Under doctor's orders & in your role as a nurse you are caring, administering, cleaning, providing, and educating (and so much more) for patients. Patient safety is always the highest priority because it is always at risk, but the level of risk is almost minimal when you are a good nurse. Great nursing programs graduate people who have the potential to be great nurses. Learning to be a nurse does not actually happen IN nursing school. You will not actually learn to be a nurse until you get your first job.

The program at BC has not changed since I was there in 2004. How do I know? Because I know people who were in the program through the years and my son is currently in it (Peds). The horror stories are still the same, the way they teach the program is still the same, and the student stress level is still the same. They have made it even harder to get into the program now, but once in there is no one to champion you as a student. No one teaches the nursing students how to read NCLEX style test questions or how to apply the nursing process to answer the question. They rely on an app that you purchase separately to give students questions and rationales. Students are their own teachers and champions. Profs should not spoon-feed or make anything easy, but if professors shared how to answer the NCLEX style questions or shared personal insight on their thought-process on how they would answer/approach a question it would make such a significant difference for so many students struggling in the program. After all, they were ALL once a nursing student and know exactly what nursing students are going through.

There is no standard for all classes. In some nursing classes, all you get is 3 exams with 75 questions. Each exam covers at least 8-10 chapters of information. In some classes, you have 4 exams each with 50 questions and maybe some quizzes. In clinical, some professors give a math exam on the first day. 10 questions. You can only miss 1 question or you fail. If u fail, u can take it again. If you fail it a 2nd time you are dropped from clinical. Some professors review the math exam with you so you know what you did wrong and can do better on the next exam. Some review it, but they give you a completely different math exam. Some give you give your first exam back if you got something wrong and ask you to review it and redo it to help you learn what you did wrong. Some do not even give a math exam at all.

Most chapters are big and they will always tell you everything is important instead of really focusing on what you will be tested on. For my son's first Peds exam 33/37 students failed it. That says something to me about the professor since it was a majority Failed. For the final exam his professor, Harris-Smith, released the remaining PowerPoint notes on Monday morning before the exam. 4 days before the exam he and the other students have 200 new slides to review and study before the final. 215 slides to be exact.

It was the same way when I was there. Nothing has changed to champion the student or to ensure learning is facilitated successfully. The only constant is that they set you up for failure and the student either fails or passes.

BC does not hire the best nursing professors. A handful of good professors don't outweigh the bad ones and students drop, repeat, and fail classes constantly. We all know that a great professor can make all the difference in learning.

In summary, a nursing program should be challenging. Not everyone was made to be a nurse. Should you complete the nursing program at Broward College? It's hard to answer. Everyone is different and each person is a unique learner. Just know this, if you make the decision to be a nurse do so knowing that it will be a challenging program. You have to be strict, consistent, create good study habits, and make sacrifices.

It is a rewarding choice professionally, personally, and financially. Once you complete the nursing program and have your RN licensure doors open up that you never dreamed possible. Your RN credential makes you a valuable commodity and you can have your pick of jobs and negotiate your pay. Go back to school and get your BSN and higher. Don't take a break from school because you will never go back and if you do it will be so far down the road you will wish you did it sooner. Specialize and get certified to stand out from the crowd.

Last, other people's experience, including mine, should never be the deciding factor for you, instead, it should be used to ask questions from Nursing administrators and Deans before making your choice.