Sprott-Shaw..DO or don't?

World Canada CA Programs

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hey everyone!:welcome:

 

the last couple of years I've been working as a paramedic in british columbia, canada and have found that I'm better suited for nursing, I love the job but I can't stand how short the time is with the pt. I often find myself volunteering my time on my off days visiting the pts. I met from my last shifts and helping with "tiny, tiny" tasks, (getting water for a pt., adjusting pillows etc.)

 

now, to my question.....

as I've been researching schools, I've found some great ones here in bc, but I'm being tempted by sprott-shaw community college with its continous enrollment into the lpn program, so I could start sooner than I thought-bonus! but...the tuition is much more $$*ka-ching!***. some nurses have commented that the style of these nurses comming out is 'different', but will not say anymore. would I be as well trained taking the program through this institution as any other grad? (the advisor states that they meet the clpn standards and their grads work in the field). I guess I'm looking for some first hand advice/opinions on this institution.

thanks alot, I look forward to any responses!:)

Paprikat

216 Posts

Specializes in Geriatrics.

I did my nursing through a college 10 years ago. But I can say that I have had Sprott-Shaw and Stenberg students for their final practicums. These girls paid big bucks to get in, $19-20,000 but they got in right away as opposed to a 1-2 year wait list at Vancouver Community College. I was leery of the Stenberg ones, as we had care aide practicums and they were absolute disasters. I have to say that both the Stenberg and Sprott-Shaw students were AMAZING, well prepared, professional, and knew their stuff! I was impressed with both schools. They were well prepared for LPN jobs.

Paramedic80

8 Posts

Thanks for the insight, that was what I was mainly concerned about...if you found that the students comming out of these private schools were just terrible or well prepared. I didn't want to enroll in a school, come out and be labelled instantly.

Thanks again!

Lyndsay

doodah

3 Posts

Specializes in palliative, geriatric, medical, surgical.

Hey Lyndsay,

Just to let you know, I am currently going to sprott shaw, taking the LPN program. The only thing I can say, is be prepared to self-teach, as they have a heck of a time getting and keeping quality instructors. And I will add, their instructors are just RN's or LPN's wanting to try their hand at teaching. Would I go to SS again? Absolutely not.

For $20,000.00 I expected better, but I guess the money just guaranteed a seat!

Fiona59

8,343 Posts

Pretty much every PN programme is having a hard time with staffing. Nurses make more working in a hospital setting.

I experienced this six years ago when I did my nursing education. It was like musical chairs, instructors came and went every semester. The RN's were not required to have any credentials other than a BScN. PN's were kept in a lab assistant role. For a PN to teach in a PN course they require either a degree in Education or a Certificate in Adult Eduation.

Like anywhere we had good instructors and bad.

The self-teaching thing is big. Study the module the night before and then come to class with your questions. From what I've heard, the RN programmes are pretty much the same these days.

No, I didn't go to SS but went through a vocational college.

PamelaJean

44 Posts

I am working through the BN program at the University of Manitoba, we have the same issues. I have a had to do a lot of self teaching.

m_chatelaine

62 Posts

I seen a lot of paramedics that would be great nurses and your experiences will help you with the program. Although settling for an LPN may be discouraging due to the limitations of their practice. As to not to offend the LPNs there have been some recent changes to the LPN role lately that enable LPN's to practice more skills and responsibilities. My experience has been that a Nursing Degree such as a BSN or BN enables you to work almost anywhere and do anything. If you are doing a career change now you may be more likely to do it again, and might want to consider a degree.

javita

2 Posts

I wonder how's the reputation of vancouver career college. It's a private college; they alslo have LPN program.

amandamae

1 Post

im going to sprott shaw right now. i love it.. the teachers are really nice, and the administrators. its more expensive than most schools but they include everything you need in that tuition, all your book and every single thing you will need. i would definately recommend looking into it. :monkeydance:

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.

I'm not sure if the original poster is still around, but I say DON'T DO IT!! I took training through a private college very similar to Sprott Shaw for medical office assistant. It was crap course for tons of money. I didn't look into it well enough to know that the same course was offered at a community college for WAY LESS $$$.

I have applied for the LPN program through my local community college for Sep 2007. I don't know if I will get in until sometime in April. I could call my local Sprott Shaw tomorrow and be accepted right away, hardly any questions asked. My community college tution including books will be about $8000 for the 12 month program. SS would be about $20,000. The diploma wouldn't be worth the paper it's printed on.

I would rather be on the wait list at my community college than go to SS this spring.

I'm not intending to flame any LPN who got their education through SS. I'm sure some excellent LPN's come out of there, but only because of who they are and not the education they recieved at SS.

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.
I wonder how's the reputation of vancouver career college. It's a private college; they alslo have LPN program.

See my above post on Sprott Shaw. Same thing for VCC.

DON'T GO THROUGH PRIVATE SCHOOLS! They are just out to make $$ and don't care about the quaility of education.

If you live in Vancouver, look into BCIT or the college that has a campus dowtown, right by Stadium skytrain station and another on Broadway. I don't remember the name, it's been too long since I've lived there!!

Google it.

livingwell

1 Post

Hi there I know its was a bit ago that this original post was put here. I can tell you this if you are wanting to get into a career where you are 'helping people' like people in the health care community do....then at all cost avoid SPROTT SHAW!! I have had the worst experience by attending 2 semesters there. The verbal abuse and non positive learning environment. Remember within this LPN title comes people's lives in our hands...so to go to a school who's bottom line is about our money....well hmmm I wish I had known about sites like this and others before I had decided to go there...but I like others was under a time line so chose to go to as school who was able to get me in. Funny thing the money we pay yet they have broken lab equipment and instructors that speak down to their students, and are just interested in setting you up to fail or to leave so they can keep your money....then when you do leave they withhold legal documents that can help you to continue in another school. Yeah so if you want to pay to be abused and treated like crap then go to Sprott Shaw....JUST REMEMBER THE CUSTOMER IS THE ONE WHO PAYS THE MONEY....YET SPROTT SHAW IS THE ONE WHO GETS THE MONEY AND KICKS US AROUND.

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