Carson NewmanUniversity Nursing BSN

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Hi guys, I am a pre-nursing student debating on transferring to Carson Newman University for their nursing program (traditional BSN). Has anybody dormed here and also did nursing? How is the campus life? I am a just a little lost because I don't know anybody who did the nursing BSN program there.

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Hey there!!! I am a senior nursing student at Carson Newman University and I would be glad to answer some of your questions and concerns! I lived in campus my freshmen and sophomore year, in both Burnette and Swann Hall and it was fantastic. It was no pent house, but it gave you a very good experi nice of dorm life. The RA's were very encouraging and supportive and there was always someone there to help you. Swann is a beautiful dorm with the ability to move furniture, unlike Burnette. Same concept thought, very supportive and wonderful people to help you. There is visitation every night and in the weekends and events that occur on each hall. Junior and senior year I lived off campus, about a mile away, and it was still very affordable and beneficial to get used to being in my own. Plus, many students are willing to room with you to help split the cost which is great! The community on campus, in my opinion is great. I came from Massachusetts and moved here without any family or friends nearby and I ended up loving it and never regretting my decision. I wanted a small, Christian nursing school with a great nursing program and that's exactly what I got. Students are very friendly, you have your usual cliques here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary. Sports are huge here, I was on the dance team for a year and had a lot of fun and even met my best friend there, so nursing and sports is possible. God is very present in our campus. There are so many ways to represent and practice your faith with at least 3 different worship groups going on during the week. You have the ability further your faith and deepen your roots. There are also a million different ways to get involved in campus.l and still do nursing. I am in 7 different organizations and still hanging on, so it's possible! The teachers and staff members are very supportive and you'll find that they will give ou their cellphone numbers and tell you to call them if you are ever in any trouble. They want to see you succeed and many are your number one cheerleader. The nursing program is rigorous, but worth it. If there is a program that over prepared you, this is it. By the time you hit senior year, you are ready to just get the NCLEX over with and start your new job. Many of us got a job by March of this year, so we are set to start after we graduate. Our program gives you the opportunity to go many places because of how we are taught. If you want a program that will give you everything you need and more for your career, Carson Newman is the school to be at. The places and clinical sites we have the ability to attend are eye opening and give you such a new perspective. Carson Newman provides ways to broaden your horizons and give you the chance to see and do a little bit of everything before you decide on what you want to do. We may not have all the high tech supplies, although we did just get a new simulation lab, but we have the highest quality faculty. I may be slightly biased by being a student here, but I have also heard from other students who go to other surrounding programs that theirs isn't as hard. But I don't think ours is hard as much as it is beneficial and preparing you for caring for our community. If you have any more questions feel free to post on here!!! Good luck!

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Thank you so much for getting back to me! I do want to go to a nice small Christian nursing program. I'm going to a place where I have no family and etc, which sometimes makes it hard for me to decide on. The school that I go to know has a very great connection with Carson Newman. Are you a Traditional BSN student or are you an accelerated student? I am looking into applying to the traditional BSN program (Spring Start). I have a few semesters left to knock off the rest of pre-reqs. How's the church service? I believe its your first semester in the program you start clinical already? Correct me if I am wrong. Also, is there opportunities to take nursing courses during summer if you wanted to work ahead?

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No problem!! Yes I am a traditional student, but the accelerated program is an option if you for some reason have to drop a class. The church services are really great! They occur once a week on Tuesday, but there are plenty of other fun and interesting ways to get your CLW credits, like yoga, debates, movies and plays. Many of the students actually help to preach the sermons and such. If all your prerequisites are complete and you start in the spring, yes you are correct, you'd start clinicals then. They start at the nursing home and get you used to shadowing and applying your fundamentals material. You don't have the opportunity to take nursing courses in th summer unless you are in the accelerated program, then you take pediatrics and OB In the summer. However, you can do other prerequisites in the summer. And you also need to do a nursing elective which can be completed by going on the nursing mission trip in May to Haiti or, you can participate in the nursing camp they have in July for three days. It is a lot of fun, I did it last year and I should be doing it again this year.

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Hey!

I am also a senior nursing major at Carson-Newman University! I am a huge fan of the school!!! I am originally from Florida so I also did not know people when I moved here except for my older brother. However, I have absolutely loved every minute of it. Living on campus for the first year and a half made it easier to meet people, however, I love living off campus more than on campus. I also have met some of my best friends here!

The best thing to me about the nursing program is the staff. We have some of the best professors who are more than willing to help you succeed. They take the time that is necessary to make sure that you are going to be the best prepared nurse you can be. We start clinicals the first semester of the program which isn't the same at other schools. I loved getting to start with the hands-on portion so soon in the program. It can definitely be hard but if you feel called to the field of nursing Carson-Newman is a great school to attend!

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Thank you for replying!! Your guys input rock! Do they really help to prepare you for the nclex? Are you able to take it before graduation or after? That's one good thing I liked about the school because of there awesome nclex pss rates.

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Is there scholarships avalibile for nursing students at Carson Newman? For the program, I've heard the ATI's are very heavy. Is that true?

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They definitely get you prepared for the NCLEX!! They give you this HURST review course your last semester of nursing and it goes over most of everything you have covered in each class. It hits on high points and test strategies for answering questions. We also just got done with an ATI pharmacology exam, Ati RN Predictor exam and HESI exit exam. They all are really helpful for test questions and content. By now, I feel like I can take the NCLEX haha. You cannot take it before you graduate, but they do help you sign up and register for it which is nice! We are getting ready to do that soon I believe. Like I said before , I feel like I'm over prepared! The ATIs are a good portion of your grade in most classes. However, I feel like as long as you follow the book throughout class and at least skim it before the exam, you do fine. My rule of thumb was to set myself up so I had some wiggle room for the ATI. So I would try to do really well on my in class exams so I could do pretty well on the ATI and still pass. Test average has to be a 78 or above to pass. As for scholarships, there are ones you can receive once you get into the program and you can apply for them through the nursing department. I have received two while here. So there are options

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Nice! I am just a little afraid because I heard there program is very HEAVY on ATI's and if you fail ATI, then you fail the course, not too if that's true or not? Is the clinicals close by to the school? Also, any advice for upcoming students thinking about applying to carson newman?

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We do utilize ATI quite a bit, but in all honesty they they prepare you for them. We did just change the policy a few years ago, so If you don't get a level three or two on the Ati it is a fail. But if you set yourself up pretty well with exams, you can get a low level two and still pass. So I wouldn't decide based on the ati, it comes down to how you do in the class as well. Clinicals are at most 35-40 minutes from the school. Majority are done at UT but community and psych have ones scattered in the community, but they are very interesting! There are certain days you can come and tour Carson Newman, and there is also videos you can find on YouTube from us as well that might help you get a feel for campus life. My advice is to not let the curriculum scare you. They prepare you for what you need to do. Plus, the current curriculum is changing so there will be some beneficial changes for upcoming students. Also, if you have the ability to get in touch with any of the professors for nursing you can ask them questions too! They have all the emails in the directory on CN.edu

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Thank you thank you! Appreciate all this wonderful feedback. I like that it's also faith based as well and it just seems like a great environment. I do watch the videos on youtube and it looks a beautiful school. I haven't found much nursing videos unfortunately but I will also try to come and tour the campus. Any advice for upcoming nursing students?

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You are so welcome!!! We are glad to help!! My advice I always give to the new nursing students is find your passion and follow it. You truly get out of the program what you put into it! It's a program that you commit to and are rewarded from. It takes two though; you and the faculty. There is also a nursing camp to look into as well this summer. You can google it and find it at Carson Newman website. Good luck!!

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