Cincinnati State Technical College-- Has anyone ever attended?

[Julz034]

Has anyone graduated from their nursing program? I am finding none of the advisors know what the heck they're talking about.

They now took over Scarlet Oaks/Great Oaks LPN program. I was going to finish there and I have all of these pre-reqs to do, and have to wait until they're completed to even enroll into the LPN program, which I find out probably won't be until Novemeber of next year, and it will Late summer or 2011 when I graduate!

I was at Bohecker College and only have two terms to go until I have my LPN. I'm just nervous because I hear they're losing accrediation. Apparently I can still sit for my NCLEX and other LPN-RN programs will still recognize my license, just not classes. I'm so confused on which route to go. I definitely will NOT do the bridge at Bohecker because I want to get my BSN and will not be able to if they lose accrediation.

Anyone have any experience with C-State, or any advice in general lol:specs:

[nvRgivNup]

DIV-99,

When you go to your physical, Cinci State has two separate forms for STNA and PNC, so make sure you take both so you can get the both completed at the same time. Can't submit the STNA one for the PNC program also (at least I wasn't able to). Take your shot records so the doc/nurse can go ahead and fill out as much of that as possible. Anything you are missing you will have to have redone or have a titer drawn. I didn't have the varicella vacc as a child because it wasn't required then but did have chickenpox so I had to have a titer done to verify that I was immune. Also, if you had your last MMR before Dec 1979 (I believe it was), you will have to have another one as an adult... mine was Sept of that year so I had to redo that for the program as well. You will need the Hep B vaccines (at least two of them before being fully admitted in the PNC program)--don't forget that they take six months to complete.... first two are a month apart then the final one you can get later. If you don't have all your shots at the time of the form completion, you can submit verification of the shots later. Oh, and you also need a tetorifice. When you go to the PNC information session, they give you a checklist of all that you need to do. You will also need your Healthcare provider CPR, too. Although, for the STNA, you just need the physical and two step to get started in that. Your background check has to be within six months of starting your nursing cohort so don't bother to get those done until the adviser instructs you to or you will end up having to redo it. Just stay on top of everything, make sure you get all these things done as early as permitted so that they don't delay you later down the road, and be sure to get documentation to your adviser and keep a copy of everything for yourself in case something gets misplaced.

I'm not fresh out of high school, I'm 39 about to hit the big 4-0 next week haha. It took me a little over a year to complete the pre-req's and co-req's because I only took classes part time due to being a mom. Regarding Biology and Chem... I didn't take Chem in H.S. and it's been since my sophomore year since I had Bio which is longer than permitted. However, I took A&P sequence at another college so that waives the Bio requirements (and A&P is required for RN so it was more beneficial to take that instead). If you go full-time you should get done with your pre-req's pretty quickly. I also wanted to have my my co-req's completed so I could minimize my schedule to strictly nursing and clinical once I start a cohort to allow me to focus on just nursing and prevent the extra time away from my son.

And, yes, I do plan on furthering my degree because hospitals don't utilize LPN's much, if any, and I don't want to be in a nursing home long term. While I am sitting and waiting on my winter term cohort, I am thinking of starting on any remaining pre/co-req's that I may need for my RN and/or BSN -- got to figure out which school I will be attending for that first.

[DIV-99]

nvRgivNup

Thank you so much - I believe my shots should be up to date - I just had to upgrade mine in 1999 - but I will double-check with my doctor - yes, still have medical insurance but not for much longer.

Was your written English an Essay or sentences' correction? I did not graduate high school in the US and have never had to write an essay in any language in my life - this is the only reason I have postponed going to the Compass test so far.. Any info will be highly appreciated. Thank you.

[nvRgivNup]

Div-99,

Honestly, I just don't remember. I had taken it back in like 94 and when I went back to school this time I was waived because I already had Eng Comp with an A so it exempted me from those portions of the test. Try calling the testing center at CState and they can tell you whether an essay is required. Sorry I couldn't be of more help regarding the testing.

[happy2learn]

nvRgivNup

Was your written English an Essay or sentences' correction? I did not graduate high school in the US and have never had to write an essay in any language in my life - this is the only reason I have postponed going to the Compass test so far.. Any info will be highly appreciated. Thank you.

I bombed the math, though they said I did better than others. But I just had to take 1 developmental math class, so that was okay.

English was easy. You are not going to write an essay. I took the compass last year. You will read essays and answer questions about them.

[happy2learn]

hello everybody

just got (after 2 weeks waiting time) an e-mail from the nursing coordinator at rwc - after prereq you get on the waiting list (which is 2 years); but then it is another 2 years after you start your clinicals until you actually graduate - last i checked, this was supposed to be an adn, not a bsn degree...

cincinnati state's current waitlist is 2 years as well and roughly a year and a quarter of clinical. there are also more pre-reqs you have to complete before getting on cstate's waitlist when compared to rwc. rwc also does not require you to be an stna. by the time you get into clinical, cstate will be on semesters(as will all schools in ohio. no one knows how that is going to affect the waitlist or how long the rn program will be after that.

what about clark state community college - their wait time is 1.5 years? don't know about them. assuming they are up north. i'm too close to ky to drive up their. as long as they are accredited, then you'd be good to go.

any tips for taking the compass placement test at cincinnati state? was the math really hard? is the witing really going to be an essay - how much time you have - how many words?

no essays. you read essays and answer questions and correct sentences. i wouldn't say math was hard, but i really couldn't remember any of my math from high school (algebra), so i bombed it. but they just put me in 1 developmental math class which was easy. i just needed a refresher.

one more question - i still have not made up my mind whther i should go the

stna or lpn route? i would love to work at a hospital one day - that's why i was leaning more towards the stna route? any advise? please?

you have to be an stna (on the registry) to enter the lpn or rn program.

i am completely new to medical/health care field and any info will be greatly appreciated?

stna is not a career, at least i wouldn't say. they are overworked and underpaid. it will kill your back and you will burn out quick.

personally, the lpn route is a waste to me. i have no desire to work as an lpn, i want to be an rn. i don't see the point in spending the money on the lpn if you don't want to be an lpn.

now, if you want to get lpn experience before getting your rn, then that would be a good option.

if you have any questions, let me know. i'm on the rn waitlist now. i've completed all the stuff you are going through and am currently working on bsn courses to transfer after i graduate from here.

[ShantheRN, BSN, RN]

I just randomly popped on this forum for no reason - glad I did! :)

STNA certification is required for the RN program as well. I would say go for the RN because (from what I'm hearing, so don't quote me) there's now a wait for the LPN program as well. The transition to semesters is going to be.....well.....special, I'm betting. They have scheduling issues as it is. I don't believe there's a wait list for the bridge program but if your ultimate goal is to work as an RN, why bother? The job market isn't so hot now. LPN pay is better than PCA (and definitely STNA, ugh) but PCAs can still get jobs.

Time wise.....the RN program is roughly a year and a half. LPN is roughly a year.....assuming you can get every class, every term. I can't speak for the LPN but in the RN....you're only guaranteed placement in nursing classes. Prereqs are still first come, first serve. So if you get all your nursing classes for second term but miss out on a biology class.....you're stuck till the next rotation of nursing classes comes up. Everything should be cumulative.

There's no waitlisting for the STNA class. All you need is the completed physical and two step TB test done in time. You can take it over one term, or do the accelerated one. I did it in about 2 weeks, but it was M-F.

But, on the upside re: scheduling......tuition is so cheap it's worth the extra headache. Plus with the semester system being in place, transferring to a different school will be a breeze. Use your wait time to work on BSN prereqs.

If you wanna post or PM any questions, feel free. I'm in my second to last term so I feel like an old pro at working their system

[DIV-99]

Thank you both so much.

I already called the Compass Lab and found about the essays - so I am going to take it this Tuesday...have not had to sit for a test in over 18 years - I am nervous....

My ultimate goal is RN, I am not planning on becoming STNA or an LPN to stay that way - I was just wondering which way will get me to the RN faster - I will be on unemploeyment starting January and just have to do my best to get as much as I can while benefiting the insurance premiums my employer has been investing in the beautiful state of Ohio.

My other thought about going the LPN route (since I do not believe there is a wait for the bridge progrma LPN to RN) is that if need be and I run out of unemployment, then I could make more money working as an LPN rather than

STNA ($10-$16 I heard) while working on completing my RN.

Any thoughts about that? Does any you of have to work and go to school? Or I am the only one who has bills to pay - my husband is still employed but he does not make enough for us to live on one income.

Still thinking I am crazy even thinkng about switching fields like that but I do not see anything else out there which will take 2-3 years to complete and makes a decent living (not mentioning loving your job and not counting the minutes before parting time).

[Night Owl RN]

DIV-99, based on what I've experienced, you will probably have more job opportunities as an STNA than an LPN. I got my LPN while I was on the wait list for the RN clinicals, thinking I could work as an LPN while doing the RN classes, but jobs are scarce and my availability was limited by the classes. Also, and I don't know if this has changed recently, an LPN had to have 1000 hrs of work as an LPN before starting the LPN-RN classes. There are STNA jobs everywhere but if you are an LPN, you can't get hired for them. In retrospect, I should have worked as an STNA in a hospital while going to school and never gotten the LPN. It hasn't helped me get a RN job since I got licensed 6 weeks ago. Good luck!

[ShantheRN, BSN, RN]

Okay so I got curious and looked.....here's what I'm getting:

The bridge program does not have a wait, however.....you have to log time as an LPN before you qualify to do it. Not sure on how many hours, but it's typically a year. Once you're in the bridge program? It's 9 terms.

For anyone doing the math, it's the same length as the RN program.

You catching what I'm throwing?

The RN program wait is anywhere from 2-3 years, according to the school. Most people don't wait that long. I waited exactly a year. I work as a PCA, and have for the entire program. It's doable as long as you get on a schedule and stick with it. And please please.....look at the employment situation around this area before you start the LPN program. In theory it's a great idea. In practice I don't see it working out that way. Look at the various threads about new grads (and experienced!) who can't find openings.

If LPN was one of your career goals, I'd say go for it. But if what you want is really the RN....just start there. By the time you graduate hopefully the economy will be a lil kinder to us new grads.

[happy2learn]

LPN program will take you one year(after you finish the requirements/pre-reqs to get into the class). Then maybe a month or 2 to pass boards. Then you must be employed for 1000 hours. If you work full time, that will be 6 months. Then RN bridge 9 months. Total time for LPN then RN will be approx 2.5 years. Now, that's IF you get a job immediately as an LPN.

Now, I know I hear people say RN wait is not 2 years, but you aren't taking into consideration the fact that Cstate has it's highest enrollment ever. You may have gotten in within a year, but us who are here now are up against more people than ever. And, if they don't do a Feb 2012 class, then the next class after Sept 11 is Sept 12. I'm hoping that people drop or don't continue to meet the GPA requirements, but if that doesn't happen then it is very likely that I will not start until Sept 2012 (just got on the waitlist last week.)

THERE ARE VERY FEW JOBS FOR NEW GRADS HERE INCLUDING NEW GRAD RN's. So I hope you are aware of that. It may change by the time you graduate(and hopefully by the time I graduate), but I hope you are aware that most of the job postings now say "new grads not welcome." Don't want you to be going back to school getting in debt without understanding this.

[DIV-99]

Thank you, Night Owl RN

That confirms the conclusion I came to and gives me some insight as to what route will be best. I did hear there are more jobs out there for STNA's than for LPN's and talking to somebody who actually did go that route is tremendous help...

I was also told that hospitals do not hire any LPN's any more and from my perspective and desire to gain as much experience as I possibly can in this unknown field, it makes more sense to just go the STNA route and patiently wait...

I am just so scared to run out of unemploeyment and wanted to try everything possible to, somehow, bypass (or shorten) the wait time...guess there is not.

Good luck in your job search...Are you planning on staying in OH?

The wife of a colleague of mine - a displaced worker got her RN just a couple of months ago and the only job she could find was at a LTC (being with no experience, that is).

Keep us posted.

[DIV-99]

Thank you Shanfuturenurse

You are right - I did the math...and having in mind the employment outlook for LPNs - I will try to handle the wait time the best I can without worrying.

How did you get such a short wait time? Did a lot of people drop off the list?

I also heard that some are on more than one waiting lists? Could that be a reason too?

In any case, you are an inspiration and give me hope that it is doable.

Good luck in your studies.