Citizens school of nursing

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Hi everyone,

I already posted a similar question in the PA school forum but am not getting a lot of responses and a search did not come up with much either. So, please forgive me for posting in the general forum - I thought that I might get some previous grads from this school who no longer check the PA nursing programs board.

Anyway, I am trying to find people who went to Citizens school of nursing. It is a diploma program affiliated with West Penn Allegheny Health System in Pittsburgh. I have applied there and love the WPAHS and think it sounds like a good program - but I have not been able to find many people who have gone there, which worries me. I've had a few positive recommendations, nothing bad yet - but only a hanful of posts here also have me concerned. I have also applied to UPMC Mercy. UPMC has me scared as well, but for a complete other reason for another post another time! :uhoh3:

If you've gone to CSON or you know someone who did, please either PM me or respond to this message to let me know it's reputation in the area, quality of education, etc....

And again, I apologize to the nurses who have no interest in this thread. Just trying to make the very best educated decision on my schooling and I am not getting very far in my research on the appropriate forums or in the search.

Thanks for your patience....:D

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Specializes in Psych.

Some of the people I took Micro class with, went to CSON. I know some people who have transferred/failed out of BCCC that end up going to CSON and passing. It was on my list of possible schools but ultimately I went to BCCC.

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Any idea if they liked citizens? I've heard BCCC is a good program as well. I'm unfortunately on the other side of the city. I got to WCCC now for my sciences, but I really feel a diploma school is the best fit for me right now. I have a BS degree already and really want the additional clinical as compared to WCCC. I will eventually go for my BSN. Anyway, I like how close Citizens is, and I like it's not affiliated with UPMC....I just can never find anyone who went there!

If you know anyone who might be willing to tell me about their program you can PM me and I'll send you my email address so that I might be able to communicate with them.

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Specializes in Psych.

From what ive heard from them, its normal nursing school gripes :) It's a longer program then the BCCC one, because they go all year vs just 4 semesters. Some of them had midnight shift clinicals their last semester. They end up taking some classes at Penn State, New Ken.

And right now, UPMC seems to be one of the few hospital systems hiring in the area. With the west penn highmark thing no one I know even got interviewed for WPAHS.

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well that is good information to know. Although when I talked to them, they told me that they had July and August off just like Mercy. I am interested in Mercy because it is such a large hospital and because they are a level I trauma center. I've thought that it might be better to get "in" with UPMC since they own half of the city - but then the 'root for the little guy' in me hates that they own half the city so I want to go somewhere else! But, I don't want to shoot myself in the foot either...

I took the pre entrance exam at UPMC Mercy last week. I'll have to wait 3 weeks for my results, but if I did well enough I can apply there. I've already applied at Citizens. If I get into both, I will have to decide. Citizens does do clinicals at a smaller hospital (allegheny valley). Ugh..so confusing! I like WCCC's nursing program as well, but the diploma schools do have more clinicals which I like.

Hopefully I am lucky enough to have to make a decision!

Thanks so much for your input. It's hard finding info on Citizens because it's a small school fairly far outside of the city....

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Specializes in Psych.
well that is good information to know. Although when I talked to them, they told me that they had July and August off just like Mercy. I am interested in Mercy because it is such a large hospital and because they are a level I trauma center. I've thought that it might be better to get "in" with UPMC since they own half of the city - but then the 'root for the little guy' in me hates that they own half the city so I want to go somewhere else! But, I don't want to shoot myself in the foot either...

I took the pre entrance exam at UPMC Mercy last week. I'll have to wait 3 weeks for my results, but if I did well enough I can apply there. I've already applied at Citizens. If I get into both, I will have to decide. Citizens does do clinicals at a smaller hospital (allegheny valley). Ugh..so confusing! I like WCCC's nursing program as well, but the diploma schools do have more clinicals which I like.

Hopefully I am lucky enough to have to make a decision!

Thanks so much for your input. It's hard finding info on Citizens because it's a small school fairly far outside of the city....

You may want to look into when they graduate. My class graduated and were taking boards before CSON was even graduated. We got about a 2 month jump on applicaitons.

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In 19 years of working - and 26 total of being an RN (keep my license even though on disability- I worked hard for that sucker :D) I have never run into anyone from my school- and it passed 100% on boards of those who made it through the program academically. People fan out and move away. Look for hard info- not just people :)

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You may want to look into when they graduate. My class graduated and were taking boards before CSON was even graduated. We got about a 2 month jump on applicaitons.

That's a really good point and one I hadn't considered. All of the diploma schools seem to graduate at the end of June, with the CC's graduating at the beginning of May. I wonder how much of an impact that will have on job searches? One of the benefits of being in a hospital diploma program seems to be that you get a leg up on getting a job in their system, and certainly those hospitals know when their own nursing schools graduate. It's something I will have to think on for sure as I hadn't considered that aspect before. Thanks for pointing that out!

@xtxrn thanks again for always putting things into perspective :D

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can somebody tell me what the area is like in new kensington? I will possibly be moving here for school.

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Specializes in LTC, MH/MR, Home Health.
can somebody tell me what the area is like in new kensington? I will possibly be moving here for school.

would I move into New Ken? heck no! bad area. unless you can find somewhere on Mt. Vernon (which is still part of New Ken but away from the heart of New Ken). I'd look in Springdale/Cheswick/Harmar for a place. Lower Burrell is on the expensive side but nicer than NK (I live in LB).

no offense to anyone living in NK - that place just scares me LOL

Best thing to do is drive through and then make your decision if you would want to live there.

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can somebody tell me what the area is like in new kensington? I will possibly be moving here for school.

Like any area, there are good and bad places. NK is one of those places. Stay out of the flats. Stay out of Arnold. Areas up on the hill are good. One good thing is the city government knows there's crime, and they are trying the best they can to irradicate it. There are neighborhood watch programs and weed and seed programs as well. NK is close to Rt. 28 and its about a 30 minute drive to downtown, which is nice. It's also super close to the turnpike. Rents there are cheap as well. When you look at places like Lower Burrell, it's a ton more to live there, and there's still crime. :-)

Hope this helps.

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would I move into New Ken? heck no! bad area. unless you can find somewhere on Mt. Vernon (which is still part of New Ken but away from the heart of New Ken). I'd look in Springdale/Cheswick/Harmar for a place. Lower Burrell is on the expensive side but nicer than NK (I live in LB).

no offense to anyone living in NK - that place just scares me LOL

Best thing to do is drive through and then make your decision if you would want to live there.

What makes it so scary? Keep in mind I will be moving there from DC lol. I might just get a place in Pittsburgh and just commute.

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