College of New Rochelle Second Degree Spring 2015

MurseJJ · Jan 4, 2015

Welcome to CNR! I'm a current student, just finished my first semester in the BSN program (I'm a transfer, though transfer and second degree students (non-accelerated) complete the same courses together), going into my second. Feel free to ask me any questions.

Richkid · Jan 14, 2015

Goodluck in attending Cnr nursing program. Am in my third semester this spring and all I can say it's the worst program in NYC. The professors can't teach all they do is read power points by running through them give you page number to go read the text book. So you are on your own for learning the material. All they care about is getting your money. The school is on probation and about to loose their accreditation if they don't raise that nclex pass rate from 66%. So goodluck. They will fail you for a class less than a point if you don't make that 76.5%. Goodluck.

MurseJJ · Jan 14, 2015

Goodluck in attending Cnr nursing program. Am in my third semester this spring and all I can say it's the worst program in NYC. The professors can't teach all they do is read power points by running through them give you page number to go read the text book. So you are on your own for learning the material. All they care about is getting your money. The school is on probation and about to loose their accreditation if they don't raise that nclex pass rate from 66%. So goodluck. They will fail you for a class less than a point if you don't make that 76.5%. Goodluck.

I'm going into my second semester and I have had a good experience so far. All the professors I have had so far actually teach material, and for at least two (pharmacology and health assessment), exam questions had material specific to the lectures. The one professor I did have that gave page numbers for the textbooks only gave page numbers of charts that we should know, and that was after she went over them in class anyway. She was also my only professor that used powerpoint.

Is the school really on probation? Where can I find that information? Yes, the NCLEX pass rate did go down (though apparently many schools had similar decreases in pass rate due to the change in NCLEX passing standards). As you know, there is a new dean for the School of Nursing, who came from Drexel University (where he was associate director of the BSN program, director of the MSN program, and founder of the DNP program), where he led the undergraduate program to 97-99% NCLEX-RN pass rates. A number of professors have already been let go, and at least one retired. He has also implemented the use of HESI materials and standardized testing (which he claims to have had great success with at Drexel, perhaps evidenced by their pass rates) to help prepare students for the NCLEX from the very beginning of the curriculum.

You do realize that in essentially all nursing programs in the country, if you do not meet the passing standard, you fail the course and have to repeat it, even if it is by less than a point, correct?

Anyway, maybe my perspective will change once I'm finished with the second semester, but I doubt it. The majority of professors I have interacted with seem very nice, approachable, and love to help the students. The office staff are also great. They go out of their way to help students, even when they seem exhausted. Yes, you will have to do a lot of outside reading/study, but that is how all nursing programs work. A friend/former coworker of mine is an RN that recently graduated from CNR, and he had nothing but good things to say about the program (and obviously he passed the NCLEX). I just started a new job at NYP-Columbia for nursing students, and there were a good number of CNR students there, and the leadership that we spoke with at the orientation seemed familiar with the school. I have no regrets (yet) attending CNR, and it most certainly is not the worst program in NYC (I assume you mean the NYC metro area).

Richkid · Jan 15, 2015

Like I said before am going into my third semester you are going into your second semester I know more than you do so do your research as to why so many of those professors are been let go and why they have a new dean, the school was without one for a while just to let you know. All I can say I can't wait to finish and graduate and I would never recommend that program to anyone else. With the kind of teaching you get for paying some much money it's better I went to another school.

MurseJJ · Jan 15, 2015

Like I said before am going into my third semester you are going into your second semester I know more than you do so do your research as to why so many of those professors are been let go and why they have a new dean, the school was without one for a while just to let you know. All I can say I can't wait to finish and graduate and I would never recommend that program to anyone else. With the kind of teaching you get for paying some much money it's better I went to another school.

Again, I readily acknowledged that my perspective may change when I finish my second semester, though, in interacting with students at other stages in the curriculum, I doubt it.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion on their nursing programs. I also had applied (and was accepted) to LIU-Brooklyn's nursing program, and when I was researching it on here, there are a lot of dissatisfied students commenting on how it is a horrible program, and to avoid it. Meanwhile, I worked with two RNs that recently graduated from the program, and they said that while it was very rigorous, they felt well prepared for RN practice. I view this similarly.

As I mentioned, a former coworker of mine actually graduated from CNR's nursing program (and would therefore "know more than you do", to use your words :) ), and is now a practicing RN. He enjoyed the program, felt well prepared, and even liked the infamous professor of foundations (who retired this semester), while others would go on and on about how she was horrible and difficult. He was one of the people that encouraged me to attend (in addition to another coworker that just finished the NP program there and had a few classmates that also did the BSN at CNR, said great things about it, and decided to stay for the MSN).

The school was without a dean while they were conducting the search for a dean. During that time there was an interim dean (who I met with). This is standard practice at colleges and universities. My pharmacology professor was one of the professors let go. The way it has been described in that case (including by one of my professors that is now teaching it this coming semester) is that they were looking for more of a nursing perspective on pharmacology (relating the pharm more to the physiology), and less of a pharmacist's perspective. Not sure about that, since the other pharmacist professor is still there, but perhaps he gave more of that "nursing perspective" on pharmacology.

Anyway, I think I've made my point. Thank you for sharing your perspective on CNR's nursing program. I understand that you are dissatisfied with the program, and I also understand that in any nursing program (or any academic program for that matter), there will be people that are unhappy with it at the same time that there are people happy with it. Those considering a program should consider all perspectives on the quality of the program. My perspective on CNR's BSN program, not only from direct personal experience but from interacting with those that have actually completed the program and are now practicing RNs, students ahead of me in the program (in real life), etc., is that it is a good program with very interested faculty who are all practicing RNs, NPs, CNMs, CNSs, and/or nurse researchers, good lab facilities, great clinical affiliations, and that yes, the program did need some work, which is why there is a new dean from Drexel University (who as associate director of the BSN program led it to a 97-99% NCLEX-RN pass rate) who has already implemented a number of changes to better the program and raise the NCLEX-RN pass rate. None of the professors I have had so far read from the powerpoint.

Also, could you please point to where we can see that the program is on probation? Thanks.

I'll update after spring semester.

NurseAlly817 · Apr 9, 2015

Hi @Richkid, are you still having a hard time with the program? I am getting ready to start on June 29th your post made me so nervous!

MurseJJ · Apr 10, 2015

Hi @Richkid, are you still having a hard time with the program? I am getting ready to start on June 29th your post made me so nervous!

I don't think you should be nervous at all. See my responses to Richkid. CNR has a great program, and I've enjoyed the two semesters I've been here. As mentioned, many schools had drops in their NCLEX pass rate in 2013 due to different passing standards. The school has implemented a number of measures to help students pass the NCLEX, including HESI. With HESI, you have resources available for each nursing clinical class online (i.e. you go to the HESI/Evolve website, find the textbook being used for your class, and there are a ton of resources, practice questions, etc), as well as a HESI exam at the end of each nursing clinical course. HESI exams are NCLEX-style exams, and they can help predict your passing the NCLEX (or at least those types of questions pertaining to the course you're taking). At the end of the program, there is a comprehensive HESI exam that you must pass to graduate. The new dean used HESI when he was at Drexel and had great success (they have a very high pass rate). They also got rid of a few professors, and hired a few new ones. I have one of the new ones, and she's fantastic, everyone loves her.

But either way, I have enjoyed the program so far. You will be studying a lot, but when you're in clinical, you'll see the benefits of such a rigorous program. I also work at NewYork-Presbyterian as a nursing attendant, and CNR is known there. There are other NAs from CNR working there (one of them I know recently passed the NCLEX and had a job interview at NYP), and many RNs that went to CNR. I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about.

Richkid · Apr 15, 2015

All I can say that is if you are accepted in another program apart from Cnr choose that one. Remember you were warned. They just raised their tuition fee but still yet you have students doing so poorly on the nclex. 2014 it's was 53% way below standard. Glad I be out soon.

furturern15 · Aug 26, 2015

i just finished my first semester in the accelerated program i have to agree that they need better teachers. my nus 209 professor read from powerpoint pretty much teaching yourself the information. the professor makes you look stupid when you ask questions. that was nurs 209 all my other classes went well. the school is very unorganized for the tuition they charge they should have things running more smoothly. with that being said good luck. i'm starting my second semester in a few days hopefully i have better teachers and better experience.

BSN2ndDegree · Jun 1, 2016

I didn't mean to like this post.

BSN2ndDegree · Jun 1, 2016

Very accurate. I'm a student there going into my 4th semester and everything this person wrote is on point.