CSU Pueblo - Accelerated BSN Summer 2014

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Hello everyone! I'm wondering if anyone else out there is planning to apply/has submitted their application for CSU Pueblo's accelerated BSN program starting in summer 2014. The deadline is October 1st, so I have to get my final nursing portion of the application together. I look forward to hearing from everyone! If you are applying, what has your nursing school journey been like so far?

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i am a current accelerated student graduating in august 2014. So if you have any questions please let me know! ALSO: if you haven't done so already, go and get your flu shot ASAP. When they accept students (we all heard first/second week in December) they make you do an online background check where you have to input lots of information to include immunizations. But the flu shot deadlines on the website are in November (which is weird considering we found out we got in a month later). So to save you the hassle, get a flu shot now and save the documentation :) That is the only thing I can think of to tell you as you await acceptance. Good luck!

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Hello! I just found out that I got accepted for the Summer 2014 program at CSU-P. I am not sure if I will go there or not...I would be from out of state so I'm trying to find out as much as possible before deciding. smsoftballgirl - I'd love to hear about your experience with the program. How are the instructors? Does the program seem well-organized? Are the clinical opportunities good? Also, I think you're still in school, but I'd like to know more about career prospects. How is CSU-P regarded in Colorado? Is it easy for grads to get jobs? Thanks for sharing!

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I was in the accelerated program a couple of years ago. The pros, in my opinion, are the clinical locations (I spent time at four hospitals and had great experiences at all of them), the length of the program (you can't beat 15 months!), and two outstanding instructors (one of whom has since left). The cons are the high turnover rate of instructors (this may have changed since then, but I would certainly ask how many clinical and classroom instructors have been around longer than a year - it makes it very tough to find references when you need them, and it says something about the program when so many people come and go so often), the crazy disorganization regarding schedules (which gets even crazier when you have clinicals in three different towns all about an hour's drive from each other), and the general feeling of being a seat-filler (not a lot of respect or consideration coming from those in charge). There are a lot of nursing schools in Colorado, and I don't know that CSU-P offers anything outstanding that other programs don't. If you read through the posts on here, you'll find that it is very tough to find work as a new grad in Colorado. Good luck with your decision!

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I've been accepted and am planning on attending this program this summer. I work in a hospital so the immunization records and requirements were fortunately already a done deal for me. I would love to know any other tips any experienced students/graduates have as well as meet my future classmates!

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Hi Jessie, I am in the current Accelerated class. We are now officially halfway done! Its a great feeling. My only recommendations prior to starting the program is to make sure all of the certified background info is completed prior to orientation in may....otherwise they will put you on probation (which is stupid but it happened to a lot of people). Get a care plan book also...ill ask around from my classmates and see which ones they recommend because if you dont know how to do a careplan life will suck. Find a good pair of white shoes (they dont necessarily need to be Danskas, which seem to be popular but seem to be hit or miss) and start breaking them in. I'll start conversing with my classmates and see if they have other recommendations prior to starting the program...I'll be in touch. -Katie

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Congrats to all of you that got accepted to the 2014 cohort and those that are already in the program, keep it up! On the other hand, I've been set on the stand-by list (alternative). I was wondering if anyone knew what are the odds of me getting accepted to the program? Should I call back every now and then to see if there's a open spot?

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Hi Katie,

Thank you so much for your suggestions! I will certainly be purchasing a care plan book as well as getting my shoes early now that you mention it (great idea--I can break them in at work). I'm glad to hear you are doing well with the program.

I have been asked (and am curious myself) when/if we will know our schedules for both classes and clinicals before the semester begins?

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Deekayy: several of our classmates got accepted off of the waitlist...some found out only a week in advance that they would attend. So in the meantime, get all of the certified background info DONE. A few of the waitlisted classmates of mine got put on probation because they didn't have the certified background stuff completed. Just assume you will be going...thats the best advice I can offer. Best of luck to you!Jessie,During summer semester, you will have lecture classes monday and wednesday from 730am to about 3 or 4ish. The schedule changes slightly throughout the summer as certain classes are only 6 weeks long. You will have fundamentals of nursing clinical on tuesdays from about 6am-Noon. Thursdays you have health assessment from 8am-noon and then health assessment lab time from 1230-3pm. That was basically our semester...I'm not sure if they have made any changes to that but assume you will be pretty busy monday through thursday. You should have friday and weekends off in the summer and enjoy it while you can, fall semester has some weekend clinicals :/. I can check the course schedule for Fall 2014 when they post it, should be around March. I'll let you know if I find any changes to what I listed above from personal experience. Let me know if you have any other questions!

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@smsoftballgirl

Thanks for the info! I will get those done asap.

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Hi all, I am also planning on starting this program in May. I'm not gonna lie, the list of things I need to get done or buy before orientation is looking pretty long. Should we start a Facebook group for our cohort? Or maybe there is one already?

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Make sure to do all of the Certified Background stuff done ASAP. If thats not done, they'll put you on probation (which means nothing) on the first day, but you still dont want that stress. Things from that list that I actually purchased: Stethescope, Pen light, a digital watch (they say one with a second hand, but dont worry about it, a digital watch is just fine), hemostat... Cant remember what else was on that list. Something that I've found helpful is this: ( Amazon.com: Lab Values Horizontal Badge ID Card Pocket Reference Guide: Health & Personal Care ) its a lab values reference card which you can stick behind your student ID when you go to clinical. It makes referencing the lab values easy and quick. They sell other cards too, but the lab values one is the one I use the most. At least half of our class uses them...very handy.

Something that you do in Health assessment during the first semester is learning to take blood pressures. If you have a blood pressure cuff, start practicing on people. Its always good to be a bit prepared. The nursing department wont tell you, but you do take a few tests during the second day of orientation...theres one on Patho and one on math i think. It doesn't matter what you get on it, they're not going to kick you out or anything, but go over some patho and math before you come.

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