CSULA ELMN 2011

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Anyone else applied? I know they're supposed to notify us on April 1st but I'm curious if anyone who applied got any feedback yet. :)

Thanks for the info bababaowman! I did hear about that law and it sure is scaring me. Are you one of those going to CSULA this summer? I hope CSULA's MSN portion is manageable. I also heard that you're not guaranteed to get in the NP track. Boy oh boy I'm confused.

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Thank you Dewdrops! That is a big help. Would you mind telling me which school you picked? I didn't know CSULA's program is only 3 yrs! Are you an NP after those 3 yrs? Sorry but it is hard to get info on CSULA.

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Summerslippers, I am going to CSULA this summer :). I sent in my denial letter to Western this week. So far as I know, the FNP program if you go full time at CSULA is 3 years. However, from what I have heard, many people may have varying lengths due to finding RN employment and going part time, ect. I'm hoping to go full time in the FNP track, but of course that may change once I start clinicals! I really hope you make the best decision for you, they are both great programs!

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Hey guys!

It looks like CSULA is a no go for me. Interviews have been well under way for a few weeks now and she still hasn't given me a call for an interview. It's all good. I got accepted to UCLA. I'm really excited about that! I just hope financial costs don't jeopardize that. :)

I went to a CSUDH info session last fall and the director mentioned that all APRN education will be transitioned into a doctoral level education by 2015. Here's actually a good fact sheet that might be good to know for you future NPs:

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/DNP/dnpfaq.htm

One information that may be of importance to you:

Will master's level nursing still exist? Should these programs be phased out?

Yes, master's nursing education will continue. The position statement on the DNP is a vision for the future of specialty nursing education. As specialty nursing education transitions to the doctoral level, the DNP Roadmap Task Force recommended that institutions consider reconceptualizing their master's degree programs to prepare generalists. The Clinical Nurse Leader, a national demonstration project launched to introduce a new master's level role into the health care system, is one model for master's education. This change in master's programs is consistent with the position statement endorsed by AACN members which states: "As the education of the generalist nurse is elevated to the master's degree level, it is reasonable to assume that specialty education and the education of those individuals prepared for the highest level of nursing practice would occur at the practice doctoral level." The transition date of 2015 for the DNP was set far enough in the future to give programs enough time to make a smooth transition and address the role of master's education.

Good luck in your future endevours!

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summerslippers, I faced the same choice as you did, and chose to look at the curriculum more carefully. I think the two are structured very differently. I know that CSULA emphasizes TONS of clinicals and really gets you in there to get your feet wet. Western emphasized nursing theory a little more and tended to load the clinicals more into the FNP portion of the program. They both allow you to work as a student RN which is great, but I know that western is distance based for the 2nd part of the program. Western's faculty really emphasized this, and even has students in Guam! You only need to come to school a few weekends a semester. In contrast, I think CSULA's second portion of the program is not as intense as the prelicensure, but you are certainly still in school every week.

I would evaluate your choice off of a few things, 1) cost 2) length of the program (western is four years, CSULA is 3) 3) distance based vs. classroom based, and 4) location. I hope this helps, as you can see, I have certainly thought about the same choice!

dewdrops,

thanks for your feedback about this! i have been accepted to Western as well and am still on the fence about them. i recently interviewed for CSULA on Monday so i'm hoping for good news so i have more options! if you don't mind me asking, which other schools did you apply to? and how did you decide that CSULA was the best fit for you out of all of them?

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Good luck, I hope you hear back soon from CSULA :). I applied to Western, CSULA, Azusa pacific, and UCLA mecn. I really liked the feel of western and my interviewers, but what got me down was mainly cost and having to move. CSULA's program fit perfectly because I also got along well with my interviewer, but I had a general " I belong here" sense. I can tell the cohort is really close and the director is looking for the best fit into the certain cohort. Also, CSULA is sooo much cheaper, and they are very well known and funded by many donations. Plus, CSULA is so clinical heavy. I'm really excited to start working with patients, I have been waiting for years and years to do that.

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Thanks for the info bababaowman! I did hear about that law and it sure is scaring me. Are you one of those going to CSULA this summer? I hope CSULA's MSN portion is manageable. I also heard that you're not guaranteed to get in the NP track. Boy oh boy I'm confused.

I will be on campus this summer, my cohort will have our classes on Mondays I believe. It will be my last quarter of ELMN so I will be spending most of my time in a hospital doing a preceptorship and getting ready for the NCLEX.

You are not guaranteed to get the NP track you pick on your application if you are accepted. You actually apply to the MSN program during winter quarter of your first year. That is when you pick your track and there is no guarantee you will get it. My cohort, which is cohort 7, had I think 14 people apply for 8-12 FNP spots so a few of them will not get it. I personally picked a different track that is less popular so I am hoping that I get in. I'll know in about a month.

the ELMN is 3 years total if you pick any track other than FNP. FNP is 4 years, in the first year you do the RN portion then 3 more to get the MSN.

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Thank you Dewdrops! That is a big help. Would you mind telling me which school you picked? I didn't know CSULA's program is only 3 yrs! Are you an NP after those 3 yrs? Sorry but it is hard to get info on CSULA.

I am part of the current ELMN cohort at CSULA. Feel free to ask me whatever you want, I am happy to give you info.

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Thanks so much bababaowman for the info! If you don't mind me asking, what schedule did you have during the first year? How often were you in school versus clinicals? If you could give me a Mon-Sun idea that would be amazing!

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Hey dewdrops,

I can answer that question (bababaowman is off studying for our MedSurg final tomorrow, aren't you bababaowman??). Here's an idea of our schedule from Summer 2010 - Spring 2011 (which we'll start in a few weeks).

Summer 2010

Monday, Tuesday - lecture

Wednesday, Thursday - off

Friday, Saturday - Fundamnetals clinical and/or lab (some of us had 2 - 6h shifts with a lab on Saturday after clinical, others had one 12h shift on Friday with lab Saturday morning).

Sunday - off

Fall 2010

Tuesday, Wednesday - lecture

Thursday - OBGYN clinical (7am-4pm), then lecture (6pm-7:30pm)

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday - off!

Winter 2011

Monday OR Tuesday - Psych clinical (class was cut in half, either Monday 1-10pm or Tuesday 7am-4pm)

Wednesday - off

Thursday - lecture ALL day (8am-6pm)

Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday - MedSurg clinical (2 9h days)

Spring 2011

Monday or Saturday - ICU clinical (12h shift)

Thursday or Friday - Pediatrics clinical

Wednesday - lecture all day

Tuesday, Sunday - off!

Choosing clinicals will involve voting and picking numbers - that's why the director asks those hypothetical questions about how we will fairly choose who goes where. We didn't have too much of a struggle during the first two quarters but things get more complicated as you add long clinical days and full weekends.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

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The short answer is plan on 2 days a week in class and probably 1-2 days a week in clinical.

The long answer is the schedule changes every quarter so it is impossible to say what yours will be. The schedule is also different for each cohort. It is based on what clinical sites they can secure and what professors are available to teach. All of the lectures meet one day a week and Kathy is good about getting them all clustered together on one or two days. As for clinicals, they are generally two sections that meet at different hospitals on different days usually. It is up to the cohort to divide themselves evenly among the two sections. That is why Kathy asks in the interview how you would handle dividing the class if you have one weekend clinical and one weekday clinical. That has happened to us almost every quarter. Have fun with that!!!

This quarter we had class one day a week and clinicals three days a week, two of which where weekend days. Next quarter we have class one day a week and clinicals two days a week, one of which is a weekend day. Summer quarter is class Mondays, one clinical day TBD and our preceptorship which will be two 12 hour days a week. I honestly can't remember my schedule for last summer and fall off the top of my head.

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Hey dewdrops,

I can answer that question (bababaowman is off studying for our MedSurg final tomorrow, aren't you bababaowman??).

What is this "studying" you speak of?

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