Deaconess College of Nursing???

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2006

You might wish to check out this site's Distance Education thread. There you will find plenty of threads and posts about Deaconess if you search for them. I know this is coming late, but hopefully it will help.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f125/

dtermineddenise · May 26, 2006

I don't want to discourage anyone, but I will tell the truth. I know that this is a little late, but my online experience with Deaconess wasn't that great!! Just to shine a little light on my opinion, check out the pass rate for the online program. The staff didn't seem too concerned about my questions or concerns. They never had an answer for any of my questions. It was always, I don't know. It's okay to not know, but they didn't seem to thrilled to find out, either. They went through several academic counselors within the little time that I was there. The academic counselors never had an answer, either. At first, they were arranging our clinical sites and then they changed it to the students having to find their own clinical sites (without an instructor). For the high tuition that they charge, shouldn't they arrange the student's clinical sites? Shouldn't we have access to a clinical instructor on site? For my pediatric rotation, they sent me to a middle school for the entire rotation. I learned nothing more than I already knew. Even the school nurse couldn't understand why we weren't given a variety of rotations such as schools, children's hospitals, and pediatric clinics. They used to have a very good reputation. If any nurse mentioned that she graduated from Deaconess that was a great thing. I heard that the on-campus program is very good. But, they've changed the ADN online RN program to strictly online without an option for on-campus. I spoke with one nurse and she thought that Deaconess had discontinued the online program because of the low pass rate. The Saint Louis Community Colleges are great and offer several and excellent resources for their students. They even have free tutors. The only problem is that they have a waiting list. I hope you're having a better experience with Deaconess than I did. It seems to me that they are only out to make money...and I mean a lot of money.

rnrae · May 28, 2006

The NCLEX pass rate for my class, May '05, was 98% and for the Dec. '05 class it was 100%. I had an awesome experience at Deaconess!

over30nursestudent · May 28, 2006

You must not have really kept up to date about the college. Besides the pass rates averages between 98-100% you can attend adn on campus. There is a FREE TUTOR LAB FOR THEORY AND SKILLS! Online students who live local have group clinicals ARRANGED BY THE SCHOOL. Out of town students like myself only have to find a hospital that is interested in precepting and the clinical liason does the rest. Preceptors have constant support and have access to many resource manuals. As far as having a problem with getting questions answered or not doing well with exams. Only so much can be blamed on others. The student is responsible for learning the material. Hence, you will get out of the experience as much as you put into it.:wink2:

dtermineddenise · May 29, 2006

Not to debate with you. But, maybe you are correct. They may have changed within the last year that I've been there. I can only speak on my experience. I currently and always have been living in Saint Louis all of my life. At first, they arranged our clinicals and then we were told that we had to find our own clinical site. When I attended Deaconess, I specifically remember calling around to different hospitals to hopefully find a clinical site. I specifically remember getting told, "No." on each attempt. As far as a person getting out of it only as much as they put into it...I don't know how much more I can put into it, when I'm calling almost two or three times a week asking where our next clinical sites were going to be, up until 1 week before the clinicals were to begin and not getting an answer. I, specifically remember getting highly upset because I had a full-time job and I needed to inform my supervisor in advance when my schedule would be changing because I would be starting clinicals, soon. My supervisor kept asking me about the schedule change almost every week and I didn't have an answer for her. I was lucky that she was a good supervisor and let me change my schedule at the last minute. I actually drove up to the school, only to be told that they still didn't have an answer, yet. Then, when I did get an answer, my clinical assignment was at a middle school where I spent my entire rotation. The only really experience I had gotten from there was a young man who had to come in once a day to receive his asthma medication. I've always been the type of person that when I want something, I got for it. So, I've never been a lazy and laid back type of student. Maybe Deaconess has changed, but since I've been at Flo, my GPA went up to 3.0. I admit, I don't have the latest information on the online program. But, one thing that I do know, they were at risk of having to eliminate that program because of the low pass rate. (42%). I am still saying that with the expensive tution, you should be able to have a clinical instructor on site. To have instruction is one of the keys to success! I have a good idea why your experience was better than mine that I won't mention. But, I've heard lots of people saying good things about their on-campus program. I called Deaconess twice within the last week and they don't offer on-campus for the online ADN program. Unless, they've changed within the last few days, (and that is possible).

nadja9 · Jun 1, 2006

dtermineddenise-

I wonder if we were in the same classes. My experience with DCN online was pretty much what you listed. You could never get answers, or straight answers, and had the same experience with the clinical issue. NO ONE would take us (liability issues were always cited). I spent 2 semesters there and the 3rd was in the summer which was when we were to start clinicals. We had the same thing offered with the school nurse issue. Ask any nurse in any St. Louis Hospital - that's not a clinical, particularly for ADN level nursing. (school nurse = community health nursing = BSN level stuff) Not to mention some other stuff. I could go on and on. Anyway, I just wanted to put my 2 cents in and to back you up.

For anyone who feels compelled to say something about "getting out of it what you put into it" - my GPA was 3.95.

Denise, when were you there?

Nadja

dtermineddenise · Jun 2, 2006

Nadja,

It's been a while...(I was trying to find paperwork and I guess I was so disappointed that I got rid of it...laugh). But, I know it had to be about two or close to two years ago. Like I said, I can't debate with noone else about what their experience was, but I specifically remember how mine was and it was not the result of me not putting as much as I can into it. I don't waste my time and I definitely wouldn't get myself involved in owing back loans at $370 per credit hour (which is probably higher now)just to waste my time. My only complaint is with the online ADN. As I said before I've heard good thing about the on-campus program. I had A&P II with a young man who was on-campus. He was showing me some of his tests and I was really impressed with the knowledge he was getting from the on-campus program. He knew a lot of detailed information and always was answering a lot of difficult questions and I know that it was due to his education that he was getting from DCN on-campus. I just felt that being an online student, they don't know you or have a relationship with you, so you get pushed off to the side and they seem as if they want to answer any of your questions or concerns and is not willing to find the information that you need if they don't have an answer. We all can tell when a person really doesn't want to be bothered. THey would send out letters to say if you have any questions or concerns, to call your academic counselor, but when I called my academic counselor, she didn't have an answer, wasn't motivated to even try to get an answer, or I was transferred to someone else...that usually didn't have an answer. But, when it was time for tuition to be paid...I always got a response from them without me even calling. (if that says something). To take up for the Community Colleges, I have so far had an excellent experience with them. If you do happen to meet someone with an attitude as if they really don't care (and it doesn't happen often), there is always someone else who does. I could go on and on, but I have to go. Nice talking to ya and nice knowing that I'm not the only one who feels that way.

Kettasmom,RN · Jun 26, 2007

Nadja,
It's been a while...(I was trying to find paperwork and I guess I was so disappointed that I got rid of it...laugh). But, I know it had to be about two or close to two years ago. Like I said, I can't debate with noone else about what their experience was, but I specifically remember how mine was and it was not the result of me not putting as much as I can into it. I don't waste my time and I definitely wouldn't get myself involved in owing back loans at $370 per credit hour (which is probably higher now)just to waste my time. My only complaint is with the online ADN. As I said before I've heard good thing about the on-campus program. I had A&P II with a young man who was on-campus. He was showing me some of his tests and I was really impressed with the knowledge he was getting from the on-campus program. He knew a lot of detailed information and always was answering a lot of difficult questions and I know that it was due to his education that he was getting from DCN on-campus. I just felt that being an online student, they don't know you or have a relationship with you, so you get pushed off to the side and they seem as if they want to answer any of your questions or concerns and is not willing to find the information that you need if they don't have an answer. We all can tell when a person really doesn't want to be bothered. THey would send out letters to say if you have any questions or concerns, to call your academic counselor, but when I called my academic counselor, she didn't have an answer, wasn't motivated to even try to get an answer, or I was transferred to someone else...that usually didn't have an answer. But, when it was time for tuition to be paid...I always got a response from them without me even calling. (if that says something). To take up for the Community Colleges, I have so far had an excellent experience with them. If you do happen to meet someone with an attitude as if they really don't care (and it doesn't happen often), there is always someone else who does. I could go on and on, but I have to go. Nice talking to ya and nice knowing that I'm not the only one who feels that way.

I am going to have to agree with you the program is definitely unorganized and I can say that I was "stuck" because their creidts do not tranfer however I graduated and would not recommend the program to anyone... WHY.. because you get no help when you need and they want the money, all of it it or else. You get no direction from your instructors and do not try to leave a message or email them you are wasting your time. I suffered the whole time wnd the changes would come in the middle or the end of a trimester; the student would have no choice but to take the change or get out but leave your money. You do not have an mentor or an advocate for the student, we had to support each other, encourage each other as we were in the online program in different states but "WE" mentored each other, so if you do not have a tight bond with your online friends/ extended fmaily you are "screwed".... think about t. I am not angry with the program but very disappointed.

dtermineddenise · Jun 26, 2007

Hi, KettasMom. Hey, it's never too late. Well, I have another young lady in my nursing class who attended the DCN on-campus and she wasn't pleased and now she's at Flo Valley. She's a good student and the professors love her and even she didn't care for the program. I'm going to my 2nd semester of nursing with the STL Community College. Man, talking about a organized program. Before we even start the semester, we have a schedule of our exact class and practicum hours, the titles of the lectures, who will be lecturing, what books and reading assignments are assigned for the lectures. What group we're going to be in for clinicals, which days, hours, and hospital. (before we even start the semester). I just love organization. There is a crap load of instructors, counselors, or upperclassmen who are more than willing to help you. We couldn't get mad with them on anything that has to do with organization. If we got our schedule mixed up, it was because we didn't take the time to look at the fine print. It's a very tough curriculum, though. There are days when I literally wanted to cry. But, it was the sacrifice I was willing to take. At Deaconess, they never had an answer for anything. I remember that I kept calling them and even went up there to find out where our clinicals were going to be and what hours. I was then working full-time and my supervisor wanted to know if my schedule needed to be changed for school. She was a great supervisor that was willing to work around my schedule, but I wanted to be considerate, so she would have time to rearrange my schedule. Well, Deaconess took a very long time to give me an answer and when they finally did at the last minute, which really didn't give my boss much time to work things out. It was crazy. I did my whole Peds rotation at a middle school and I didn't learn a thing. Even the nurse who was following thought it would be best if they sent us to at least another location along with the middle school in order to really learn something. But, that was a while ago, hopefully, they have improved since then. It was nice hearing from you.

caliotter3 · Jun 27, 2007

What a shame that people are getting a poor experience at Chamberlain. This school used to have a very good reputation.