Denver School of Nursing--BSN experience

mbw5680 · Dec 15, 2006

Book lists are out!

For Health Assessment + Lab, the books are:

Bates' Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking (9th edition.) 2005

Case Studies to accompany Bates...

Med-Surg:

Medical Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems; 6th edition

Study guide that matches that

Principles of IV therapy

Required--Plumer's Principles and Practice of Intravenous Therapy, 8th ed

Required (unless you have PEPID for your palm pilot) Nursing I.V. Drug handbook

Optional--I.V. Therapy--An incredibly easy! pocket guide

Feel free to PM me if you want more details about these books--I'm only mentioning them so people can plan accordingly.

Also, if I didn't mention it before, clinicals are six people per one instructor.

cyn2224 · Dec 19, 2006

Mary,

Thank you for explaining so much about DSON. I just wanted to clarify the schedule with you, if you don't mind.

Regarding the first semester; can I assume I will be attending classes 4 days a week, pretty much all day?

For the second semester; will it be 3 days, all day, plus 2 days full days for clinicals?

Thank you for your help.

Cynthia

mbw5680 · Dec 19, 2006

First quarter is 4 days a week, essentially day.

Second quarter clinicals are 2 days (12hr shifts) for 5 weeks. The other six weeks you won't have clinicals.

Second quarter classes are two full days and one-half day (total 2 1/2 days of class per week.)

Of course, this could all change by the time you get there.

If that doesn't help, PM me and we'll figure it out.

cyn2224 · Dec 19, 2006

Thank you, Mary. It is helpful to have that information since I have small children to consider.

Now that you have completed one quarter, did the school meet your expectations? Did you find your instructors to be supportive and knowledgeable? Do you feel it has been a positive learning experience for you?

Best wishes regarding your upcoming move and change of schools.

Cynthia

mbw5680 · Dec 19, 2006

Hi Cythnia (and everyone else),

Thanks for asking these questions--it helps me post more without babbling on.

So, the school did meet my expectations. The instructors were very good, and they definitely knew their stuff. Overall, I was pleased with my experience (and am totally bummed that my classmates are going on to clinicals while I'm stuck packing up my house!)

I will say that I struggled a lot with the classes, especially Pathophysiology. The tests are unlike anything you've seen before, because they're written to mimic the NCLEX. Therefore, instead of a question like, "High blood pressure are signs of...?", you'll get a question saying, "the RN gets a patient that presents with blood pressure of 200/114 and respirations of 24." (I just made all that up, so don't take any of the information seriously.)

The point--flip through some practice NCLEX questions so that you're not totally floored when you get your first test. Also, know that you're probably going to have to study a lot more than when doing your pre-reqs. I also have a little guy (16months now), and I really had to budget time for him, my husband, and nothing else but school.

I'm not trying to scare you off with all this, but I found school to be incredbily overwhelming at first, and I don't think I adequately prepared myself.

But other than my complaint that Pharmacology/Pathophysiology are in the same quarter, I think the school is good. The lab portions are very comprehensive, and the diadetic (while OVERWHELMING) does prevent good information.

cyn2224 · Dec 20, 2006

Mary,

Sounds like a tough 1st quarter. I was planning on reviewing my A&P book, but now it sounds like that won't quite do it.

If you don't mind me asking, how long did you have to wait to get into DSON? How many students do they accept per session? I am applying for the Oct/07 program date.

When do you move? We are moving back to CO after being in AZ for 3yrs. We will be in Windsor, CO, so we will be pretty far from DSON. I have already been warned that I will have to leave around 6AM to avoid most of the traffic.

I really appreciate all of your input. You have been so helpful in answering questions that otherwise would have remained unanswered.

Cynthia

mbw5680 · Dec 20, 2006

The first semester was very tough. Again, I would encourage my classmates to post and discuss later quarters and their experiences.

The waitlist is very short--DSN now is enrolled BSN students four times a year, so if you don't get in the quarter you want, you'll get in the next quarter.

I would highly recommend e-mailing the school and asking them if they think that's going to change. (And mention my name--Mary West--'cause if you enroll I get a referral bonus. ) Jeff(head of admissions) said when the school becomes eligible for financial aid, the waitling list will get much longer. I'd see how early you can get on the list.

Are you sure you want to move back here? There is at least a foot of snow outside my house right now!!

hope3456, ASN, RN · Dec 20, 2006

What is the status on accredidation for DSON? And the NCLEX pass rate of only 69% (according to the BON)??

mbw5680 · Dec 21, 2006

When a school is in the process of accreditation, they are not allowed to publish the status (it's dumb, but those are the rules. They're REALLY not allowed to talk about it.) The school is only two years old (their first graduating BSN class was June 2006), so it's probably not going to be until 2007 or 2008.

As for the 69% pass rate--that is only the first time they take it. I'm sure lots of people retook the NCLEX and have passed the second time. Also, the school is revamped a lot of classes (added an IV class, etc.) They have another graduating class Oct 2006, so hopefully those numbers will go up next time.

Finally, remember that accreditation is not the be-all-end-all of class transferring. I spoke with Belmont University (in Nashville, where I'll be moving to), and they told me that they'd evaluate credits from DSN the way they would from any other nursing school.

If you have student loans you want to defer, Nelnet won't let you and Direct Loans will (I just found this out. )

beckinben, CNM · Dec 21, 2006

We are moving back to CO after being in AZ for 3yrs. We will be in Windsor, CO, so we will be pretty far from DSON. I have already been warned that I will have to leave around 6AM to avoid most of the traffic.
Cynthia

You will probably need to leave before that if you want to avoid the traffic. In my experience (commuting from north of Denver), I-25 southbound through Northglenn/Thornton towards downtown starts getting heavy right around 6-6:15. I will not drive that stretch if I get there any later than that, because it's horribly congested.

You could consider using RTD - you could get off at one of the north park-and-rides and ride the bus to downtown. You could also pay to use the carpool lanes, which will avoid some (not all) of the jams on that stretch of I-25. Or, better yet, find someone to carpool with.

Becki

cyn2224 · Dec 23, 2006

Mary and Becki,

Thanks for the advice. Leave before 6AM? That's a scary thought! :uhoh21:

I guess I can endure it for 2 years. I would consider the bus, if I knew it would drop me off near the school. Guess I had better look into that.

I think it is great that you have snow, Mary. It has been quite some time since we experienced a white Christmas. So even though it is inconvenient, try to appreciate how pretty and festive it is.

I went to the library to get books on Pathophysiology and Pharmacology to see what I was getting myself into. Light reading during the holidays!!

Ladies, have a wonderful and safe holiday.

Cynthia

sunaly · Jan 18, 2007

I'm glad you started this post too. I'm very interested in this program as well. When did you apply for the October 2007 start? Has the deadline to apply already passed? The next start is in January 2008 right?