Did any of you go to these schools??

DermNP2Be · May 30, 2007

I don't start until August, but I will be attending University of Illinois Chicago.

Jolie, BSN · May 30, 2007

I am not familiar with Dominican University, but know friends who have attended the other programs, and all seem to have had good experiences with those schools.

My personal opinion is that UIC is one of the very best values in nursing education in the country.

Maxs · Jun 4, 2007

I just graduated from UIC CON and it's in the top 3 nursing schools in the nation. They're very intense, however, they provide you with ample of resources e.g. instructor's, tutors, computers, softwares, clear-concise instruction, student-feedback integration, constant improvement and evaluations. Also, if professor's are transferred to different departments/research if to many students complain, number one on nursing research, will provide you with hospital experience from all the hospitals that are magnet status and more. If you have any questions about UIC, feel free to ask me.

maxs

crazylilkelly · Jun 6, 2007

i go to UIC but in champaign-urbana (they have a few regional sites throughout the state). I LOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEEE it!!!!!!! I honestly feel that i am going to the best CON ever! the staff is amazing & the cirriculum is great! we learn exactly the same stuff & take the same classes that they do at the chicago site. i tell everyone to go to uic b/c they won't regret it. but of course, i can only speak of down here in CU. good luck!

DermNP2Be · Jun 7, 2007

I just graduated from UIC CON and it's in the top 3 nursing schools in the nation. They're very intense, however, they provide you with ample of resources e.g. instructor's, tutors, computers, softwares, clear-concise instruction, student-feedback integration, constant improvement and evaluations. Also, if professor's are transferred to different departments/research if to many students complain, number one on nursing research, will provide you with hospital experience from all the hospitals that are magnet status and more. If you have any questions about UIC, feel free to ask me.
maxs

I have many questions maxs! I am due to start there this Fall, but I asked earlier for opinions and info from anyone who went there, but I got no responses. Please tell me everything that you can! During your 1st year, how many days do you attend classes? Are they all day? How many days per week do you go to clinicals? What is this thing with the "clinical lottery"? How many students are actually in your classes (I know that lots apply, but I couldn't find any info on how many seats there actually are)? What items do you need to start (I know a stethoscope, penlight, bandage scissors- but do you need a pda or laptop)? What is the uniform? What exactly do you mean by intense?? LOL, sorry for all the questions, but I would like to know so much more than I already know!

Maxs · Jun 7, 2007

I have many questions maxs! I am due to start there this Fall, but I asked earlier for opinions and info from anyone who went there, but I got no responses. Please tell me everything that you can! During your 1st year, how many days do you attend classes? Are they all day? How many days per week do you go to clinicals? What is this thing with the "clinical lottery"? How many students are actually in your classes (I know that lots apply, but I couldn't find any info on how many seats there actually are)? What items do you need to start (I know a stethoscope, penlight, bandage scissors- but do you need a pda or laptop)? What is the uniform? What exactly do you mean by intense?? LOL, sorry for all the questions, but I would like to know so much more than I already know!

During your first semester you will be taking the following classes: Nurs 215 (fundamentals of nursing-6 CH), Health Assessment Class 3 CH, and a 3 CH and Nursing 202- 3CH (History of nursing and etc). Patho/Pharm 4 CH. The Fundamentals of nursing course requires clinicals as it's like Med-surg P.1 I'd say. The lectures for this class are long, so on mondays you will be in school from 9-5 I think to go to all your classes. Patho/Pharm Part I. is very difficult, so you have to study a lot for that class since all the materials seem new. You will have two clinical days every other week for the med-surg. I think you go to school about three days out of the week, but the week you have clinicals kind of sucks because you are caught up with a bunch of paperwork and all that. The week you don't have clinicals for fundamentals you have to go to lab to brush up on your skills (two scheduled lab days). The lottery is used for the clinical assignments. For example, UIC is affilliated with many hospitals and everybody cannot just go and pick what hospital they want to go to. So, they're is software in the school that you use to select your top hospitals that you would like to attend from most desired to least desired hospitals. Your first semester you will have about 100 students in all your classes, then the next semester that changes as some of you will be in Med-Surg, other's Peds. So, they divide the classes up pretty much. You don't need to buy your own stethescope, pen light, uniform, jacket and etc. You don't a need a PDA, I think it takes more time to look up and they expect you to be prepared then looking up your drugs at the site or whatever you will use it for. When you go for your first orientation day, they will have a company over there that will sell stethescopes, pen light, uniform-with logo, lab coat with a logo on site at discounted prices, so take a check book with you. I would recommend a laptop (a good laptop is always a good thing to have), remember UIC uses state of the art technology, all the classrooms have wifi, and all your lectures are posted on powerpoint on blackboard. So, if you get a laptop and are a good typist, I would suggest that you type all your lecture notes on your pp notes page or figure it out, you can save yourself a hassle because the paper work builds up and next thing you know have a room full of papers. Also, get one of those memory sticks and use it only for your school work. So, first thing you do with the disk is create a Folder: Name is Semester 1 UIC-CON, then sub-folders within this folder like Fundamentals of nursing, Assessment, and etc. for all your classes, within the folders create sub-folders and name them test 1 test 2 and etc. This way when you download the lecture materials from blackboard you download on the exact folder you want. And it's a lot easier when you are studying for the tests, because it's very neat. And for Patho/Pharm, I would also suggest that you take a blank papers with you in case there are diagrams to draw because you can't do that on the computer. Remember for your clinicals, your instructors will ask you what drugs your patients on because you come to the hospital a day before you start the clinical to gather your patient data. Once you gather the patient data you go home and fill out a care plan, patho physio, and pharm of all medications, you look at the patients support systems and many things. They like you do be detailing, so always be on the good side of your clinical instructor. Note cards can be good, for your health assessment class, the tests are tricky and easy, but tricky in other words it's hard, but it just doesn't fit the definition of such because of the way she makes it sound. You will also have a lab for this class as you will be practicing there for every system that is covered in class. Remember there will be a quiz lecture material at the beginning of every 210 class (assessment), don't be late cause if you are late she wont let you take the quiz. In clinicals you can practice up to all the systems that you have covered in class for assessments. Ask around for good clinical instructors to the seniors because it makes a difference in your learning experience, I can't give you names, but you should ask the seniors for that. Remember to form group studies and split up the sg for the exams, sometimes they give a written sg and sometimes they do it on the last lecture before the exam. The school is very intense, look at everything I told, and I haven't even scratched the surface yet. So, these are just tips, so don't abuse them, make sure you do all the things you are required to granted it's very time consuming. It's still possible because I think only 2 people dropped out of our class, and for those that can't do the two year, they have a part time program called the 3 years. Just get in there, drench your self with nursing, and form a new family because you will be seeing those faces for the next two years. Remember UIC is a very good school, they have many wonderful resources, so take advantage of them. Another tip, if you don't like to work from home, or if there's no piece and quite there, you can go to the computer lab called Goldberg, it's right on Damen and taylor, go downstairs and ask them to magnetize your ID card so you can access the the computer lab at anytime 24 hrs a day/ seven days wk. Those computer are awesome because they never slow down and the ones in the college of nursing basement close at 5pm and are open 5 days a wk only. My fingers hurt...I hope this helps

prinsessa · Jun 7, 2007

Thank you Maxs. I am also starting school at UIC in the fall. Your tips will really help!

DermNP2Be · Jun 7, 2007

Maxs- sorry your fingers hurt, but thanks sooooo much for all the info!! You are a saint! Before your post I kind of felt like I was going into this rather blindly as I just couldn't seem to get any info. All your tips were great and to the point and I really, really appreciate it :)

OnaTrek · Jun 8, 2007

Maxs, I just wanted to officially congratulate you on your graduation from UIC! :mortarboard: I wish you knew how proud I am of you. I am sorry I haven't been there for you every step on the way, but maybe for the better... I would have loved nothing more then to give you a huge hug and a kiss on your graduation day. And look at you now, you are nothing less then a honest inspiration to me and dozens of other people here. Thank you for being you Maxs, please never change and always stay the simple Maxs that I always knew. You will do great at your new job, they are lucky to have you join them. Never give up on your future dreams, follow your gut instincts like you have and you will live the happiest life you ever dream of. :yelclap: (proud Silika) & :paw:(proud Kylee)

Your best friend forever,

Silika

Maxs · Jun 8, 2007

Maxs, I just wanted to officially congratulate you on your graduation from UIC! :mortarboard: I wish you knew how proud I am of you. I am sorry I haven't been there for you every step on the way, but maybe for the better... I would have loved nothing more then to give you a huge hug and a kiss on your graduation day. And look at you now, you are nothing less then a honest inspiration to me and dozens of other people here. Thank you for being you Maxs, please never change and always stay the simple Maxs that I always knew. You will do great at your new job, they are lucky to have you join them. Never give up on your future dreams, follow your gut instincts like you have and you will live the happiest life you ever dream of. :yelclap: (proud Silika) & :paw:(proud Kylee)
Your best friend forever,
Silika

thank you, this means so much to me.l

Gennaver, MSN · Jun 8, 2007

i'm applyign to these schools if you went can you give me some feed back
university of st. francis
st. xavier university got my ba from there in sociology, love it! they are notoriously highly recognized for their nursing graduates and several places where i interviewed with for my nurse interviews called me simply because my "undergrad" was st. xav's
elmhurst college
dominican university
benedictine university attended for one year undergrad heard okay things about the nursing program but do not know any nurses from there
university of illinois chicago

attened for one year undergrad...have heard good things and less than great things from students, (you will be one of many and while the rep is good and cost is affordable, it is highly competitive and apparently from the students i've heard, overrated)

gen