Duquesne University Accelerated Nursing Program class of 2015

RNBSN2015 · Jan 10, 2014

Oh good!! I'm excited to meet some of the other students! I also really hope to learn more about the program and what to expect during our year (I've heard several changes happen with each new class). I hope it's not too generic of an info session haha! I would like to know how clinical sites are assigned - as I am so dead set on where I would like to complete mine.

Yes I agree! If like to know wat I'm signing up for LOL! Wat are you interested in?

AmiLynn · Jan 10, 2014

I REEAAAAALLLLLYYYY want to complete my clinicals at UPMC Presby!! (or Mercy). It's on their list of clinical sites so hopefully it'll work out. I know a lot of people say your interests may sway during school and you can complete your degree and realize what you thought you wanted isn't what you actually want at all! But as of right now, I'm leaning towards trauma ICU - so both of those hospitals would provide excellent experience for the ICU portion of clinicals. What about you?!

nursing01student · Jan 11, 2014

I'm presently in the program at Duquesne, and I have to warn you guys, although it might be late, none of us are satisfied here. From top to bottom, it's a catastrophe. In the first semester we haven't really learned anything, there's no assessment of your progress (just all-or-nothing midterm and finals), and to top it off there is a general consensus here that our final grades were just made up (of course, you can't see your finals, it's not as though you could learn from them; incidentally, I know people whose grade on the midterm changed 10% when they contested it because of how poorly it was graded). I'm not disgruntled, but I read a warning from someone last year to avoid Duquesne and I ignored it, so I want to pass the warning on (again, I don't know a single student who is content with the program; when the MEDIAN final grade in a class is 52%, there's something amiss).

THIS post above is a good warning to all of you here considering Duquesne for nursing. I am in Duquesne's BSN program, so I cannot speak for the post-bacc program (but the majority of the faculty is the same in both programs). But I will say that I am absolutely disappointed. At the open house, they make everything sound great. But let me tell you, there's a lot of things that they don't tell you at the open house. For example (this is just one example of one of the many things they never mentioned), I didn't find out until after I finished my first semester of the program that Duquesne was on academic probation and at risk for losing their accreditation because of their low NCLEX pass rates (Let me just say that they are no longer on academic probation as of Fall 2013). And I did NOT find out about this through the school of nursing. I was told by upperclassman. Only last semester did one of the teachers share this information with us when a student directly asked about it. Had I known that at the open house, I would've declined my acceptance and gone elsewhere. They also weren't clear about all the requirements that go towards the degree. We are just now learning of things about the curriculum that should have been mentioned at the open house.

Most (though not all) of the instructors do not teach. I've spent 3-4 hour in class listening to the professors ramble about irrelevant information because they've never taught that course before. They don't use their own powerpoint lectures and anything discussed by the teachers in lecture or on the powerpoints aren't even on the exams. So be prepared to read and study every inch of your textbooks. You won't learn anything in class. Last semester, exams had to be curved a lot just so the average could reach a D. The entire nursing program is going through major curriculum changes right now, as well, with the new Dean and all. It may be better in the future, but right now, it's a mess. VERY disorganized.

I feel like there were a lot of false promises made to us as students. Many of us were expecting something completely different than what we are experiencing because of what we were told at the open house and even during our freshman year. They throw new surprises at us every semester.

I'm not a disgruntled student. I'm a good student who was expecting a quality, fair education for the horrendous amount of money I'm paying. I regret it.

Side note: I've heard some negative things about Pitt's program as well. But I can't say much more since I don't go there.

RNBSN2015 · Jan 11, 2014

It's so weird because I heard RMU was on academic probation as well! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us....it sounds like I've heard 50% positive 50% negative things about this program...hopefully the fear of losing accreditation is a wake up call to the faculty and it will get better as I heard this is why Robert Morris' program is under construction do to their probation . I have a bachelors in respiratory care and am very familiar with how these style of programs (especially faculty) can be an absolute pain in the butt. All warnings and experiences are definitely welcomed and appreciated on this page! However I have yet to here of one accelerated program that is absolutely on point! I've heard horror stories about Drexel, Pitt, RMU, LaSalle and now Duquesne...I guess you get out of the experience everything you possibly can because people that have been out of clinical for years and then go on to teach it, somehow end up being crappy instructors, and I definitley experienced that with my respiratory care program in undergrad

RNBSN2015 · Jan 11, 2014

I REEAAAAALLLLLYYYY want to complete my clinicals at UPMC Presby!! (or Mercy). It's on their list of clinical sites so hopefully it'll work out. I know a lot of people say your interests may sway during school and you can complete your degree and realize what you thought you wanted isn't what you actually want at all! But as of right now I'm leaning towards trauma ICU - so both of those hospitals would provide excellent experience for the ICU portion of clinicals. What about you?![/quote']
I'm really interested in neonatal intensive care...if I can get a great pediatric rotation and a solid neonatal/obstetrics rotation I would be ecstatic! I also like emaergency care as well and am open to public health nursing as well! I'm excited to experience different places and disciplines because I may surprise myself with something I never knew I was interested in!

AmiLynn · Jan 15, 2014

After I complete my BSN (hopefully!) - it was my plan to continue on and complete the nurse practitioner program, so this talk about a CURVED average being a 'D' really worries me! I am planning on dropping down to casual at the pharmacy while I'm in the program so that I don't have to try to manage work as well, which now seems like an absolute must. I know that C's and D's aren't going to get me admitted into ANY nurse practitioner program, so I truly hope that Duq steps their game up here!!

Thank you for your input though, it is appreciated! I was going in thinking it sounded perfect but it helps to know ahead of time that it may not exactly be the case.

RNBSN2015 · Jan 17, 2014

That's awesome! I heard this new dean is from Drexel so hopefully things will change! And I heard duquesne has a really good masters program for practitioner! That's awesome that that's ur ultimate goal!

nursing01student · Jan 22, 2014

You're welcome.

Reading back on my post, I hope I wasn't the "bearer of bad news" with that. I wanted to share my experience, so I apologize if I came off a little pushy.

It's bad for us right now because we're in the middle of the curriculum transition and there is no guidance or information during any of this. They're kind of throwing us into it without any explanation of what's going on. But it may be better for those who are starting fresh with the brand new curriculum, which I did not (I completed half of the old and will complete the rest of the new).

Besides that, my major problem definitely is the methods of teaching and grading system. And their failure to further explain what "HESI" is to us (we don't know what it is and why we have to take them) and how we are being evaluated regarding it, as this is a new thing they're doing.

Good luck with your decisions everyone. Hope you all make the right choice!

RNBSN2015 · Jan 23, 2014

You're welcome. Reading back on my post I hope I wasn't the "bearer of bad news" with that. I wanted to share my experience, so I apologize if I came off a little pushy. It's bad for us right now because we're in the middle of the curriculum transition and there is no guidance or information during any of this. They're kind of throwing us into it without any explanation of what's going on. But it may be better for those who are starting fresh with the brand new curriculum, which I did not (I completed half of the old and will complete the rest of the new). Besides that, my major problem definitely is the methods of teaching and grading system. And their failure to further explain what "HESI" is to us (we don't know what it is and why we have to take them) and how we are being evaluated regarding it, as this is a new thing they're doing. Good luck with your decisions everyone. Hope you all make the right choice![/quote']
No, not at all! Any personal experience anyone can share whether positive or negative is definitely welcomed! I just hope it gets better for you and for everyone! Are there anythings in particular that you like about the program?

nursing01student · Jan 23, 2014

I did enjoy some of my past classes such as nutrition, human development, A&P, etc. The teachers, regardless of teaching style, really are nice and helpful. They do encourage you to seek help and are readily available. I have yet to have a professor that refused to help a student. The clinical sites are great as Pittsburgh has many options to choose from and I have great clinical instructors. I've learned a lot from them.

I do think the new curriculum is better and more up-to-date with what the rest of the nursing schools are doing. In the long run, the change will benefit current and future students.

JustD16 · Apr 7, 2014

Just found out I was accepted into the Second Degree program at Duquesne! Is there a Facebook group or anything?

PierceZettle · Apr 25, 2014

Hey everyone I will be attending Duquesne accelerated nursing program 2014. I am from State College, Pa. Has everyone found a place to live yet?