El Centro students Spring '06

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i know some of us have received our letters so i was wondering who else i will be making this journey with for the next 2 years.

my name is allison shaffer and it's nice to meet you. i know we will all be close because it's a small group. it would be nice to get to know some of you before november 17. :)

I have a question for you guys. I know I have heard that you get to draw for clinicals but do you get to pick your lecture instructor or is there only 1 teaching lecture for that semester and that's who everyone has?

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1st semester ECC student here - anybody have good ideas for or success with study groups? I feel panicked when I look at the syllabus "objectives" and I have read the chapters but I can't answer the questions. Several of us want to start a group, but we have soooooooo much work to do already we don't know how to make the group run efficiently and effectively so we are all learning, but maybe not necessarily having to read every single word in every single chapter.

I'd love any info you have to offer.

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Specializes in Operating Room.
I have a question for you guys. I know I have heard that you get to draw for clinicals but do you get to pick your lecture instructor or is there only 1 teaching lecture for that semester and that's who everyone has?

All 1st semester at NLC has the same lecture instructor...no choosing.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

For study groups...

Limit the group to NO MORE than 4-5 to people max.

Appoint a task master - you can take turns - to keep folks on task when the conversation turns to dinner, kids etc.

Set up a regular time to meet. Don't wait until the day before a test - meet once a week or every other week - more often if you need to.

If one person is holding the group back or is consistent about veering off task - TELL them - and then don't be afraid to tell them they might be better off studying with another group.

Take breaks every hour and a half to 2 hours to talk, laugh, get a soda or snack and have a little fun - but decide how long it will last ahead of time and when its time to go back to work - back to work!

Decide at one meeting what you are all going to bring to the next meeting to work on. That way you have an agenda - you aren't just showing up blind and spending half your study time trying to decide what to study.

I had a very efficient study group through most of grad school and that was just how we did things. We started out with 6 people and that was too many. We found that 4 was pretty ideal. Sometimes the 4 of us partnered up into 2's for drills and practice with assessment skills and the like so it worked well.

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Gauge - thanks so much for the input. I have responded on the other thread!

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Specializes in Nephrology.
third floor....that's where most of the high risk stuff is.....lots to learn, and in case you haven't brushed up on your spanish, just remember mas, mas, mas for helping them push! Newborn nursery is a whole different universe...we get pulled over there every so often (when we're overstaffed, which doesn't happen often) and it drives us crazy! Med/surg at Parkland is an experience in itself....you'll learn alot, take advantage of the opportunities. When I did my clinicals at Parkland (4th semester), I left there every day swearing I'd never work there....here I am two years later, and I can't imagine working at any of those for-profit hospitals....I love where I'm at and what I'm doing.

Jamie

Hey Jamie- I have a friend, Susan, who works in the NICU at Parkland. She's such a sweet person.

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Specializes in Nephrology.
Hey everyone! I haven't posted on here since the beginning of summer, so how is everyone doing? I finally got to meet Katie at orientation last Monday.... It's nice to be able to put a name with a face!

Last week was absolutely crazy for me!! I had something to do every single day:

Monday- Orientation at El Centro

Tuesday- Lecture 9am-3pm

Weds- Learned all 5 skills

Thurs- Practiced 3 skills for check offs

Friday- Checked off on IM, Sub-Q, and IV!!! ( I got 100's on all three!!!)

Sat & Sun- Worked 2 12's

This week was not as busy, so I enjoyed it more. Lecture has definitely been more interesting this time around... We started clinicals yesterday... I was in the nursery and I saw a circumcision!!

Well, now I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to study for the first exam, the pharm exam, and finish my major care plan... Anyone have any ideas??

-Brianna

If there's anyone that survive all of that Brie, it is YOU! I can't believe all that you have done so far! EC and NL must move at snail's pace haha. We haven't even had our first check off!

Good luck to you through this semester :D

Congratulations on those 100s!!! WOW!

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Specializes in Nephrology.
Allison,

Glad to hear that things are going well for you.

Amy

Thank you Amy :D

I know waiting until the 15th is going to be the longest wait of your life, at least it was for me! It will go by amazingly fast once that letter lands in your hands, at least it did for me.

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Yep, that's why I am trying not to even think about it. I'm sure I'll start stressing as the date gets near. I am a last minute worrier - I am okay until the last minute then I start freaking out. LOL

Amy

Thank you Amy :D

I know waiting until the 15th is going to be the longest wait of your life, at least it was for me! It will go by amazingly fast once that letter lands in your hands, at least it did for me.

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I have a few question for you guys, hopefull nothing that has been asked/answered before.

I'm curious, what do those taking or those who have completed the El Centro ADN program think of it? What made you choose this program over others offered in the area? What are your thoughts on your clinical work to date, other than the "fish out of water" feeling all people normally feel? How have the instructors/preceptor/nurses been in clinical work?

Thanks

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele.

hi semi fly,

my reasons were basically financially, location, shortness of programm, and i heard of, that ECC has a 98 % passing score at NCLEX. I am now a freshmen at ECC and found out that this is, if you make it through the 4 semesters. It is a very tough programm and a lot of people dropp out or have to repeat semesters ,so I have heard !!!. Instructors all vary, some are nice , some are mean, but they are known to prepare you very well to be a good RN.

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Specializes in Operating Room.
hi semi fly,

my reasons were basically financially, location, shortness of programm, and i heard of, that ECC has a 98 % passing score at NCLEX. I am now a freshmen at ECC and found out that this is, if you make it through the 4 semesters. It is a very tough programm and a lot of people dropp out or have to repeat semesters ,so I have heard !!!. Instructors all vary, some are nice , some are mean, but they are known to prepare you very well to be a good RN.

Ditto this! :)

It's a hard program, but you will have a greater chance to be prepared...not only for the NCLEX, but also on the floor!

Book smarts doesn't always make a good nurse. I want to be good at the hands on stuff as well!

BTW, those of you at the VA last semester or this semester, did you go/are you going to the TCA (Transitional Care Unit)?

It seems like I remember one of you saying that. If you have already been there, how is it? Do you get good experience learning first semester skills, even though it's not the actual hospital part?

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