Full time nursing students at CSN

Race Mom, ASN, RN · May 22, 2008

I did it. I didn't have to work. I have two kids, who are now 8 & 9, but were 5/6 when I got in. It's do-able if you want it! I had a very supportive family, which is key.

Good luck!

napahills · May 22, 2008

I'm in the same boat---trying to decide which route to take. It looks like part time is only one semester longer...because you would take summer school too. Summer school is very time consuming, so that lessens the appeal of part time. I have 2 kids, 4 and 1. I'm thinking of putting my daughter in the CSN childcare when she turns 2. Do you like it? What's the cost? Is it a good program? THanks :)

tccjknv · May 22, 2008

I just finished my first semester in the full-time program. The first semester is the same in both programs. It is time consuming, but possible. I don't work, but do have 3 children. I considered applying for the part-time program myself, but was concerned about getting in. I would have got in with my points, but since they take less it is harder and risky. I just didn't want to chance it. Get your family on board, set a schedule to study, and stick to it. If you do that, you will be just fine. I studied between classes while my children were at school and for 1 hour every night after my children went to bed and passed with no problems.

I also have a child in the CSN daycare. Even though your youngest is only 1, go and put him/her on the wait list now. It takes about a year to get a spot, so if you put him/her on now you will probably get in when they are 2. That is what I did and my daughter got in when she turned 2. I love the staff there. The school is very small which means less children which means they don't get sick like at other daycares. That is huge in my book.

TnKzMom · May 22, 2008

I had the same concerns...We can't apply to both can we??? See which one we get into??? That'd be awesome!

tccjknv · May 22, 2008

No, unfortunately it is one or the other...

hmck32 · May 23, 2008

I love the CSN childcare!!!! The staff is great. My daughter has been there for a year now, and since I am a stay at home mom it was really difficult for me to put her in childcare. It is the best thing I could have ever done for her because she is so happy there. The cost is really reasonable and you don't have to sign any contracts.

Is the full time program really time consuming with clinicals, labs, and lectures? I'm worried about getting overwelmed and stressed out, but I love the idea of not having classes during the summer. What are the clinicals like? Do you have to write a lot of papers for your classes or is it mostly tests? Sorry for all the questions, it just helps to have an idea of what is expected in the full time program. Maybe this way I can make up my mind on which program to apply for.

tccjknv · May 24, 2008

First of all, this is really long. I tried to keep it as short yet informative as possible..

I can only speak for the first semester so far and like i mentioned before it is the same load for both full-time and part-time. In pharm (which I thought was harder than nursing 101) there was only one paper in my class, but homework every week. My teacher only collected it twice thru-out the semester, but we never knew when those 2 times would be, so we had to do it every week (every teacher is different for pharm).

In nursing 101 clinical there are 2 individual papers and 1 group paper. They are time consuming, but since clinical is only pass or fail it is only important to get atleast a 75% on the papers. Prior to each week in clinical you have to go to the nursing facility and research your patient for that week. With the info gathered you have to complete drug cards and create a nursing care plan that you will carry out while taking care of the patient. After the first few weeks, this becomes pretty easy and doesn't take that much time to complete.

For lab, there are no papers and only minor assignments that are no big deal. The lab assignments are completed on your own computer and you can redo them as many times as needed in order to pass. Just like in clinical, lab is only pass or fail.

For lecture, there are no papers only a few tedious assignments that are completed in the computer lab. Your entire nursing 101 grade comes from this course grade. If you don't average a 75% on the lecture tests you can not pass nursing 101, regardless of how well you do in clinical and/or lab.

If I had to do it over, I would have done part-time. Like I said earlier, I just was too scared to risk not getting in to it. The schedule for 2nd semester sucks because it is equivalent to taking 6 classes- 2 of which are clinicals which equal 8 hr days each... I know what a tough decision it is deciding on which to apply for. If I were you guys I would only do part-time if I had a lot of points. Once selection for the fall 08 program has been completed call the school and find out what the cut-off for part-time was and if you are above that number then I would say go for it.

hmck32 · May 24, 2008

If you don't mind me asking, how many points did you have? I will have 25 once I complete communications (I'm taking it this summer). How many days a week are you in class? What about clinicals?

I really appreciate you helping me!!! I don't know anyone in the nursing program and it always seems like people talk about it but don't have a clue as to what they are talking about. It's so helpful to hear the facts from someone who is actually doing it.

tccjknv · May 24, 2008

I don't mind answering your ?s at all. A few people helped me out from this website while I was getting started and it sure made it easier.

Classes are 3 days a week. For the first semester you don't get to register like normal. Instead you have an orientation and draw a number out of a hat and that is how you select your group of classes. On one day you will have lecture which is 3 hrs, on another day lab which is also 3 hrs, and on the 3rd day you have clinical which is either 6:45am-12:45pm or 12:45pm- 6:45pm. Pharm can be taken online or in person. I took it in person and had it for 2 1/2 hrs after lecture. I preferred taking the class in person because it was just another way to study for me. Online pharm tests have to be taken in person at the testing center, so it isn't like a typical online class where you get to test at home with your book. Whatever you do, if you take it in person don't sign up for pharm on the same day as lecture. All of the tests were on the same days and I had trouble prioritizing and studying for both tests.

Good luck...

Oh, I forgot to mention that I had 30 points when I got in for full-time. I think with 25 you will get in for full-time for sure, but it would definitely be a risk for part-time. I heard that the cut-off was 25 for this past semester, so that is too close in my book. Plus not everyone with 25 pts got in, it was a lottery since there were more people with 25pts than spots still available.

hmck32 · May 24, 2008

When you draw your number for the schedule, do they tell you what time you have to do your clinical or do you get to decide which time you want? My kids don't go to school until 8, and my husband is at work by 6am, so I'm wondering how that works. Also, do they assign you a hospital to work at? The class schedule doesn't sound too bad, it sounds like I would be able to find time to study if I chose full time. I'm concerned about the clinical start time because of my kids. UGH!! I thought it would be easier to get into the part time program instead of full time, but it makes sense. Sounds like I will be applying for full time, because I don't want to wait around forever trying to get in. How long did it take for them to notify you that you got in?

Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions. :mad:

bcyogi · May 25, 2008

I just graduated from the part-time program at CSN. I chose part-time because I was a SAHM with kids that had never been in child-care centers and I wanted to avoid day care costs because we were on only one income. I also had a fear of having a major test or clinical that I just couldn't miss, and a sick kid at home that I could not leave!!

All of our classes were held in the evening (starting at 5:30 or 6:00 pm) and our clinicals were held on Saturday. You usually could choose between a 6:45 am start for clinical, or a 12:45 pm start time. We did go through the summer, but the the class load was a bit lighter (and easier to handle for me....I am a bit of an older student). While the full time students took both Med/Surg and Mental Health nursing in the 2nd semester, we in the part-time had med/surg as our only class one semester and mental health nursing in another semester. We only did one class at at time.

Hope this info on the part-time program helps you to make a decision that will work best for you and your family! Good luck and keep us posted!