GCU RN-BSN 2019 Capstone

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jan 24, 2020

6 minutes ago, TnG33 said:
If you have a min trying to get your advice on GCU . How did you feel about the program . Looking for RN to BSN program online and going between GCU and Capella . Thank you

I liked the program for multiple reasons

1) the layout of the online class was simple and easy to understand

2) All classes (except Capstone) followed the same format....so no real surprises.

3) The librarians were very helpful..Had an online chat and u could email them for help...email was better as they would send you the required sources,lol

Like most RN to BSN programs, its all about writing papers...and of course it has 2 discussion questions each week (very easy)

Negative aspect: Prob the group projects!! BUT they were fairly easy, but they always seem to put a slacker in the group,lol I recommend taking the lead and get it done!!

Normal class schedule: Wed and Fri you had to post your reply to the 2 discussion questions...and you had to reply to so many of your fellow students posts..wasn't many! Very simple to do. I made sure I always posted with proper references and experiences....made it look professional...as thats the 1st impression the prof gets....

Sunday at 2359 you had to submit your weekly paper....sometimes 2 papers,but not very often. I would say the avg length was 1200 words

If you had a group project, it was due the 5th week I believe!!

I had no issues....graduated with a 4.0.....Make sure you look at the Rubric on how each paper is graded....as there was a few occasions where a small item was missed in the profs instructions, but was on the rubric.

I can't comment on the new Capstone class as it was different when I graduated in 2015

I had no issues with the program

jesssssbbbbb · Feb 3, 2020

On 1/24/2020 at 8:11 AM, Flames9_RN said:
I liked the program for multiple reasons
1) the layout of the online class was simple and easy to understand
2) All classes (except Capstone) followed the same format....so no real surprises.
3) The librarians were very helpful..Had an online chat and u could email them for help...email was better as they would send you the required sources,lol
Like most RN to BSN programs, its all about writing papers...and of course it has 2 discussion questions each week (very easy)
Negative aspect: Prob the group projects!! BUT they were fairly easy, but they always seem to put a slacker in the group,lol I recommend taking the lead and get it done!!
Normal class schedule: Wed and Fri you had to post your reply to the 2 discussion questions...and you had to reply to so many of your fellow students posts..wasn't many! Very simple to do. I made sure I always posted with proper references and experiences....made it look professional...as thats the 1st impression the prof gets....
Sunday at 2359 you had to submit your weekly paper....sometimes 2 papers,but not very often. I would say the avg length was 1200 words
If you had a group project, it was due the 5th week I believe!!
I had no issues....graduated with a 4.0.....Make sure you look at the Rubric on how each paper is graded....as there was a few occasions where a small item was missed in the profs instructions, but was on the rubric.
I can't comment on the new Capstone class as it was different when I graduated in 2015
I had no issues with the program

You graduated with a 4.0? So is it no longer a pass/fail grading scale with the highest possible gpa being 3.0?

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Feb 3, 2020

Just now, jesssssbbbbb said:
You graduated with a 4.0? So is it no longer a pass/fail grading scale with the highest possible gpa being 3.0?

Grand Canyon has always given out grades....never been just a pass/fail as for as I know. Highest GPA is a 4.0.

Kelley Lamb, ASN, RN · Feb 4, 2020

I am reenrolled after taking a few years off for family illness. Now I see a new required capstone project that requires a mentor . I am hearing about difficulty getting a mentor approval. I am inquiring of the counselor today about this as I expect they have affiliations in California if they are offering the class and taking my money for this . I am a few classes away from the capstone class but see that I may need to secure the motor preceptor now. Any suggestions? Any california nurses in gcu?

Kelley Lamb, ASN, RN · Feb 4, 2020

On 10/29/2019 at 6:13 AM, emmjayy said:
Hey, all.
I don't know if we have any other folks struggling through the GCU capstone course right now, but what the heck! It seems like the most pointless busy work. I was under the impression from other posts on this forum that we would be writing a substantial (20+ page research paper) but the final submission for the class is a 1,000 - 1,250 word paper plus all sorts of B.S. documentation of the 100 hours that we supposedly completed along with a journal and some stuff that our mentors are supposed to rubber stamp.
I'm on week 4 of 10, praying that I can get through this with my sanity intact. I've definitely had some poorly designed and frustrating classes, but always seem to come out the other side with A's, so I'm hoping to keep this going for the next 6 weeks so I can graduate and say GOODBYE to continued formal education.

Please tell me how you found your preceptor? I'm concerned about lack of affiliated sites.

Kelley Lamb, ASN, RN · Feb 4, 2020

Are there other on line RN to BSN programs that do not have the 100 hour clinical capstone requirement? This seems excessive for a practicing RN who had all the clinical rotations already. I am not liking the GCU new capstone requirement. I hear so many cannot find sites that are approved.

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Feb 4, 2020

I was on the old capstone class, so I dont know the answer for sure.....but from reading a few other replies on here, that 100 hr requirement is just you keeping a log of the time one puts into the capstone class....you just keep track on how long one puts into each "requirement" of the Capstone class. I would say..ask your student advisor, but the last 1 I had was pretty much useless,lol Maybe the 1 you have is better.

Reem, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2020

Hi, Congrats on graduating!

I'm scheduled to start my Capstone on April 6th, were you able to work during this time? I have my schedule to work only Tuesday and Wednesday and I'll be doing my clinical hours Thursday/Friday 5 hours each day, it's what my preceptor and I agreed on. I'm worried I might be overdoing it by working at the same time. Also, whats the "scholarly-activity" about? Did you still have the DQ assignments?

I'm very nervous about it and feel pressured already!

emmjayy, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2020

WOW!! Sorry to everyone who asked me a question directly and I did not respond to - things have been kind of crazy over here, I switched jobs, then got switched back to work COVID ICU... just very hectic. I will try to answer folks now though ?

@TnG33 - I would 100% recommend GCU over Capella. Based on comparing experiences between myself and co-workers in Capella, GCU is way easier in terms of weekly posting requirements, etc.

On 2/4/2020 at 10:04 AM, Kelley Lamb said:
Are there other on line RN to BSN programs that do not have the 100 hour clinical capstone requirement? This seems excessive for a practicing RN who had all the clinical rotations already. I am not liking the GCU new capstone requirement. I hear so many cannot find sites that are approved.

The nursing school I went to was affiliated with the hospital I currently work at, and the school/GCU had an agreement that my nursing school would push their students towards GCU for their BSN, and GCU would accept my hospital as a clinical site. Not sure how it works for folks who don't have this arrangement. For the preceptor, you just need an RN with a BSN to sign off on your work a couple of times. I asked a friend to do it for me. It was not a big time commitment for her at all.

On 3/9/2020 at 7:58 PM, Reem said:
Hi, CONGRATS on graduating!
I'm scheduled to start my Capstone on April 6th, were you able to work during this time? I have my schedule to work only Tuesday and Wednesday and I'll be doing my clinical hours Thursday/Friday 5 hours each day, it's what my preceptor and I agreed on. I'm worried I might be overdoing it by working at the same time. Also, whats the "scholarly-activity" about? Did you still have the DQ assignments?
I'm very nervous about it and feel pressured already!

I worked full time during my entire BSN degree and had no trouble at all with it. Are you being required to perform an actual clinical experience such as you did while getting your ASN? I never had to do practicum hours in the "real world," I just counted the time I spent working on the course each week as practicum hours and said I did 10 hours per week for the 10 weeks. For my scholarly activity, I attended a meeting of a committee I was already on. I based my project on that committee's purpose (in-hospital resuscitation events). That way, the scholarly activity tied in to my final report. But really, you could attend grand rounds at your hospital, Schwartz Rounds, or just show up to any committee meeting and write about it - it doesn't have to relate to your research project. The scholarly activity was a very short assignment and I got it done in week 2 even though the write up was not due until Week 9 or 10. Yes, you still have DQ assignments every week regardless of if you did the scholarly activity that week.

Reem, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2020

42 minutes ago, emmjayy said:
WOW! Sorry to everyone who asked me a question directly and I did not respond to - things have been kind of crazy over here, I switched jobs, then got switched back to work COVID ICU... just very hectic. I will try to answer folks now though ?
@TnG33 - I would 100% recommend GCU over Capella. Based on comparing experiences between myself and co-workers in Capella, GCU is way easier in terms of weekly posting requirements, etc.
The nursing school I went to was affiliated with the hospital I currently work at, and the school/GCU had an agreement that my nursing school would push their students towards GCU for their BSN, and GCU would accept my hospital as a clinical site. Not sure how it works for folks who don't have this arrangement. For the preceptor, you just need an RN with a BSN to sign off on your work a couple of times. I asked a friend to do it for me. It was not a big time commitment for her at all.
I worked full time during my entire BSN degree and had no trouble at all with it. Are you being required to perform an actual clinical experience such as you did while getting your ASN? I never had to do practicum hours in the "real world," I just counted the time I spent working on the course each week as practicum hours and said I did 10 hours per week for the 10 weeks. For my scholarly activity, I attended a meeting of a committee I was already on. I based my project on that committee's purpose (in-hospital resuscitation events). That way, the scholarly activity tied in to my final report. But really, you could attend grand rounds at your hospital, Schwartz Rounds, or just show up to any committee meeting and write about it - it doesn't have to relate to your research project. The scholarly activity was a very short assignment and I got it done in week 2 even though the write up was not due until Week 9 or 10. Yes, you still have DQ assignments every week regardless of if you did the scholarly activity that week.

no not like ASN clinicals, I don't work in a hospital, so I was able to get my preceptor at the VA hospital and spend time with her at the hospital, but now with this whole COVID thing I can't go there, but I can still utilize my preceptor by phone. What did you use as your project? I did see that it is all builds up throughout the weeks. week 1 we pick a topic, week two we do the interventions and week 3 PICOT, etc, etc. Week 1 is very overwhelming, I'm so confused on how to fill out the Individual success plan.

I'm feeling really overwhelmed and stressed out LOL. I know it's probably not as bad as my brain is making it out to be LOL

emmjayy, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2020

Just now, Reem said:
no not like ASN clinicals, I don't work in a hospital, so I was able to get my preceptor at the VA hospital and spend time with her at the hospital, but now with this whole COVID thing I can't go there, but I can still utilize my preceptor by phone. What did you use as your project? I did see that it is all builds up throughout the weeks. week 1 we pick a topic, week two we do the interventions and week 3 PICOT, etc, etc. Week 1 is very overwhelming, I'm so confused on how to fill out the Individual success plan.
I'm feeling really overwhelmed and stressed out LOL. I know it's probably not as bad as my brain is making it out to be LOL

So basically, the hours you work on your project each week count as your clinical hours. Honestly, I don't know of anyone who could possibly spend 10 hours per week working on these project components LOL, but I just said that that's what I spent and no one had a problem with it. I probably did spend 10 hours per week total stressing out and worrying over all of it!

DON'T WORRY about the ISP. Just copy and paste the "learning objectives" that you think match each project and put an estimate of how many hours you will work on each component. Just make sure the hours add up to 100 and make sense compared to the size of each project. Hint - the weeks you do literature reviews really are quite time-consuming. You're not alone in your feelings about week 1.... I actually cried in frustration at least twice during that week. And I am the type of person who very easily understands assignments and has never had issues in school! That ISP is complete garbage imo, but just muddle through as best you can. The professors tend to grade very forgivingly, and my professor in the capstone course agreed with all of our complaints and basically gave my class a pass on the ISP because even she was confused by it.

Reem, BSN, RN · Apr 9, 2020

On 4/7/2020 at 10:12 AM, emmjayy said:
So basically, the hours you work on your project each week count as your clinical hours. Honestly, I don't know of anyone who could possibly spend 10 hours per week working on these project components LOL, but I just said that that's what I spent and no one had a problem with it. I probably did spend 10 hours per week total stressing out and worrying over all of it!
DON'T WORRY about the ISP. Just copy and paste the "learning objectives" that you think match each project and put an estimate of how many hours you will work on each component. Just make sure the hours add up to 100 and make sense compared to the size of each project. Hint - the weeks you do literature reviews really are quite time-consuming. You're not alone in your feelings about week 1.... I actually cried in frustration at least twice during that week. And I am the type of person who very easily understands assignments and has never had issues in school! That ISP is complete garbage imo, but just muddle through as best you can. The professors tend to grade very forgivingly, and my professor in the capstone course agreed with all of our complaints and basically gave my class a pass on the ISP because even she was confused by it.

What learning objectives? I went over the ISP form and I don't see that. I'm not sure if you had the same I have, I sent you what I received.

NRS-493-RS1-IndividualSuccessPlan.docx