Is anyone actually happy with their program?

Carolanne · Mar 19, 2004

I'd give my program a 7/10. It's very thorough, fast paced at times, lots of things to comprehend. There is a ton of paperwork, reports, reading, on and on as you all know. I don't mind it all actually, I've found the ones who gripe about the work are the ones who have a conflict with their social lives. Well in nursing school, it's just about impossible to have both and you really have to live, eat and breathe it to pass everything and a lot of us have outside jobs and families to juggle too. The three points off are for the inconsistencies in clinicals, I've found that many instructors are not on the same page about things and it's confusing for the students. Some are overexperienced and have no patience, some are underexperienced and are fumbling with the rest of us. I chalk it up to a learning experience for everyone and a great lesson on how to deal with many, many personalities as we will also encounter as nurses! :chuckle

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Mar 19, 2004

Everyone at my school bi+ches about our program, and all along I've tried to be tolerant and not dog on it too much. I just thought, they are just letting off steam or whatever, there are "things" about every school that people complain about. But tonight I'm kind of frustrated too, after sitting back and thinking about several things that have me pretty peeved when taken all together. Most of the instruction itself is good, it's mainly other program issues/ instuctor issues/ peripheral/ administration type things, but not always minor (at least to me).
So anyway, I'm just wondering, on a scale of 1-10, how happy with your nursing program would you say you are? If not happy, why?

I'm going to rate my program as a 9. I'm very happy with my program except the fact that I am retaking my 2nd semester right now because of family issues in the fall that kept me from handing in some assignments. Like I stated in another post, even though I wound up with a solid B in the class they made me take it over. You'd think my exam scores and clinical experiences and everything else would have been enough! These homework assignments were just for my nursing theory class and were simple case studies with questions of what I would do. I don't know, it upsets me because it put me back four months. No one's fault but my own. Should have second guessed going to school while I have children, and God forbid my Grandmother pass away! :uhoh21:

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Mar 19, 2004

Everyone at my school bi+ches about our program, and all along I've tried to be tolerant and not dog on it too much. I just thought, they are just letting off steam or whatever, there are "things" about every school that people complain about. But tonight I'm kind of frustrated too, after sitting back and thinking about several things that have me pretty peeved when taken all together. Most of the instruction itself is good, it's mainly other program issues/ instuctor issues/ peripheral/ administration type things, but not always minor (at least to me).
So anyway, I'm just wondering, on a scale of 1-10, how happy with your nursing program would you say you are? If not happy, why?

I'm going to rate my program as a 9. I'm very happy with my program except the fact that I am retaking my 2nd semester right now because of family issues in the fall that kept me from handing in some assignments. Like I stated in another post, even though I wound up with a solid B in the class they made me take it over. You'd think my exam scores and clinical experiences and everything else would have been enough! These homework assignments were just for my nursing theory class and were simple case studies with questions of what I would do. I don't know, it upsets me because it put me back four months. No one's fault but my own. Should have second guessed going to school while I have children, and God forbid my Grandmother pass away! :uhoh21:

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Mar 19, 2004

On top of all that, I just found out that one of our clinical sites is now requiring that all students have health insurance. QUOTE]
We have to have health insurance just to be in our program. I didn't realize this wasn't the norm?!

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Mar 19, 2004

On top of all that, I just found out that one of our clinical sites is now requiring that all students have health insurance. QUOTE]
We have to have health insurance just to be in our program. I didn't realize this wasn't the norm?!

suzy253, RN · Mar 19, 2004

OK I'm going to be Miss Cheerful here. I love my nursing program. 3-year diploma program. Our instructors are also our clinical instructors. We have clinical 2x/week and our patients are assigned to us by our instructors. We p/u the info anytime after 12 noon the day before clinical. Nurses are nice to us. I just go there and pick up my assignment and stay out of the way writing down all the pertinent info. Then I prepare for next morning's clinical, looking up the drugs, admitting diagnosis, etc. Students in my class are great--albeit some a bit weird but I just do my stuff and don't let things or people bother me. Instructors are very very supportive and are there for you if you have any questions, need additional help. Loved the fact that we started cliinicals 6 weeks after starting school. Of course we have care plans, extremely extensive clinical reports, teaching plans but I actually enjoy the clinical reports because you're learning so much. We also help each other out in clinicals and are supportive of each other there too. The class does have fun with each other--parties, little get-togethers, etc. It's hard...very very hard but I consider myself very lucky because I feel they are really preparing me for nursing, they have a high NCLEX pass rate, and last year graduated their 103rd class--very rich in tradition and obviously doing something right. :)

suzy253, RN · Mar 19, 2004

OK I'm going to be Miss Cheerful here. I love my nursing program. 3-year diploma program. Our instructors are also our clinical instructors. We have clinical 2x/week and our patients are assigned to us by our instructors. We p/u the info anytime after 12 noon the day before clinical. Nurses are nice to us. I just go there and pick up my assignment and stay out of the way writing down all the pertinent info. Then I prepare for next morning's clinical, looking up the drugs, admitting diagnosis, etc. Students in my class are great--albeit some a bit weird but I just do my stuff and don't let things or people bother me. Instructors are very very supportive and are there for you if you have any questions, need additional help. Loved the fact that we started cliinicals 6 weeks after starting school. Of course we have care plans, extremely extensive clinical reports, teaching plans but I actually enjoy the clinical reports because you're learning so much. We also help each other out in clinicals and are supportive of each other there too. The class does have fun with each other--parties, little get-togethers, etc. It's hard...very very hard but I consider myself very lucky because I feel they are really preparing me for nursing, they have a high NCLEX pass rate, and last year graduated their 103rd class--very rich in tradition and obviously doing something right. :)

RedSox33RN · Mar 19, 2004

We must have health insurance also, as well as professional Liability Insurance. They actually need a copy of our health insurance card with our health forms. I'm getting the liability ins. through my father, who owns an ins. company. No commission fees! :chuckle

I don't know how I'll like my program, but I did just speak with one of the professors about nursing shoes (in another thread. No sneakers allowed, but I didn't know if that applied to Nursemates sneakers - it doesn't - thank goodness!), and she was the sweetest woman. She said she's really looking forward to meeting me, and told me that it's important to think comfort and your back, not so much meeting the shoe criteria.

I know the topic of shoes doesn't mean it's a great program by any stretch, but it was very encouraging to talk to someone so sweet and nice!

RedSox33RN · Mar 19, 2004

We must have health insurance also, as well as professional Liability Insurance. They actually need a copy of our health insurance card with our health forms. I'm getting the liability ins. through my father, who owns an ins. company. No commission fees! :chuckle

I don't know how I'll like my program, but I did just speak with one of the professors about nursing shoes (in another thread. No sneakers allowed, but I didn't know if that applied to Nursemates sneakers - it doesn't - thank goodness!), and she was the sweetest woman. She said she's really looking forward to meeting me, and told me that it's important to think comfort and your back, not so much meeting the shoe criteria.

I know the topic of shoes doesn't mean it's a great program by any stretch, but it was very encouraging to talk to someone so sweet and nice!

colleen10 · Mar 19, 2004

I'd give my program a 5/10.

Most of my clinical instructors have been excellent except for one but she was fired anyway so it really didn't matter.

The reason I give my program such a low score? The dis-organization and lack of communication from the head faculty. Sometimes I wonder if they ever really were nurses! Surely their patients would have been dropping like flies with the way they are so disorganized and don't speak to anyone, ever.

Our first exam, half of the test questions were on material we weren't even going to cover until the end of the semester. The instructor had to drop half of the questions from the exam. She didn't even look at the exam, just reused one from past years and it turned out that we got a new book and new syllabus. How disappointing as I put so much time into studying for exams and they are the only grade you receive for the class, so if you blow the tests you get booted out.

Then to top it off we did not receive our syllabus for Peds. until 1 and a half weeks into our Peds. rotation, so now we're about 2 weeks behind in Peds. but are still expected to keep up with our material in Med. Surg. I have two exams next week on 27 Chapters of Material and all the faculty can say is "too bad". I'm not asking for them to hand out grades or anything but please, that's rediculous. They wouldn't accept an excuse from us for being late in turning in material, so it doesn't fly with us.

To top it off they messed up our Drug. Calc. exam at the beginning of the semester. The literally "forgot" that we were supposed to take a drug calc. exam so they never taught anyone how to do the math. They just posted what chapters to read from our book and what week the exam was. And to make it even better they told us the wrong chapters to study for the exam.

I wouldn't mind them being so disorganized if it didn't affect my grade so much and if they would admit that they did something wrong and try to work it out. Anytime you try to bring anything to their attention you are labeled "whinney" and they just dismiss your concerns.

colleen10 · Mar 19, 2004

I'd give my program a 5/10.

Most of my clinical instructors have been excellent except for one but she was fired anyway so it really didn't matter.

The reason I give my program such a low score? The dis-organization and lack of communication from the head faculty. Sometimes I wonder if they ever really were nurses! Surely their patients would have been dropping like flies with the way they are so disorganized and don't speak to anyone, ever.

Our first exam, half of the test questions were on material we weren't even going to cover until the end of the semester. The instructor had to drop half of the questions from the exam. She didn't even look at the exam, just reused one from past years and it turned out that we got a new book and new syllabus. How disappointing as I put so much time into studying for exams and they are the only grade you receive for the class, so if you blow the tests you get booted out.

Then to top it off we did not receive our syllabus for Peds. until 1 and a half weeks into our Peds. rotation, so now we're about 2 weeks behind in Peds. but are still expected to keep up with our material in Med. Surg. I have two exams next week on 27 Chapters of Material and all the faculty can say is "too bad". I'm not asking for them to hand out grades or anything but please, that's rediculous. They wouldn't accept an excuse from us for being late in turning in material, so it doesn't fly with us.

To top it off they messed up our Drug. Calc. exam at the beginning of the semester. The literally "forgot" that we were supposed to take a drug calc. exam so they never taught anyone how to do the math. They just posted what chapters to read from our book and what week the exam was. And to make it even better they told us the wrong chapters to study for the exam.

I wouldn't mind them being so disorganized if it didn't affect my grade so much and if they would admit that they did something wrong and try to work it out. Anytime you try to bring anything to their attention you are labeled "whinney" and they just dismiss your concerns.

Silkybo · Mar 19, 2004

I really like my program....we are now down to about twenty students with 3 instructors, and have a 4 students to 1 teacher ratio for clinicals. Classes are hard, but Ive always been booksmart, so thats no problem. My biggest complaint is that we are in an isolated rural area with 1 hospital. Anything really acute gets coptered out to the big city, so we dont see much neat stuff. Its possible to go through your entire L&D rotation and never have a mom in labour! So thats a problem, but my class and instructors are really like a family...we are also a chapter of NSA, so we do a lot of fundrasing....we see eachother more than our spouses....at first I really resented this, but now Im into it...so I give it an 8.