Grand Canyon University RN to BSN Reviews

Nursing Students School Programs Nursing Q/A

Howdy all, I bit the bullet and after much research, I decided on Grand Canyon! Wow, I did not expect BSN schools to be like used car salesmen--hounding me by emails and phone calls. Rather impressed on how Grand Canyon sort of left me alone, but at the same time kept in touch.

Commence my first class Sept 30th, excited, yet very nervous, as I'm not a big fan of school, LOL! I did extremely well on my Associate degree, graduated back in 2009 from Northern Virginia Community College. We shall see.

Would love to hear from past and present Grand Canyon RN to BSN students.

Specializes in Dialysis, Facility Administrator.
Hi guys! Sorry I haven't checked in lately. I got booted from the instructor that I requested months ago for Capstone so I had to scramble and take the class a week early and double it with my last week of Trends. Not something I recommend! Oh well, after I write 2 papers today then it should be manageable. My Capstone instructor is awesome, so it was worth it.

As for DQs, I have never been marked down on any. I just try to answer each part specifically and use at least one reference. I think the guidelines say that they should be at least 150 words, but mine range from 250 - 600 depending on the class (except Patho, which is ridiculous!).

In 4 weeks I will have my BSN and will be starting a new job as a Care Manager in Utilization Management the very next day! Saying goodbye to patient care. Don't think I will miss it. Looking forward to the changes.

Congrats! I just entered week 3 of my Capstone. Wish I had a good prof. Mine didn't post any of week 1 grades including participation until 9pm last night. Ugh. 3 more weeks.

Like asking an eagle if he cares what the pigs think . . . .

If I make a mistake, which certainly I am quite capable of, I am happy to own it.

tokmom: the professor has obviously talked to this particular student, as her answers have gone from copied scholarly research paragraphs to, well, her own answers. The Academic Standards board has also responded to me, with their recommendations as to how I would proceed in the future, and what I can expect - which is mainly nothing, as it becomes a private matter between the student and the school, which is fine by me.

In any case, it's taking up too much of my time. I'm going to keep my head down and worry about my own GPA. I realize that many people hate to write, and/or don't know how. It's a large part of higher education, however. It can only be faked for so long. I'm glad I will see much less of it once I'm in my Master's program - at least, I can certainly hope so.

More or less what I was saying....why worry about others...... And you will find them at all levelsa of education and through every walk in life......

Thanks aimeedarling!

I just want to know how to correctly reference and I do look it up online and follow recommendation/examples but then it seems like it is up to instructor and so subjective. Ugh!!

Never thought I would hear myself say this but give me studying for a test or a care plan over this stuff. Did I really just say that?!! And I am a good writer (don't enjoy it though) but I can only spew out so much b.s. and I think my b.s. tank is getting low with this daily writing! Haha

I lost 3 points a few weeks back due to my reference being wrong....I was stomped.....So I emailed PERRLA..showed them all my work, and they said I was right!! They even gave me the official APA reference that backed it up!! I sent that on to my prof----and in a very friendly way, explained my case..along with PERRLAs response......The prof stated that she goes by the GCU Powerpoint---which she supplied me......I said ok..but GCU is not the creator of APA, lol and the link I provided was the official APA source.....Never heard back, lol I really don't care about losing 3%--but just want to know what is right/wrong! Oh well..play the game.....

Ahhh in my last week of Leadership, and next is Patho and Capstone. Any suggestions on instructors as the ones I wanted to have are not available when I NEED them???? PM me!! Please and Thank you!

Ahhh in my last week of Leadership, and next is Patho and Capstone. Any suggestions on instructors as the ones I wanted to have are not available when I NEED them???? PM me!! Please and Thank you!

Sent you a PM

Hi All,

I'm in week 4 of Health Assessment and just finishing another wonderful CLC. This one has been the least stressful and everyone met their deadlines. One girl however posted her text to her slides as an image so it is not editable. It as all tiny type because it was too much text for the slide and it was the wrong font and color. When asked to either post her word document or fix it she said I'll get to it later I'm working. Then 3 days later she says "my slides are good enough, if you all want to let this consume your life go ahead but I'm happy with my grades". "It is good enough for how the instructor grades". What the heck is wrong with people????? I'm not fixing it, I am done doing everyone else's work. Luckily this instructor grades super easy and I have 100% going in the class. I wish I could see how these people are doing gradewise down the road. So irritating!

Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
Hi All,

I'm in week 4 of Health Assessment and just finishing another wonderful CLC. This one has been the least stressful and everyone met their deadlines. One girl however posted her text to her slides as an image so it is not editable. It as all tiny type because it was too much text for the slide and it was the wrong font and color. When asked to either post her word document or fix it she said I'll get to it later I'm working. Then 3 days later she says "my slides are good enough, if you all want to let this consume your life go ahead but I'm happy with my grades". "It is good enough for how the instructor grades". What the heck is wrong with people????? I'm not fixing it, I am done doing everyone else's work. Luckily this instructor grades super easy and I have 100% going in the class. I wish I could see how these people are doing gradewise down the road. So irritating!

That wouldn't even fly with a few instructors I had the pleasure of knowing. I would email the instructor and let her know the students reply. I guess some are happy skating by.

Don't you just love it when you get other students stating that they are working and too busy? Gee isn't everybody else??

Hi All,

I'm in week 4 of Health Assessment and just finishing another wonderful CLC. This one has been the least stressful and everyone met their deadlines. One girl however posted her text to her slides as an image so it is not editable. It as all tiny type because it was too much text for the slide and it was the wrong font and color. When asked to either post her word document or fix it she said I'll get to it later I'm working. Then 3 days later she says "my slides are good enough, if you all want to let this consume your life go ahead but I'm happy with my grades". "It is good enough for how the instructor grades". What the heck is wrong with people????? I'm not fixing it, I am done doing everyone else's work. Luckily this instructor grades super easy and I have 100% going in the class. I wish I could see how these people are doing gradewise down the road. So irritating!

I'm an easy going guy...but if someone told me that about their work..I would write back stating something along the lines.....Please fix the work, you have until such a time..if not, your response will be sent to the prof....One is expected to do quality work, the others in the group have been able to do this, no reason you can not as well..... I'm sure she would soon be motivated--especially with her comment about "how the instructor grades" lol And thats why ones communication should all be done on the schools page.......I prefer to email..as its easier...but when u get a complete ^%$^%$* it protects you as the prof can see what is going on....and if u do email....make a separate folder and save all the emails! I hate running to to the prof ( I have not yet) but this is a case where it would be called for if she does not fix it.

Specializes in UR/CM, Managed Care.
Hi All,

I'm in week 4 of Health Assessment and just finishing another wonderful CLC. This one has been the least stressful and everyone met their deadlines. One girl however posted her text to her slides as an image so it is not editable. It as all tiny type because it was too much text for the slide and it was the wrong font and color. When asked to either post her word document or fix it she said I'll get to it later I'm working. Then 3 days later she says "my slides are good enough, if you all want to let this consume your life go ahead but I'm happy with my grades". "It is good enough for how the instructor grades". What the heck is wrong with people????? I'm not fixing it, I am done doing everyone else's work. Luckily this instructor grades super easy and I have 100% going in the class. I wish I could see how these people are doing gradewise down the road. So irritating!

Okay so this is way too long, allow me to just be mad for a minute:

My jaw dropped when I read this, how unbelievably rude. There are so many things wrong with each of those responses, not only from a CLC team member but from just a human perspective (I'll get to that later).

This person has obviously missed the concept of collaborative”. A student implied similar to me one time, basically telling me to keep my mitts off her piece (I was proofer/editor), because it was HER submission, it was her creativity and individuality and I did NOT have her permission to change it in any way. Individuality? Creativity? Really? Group/team projects (not only in this class, but in the real world of business) are supposed to be a collaboration of many people's research, expertise, input, etc., all formatted to appear to be one seamless, cohesive bulk of information in which the reader cannot discern where one author's input ends and another's begins. Have you ever read a professional, peer-reviewed research article by multiple authors and all of a sudden come across one paragraph that completely stands out with different grammar, lingo, sentence structure, font, etc? (I think I'll do mine in comic sans; that New Times Roman #12 is so stuffy. And Dr. So & So better not touch it, I'm expressing my creativity!”). Um, no. If Miss Smarty Pants were to bother to read the rubric for this (and all) CLC, she would see that the instructor, if he/she were so inclined, could take 10% right off the top for the Format/Layout. If you read each description under all 5 of the dots at the bottom of the rubric, what she submitted would warrant a 1 or 2 dot: cluttered, doesn't match, improper spacing, different fonts, etc. Oh, and she apparently missed the memo that PowerPoints are supposed to be limited to 6 bullet points and no more than 50 words. The bulk of the info goes in the speaker notes – one puts the highlights only on the slides, to grab the audience's attention, and then speaks about/describes each one in more detail (thus, why they're called speaker notes – duh). If the slides are too cluttered it defeats the purpose and your audience tunes out.

I realize I am catastrophizing this one incident, but (to me) this is a microcosm of what's wrong with society today: people's sense of entitlement, that everything they produce ought to be praised, and having no sense of how one's actions affect others. I think this attitude” is the reason I have hated my CLCs (and many of my coworkers) – as tokmom has said, you really can't cream those people who truly don't get it and are trying. It's those that basically flip you the bird and tell you to deal with it, I'm a rock star and you are an idiot” that make me want to hurt someone. The truly sad part is you will likely get an A on this project (as we did on ours) despite her ridiculosity, which validates and encourages the bad behavior. This is the same nurse that leaves at exactly 7:30 (backpack on lap and car keys in hand since 7:15), leaving you with overdue meds to give, critical lab values to call to the MD, lines to change out, calls to return to family, and a patient sitting in a caked-on c.diff mess since 5. Off soapbox, back to your regularly scheduled program.

Specializes in ICU/ Surgery/ Nursing Education.

Now PrismRN, tell us how you really feel........ flaming_mad-3338.gifflaming_mad-3338.gifflaming_mad-3338.gif

I have to totally agree with what Prism stated, the CLC projects do not promote the objective of the group project. Like I stated in the last course survey (and will in this one too), the CLC project only taught me to choose better people to complete projects with during my career.

As far as this group member Kyra, I would submit it as completed but make the conversation public knowledge on the color forum. I might even submit a comment on the individual forum making the instructor aware. I do not have patience for people like this. You offered to fix it if she would just send you the WORD document, but she couldn't do that. I might even google a few lines from her submission to determine if she completed it on her own or copied it from somewhere.

And yes, you will probably get a wonderful 'A' for the assignment. Maybe the true CLC assignment objective is just to see if a group can hand in something even though the rubric states other objectives.

Specializes in UR/CM, Managed Care.
the CLC projects do not promote the objective of the group project

To your point of what it should be vs. what it really is: https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/five-vital-skills-instructors-need-to-facilitate-online-group-work-collaboration/

Not that many here have the time, but clicking on the links imbedded in the paragraphs of the above article is very interesting.

From a more cynical perspective, I have also read articles stating instructors utilize group projects to offer a breather for faculty; as once per class they must grade and provide feedback on only 4 assignments vs. 22.

Specializes in ICU/ Surgery/ Nursing Education.

From a more cynical perspective, I have also read articles stating instructors utilize group projects to offer a breather for faculty; as once per class they must grade and provide feedback on only 4 assignments vs. 22.

I don't believe that it is a cynical perspective, it could be a valuable insight into the way online classes should be run. I don't mind having a group project following the guideline that are posted in the article to mentioned. I read through it and found it fairly inspiring. It had distinct goals and provided a road map as how to get there. I believe that the GCU CLC assignments are based loosely on this article. Many of the points made match the outline for the project (CLC project for due dates etc.).

The article also provides insight on why the CLC projects we endure do not work......

Instructor involvement and engagement in online learning is crucial. Online learning requires instructors to take on active roles in facilitating students' learning. As well as peer support, instructor presence in supporting and guiding students' learning and engagement are important for enabling active learning” (Vonderwell & Turner, 2005, p.82)

Much of the instructor involvement in all my classes include generalized, vague responses to questions, and canned,pre-prepared feedback to online conversations. Don't get me started on the feedback I receive on various projects......

Really, I am not bitter. I just can see how it could be better. I can see how it truly could be a learning experience. I liked the article, will read more when I get a chance.

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