Hampton Rds nursing programs

I'm over at Riverside in the E/W program, we are just past the half way point. Unfortunately there are no more E/W classes after us except for the LPN bridge students. They do two day class starts a year, fall and spring. Can't speak to the wait list. It is still a diploma program, very good reputation, lots of clinical time.

Sentara started their BSN program about a year and a half ago. It is a 2.5+ program, you come in with 1.5 years of college credits and they finish it up with all the nursing specific stuff. They have yet to be accredited for a BSN, they are still accredited as a diploma program, they wont pick up the new accreditation untill they graduate a class or two. That is what I was told by one of my instructors a while back. Due dillegence would be to ask them about that. Like Riverside, its a hospital based program so they get as much clinical time as they want since they own the hospitals. TCC and all the other non-hospital programs have to negotiate that time. I have heard only good things about the program, unlike some others in the area. They probably have a bit of a waiting list too.

There are a couple of private for profit schools, MCI and Fortis. They are the most expensive and can be very fast paced.

There are the 4 year programs too. ODU, Norfolk State, Hampton U. Probably the hardest programs to get into. Hope this helps, if you need more specifics, just ask.

thanks Bob, I am seriously considering Riverside. I live in Norfolk, so driving across bridge and through tunnel can be a issue but it is actually the closest to my home. The day program has a 6 am start time so that would be okay since there will not be traffic, I just worry what the communte home would be like. Have you found the program to be organized? From what I hear from students at TCC they are saying the admission process at TCC is crazy. The staff doesn't seem to be helpful. I know several people that have graduated from Sentara's program was diploma but not since it switched to a BA program. I have attended their open house to get information as well as TCC's.

Does Riverside have an open house? I read on their website you could call, so I will have to go check them out.

thanks again for your input.

We have a few students in my class that cross that bridge every day, and it can be a bear, but we are talking during the late afternoon, not really early in the am. I'm not sure how much of a backup there would be going south in the afternoon, but I think its going against the flow of traffic.

The program is very well run, the instructors for the most part are super. Lots of experience and they are very dedicated to the students they teach. Its not easy, but I don't think any nursing program is. Cost is more than TCC, figure about 3500 per semester times 6 semester. Quite a few folks qualify for financial aid, so that brings the cost down some. They did have an open house in May, but you can make arrangements to tour the campus most any time. We are on a break right now, so folks may be on vacation, but I would call and ask to see when they could accommodate you. Wait list is probably a lot shorter than TCC if there is one at all. I don't know if there is any advantage with an associates from a CC vs. the diploma. Either one will get you into ODU's BSN program when you get your license, that is what folks do to advance their education.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Bob_N_VA

The website for Riversdie states they have class M-F 6 am to 430. Do you actually stay until 430 everyday? How much study time have you had to spend in the evenings? I am just think about how the communte home would be for me, study time and going to bed early to be back at 6.

I go to school in the evenings, we start at 6 and finish up sometime between 9 and 10 usually and then every other weekend. Study time really depends on the student, some folks need quite a few hours, others not so much. Most likely that is similar to just about any other program you will look at. The day program is more intense than the e/w but you finish up in two years. You have to keep up with the reading, which can take an hour or so or more a day, but it all varies.