Hillsborough Community College Fall 2009

NewGoalRN · Jul 4, 2009

Purplestang, thank you so much for making the offer. I applied for the evening program at the DM campus for Jan 2010, I am currently awaiting a decision.

Would you mind emailing me your syllabus for Process 1 and or the chapter reading assignments for Potter and Perry. I heard that the first test covers 9 chapters.

How many lab hours are required?

How hard was the math?

What should we be studying out the Kees and Marshall math book? i.e chapter/topics

How many students did you start with and how many did you end wiht at the end of the semester?

What is your opinion about the quality of the program?

What is the best thing that we should do to prepare?

How did you find the exams , hard, very hard, easy?

How hard or easy was it to learn how to do heath assessments, taking vital signs, breathing sounds (assessing) etc.

Ok, I don't want to overload you but any insight would be great. You can post your reply here.

purplestang · Jul 11, 2009

Purplestang, thank you so much for making the offer. I applied for the evening program at the DM campus for Jan 2010, I am currently awaiting a decision.HOW EXCITING! GOOD LUCK:)

Would you mind emailing me your syllabus for Process 1 and or the chapter reading assignments for Potter and Perry. I heard that the first test covers 9 chapters. OUR FIRST TEST ONLY COVERED 5-6 CHAPTERS I BELIEVE. GIVE ME YOUR EMAIL AND I WILL SEND YOU THE SYLLABUS.

How many lab hours are required? WE HAD TO PUT IN LIKE 15 VOLUNTEER LAB HOURS - I WOULD USUALLY JUST STAY AFTER CLASS FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS UNTIL ALL MY TIME WAS PUT IN. YOU ALSO HAVE TO DO 5 HOURS OF COMPUTER TIME BUT OUR INSTRUCTOR ALLOWED US TO DO THIS AT HOME WHICH WAS NICE.

How hard was the math? MATH PART WAS REALLY EASY. CHAPTERS 1-8 IS WHAT YOU WILL BE TESTED ON - BUT REALLY IT IS THE LATER CHAPTERS (LIKE 5-8) THAT HAVE ACTUAL PRACTICE PROBLEMS WHICH WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE MATH TEST. YOU HAVE TO PASS THE MATH TEST TO PASS MEDS IN CLINICALS BUT THEY GIVE YOU THREE CHANCES TO PASS. ALMOST EVERYONE PASSED OUR TEST , SO DON'T STRESS ABOUT MATH.

What should we be studying out the Kees and Marshall math book? i.e chapter/topics

How many students did you start with and how many did you end wiht at the end of the semester? WE STARTED WITH 32 STUDENTS AND TWO DROPPED BEFORE THE SEMESTER ENDED. I BELIEVE ANOTHER 3 OR 4 FAILED THE SEMESTER. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH POINTS TO PASS GOING INTO THE HESI AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER AND THEN YOU WON'T HAVE TO STRESS ABOUT THE HESI.

What is your opinion about the quality of the program? PROGRAM IS GOOD. THE ONLY THING I DON'T LIKE SO FAR IS THAT YOU WILL BE IN CLINCIAL WITH 9 OTHER STUDENTS AND ONLY ONE CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR. IT IS SO HARD TO GET DIRECTION, ETC.

What is the best thing that we should do to prepare? READ AHEAD. I STARTED READING THE FIRST 8 CHAPTERS BEFORE I STARTED THE PROGRAM AND THAT WAY I WAS ALWAYS AHEAD WITH MY READING. IT HELPED ALOT. AND DO THE LAB HOURS EARLY IN THE SEMESTER BECAUSE THE WORKLOAD GETS HEAVIER TOWARDS THE END.

How did you find the exams , hard, very hard, easy?THE EXAMS WERE VERY HARD. THE FIRST COUPLE WERE OKAY BUT AS THE SEMESTER WENT ON IT GOT HARDER BECAUSE THE TESTS TURNED MORE CLINICAL THINKING BASED RATHER THAT MEMORIZING.

How hard or easy was it to learn how to do heath assessments, taking vital signs, breathing sounds (assessing) etc. THEY WILL TEACH YOU ALL OF THAT. I STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN. VITAL SIGNS ARE EASY. ASSESSING BREATHING SOUNDS WILL COME WITH TIME. I CAN RECOGNIZE WHEN SOMETHING DOESN'T SOUND NORMAL BUT I STILL CANNOT DIAGNOSE WHAT IT IS.

Ok, I don't want to overload you but any insight would be great. You can post your reply here NO PROBLEM AT ALL! ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AT ALL, LET ME KNOW. I WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP.

NewGoalRN · Jul 11, 2009

Thank you so much purplestang. I don't think that they want us to post emails on the board but if you click on my name, I believe that it allows you to send me an email. in any event, I will also send you a private message.

Thanks again. After my last class this summer, i will start to study the Potter and Perry text, at least the first 15 chapters is my goal. Check your messages.

I sent you an email with my email addy.

Thanks again.

purplestang · Jul 11, 2009

Oops, no problem!

NewGoalRN · Jul 11, 2009

How does accumulating points for the Hesi help? what type/format of exam is the Hesi? Is it similar to the Tabe or Teas? What is the passing score? Thanks.

purplestang · Jul 11, 2009

You will need a certain amount of points to pass NP1. The HESI accounts for a big chunk of them. Not sure what the Tabe or Teas is but the HESI is set up similar to the NCLEX from what I hear. It was tough. There isn't necessarily a passing score - it depends on how many points you need at the end of the semester when it is time to take the test.

NewGoalRN · Jul 11, 2009

Thanks, I think I better also work on critical think skills in the mean time.

Thanks again

lactnet · Jul 12, 2009

Hi all, i've applied for the spring and someone in my psych class told me that HCC calls you to let you know if you are accepted into the program and then mail you a packet. Is this accurate information?

Many thanks in advance.

NewGoalRN · Jul 12, 2009

I don't think that is correct. I believe that they send you an acceptance letter via usps.

lactnet · Jul 13, 2009

thank you for the response i really appreciate it. this person made it sound like if you didn't answer the phone then they moved on to the next person and you were out so to speak?

drmazur · Jul 13, 2009

lactnet -

I was accepted for this fall, and received a letter in the mail, in a normal letter sized envelope. Definately don't be expecting a phone call! I can't even imagine a school doing it the way this person told you!

Good luck!

lactnet · Jul 13, 2009

thank you drmazur. when they said this i just couldn't believe it - it just didn't sound like something a school could get away with doing let alone want to do