Hillsborough Community College Spring 2009

FYI. erwin is now requireing the TEAS test this may,.

Hello again :)

I was wondering, for those of you who have gone through the orientation/started the program:

What is the orientation like? What is covered?

Where and when do we purchase our scrubs?

Do we take any sort of test during orientation?

I turned in my acceptance yesterday, so I don't know if that is it, do I just wait for orientation day to come???

Any replies would be greatly appreciated!!

-Jacquie :redbeathe

newgoalnurse will those who already passed the tabe test have to retest using the teas test or something to get into the program? i can't remember if it was u or someone else that mentioned had something to announce to all students at our orientation in may.

mod note, please do not name contact names from facility etc as per terms of service

hi book24, it was me. i called the school monday because when i checked www.erwin.edu, they had a new requirement on there and it was the teas test. i figured that this is prob. what was alluding to.

when i called, she was off for 3wks but i spoke to the secretary's boss and she affirmed this. she said that they got more 'qualified' applicants than they had seats for. i told her that it wasn't fair to have teas implemented after the cut off date when they had never mentioned it before. she agreed and said that it just came from downtown out of the blue. she said for those who passed the tabe, that it would be administered a different way than for those applying for aug 2009.

i have a feeling that thescores will be used to rank people including if you have a college degree. it is definitely getting more competitive even at vo tech shcools.

mod note. please do not name contact names from facility as per terms of service

Wow! But will I have to take the TEAS as well? Like the TEAS will determine whether or not I can start or not? I passed the tabe in February so....i don't want to have to retest! Perhaps I understood wrong. Will the be implenting the teas for those who will be applying for jan of 11 and beyond?

Jacquie1 and others...

Orientation is very important. There is one test, but you can't study for it, so don't worry about it. They will tell you almost everything you need to know. You can start studying your clinical calculation book. Go ahead and visit the HCC bookstore to price things and budget ahead. The first semester is the most expensive as far as books and supplies, scrubs, medical exams, etc. You will need an updated PPD, Varicella Titer, HBV vaccine or HBV titers, CPR for Health Care Providers and a physical. So this is all expensive and time consuming. So plan ahead.

Brush up on your metric system conversions, basic algebra, and fractions. The tests in NP I take about half the semester to figure out. These are tests unlike anything you have taken before. They are not just testing content mastery, but critical thinking. Go ahead and buy an NCLEX review book and start practicing some of the med-surg content before your first exam. Saunders is a good NCLEX review book, but there are other good ones too. As for supplies, HCC has a duffle bag package that includes a decent stethoscope and supplies for nursing lab. Don't buy an expensive stethoscope. You can upgrade when you get to NP IV.

NP I has extra lab hour requirements and a community service project... so if you work, plan to take some time off during the semester, as you will need it. They tell you at orientation not to work more than 20 hours. This is highly individual. Some people work full time and get through with A's. Some can't manage the program while keeping a part time job, so time will tell. If you are married, with or without children, I think they should let the spouses attend the orientation. It is a very stressful program, and your spouse or significant other needs to be supportive and prepared for your lack of attention for two years.

You also make some great friends, work with really great nurses and take care of amazing patients. For many of us, it is a lot of fun too! Good luck!

roman813 -

how do the extra lab hours work? is it a certain number a week, or just an amount you have to get done over the semester? is the lab open for this pretty regularly? And does it have to be on the campus you attend? for example, i am going to be on the plant city campus, but live in New Port Richey, so obviously DM is closer. I'm assuming you have to do them on the campus you attend. Also, my class will likely be at 12:30-3:30, would it be likely that the lab may be open in the morning so I would only have to drive out the one time to get both done? sorry for all the questions, i'm just trying to plan ahead. I have 3 young kids and my time management is going to be crucial, especially if i can't switch to the DM campus.

Thanks!

Wow! But will I have to take the TEAS as well? Like the TEAS will determine whether or not I can start or not? I passed the tabe in February so....i don't want to have to retest! Perhaps I understood wrong. Will the be implenting the teas for those who will be applying for jan of 11 and beyond?

It is my understanding that even though you took and passed the TABE that at orientation in May, they will announce that you will still have to take the TEAS for both this year and for next Aug 2009 class. If you go to www.erwin.edu, click on health science careers, practical nursing, information etc, you will see the new requirement that was not there prior to 3/20. If you call the school they will tell you but they won't go into details. They will say that Mrs. Labarbra is away for 3 wks and she will tell you more info at the orientation. I probably would start to study for the TEAS test now.

Roman813, thanks for sharing. However, I was also interested in how the skills lab hours will be accounted for especially for evening/weekend programmers. I know that we have to go to 2 days x 3hr lectures plus 10hr clinical on Sat. When do we have time to do the lab hours. I know at other schools, labs are about 4-6hrs a week. It is looking more and more that I may have to quit my full time job.

How about pharmacy, how is that integrated intot he program. I understand that it is not a separate credit class. Is ithard? how many hrs of lecture a week and for how long i.e full semester, 8 weeks or every semester? I have started to read a pharmacy made easy book and have gotten some drug cards to start to review classes of drugs, also a dosage calc book and Potter & Perry fundamentals.

Any more advice re the first semester?

Thanks.

that is a bit ridiculous and is not fair. I tell you what, they are going to have some angry people. They should just implement afterwards. It is just like after i graduated from highschool they changed lots of requirements to graduate. However they didn't change it until after that last graduating class u know?

I agree with you and expressed that frustration. I think that they will implement it a bit differently but not my much. I think that it isn't fair that you have to wait until May to find out about how it is being implemented. Did u check out the website at Erwin?

i hope that they don't implement it for us but, i'm sure they're thinking about doing it. i know that they will have very upset students! I did look up the site and thought to myself wow, they're wanting both tabe and teas scores...i think it should be one or the other. If they feel that the TABE is not challenging enough then they need to just have the TEAS. i'm doing practice questions and it is prety challenging. It is challenging especially if u haven't had these things in years! Boyle's and Charles' laws...wow!