How is the BSN entry level program at Nova Southeastern University?

NewRN1986 · Jul 9, 2010

Hi Nurse2b, congrats on your acceptance! I as well will be joining you in the Fall as a Shark!! :-)
NewRN,
WOW!! Thanks so much for all of that information, I have many questions as well if you don't mind me asking. Where would you suggest us to get our scrubs? (Is the only option the teal color from head to toe?) Which stethoscope do you think would be the best for this program? (Can it be any color?) I am already looking to get all of my materials ready. Also, which shoes did you or your classmates purchase that you believe are the most comfortable and convenient?
As you can see, I am very anxious & want to be prepared as much as I can! I have many other questions that I hope to remember soon (so many thoughts running through my head)! Once I remember them, I will post them, thanks for your advice & your time, we all appreciate it!!

Hi There, well they are strict with the scrubs I think for your class they will make you buy them from the bookstore because they have to have your name inscribed on it (i don't know if that is how you say it ) and i think its overpriced as well i think $30 for the whole set; and yes it has to be teal color from head to toe.
As far for shoes they have to be completly white, no silver on them, no even teal, specially the first semesters ; towards the end we got away with some stuff ; also if you want to wear a sweater underneath it has to be only white! I heard a girl got sent because she had teal flowers that match her scrubs; as far as comfortable shoes most of my friends had nike shocks; i didn't have that much money so i bought mine at marshals but i think overall tennis shoes with a good support are the most comfortables.
For the stethoscope buy the one they say BUT! DON'T BUY IT AT THE BOOKSTORE you can get the same one online a lot cheaper, almost all of us did that, and the ones who didn't regret it because its the same; for me it could be any color but since they have changed a couple of things comfirm this first.
buy two penlights they are like $3.00 each one and everyone looses them, and some professors get upset if you forget them or "loose them"
Oh I forgot socks also have to be white, all white! no teal hearts or stars or flowers or line, sorry

Hope I helped you and ask as many questions as guys would like, i am currently in the process of doing nothing and applying for jobs online so I am in the internet most of the time, Good Luck!

jerziana29 · Jul 9, 2010

I am so elated you responded lol Good luck on finding a position... So you didnt go through with the Baptist Scholars? Or was it offered to your class at the time?

So they are strict on the scrubs huh...grrrrrr thank god i already have the nike shocks but still... so where online can you purchase your stethoscope? What about the lab coats? I heard they run big and they make you purchase it at the bookstore cause you need your name on it or something??? How many did u order? Or how many do you suggest we need? I am vert picky and for work i have 7 pairs of scrubs lol but i got them for free.....

I know this is a stupid question but did you bring a bookbag lol and what kind, some of my friends are thinking rolling bookbags others bought theirs online that were meant to hold big books, etc.... Also for the books, could you purchase them elsewhere like Amazon or something i noticed that Nova wants it to be the most current edition, so are we forced to buy them at their bookstore?

Again thank you so much for your help with this, you have no idea how much better i feel about it.... On the day of orientation do you pay the rest of your fees.... other than what we need to pay now to secure our spots? I also heard that we should invest in a tape recorder lol.... and we have to do a lot of reading and writing... GRRRRRR lol THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your info again.. good luck on your search... Are you applying in Broward?

NewRN1986 · Jul 9, 2010

NewRN, I can not thank you enough for this information!!! It was extremely helpful!!!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!! I loved it! I know they have changed a couple of things since you graduated because another girl said the same thing at my job. So when do you start wearing your scrubs, because they said to dress professional...... wow it seems like sooooo much!!!!! Thank god that i have prioritized some things in my life right now socially that it wont affect me as much.... I want to do the best that i can so your advise shed some light on buckling down.... A MATH TEST EVER SEMESTER!!!! OMG what basics do you think i should focus on? Like the kilo converted in pounds, etc... that type of basic? I need a head start because math is not my forte whatsoever... i am so excited to be a shark though... Nova has been ranked and they are beginning to outshine a lot of other nursing schools, so it doesnt surprised me that the material is hard, just looking at the NCLEX rates says it all.. hopefully your class passed with a 100%...... have u gotten a position yet? Once again thanks for all the info, geeeeez i need to be mentally prepared! Thanks again!

The first day no one wore scrubs, you walk around campus and since you guys start in the summer i would recommend dressing light; they will provide you with breakfast so get there early if you want to eat . they tell you to wear professional clothes because part of the dressing code of HPD building is to dress professionally when you are in their building i think is monday thru friday from 9:00-5:00 after those hours and on the weekends if you want to study at school you can wear jeans.
Some friends started wearing scrubs the day after orientation it depends on you but you don't really need them during class :) but is cool the first times I felt like nurse . then the excitmen wears off and people dress up sometimes, but remember if you wear regular clothes always bring your white jacket!.

The Math exam is only like 20 questions and like I told you before they let you retake it like 3 times, the only thing is that you have to get a 90% which means you can only miss 2; if you don't understand how to set up an equation ask a teacher if you can stay after class don't be scared or feel dumb after all you are paying A LOT OF MONEY for this education and being in the first semester they will be nicer.
As far as kilos and pounds i don't know if you are from this country or not, what helped me is that i am hispanic and in my country i weight myself in kilos, so I always knew that I wait much more in pounds than in kilos, and that i have to divide not multiply to get to kilograms; because drug doses are done in Kilos not pounds know that most of the time you will have to divide by 2.2; (example if a pt weights 150 lbs and the physician orders a drug that reads 3mg/kg how many miligrams would you give?) first thing is convert from lbs to kilos (150lbs/2.2=68.1) then multiply the result times the miligrams 3mgX68.1kg = 204mg, Hope this didn't confuse you, this is a basic equation and they will start adding things such as ml, and rates and drops per minute and so on; but they will explain this step by step.

As far as my life goes unfortunately the country is in a bad place right now so I haven't had too much success with Job Hunting Hopefully when you guys graduate in two years everything has changed:yeah:; my friends that had gotten jobs did it through residency programs or a scholarship through baptist and one with memorial, unfortunately my passion is PEDIATRICS so I am being too picky i guess and i am not applying for a regular medsurg job; but if I see that I don't get anything in a couple of months I will apply for this type of job I just don't want to give up so easily I love PEDS and even if have to wait or move to another state i will do it.
Good luck and keep asking questions all i am doing right now is applying for jobs and looking for pediatric residency programs ;

Good luck!

jerziana29 · Jul 9, 2010

Wow conversions, aaayyyyy no me gusta!! lol i have to get on top of that for sure... my mom is hispanic and she also does things in kilo as well... im here looking at her all dazed and confused. So do you think i should purchase the books already, the list already came out and they advised us on the sheet to buy the latest editions... u think i should go with Amazom instead of the bookstore?

I didnt know that we needed to always wear our labcoats!! So we could wear our scrubs if we have them already instead of dressing professionally, because i dont want to waste money on buying clothes just for this you know..... How many labcoats did you buy? They suggest @ but im thinking if you wear it everyday should you buy more? How many scrubs you think i should purchase?

Our orientation starts at 8Am are u able to sit with your friends or do they designate a table for your or something since thats when we register and meet our counselors for the first time.... ?? I just interviewed for the baptist scholars so we should be hearing something soon and that would be me financially because Nova is super expensive.... What about the bookbag... i hear some people purchasing the rolling bookbags... ugh dont wanna do that lol

You dont need your stethescope until clinicals right? Could it be whatever color? DO you know the site where it was cheaper?

Again thank you so much for your time... i hope you find what you are looking for... if PEDS is your passion then keep on going atleast you graduated from nursing school... not everyone does that, i heard you never end up with the same number that started! And Nova now is becoming very hard to get into... so CONGRATS again.... keep looking and wishing you the very best! xoxo

nurse2b23 · Jul 9, 2010

wow im so glad i started this thread, so many of my questions have been answered already! thanks so much guys!!:)

cant wait to wear those scrubs, teal is my favorite color! and as far as the study groups go, pinknurse14 and jerziana we definitely should all study together, we gotta get through this together! and NewRN thanks so much for taking your time and giving us detailed responses i know we all really appreciate it! oh and i have a question for u, my mom saw that on the orientation website that there is a link to fill out a form on how many guests you bring to orientation, and since you were talking about how there is a scavenger hunt, should parents really come to the orientation?

you guys have saved me of a lot of time that i would of been waiting for someone to answer them over that phone at nova

p.s NewRN my uncle is a pediatrician so ill put in a word for you, and maybe he knows of some places that are hiring:)

ZDream624 · Jul 9, 2010

Hi NewRN,

Congrats on your graduation and goodluck looking for a job, I know the market is not well.

I also had a few questions regarding Nova if you do not mind me asking.

Did you have to take all your books to class? If so what type of bookbag did you use? Did you buy ALL the books on the book list? and were they ALL NEEDED? During orientation are you allowed to sit with your friends? and how are the counslers assigned? by last name?

I am so thankful that you have answered so many of my questions. I am start August 2010 with Jerziana and Pinknurse :)

Jerzinana and Pinknurse, we should really get together and make a study group. Pinknurse maybe you can join Jerziana and me at orientation.

For the person that asked about parents going to orientation. I am taking my sister but shes leaving during the lunch break. It might be helpful having a family memeber there with you so that they know exactly how the program will be.

Thank you :nurse:

NewRN1986 · Jul 9, 2010

Hello future nurses! ; here are the answers to your questions

For the stethoscope there is a website called www.allheart.com but what we did is research different ones; since prices always change and see which one is cheaper.
For the lab-coats you only need 2 and yes you have to buy them from the bookstore since it has to have the NOVA logo; back then the lab-coats were $35 each, I don't know now.
For the rolling bags; it depends on your style I had one; I always stayed after school reading and checkout a lot of books; I had friends that hated staying afterschool so they never got one; see how you do during the first semester and decide for yourself; also target has good ones and marshals as well.
As for books amazon is a great place or barnes&nobles, you can registered with them for $25.00 for a year and get a discount everytime you buy a book and i think shipping and handling; a lot of us did this; and don't get them from the bookstore they are definetly OVERPRICED!!
In the first semester the one book I didn't use was the Neuman's system model, didn't even read it, but since they have changed so many things i don't know ; the best way to know if you have to buy them or not is asking the students from the semester ahead of you guys; the ones I do recommend buying without hesitation are the A&P and the Math One! very important ones! as far as bringin them to class it depends on the professors some are very strict with it and will point to you if you don't have them others don't even care.
Taperecorder I did get one but never used it again after the first semester only used it of A&P bc the nursing professors didn't let us tape-record them; so don't go overboard to buy an expensive one. but it did help me for those A&P classes.
As for fees i payed all my fees before orientation so I can't give you an advice on this.
For orientation they didn't let us bring family members so I don't know what they are doing right now; yes you can sit together but they made us choose numbers from one to 10 and divide into those groups . So i instantly got divided; the good thing is that you will always remember who you had during that little orientation group session; they do this in purpose so you interact with everyone.
OH SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT on Orientation day they will take your picture for your ID I didn't know that; so if you want to look pretty on your ID :) now you know;

Here are some pictures from our class :)

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3981765&l=fb99c6d7c2&id=504373847

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4589982&l=c3fc1f492d&id=504373847

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4589983&l=8f2029099f&id=504373847

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4007466&l=9af20117c3&id=504373847

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4589986&l=d8103574e0&id=504373847

[url=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4589986&l=d8103574e0&id=504373847][/url]

NewRN1986 · Jul 9, 2010

wow im so glad i started this thread, so many of my questions have been answered already! thanks so much guys!!:)
cant wait to wear those scrubs, teal is my favorite color! and as far as the study groups go, pinknurse14 and jerziana we definitely should all study together, we gotta get through this together! and NewRN thanks so much for taking your time and giving us detailed responses i know we all really appreciate it! oh and i have a question for u, my mom saw that on the orientation website that there is a link to fill out a form on how many guests you bring to orientation, and since you were talking about how there is a scavenger hunt, should parents really come to the orientation?
you guys have saved me of a lot of time that i would of been waiting for someone to answer them over that phone at nova
p.s NewRN my uncle is a pediatrician so ill put in a word for you, and maybe he knows of some places that are hiring:)

Thanks Nurse 2b23 I would appreciate it if you hear about anything :)

Oh and yes the stethoscope you only need it in your second semester when you start clinicals.

ZDream624 · Jul 9, 2010

Thank you Newnurse,

By any chance did you work while in the program? I currently work full time and will be quiting before school :crying2: Do you anyone that was a CNA during the program? I was thinking of getting certified. I wanted to find a job that I can atleast work Saturdays. If you dont mind me asking how did you manage to pay for your expenses? If you get loans and grants and apply for full amount when do they disburse the remainder amount of money to you?

jerziana29 · Jul 9, 2010

NewRN, thank you so much for taking the time again and answering all of our questions... we must be keeping you busy!!!! I loved the pics!! It just made me even more excited to start! How big was your class??? Did the one's that got accepted into the Baptist Scholars get separated after the first semester since they do clinicals at another hospital and not Memorial?

Did a financial advisor contact you to advise you on what you have left to pay for the semester, i am very confused on how they are dealing with this financially...... i just sent in all my paperwork regarding residency, etc. I am going to look up the books online because i am pretty sure like you said we can find them cheaper.

I am with ZDREAM on working, i cant leave my job which is tough since I need insurance and they have invested money in me already with my pre-req's if i leave i may have to pay all the back.... so i am stuck with that one....

So were you generally happy with the program.. i can see that they prep you all the time for the NCLEX! I am also going to ask around for you and see whats open in PEDS... i will keep you posted.

Nurse2B thank god you started this thread lol lol so many things have been cleared up! I think i am going to start wearing my scrubs as soon as i get them because i love them... i wear them to work and i dont want to waste money on new clothes .... the shoes im debating i love shocks but after awhile they hurt.... ughhhhh to many little details im thinking about. For sure you can meet with me and Zdream and another friend of mine on orientation, lets set up a place to meet or something and form a good study group.

Hopefully we can have the same classes together thats what im hoping for with ZDREAM and my other friend... I am still debating if i should bring a bookbag the first day????? any suggestions....

Well we are getting closer... and I have not received anything from Baptist in the mail today... so i guess next week is the week to know... Again thank you NEWRN.... youre the best!

NewRN1986 · Jul 9, 2010

Thank you Newnurse,
By any chance did you work while in the program? I currently work full time and will be quiting before school Do you anyone that was a CNA during the program? I was thinking of getting certified. I wanted to find a job that I can atleast work Saturdays. If you dont mind me asking how did you manage to pay for your expenses? If you get loans and grants and apply for full amount when do they disburse the remainder amount of money to you?

I didn't work for the first 4 semesters, I only worked 5th and 6th semester since I thought they were much easier, at the beginning you are pretty much in school and in clinicals and studying so its hard to do it with work (specially 2nd semester); a lot of my friends that worked didn't do it in the beginning either they started around 3rd and 4th semester as well, remember that a passing grade in nursing school is 75% average on all of your exams (only exams papers and other things don't count towards this average) and sometimes you only have 3 exams with only 50 questions each one; and you can only fail one class if you fail 2 classes with a 74% or less you are out of the program .
I only knew one friend that worked as a CNA and she started doing this in 5th semester, she was in the ARMY so she did it at the VA hospital on the weekends.
I payed my school with Subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans, grants and a brightfutures scholarship; but my EFC in fafsa was a 0 so i think it depends with each person; also i moved back with my mom so i was not paying rent, and my car was fully payed ; oh and they disburse the money like 15 days after you start school; but ask them in the financial office in HPD they can answer this better.
Overall if you have to work (even though i don't recommend it) wait until 3rd or 4th semester (these are hard semesters as well you have pharm and medsurg, but the hardest are 1st and 2nd bc you are getting use to everything)

NewRN1986 · Jul 9, 2010

NewRN, thank you so much for taking the time again and answering all of our questions... we must be keeping you busy!!!! I loved the pics!! It just made me even more excited to start! How big was your class??? Did the one's that got accepted into the Baptist Scholars get separated after the first semester since they do clinicals at another hospital and not Memorial?
Did a financial advisor contact you to advise you on what you have left to pay for the semester, i am very confused on how they are dealing with this financially...... i just sent in all my paperwork regarding residency, etc. I am going to look up the books online because i am pretty sure like you said we can find them cheaper.
I am with ZDREAM on working, i cant leave my job which is tough since I need insurance and they have invested money in me already with my pre-req's if i leave i may have to pay all the back.... so i am stuck with that one....
So were you generally happy with the program.. i can see that they prep you all the time for the NCLEX! I am also going to ask around for you and see whats open in PEDS... i will keep you posted.
Nurse2B thank god you started this thread lol lol so many things have been cleared up! I think i am going to start wearing my scrubs as soon as i get them because i love them... i wear them to work and i dont want to waste money on new clothes .... the shoes im debating i love shocks but after awhile they hurt.... ughhhhh to many little details im thinking about. For sure you can meet with me and Zdream and another friend of mine on orientation, lets set up a place to meet or something and form a good study group.
Hopefully we can have the same classes together thats what im hoping for with ZDREAM and my other friend... I am still debating if i should bring a bookbag the first day????? any suggestions....
Well we are getting closer... and I have not received anything from Baptist in the mail today... so i guess next week is the week to know... Again thank you NEWRN.... youre the best!

Hello Jerziana29 how many days a week are you going to work? hopefully it won't be too many ; as for baptist scholars yes they do divide you after your first semester and you don't see them again until graduation ; its good that both cohorts stay in contact with each other sometimes baptist goes over the answers which really sucked for us in ft. lauderdale or one can get different tips on tests (both of you guys take the same test) but you may have different professors; so my recommendations stay in touch with both cohorts.
No a financial advisor did not contact me; login into your webstar account, you should have a NSU number and your password, then go to your account and it will show what has gone through, Don't worry if you don't see your grants or loans posted it takes about 15 days after you start school in order for them to get posted; also the school gives you 30 days to pay each semester after that you get charge a $50 late fee and they put a hold into your account which means you can't check books or go to the gym .
OH another thing for A&P all of you guys will be together but for the other classes the nurse as a scholar and i forget the other one; your class will be divided in two because the computer room is not big enough and you don't get to choose, so you and your friends could get divided .

I am leaving my house for this weekend i will answer your questions back on monday Take Care :)