hudson valley community college

Have you started the program yet? I will be starting there this coming Fall...I can't wait!

I will be getting on the waiting list this coming semester when I finish my last pre-req. I am a returning college student, so I already have some of my classes out of the way such as ENGL comp 1 and 2, General psych, etc. I am hoping that thye list will take no more than 2 years for me to start clinicals, because if it does I will be out of classes to take. I don't want to wait around doing nothing for a whole year! Do you know how long the wait list is right now for Hudson Valley Community College???

I attended HVCC's program for my first year, and then transferred to a BSN program. No Miss Beck when I was there (8 years ago), but the dreaded CPE's sure were! HVCC runs a tight ship, very difficult program- as well it should be.

My only complaint stems from the cold shoulder I received from the NSG department after I decided to transfer to a BSN program. I thought administration would be pleased I had done so well with their program that I wanted to go further, but not so much. Still, I have nothing but good things to say about their program.

Hi! I just moved to Troy and am hoping planning to go talk to some people at HVCC about their program. I applied to the Samaritan program and am pretty shell shocked by their "finish your file fast, we have a waiting list" letter. Can anyone tell me how the admissions process at HVCC was? Is it really competitive?

The HVCC program is extremely competitive, and also has a long waiting list. I just applied for transfer into the Nursing Department (I am currently in Individual Studies). I was told that I may be able to start Nursing I in the fall of 2011, 2010 if I am lucky and have very high grades. I am a part-time night student and was told that if I was willing to switch to days that my wait may be shorter. They are currently trying to make the program a points based competitive program so that each A you get will be worth x amount of points, and each grade of B would be a little less, etc. I hope I helped, and let me know if you have more questions!

Thanks bratt, that definitely helps. I think I'll make an appointment to talk with an advisor at HVCC, might as well throw my name into the hat now since most of the local programs are looking about as competitive. yeesh, who knew this would be so hard?!

What are you plans while you wait on the waiting list? I was thinking about CNA, but I can't seem to find that in our area either! : p

HVCC's program is much, much stronger than Samaritan's. I encourage you to go that route (see my post above). I had the occasion to precept a fair number Samaritan students during their clinicals and also to orient several new grads from the program. I found them to be by and large under-prepared.

Before I get flamed for that, let me explain that I worked with some great students/new grads who were intelligent and hardworking. The problem was that they often didn't come with fundamental critical thinking and practical skills- they had to learn quickly once they began orientation. I fault the school for that, though, not the students themselves.

HVCC's program is really top-notch in the area, plus you won't have to contract with Samaritan or its sister facility to pay back loans after graduation.

Whatever route you go, good luck!

Hey Daisybaby,

Could you be a little more specific about what areas of critical thinking and practical skills you found students of Samaritan lacking? My ADN will be my 3rd degree (also have a BA and and MS) and I am hoping for a program that will give me a lot of clinical work and focus on nursing more than some of the fundamental skills (math, reasoning, etc) I picked up in my other areas of study. I have been gravitating toward Samaritan for that reason (it being affiliated with a hospital vs. a community college) but what you said intrigued me.

Thanks!

- Kristin

Students I precepted and oriented had problems with meds, foley placement, IM injections especially. I had more than one student tell me they had graduated from SAM's program without ever doing IM shots or foley placement. Meds were difficult for many; it seemed to be a confidence thing for most of them. Students I had were so terrified of IM shots that they would hide so the precepting RN would end up doing it. The clinical instructor would tell me that so-and-so wasn't really comfortable with foleys/shots/whatever and that my student would just be 'observing' for the day. That kind of thing flies on the first clinical day, but not at the end of the semester! And these were students in their last roation before graduation. HVCC's instructors made sure everyone did whatever they could get to do while they were there. Students were always busy with their patients. No sitting around the nurses' desk!

That being said, most of them asked good questions- but had so little confidence in themselves. Critical thinking seemed to be a problem where care planning was concerned. Fluid balance and meds and their relation to diagnosis seemed tough, too.

Keep in mind that Samaritan is one of the smaller area hospitals, too. There is a small ICU and the ER is usually busy but major traumas and higher risk births generally go to St. Peter's or ALbany Medical Center (both about 15 minutes away in Albany). Some SAM students do their clinicals in these facilities, but the priority for the 'good' clinicals in the larger hospitals seems to go to HVCC groups. HVCC's program is well-known for the highest % of students passing the NCLEX on the first try, and their students are pretty heavily recruited right out of school.

HVCC has a very well-run in-school skills lab. If you can't pass the dreaded Clinical Practice Exams in-school, you don't go any further. But- they have drop-in practice hours as well as a lab skills instructor who you can see if you need one-on-one instruction. It's a very sink-or-swim atmosphere, but students who are driven and willing to work always succeed.

Thanks so much for the added info daisybaby. I will definitely take these things into consideration as I go through my application process ^_^

You could also consider Columbia-Greene's program, half an hour south in Hudson. That's where I've been accepted for fall. I spent this school year doing pre/co-requisities but got in on my first try. They have a point-based application system, and have very high NCLEX pass rates and employment placement rates. It is also not an easy program (nor should it be), but faculty are warm and supportive. Not only nursing but all faculty I've had experience with are really top-notch.

http://www.sunycgcc.edu