ITT Tech's New Program???

km50 · Apr 4, 2012

I'm in the ITT program in Oklahoma City. I was in another nursing program in this city and making good grades, but the hatefulness and punitive attitude of the faculty put so much pressure on us, some of us couldn't take the stress. They treated us and accused us as if we were all cheaters. They watched our every move and tracked all our comments on the computers as that was the only way to communicate with the faculty. In lab, we had students teaching students. The school was terribly disorganized. The experience was so awful I had a nervous breakdown and almost committed suicide.
The ITT classes meet once a week, but we've had med/surg clinicals twice a week, giving us more time on the floor, which is great! We read just as much in this program as I did in the other, but the teachers are more helpful and are happy to spend time with us one-on-one. We also aren't required to buy extra books to supplement (as we were in the other school). We don't have a long list of movies to watch on our days off (as I did in the other school). Our care plans aren't 20+ pages long and they're not critical of our care plans, but rather, sit down with us and talk about them. I love that I have access to my teachers anytime I need them. They give us their personal cell phone numbers on the first day of class.
The classes are small enough that the teachers get to know us as humans: our strengths and weaknesses. They work with us and care about us. The program chairman knows each of us by name.
Yes, it's horribly expensive, but I plan to be able to pay off the loan once I become employed. So far, we've left good impressions at the hospitals we've worked in. The nurses in one of the hospitals begged me to apply for a job, which means ITT has taught me effectively what I need to know to become a nurse.
Our credits transfer only to the University of Phoenix, which, I heard, is in trouble for illegal financial dealings (I don't know).
The HESI is a piece of cake. Just review your anatomy/physiology books before you take it and you'll do fine. HESI tests are given periodically throughout the program to make sure we're on track.
The entire program is 27 months (or 9 quarters) with little time off. No summer breaks. The order of classes by quarter is:
1. Introduction to Nursing
2. Pharmacology and Fundamentals of Nursing
3. Med/Surg I + clinical
4. Med/Surg II + clinical
5. Gerontology + clinical
6. Mental Health + clinical
7. OB/GYN + clinical
8. Peds + clinical
9. Leadership (don't know about clinical)
Of course it's wise to check out every aspect of a program before you commit.
Hope this helps you in whatever decision you make.

Is everything included in the tuition like uniforms and etc?

km50 · Apr 4, 2012

Ok i work at a hospital as a CNA. I've asked my boss,personally, and she said IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU GET YOUR RN FROM AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A LICENSE FROM THE BOARD OF NURSING!! Over half of our RN staff are new grads and i cant wait to join them. My friend is also a RN and she said the same as my boss. I went to the nursing seminar yesterday at ITT and I fell in love. 3 days a week sounds great to me considering that I work 3 days days a week for 12 hr shifts 7p-7a. Gives me breathing room. I also liked the fact that you have alot of clinical hours(hands on instead of reading a book). Because I work with nurses of course I've asked where they went and did they enjoy it. Most say no and that all nursing programs are hard including ITT. They say that community college nursing programs make you learn unnecessary things and once you get out you don't even use it and they do this because they have high mighty names. Plus the way cc's treat you is ridiculous. I believe ITT will be straight to the point and let you learn ONLY what is need to be a RN NOT RN material plus more stupidity. About "not being able to transfer credits to get BSN" HELLO ITT as a BSN program.

blt995 · May 5, 2012

I just graduated from ittt, but cant get my diploma! Do more research!

taz5869, RNC-OB · May 5, 2012

Over half of our RN staff are new grads and i cant wait to join them.

Wow, really? That's pretty incredible to me. What hospital is this? I graduated in December 2011 and the majority of my cohort members have not been able to find jobs. We're all second degree students and have our BSN's. The market is practically impossible for new grads in the Portland area right now... it's extremely frustrating.

portland nurse · Jun 8, 2012

I have a friend who is going to start her final semester at ITT nursing in Portland. She has not set foot in a hospital, nor has the class that graduated a head of her. They have been in nursing homes. They did their pediatric rotation in a day care center.

What hospital would hire a nurse who went through school without setting foot in a hospital? If she's lucky a desparate nsg home might hire her. And 40 grand in debt for nontranserable hours. This is a disgrace.

imanursedogonit · Jun 8, 2012

I have a friend who is going to start her final semester at ITT nursing in Portland. She has not set foot in a hospital, nor has the class that graduated a head of her. They have been in nursing homes. They did their pediatric rotation in a day care center.
What hospital would hire a nurse who went through school without setting foot in a hospital? If she's lucky a desparate nsg home might hire her. And 40 grand in debt for nontranserable hours. This is a disgrace.

WOW, What a Friend...! and that is the Disgrace in this posting... There are many programs in the U.S. where RN students do not spend time in a Hospital.

Do you know that the Day Care is/was the only peds training she got or was it in conjuction with other training. You could be a shinning example of a Nurse helping a Nurse, and direct her in a directions that would benefit her, as opposed to "worrying" yourself about her 40k debt or the "Desperate Nursing Home", that would hire her. I am an LVN in the ITT RN program, student, here in Texas, and we have a variety of Clinical sites. None at a Day Care center as of yet, but I would welcome any opportunity for diverse training... i.e., the study of the constant close contact (w/childrens) in these types of facilities. So.., if she were my friend, I would direct her to perhaps volunteer at local agencies, free clinics, etc.. to build her resume`. JS

Something to think about..

"I believe in Nurses Helping Nurses", CEB, LVN

jimithing112 · Jun 9, 2012

I don't think that dogging on the poster is useful here. I think the point is to give information on a program, not to outline what does or does not make a good friend. The poster isn't responsible for her friend's educational experience. Only her friend is....let's keep it relevant and respectful, eh?

pixiestudent2 · Jun 9, 2012

I have a friend who is going to start her final semester at ITT nursing in Portland. She has not set foot in a hospital, nor has the class that graduated a head of her. They have been in nursing homes. They did their pediatric rotation in a day care center.
What hospital would hire a nurse who went through school without setting foot in a hospital? If she's lucky a desparate nsg home might hire her. And 40 grand in debt for nontranserable hours. This is a disgrace.

Are you serious? Why would a daycare let nursing students in? What the heck did they do to perfectly healthy kids. It is not like daycares have a nurse on staff...

Stephalump · Jun 10, 2012

The most relevant thing would be to actually hear from someone who has gone to ITT Tech and found an awesome job. Hearing how awesome a student thinks it is or what great plans they have is great...but people make bad choices all the time and think they are GREAT choices until the consequences come around. The proof is in the pudding, not in the big talk and dreams.

If people want to take on $50,000-$100,000 in debt to not get a job (news flash: even new grads from accredited schools are struggling for jobs), then whatever. It's your credit, not mine. There are a ton of concerns about nurse farming and saturating the market, but the truth is...order still stands. Unqualified nurses won't be hired before the qualified nurses, and if they are, they won't last long. More and more new grads are finding themselves being fired or voluntarily leaving nursing within the first few years of graduation because they couldn't cut it or were out of touch with reality about the field. It'll all come full circle.

bcart · Jun 12, 2012

I am taking my HESI test for ITT this Wednesday. I love what I hear about the program so far. But, I'm beyond worried on how to come up with the money to pay for it!! After financial aid and the stafford loan, I'm left with 20k to some how pay for. My credit isn't that great. I'm a new mom and my husband is the only one who is currently working.How are you guys paying for this school? It's so hard not to worry myself crazy over this. I want more than anything to get into this program and complete it. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to pay for it? Thanks in advance!

NurseToBe3 · Jun 19, 2012

I have a friend who is going to start her final semester at ITT nursing in Portland. She has not set foot in a hospital, nor has the class that graduated a head of her. They have been in nursing homes. They did their pediatric rotation in a day care center.
What hospital would hire a nurse who went through school without setting foot in a hospital? If she's lucky a desparate nsg home might hire her. And 40 grand in debt for nontranserable hours. This is a disgrace.

I would be careful of where you get your info. ITT Portland hasn't graduated a class yet and wont until September, so your friend will be the first class to graduate. It's going to be hard for a new nursing program to get good clinical sites when there are so many established programs around, but it sounds like they are working on it. Also, it doesn't seem likely that they went to a daycare for Peds experience. We went to a preschool for a small amount of our peds experience and my school has been around for a few decades. Obviously we weren't there full days, but we did fluoride on their teeth, checked their vision and hearing, did some nutritional teaching, etc. We go every term and do something different, so that makes up some of our peds hours. Hopefully ITT improves their clinical sites quickly and their students get the experience they need. Those students invest a lot and deserve a good education!

razzberrygirl · Jun 19, 2012

Well put...