LVN-RN SAC, ACC, Excelsior?

Nursing Students School Programs

Published

Hello there,

I was wondering if anyone has recently been admitted to any of these colleges? I am an LVN, I recently got out of an LVN to RN program from Victoria college because of their instructors. I've had issues with the 3rd semester instructors almost right away. They would tell me that if I worked while in the program that I would no longer be in the program. My clinical instructor would tell the other instructors that I am probably working before going to clinicals and it wouldn't be safe even though my clinical instructor would work nights and then do her clinical with us. We had two 15 minute breaks and my clinical instructor got onto me when I used my phone in our little conference room that we would keep our stuff in but the same exact day toward the end of clinicals, instructor told two students that if they take their phone out in the HALLWAY of the hospital again that she would write them up.. I was actually written up for having my cellphone in the conference room(one time only that she saw me using my phone there) but I withdrew when they were trying to fail me for "not aspirating enough" on the skills check off with a manikin of a central line. Which I pulled back and stated that I saw blood return but they said that wasn't enough. I had a few other incidents but that is basically why I had to withdraw. I wont go back there again.

Question is: has anyone recently been accepted into a mobility track in central Tx? I am having trouble deciding where to go. I went ahead and applied at SAC and looked up all the information at Excelsior but the CPNE exam and the cost of over 2K for that one single test is kind of risky. Any other colleges that someone has recently been admitted or gone to? How was the admission process? Did you have to apply more than once? Pros Cons?

0 Votes
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

If other people were reprimanded for having their phones out, it obviously isn't ok to have it out at all. As far as them not wanting you to work, it is true. Nursing programs are very difficult & working makes it more stressful. But you are not the first, nor the last to have to work & I don't think they could kick you out for it. With the check off you need to follow what your lab instructor wants. There is a reason (albeit sometimes crazy) they want it done that certain way. Nothing you described sounded off. Just professors trying to train new RNs.

If you were in the 3rd semester isn't that the last one? Why give up so close to the end? I would've sucked it up & finished. Now to have to go through more admission hoops, hope you get in & redo an entire bridge program (none of the classes from Victoria will transfer) sounds exhausting.

As far as the other colleges, I would look up NCLEX pass rates & everything. I have no experience with them.

0 Votes

Oh I definitely know how a program is. I completed the LVN program at the same college. Very strict but also organized. This program was not. 3 different instructors told me how to do a skill, each were different. Each time you are tested on a skill, it's by someone else. They did not set up the grading the same across the board. 3rd semester and 1 semester left. I did suck it up but they were constantly threatening me that I'd be out if I continued to work. I told them I went PRN and my clinical instructor would message the team leader and say she thought I was still working and I needed to be talked to. She pulled me aside and specifically told me that I will be out if I continued even after I told her that I went PRN. The phones were allowed to be in the conference room off unless it was break time. I let the chair know that it was my break and that my clinical instructor was aware of my break time but for some reason my clinical instructor notified the chair. I know how it is to be in a tough program. The LVN program was tough, strict and high expectations as many others. I apologize if all you see was complaints or excuses with what I wrote but honestly it was not worth it. I'd drive 2 hours one way to get to clinical. It just wasn't worth it. They were unorganized and complained of the amount of students they accepted and what were they going to do about it. This was the first year that they had the graduating LVNs go straight into the Bridge program.

Its funny because my clinical instructor would tell me how well I'd be doing and having me go in with the generic track students to guide them through some assignments at clinicals. Believe me, I would have "sucked it up" but they were trying to "write me up" for things that were incorrect. I was even taken to the office for a "write up" about submitting my clinical paperwork and one was because the instructor misplaced it, another time- I was absent and turned it in the following clinical day as she asked me to and I had to show my text message just so that I can get that removed from my file. It was constantly something like that. There were students who would record their skills check off because 2 instructors would say that something wasn't done but they went to the chair to get it corrected. It wasn't worth my time, they had me driving up there for these "write ups" and they were incorrect. 4 hours wasted more than once. I asked to discuss it over the phone before driving over there but said that they don't discuss it over the phone. The program I was in for LVN had higher expectations, each day see what you are wearing, turn in documentation and graded right in front of us. Medications were required to be discussed without referring to the book and if it was incorrect then we'd have to refer to the book then write about it. We did care plans that were for RNs that included nursing diagnosis and the interventions and what not. We learned more than what LVNs were expected to do because of how "soon LVNs will need to get their RN"

I wasn't going to "suck it up" for reasons that were not regarding my personal actions.

0 Votes
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Oh I definitely know how a program is. I completed the LVN program at the same college. Very strict but also organized. This program was not. 3 different instructors told me how to do a skill, each were different. Each time you are tested on a skill, it's by someone else. They did not set up the grading the same across the board. 3rd semester and 1 semester left. I did suck it up but they were constantly threatening me that I'd be out if I continued to work. I told them I went PRN and my clinical instructor would message the team leader and say she thought I was still working and I needed to be talked to. She pulled me aside and specifically told me that I will be out if I continued even after I told her that I went PRN. The phones were allowed to be in the conference room off unless it was break time. I let the chair know that it was my break and that my clinical instructor was aware of my break time but for some reason my clinical instructor notified the chair. I know how it is to be in a tough program. The LVN program was tough, strict and high expectations as many others. I apologize if all you see was complaints or excuses with what I wrote but honestly it was not worth it. I'd drive 2 hours one way to get to clinical. It just wasn't worth it. They were unorganized and complained of the amount of students they accepted and what were they going to do about it. This was the first year that they had the graduating LVNs go straight into the Bridge program.

Its funny because my clinical instructor would tell me how well I'd be doing and having me go in with the generic track students to guide them through some assignments at clinicals. Believe me, I would have "sucked it up" but they were trying to "write me up" for things that were incorrect. I was even taken to the office for a "write up" about submitting my clinical paperwork and one was because the instructor misplaced it, another time- I was absent and turned it in the following clinical day as she asked me to and I had to show my text message just so that I can get that removed from my file. It was constantly something like that. There were students who would record their skills check off because 2 instructors would say that something wasn't done but they went to the chair to get it corrected. It wasn't worth my time, they had me driving up there for these "write ups" and they were incorrect. 4 hours wasted more than once. I asked to discuss it over the phone before driving over there but said that they don't discuss it over the phone. The program I was in for LVN had higher expectations, each day see what you are wearing, turn in documentation and graded right in front of us. Medications were required to be discussed without referring to the book and if it was incorrect then we'd have to refer to the book then write about it. We did care plans that were for RNs that included nursing diagnosis and the interventions and what not. We learned more than what LVNs were expected to do because of how "soon LVNs will need to get their RN"

I wasn't going to "suck it up" for reasons that were not regarding my personal actions.

I have an ex friend who went through that same program (LVN & bridge) & he never had any complaints & worked during it. I don't know if your situation is common but from what I have heard it is an excellent program & it shows by their NCLEX pass rates. I have never heard a negative comment until now. If you were passing everything I would've just kept a low profile & finished. To have to start all over again when you were almost at the end is such a pain.

I don't know how long you were an LVN for but it would take a lot more than that for me to drop out of a program, especially at the end. My LVN program was far from perfect & had its share of problems but I never thought about dropping out. Since I've been out of school for awhile & am dying to go back (and who would've killed to take your spot in the bridge program) it's upsetting to read you let other people make a major decision for you.

0 Votes

Yeah, it is upsetting that I dropped but it was either withdraw or have a fail on my transcript. I don't like thinking about it but I did get offered to get back in and the chair coordinator let me know that the instructors were not in that level any more. The only thing they asked was for me to pay the day they offered it to me. I heard several complaints about the program but thats when I was already in it. Id rather start over than to experience something like that again. I was told to record everything and I really should have. I choose to move on and I am looking for insight for somewhere else more closer.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment