Anyone heard of this school?

U.S.A. Massachusetts

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Anyone heard of Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences? I'm considering their accelerated BSN program but I didn't know if anyone knows their reputation or if anyone has graduated from the program? I appreciate this!:)

BunnyRN

158 Posts

Specializes in Medical-Surgical-Ortho-Neuro-Agency.

My friend graduated from the pharmacy program, couple of years ago. She's from NY, and liked the environment in Boston. Did you do you pre-reqs at another school??? Get ready for a REALLY GOOD CHALLENGE. Good Luck with your studies.

Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Best wishes to you!

fotografe

464 Posts

Anyone heard of Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences? I'm considering their accelerated BSN program but I didn't know if anyone knows their reputation or if anyone has graduated from the program? I appreciate this!:)

MCPHS has a pretty good reputation, but as with all schools, it seems the administrative support offices (fin aid, registrar, etc) have some problems. A lot of people I have talked with complained about that.

I believe the accelerated BSN is brand new. I think they started their first cohort this past September. Or it might not have even begun yet.

Your best bet is to go to an open house and meet faculty in the dept. The clinicals are probabaly in the surrounding hospitals (B & W, Beth Israel, etc) so you will get good clinical training. Let us know what you find out!

karma482

74 Posts

Specializes in pediatrics.

I graduated from MCPHS Boston in January 2005 with a bachelor's degree. I was accepted to their new accelerated BSN nursing program in Worcester,MA that starts next week. I AM VERY EXCITED!!!! MCP will give you a quality education, but I must warn you...the academics are tough!!

You have to be really serious about your studies to succeed. There are a few departmental problems within the Boston campus... I'm not sure if the same is true about the Worcester campus. The clinicals they offer out of Worcester for nursing are UMASS memorial worcester, metrowest medical center,framingham, and leonard morse in natick. I would highly recommend going to an open house if you are interested in the program. they provide you with much more detail about the program. Also,beware..this school is private and thus very EXPENSIVE!!!

Specializes in ACNP-BC.
I graduated from MCPHS Boston in January 2005 with a bachelor's degree. I was accepted to their new accelerated BSN nursing program in Worcester,MA that starts next week. I AM VERY EXCITED!!!! MCP will give you a quality education, but I must warn you...the academics are tough!!

You have to be really serious about your studies to succeed. There are a few departmental problems within the Boston campus... I'm not sure if the same is true about the Worcester campus. The clinicals they offer out of Worcester for nursing are UMASS memorial worcester, metrowest medical center,framingham, and leonard morse in natick. I would highly recommend going to an open house if you are interested in the program. they provide you with much more detail about the program. Also,beware..this school is private and thus very EXPENSIVE!!!

Yep, the school has a campus in Worcester, MA & I heard it is a very good program. I'm a new RN who works at UMASS Memorial in Worc. I really like where I work-so I know you'll get good clinical experiences at our hospital. :) Best wishes.

-Christine

karma482

74 Posts

Specializes in pediatrics.

Christine,

You said that you are working at UMASS Memorial in Worcester. How exciting!!I was hoping to be able to get my first job there also. Could you tell me about your experience so far and if you don't mind me asking how is the pay scale there?

Thanks,Liz

Specializes in ACNP-BC.
Christine,

You said that you are working at UMASS Memorial in Worcester. How exciting!!I was hoping to be able to get my first job there also. Could you tell me about your experience so far and if you don't mind me asking how is the pay scale there?

Thanks,Liz

My hospital pays new grads $24.83/hour to start, plus on my evening shift we get paid $3/hour more and on weekend it is $2.50/hour more. Also, the 11-7 shift pays $5/hour more. So when I work on the 3-11 shift on the weekend, I make $30.33/hour and during the week I make $27.83/hour. Not bad for being an RN for only 6 months! :) As for my experience there, I really like it a lot. We have team nursing on my med/surg/tele unit so an RN, LPN, and CNA work together to take care of up to 10 or 11 patients. As the RN on the team, I also do initial assessments on ER patients, hang TPN and blood, give IV pushes, work with PICC lines and other central lines, etc. I like my unit because I'm learning a lot all the time and I feel like the pts we have are pretty stable (no codes every second or anything) even though they're on tele, so I don't feel scared taking care of them. Hope you'll come to UMASS when you're doing clinicals! :)

-Christine

I graduated from MCPHS Boston in January 2005 with a bachelor's degree. I was accepted to their new accelerated BSN nursing program in Worcester,MA that starts next week. I AM VERY EXCITED!!!! MCP will give you a quality education, but I must warn you...the academics are tough!!

You have to be really serious about your studies to succeed. There are a few departmental problems within the Boston campus... I'm not sure if the same is true about the Worcester campus. The clinicals they offer out of Worcester for nursing are UMASS memorial worcester, metrowest medical center,framingham, and leonard morse in natick. I would highly recommend going to an open house if you are interested in the program. they provide you with much more detail about the program. Also,beware..this school is private and thus very EXPENSIVE!!!

I've heard the school is EXCELLENT but tough.

I would JUMP at the chance for clinicals at Framingham. I am very interested in the Framingham Heart Study!!

sillyxaria

21 Posts

Hi Liz! It's me Jenn !!! :) I finally tracked you down in the forum.

We're both in the accel. program at MCPHS-Worcester and buds for life ! :) You guys should seriously check out the labs, pretty awesome instruments/gadgets to play with! The professors are really dedicated to assuring we get the necessary and proper treatment in all aspects of our learning. :)

Christine,

Do you think there are any positions like a nurse's aide, I forget what they call it, some sort of critical care tech or any speciality..they would offer to nursing students? I don't mind the pay rate, just the experience and how versatile, and conducive to learning it will be for me...and how would I contact them about it?

I'm not sure how wise it is to work, and go to school but I would really like the experience...the Foley cath, blood drawing sort of freaks me out since I just know it from lecture.

Thanks!!! :)

Specializes in ACNP-BC.
Hi Liz! It's me Jenn !!! :) I finally tracked you down in the forum.

We're both in the accel. program at MCPHS-Worcester and buds for life ! :) You guys should seriously check out the labs, pretty awesome instruments/gadgets to play with! The professors are really dedicated to assuring we get the necessary and proper treatment in all aspects of our learning. :)

Christine,

Do you think there are any positions like a nurse's aide, I forget what they call it, some sort of critical care tech or any speciality..they would offer to nursing students? I don't mind the pay rate, just the experience and how versatile, and conducive to learning it will be for me...and how would I contact them about it?

I'm not sure how wise it is to work, and go to school but I would really like the experience...the Foley cath, blood drawing sort of freaks me out since I just know it from lecture.

Thanks!!! :)

Jenn, Yes, UMASS has PCA positions (stands for patient care assistant). I was a per diem PCA during nursing school and that worked out well for me since if you work per diem you can make your own hours according to what you can fit into with your school schedule. It's great for experience, learning, and it's extra money. :) I work at the Memorial Campus, but I know both campuses have job listings for PCAs/student nurses. I think (but don't quote me!!) the pay starts at $10 or $11/hour, but I am not too sure. To look at and apply to PCA jobs at UMASS in Worcester, go to their web site

http://www.umassmemorial.org and click onto Careers, then pick the campus you want to work at and choose nursing support & it will list all the available positions and you can apply to them and see what happens. Anymore questions, please let me know. :) I really got a lot of great experience at UMASS-so much so that I decided to stay on as a nurse.

-Christine

sillyxaria

21 Posts

Thanks Christine!!

I'm going to browse the site right now!!! :) Do you recommend one campus/department over the other. I want the full range that nursing has to offer, so could you point me or advise me about that...I don't want a slow-paced one if you know what I mean. I was going into the program all about pediatric oncology..but who knows where I'll land.

Is St. Vincent's part of UMASS? I'm sorry I'm fairly new to the area.

Do they offer the same services?

Thanks again for your patience & help!!

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