Regis College RN-BS-MSN Program

U.S.A. Massachusetts

Published

I'm considering the Regis College RN-BS-MS program after I get my ASN next semester. Is there anyone who is enrolled in the Regis RN-BS-MSN program that can give me some information on this program? Is there anyone who dropped out of the Regis RN-BS-MSN program that can give me information on their experience in this program? I've heard that they've experienced problems with their undergrad BSN program in the past with an unusual amount of students dropping/flunking out but haven't heard anything about their RN-BS-MSN program. Anyone know of what their retention rate in this program is?

Is there anyone out there that can give me any information on this program?

Specializes in Post Acute, Home, Inpatient, Hospice/Pall Care.

I wish I had some info, I hear it is a great school and was thinking of that after I get my ADN as well...hopefully someone answers soon!!!

I am finishing the GM program at regis, this is the program that takes non nurses to their RN, BSN and MSN. The program itself is very good. I got great experiences through the BSN portion. I felt very well prepared for the NCLEX. I beleive all but one person passed the NCLEX on the first try. The retention rates are difficult to say. The program is demanding and they require you to keep an 80 average. Over the first 2 years we lost quite a few people, for many different reasons.

I can honestly asy that I was satisfied with everything up through the BSN. I am currently in the MSN portion and have never been so stressed in my life! Unlike most schools, Regis does not agree to find you preceptors. They say that they will give you one placement a semester, but I hav yet to be placed in any from them. As an FNP student I am required to do a total of 600 hours of clinical. 150 in adult, 150 in geri, 150 in pedi, and 150 in women's health. I have been lucky enough to find preceptors in adult and geri and got a few hours here and there with pedi. However, it is now February and I need over 200 hours of pedi and women's health and the school coordinator has been completely unhelpful. She is very defensive and very unhelful. The heads of the program are nice, but just keep telling all of us to wait and everything will work out.

I have been in this program for 3 years and all I want at this point is to graduate on time. Unfortunately though, I have been told that the placements are hard to come by, so they have extended our clinical semester through June. I find this completely unacceptible! I want to walk at graduation, receive my diploma and take my boards on time!

Quite a few people left after the BSN portion, and at this point I wish I did the same. There are quite a few programs in Boston. Regis is great through the BSN, but they really dont have their s%*t together in the MSN,NP program at all.

Hope this all helps you make a decision!

Hi Calalilly,

Thanks for sharing this information. Have many other students in your cohort faced similar issues? Also, do you know if other tracks besides FNP have the same clinical hours requirements? I'm considering pursuing a Ped-NP track at some point in the future, and Regis is one of the places I am looking at.

thanks,

Jac

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Hi I'm in the same cohort with Calalilly except I'm in the pedi track, so I can answer your questions specific to that...

I agree with most of what Calalilly was saying--feel I got a strong background in the BSN/RN portion and felt VERY prepared for the NCLEX. I continued on with the MSN part as well. I am enjoying the classes and clinical aspects in this portion even more than I did in the BSN portion, but it is definitely very stressful to find preceptorships on your own. I do have to say though that I believe finding pedi placements is easier for a PNP student than for an FNP student. I know the majority of my placements have told me that they will only take PNP students because some of them have had bad experiences with FNP students, especially if they are more adult focused (not Regis students, but just in general). That being said, it was still a headache, but I now have all the required hours and enough placements set up and I'm much calmer than I was last semester. I feel for the FNP students though as it is not easy finding all those different placements!

I am hoping that after this year they will reorganize their strategies for finding placements for students (I've talked to some faculty who say there have definitely been meetings about this very subject), so don't give up hope if Regis is really where you want to go. I'd consider all your options and then choose what fits best for you. Good luck!

Thanks for your response. If you don't mind I'd like to ask a few follow up questions:

1. Do PNP students also need 600 hours of clinicals?

2. Is it correct to assume that PNP students only need to do their clinicals in Pediatrics?

3. What strategy helped you most in finding placements - cold calling, personal contacts or some other method?

I would really appreciate your feedback.

Thanks!

Jac

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I'm happy to answer any questions!

1) Yes PNP students need a total of 600 clinical hours.

2) They only need their clinical hours to be in the field of pediatrics (this is from birth through college age--usually 22). Some of your clinicals can be in one part of the age group (for example I'm in a school based setting where I see only high school age kids), but you should get experience in all age groups ideally (my other two clinicals are your standard primary care practices that see the whole spectrum).

3). Personal contact was the easiest method in finding placement for sure (I used my undergrad alumni network), but I was not a nurse first, so this was limited. If you have a lot of contacts I highly recommend going this route. Cold calling was my next best success, although this also came with a lot of misses too--I had a lot of unreturned calls (you really have to hound them) and I also had a lot of "no's" for various reasons. It's also plain uncomfortable and certain facilities per policy you cannot cold call it has to go through the clinical coordinators and therefore you have to be careful. I also tried to be as creative as possible--100 hours can be in a specialty area, which are sometimes more willing to take students, so take advantage of that, and I looked into boarding schools which was more likely to have NPs than a regular school. Also people who couldn't take me I asked for recommendations of places that might take students, so I tried to always have someone in mind to contact. Also start looking EARLY--I didn't think it would be a big deal because I had my first one (through my contact) lined up quickly and then didn't think the rest would be very hard. I was wrong. I called some places and a lot already had students, so that's probably my biggest regret.

Hope that helps--let me know if you have any other questions.

Jennifer,

Thanks again. Am I correct in assuming that Regis has a network of past preceptors whom they keep in touch with? Or may be not, cause it sounds like you pretty much has to go out on your own?

Jac

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Hi Jac,

I'm sure they do have a network of past preceptors, but that doesn't mean that those preceptors aren't being sought out by other schools too. So my preceptors had good experiences with me, but that doesn't mean they won't take students from other schools next year--it's sort of first come first serve. That's why it is more complicated than it seems. Ultimately, it may be stressful, but I think it all will work out in the end for everyone. Everyone is going to be able to graduate--they've extended the semester into June so people can get their hours in (I'll be done in May but I think that's a good option for people who were stressed).

I know this is a really old thread - but does anyone have any information about when the classes for this program are (are there any night/weekend classes available)?

Thank you!

Specializes in Pediatrics.

In the beginning of the program there are a lot of options to make your own schedule. There are night classes, a few weekend classes, day classes, etc. Clinicals have day and night options as well. As you get farther into the program you have some options (usually still one class that could be a weekend...and a lot of classes are afternoon/evening), but some classes and clinicals there is only one option and you have to do it. More often than not though I'd say you make your own schedule. Hope that helps a little. If you call admissions they can give you a better idea of a more specific schedule. I was a day student, so I don't remember all the night students' times, but I know there were options available.

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