MDC Fall 2011 - PART TIME Program

jcabrera7195 · Jul 11, 2011

NRSGRL,
Can't you contact Econolabs and request a 2nd copy that is sealed? Certainly they retain records for at least 1 year. Just an idea.
And I agree... very little consistency about answers from MDC. But I've found that typical for any college or government agency.
I wonder how many of us part-timers will be at that orientation. It is 6 hours? 9a-3p?!
And then a long exam the next day (to test how we learn?)
FEM

Yes, us part-timers (sounds dope) will be stuck and doing god knows what for six hours. I hope they have food because you want to feed me. You don't to see me hungry! Lol

Orientation day is actually when they're supposed to do my secon PPD skin ( I almost wrote 'skim') reading. Two weeks for this. Two weeks!!!

Whatever, right?!

fem · Jul 12, 2011

JUAN (aka JCABRERA)

No, I didn't have to take critical thinking. It was waived because I have a Bachelor's Degree. My classmate who also has a Bachelor's Degree took the class anyway. She is in the full-time program starting Fall 2011. I'm wishing I took critical thinking, but on Jan 2011, I was in the "going for Palm Beach College RN school". One reason was that I prefer the drive/traffic North vs South. But as the spring semester progressed, I realized that getting into PBSC.edu was likely to be about another year of classes, requirements, etc. And there was still no guarantee I'd be accepted my first application. So I studied for the TEAS (in 10 days), did well enough, and applied, and VOILA, got darn lucky and was accepted at MDC.edu

I've spoken to a couple RN students and there is discussion that taking the pre-req's (Chem, A&P, micro, etc) is all about memorization, whereas RN school is all about critical thinking (out of 4 possible correct answers, choose the BEST answer). I'm told it is like "splitting hairs" that many times all the answers are correct answers, just trying to figure out which answer is MORE CORRECT is the challenge.

FEM

fem · Jul 12, 2011

Juan (aka JCABRERA)

Being that you have worked at a hospital for 4 years, you are a great person to ask this question to...

Do any of the nursing students or nurses at your hospital use PDA's or IPOD TOUCH with an application

for Drugs. (a book of a list of drugs with both trade name & common name and their use).

It is my understanding that, at NSU.edu they require RN students to have an Iphone with a "drug application" (shows trade name, & common name of drug and it's use). I've heard that Mercy Hospital School of Nursing (SON) does not allow their students to use an electronic device for access to their drug book (I call it drug bible).

So, I'm really wanting to know if it is a hospital policy or a school policy or what?

I wish I knew more RN students at MDC to ask the question to.

One of my classmates just finished her 1st semester at BCC, she said nobody she knows has an electronic version. They all carry heavy "drug books" instead of the PDA or IPOD TOUCH or IPHONE with the drug book application.

Hopefully I'm making sense?!

FEM

jcabrera7195 · Jul 12, 2011

Juan (aka JCABRERA)
Being that you have worked at a hospital for 4 years, you are a great person to ask this question to...
Do any of the nursing students or nurses at your hospital use PDA's or IPOD TOUCH with an application
for Drugs. (a book of a list of drugs with both trade name & common name and their use).
It is my understanding that, at NSU.edu they require RN students to have an Iphone with a "drug application" (shows trade name, & common name of drug and it's use). I've heard that Mercy Hospital School of Nursing (SON) does not allow their students to use an electronic device for access to their drug book (I call it drug bible).
So, I'm really wanting to know if it is a hospital policy or a school policy or what?
I wish I knew more RN students at MDC to ask the question to.
One of my classmates just finished her 1st semester at BCC, she said nobody she knows has an electronic version. They all carry heavy "drug books" instead of the PDA or IPOD TOUCH or IPHONE with the drug book application.
Hopefully I'm making sense?!
FEM

No, no, no. You're definitely making sense!

I just read this post and last...of yours. Let me tell you, you've got some humor too. You may be, in fact, be funnier than me?! :confused:

Okay, after all this nonsense and note I love to write, let's get to the point. As far as 'we must have a PDA or iTouchu or iBellSouth,' I highly, highly, HIGHLY doubt it. And yes, thank you for the compliments. Keep them coming. I love being praised like Xerxes from 300 the movie, remember?

Well, there's this great program called... tan tan tan tan... 3...2...1... medscape.com

That's right! I feel like I just let you copy in an exam. JK. First, though, use your computer (with British accent-com-pu-ter) and create an account. Another one, right?

Then in your Blackberry (assuming you have one. If not, get one! They rock!!!) download the App. Just type medscape and it'll pop up. Like 'Pop.'

Once downloaded, open it then! Like a surprise. Log in and like you said, '¡Qué volá!' it'll be there.

It's nice to hear from you FEM.

Oh! and before I go: "Free T.I." :yeah:

fem · Jul 12, 2011

Juan (aka JCABRERA)

I think it is funny .... that you say I'm funny. I would love to make people laugh. I think I'm way too serious. When I tell a funny joke, my delivery often sucks. Oh Well, at least I can make myself laugh sometimes.

On the full-time thread (MDC *generic f/t*) On Eagles Wings knew about a software called "unbound medicine" from... you guessed it... unboundmedicine.com. It looks like something I'm VERY interested in... even if we can't have an electronic device during clinicals.

And I signed up for that tip you gave me... medscape. It looked valuable, too. But what is "TI"???? (You said, "Oh! and before I go: "Free T.I.")

Ok, I'm tired.. so later!

FEM

jcabrera7195 · Jul 12, 2011

Juan (aka JCABRERA)
I think it is funny .... that you say I'm funny. I would love to make people laugh. I think I'm way too serious. When I tell a funny joke, my delivery often sucks. Oh Well, at least I can make myself laugh sometimes.
On the full-time thread (MDC *generic f/t*) On Eagles Wings knew about a software called "unbound medicine" from... you guessed it... unboundmedicine.com. It looks like something I'm VERY interested in... even if we can't have an electronic device during clinicals.
And I signed up for that tip you gave me... medscape. It looked valuable, too. But what is "TI"???? (You said, "Oh! and before I go: "Free T.I.")
Ok, I'm tired.. so later!
FEM

Oh, FEM... I've got to meet you, girl.

Short message this time, I promise (fingers crossed). T.I is my favorite rapper and, he's locked up. The fool got locked up again. He had gotten released. Great. He was back, made new songs, new album. And then, like two months after his release from jail, he gets caught with his girl making an illegal U-turn and with drugs in the car. What the ____?!?

He's the one that sings, "Now why u wanna go and do, lil ma. Now why u wanna go and do that, yeah yeah."

And, "you can have whatever you like. Stalks on deck, patron on ice. We can bottles all night if you want. Girl, you can whatever you like."

ENOUGH!!!

P.S "you're delivery isn't as bad; sometimes I laugh at myself out of nothing. We do have a psych unit at work, though." :yeah:

NRSGRL4583 · Jul 12, 2011

Hi Fem,

Orientation is mandatory so I guess we'll all have to be there :) As for the study method you mentioned, I have read the same thing. I am really anxious about these exams because they're supposed to be so different from anything else we've seen in school to date. I dont know anyone who has done the MDC program either, nor do I know anyone going into it, so I just read blog after blog. I have also come across all these IPOD references and drug apps, as well as a bunch of other nursing apps. I plan on meeting with an advisor to cover all of this after orientation. I dont currently have a smart phone but I plan on getting specifically for school. Do you know what stethoscope you're buying yet? I see most people choose between the Cardio III and the Classic (Littmann). Any word on what our uniform looks like?

fem · Jul 12, 2011

NRSGRL,

Yes, I realize the orientation is mandatory... not sure what I was rambling about earlier (how many of "us" will be there).

SMART PHONE: For the last 6 months I've limped by with my 3 year old cell phone (almost dead from overuse) ... knowing I will get a smart phone for RN school. Didn't want to buy one - choose the wrong one... then have to get ANOTHER one.

PDA / SMART PHONES / APPS: I find it SO hard to believe that so few RN students discuss electronic devices & applications. ALL my classmates ahead of me do not have electronic devices of this sort. So, I know I will be ok if I don't get them.... I just think I will perform better, save my back from the extra 15lbs of books if I get one.

STETHOSCOPE: Yes, I've decided on the Littman Classic II stethoscope based on what I've read from students and nurses. I intend to get it engraved.

UNIFORM - yes, I saw the uniform required in clinicals (hospitals). The hip-length jacket is white, zip-up, short sleeve with a thin teal colored band around the bottom of the sleeve. Pants you can get wherever. I'd read a blog that said the "painter style" pants with lots of pockets was helpful. Putting things in top pockets near your chest... the stuff just tends to fall out. I'm not sure I will like the look of the painter style pant with the jacket. It doesn't look as "clean cut". I bought the painter style pants and have worn them once to my micro lab class. They are great!

LAB COAT - I didn't think we would need a lab coat in addition to the jacket... but the bookstore says we do.

lab coat for on-campus labs and the jacket for the hospital clinicals. I had borrowed a lab coat for micro lab ... now it seems like a moot point (my trying to pinch pennies).

FEM

NRSGRL4583 · Jul 13, 2011

FEM, the uniforms sound terrible :eek: white pants, yikes! I am a penny pincher too. Please post any tips you come across for doing so. I saw you talking on another blog about some mix up related to the part-time program. Would you mind re-explaining it? I don't fully understand what happened. Here I thought the PT was harder to get into than Generic.

jcabrera7195 · Jul 13, 2011

FEM, the uniforms sound terrible white pants, yikes! I am a penny pincher too. Please post any tips you come across for doing so. I saw you talking on another blog about some mix up related to the part-time program. Would you mind re-explaining it? I don't fully understand what happened. Here I thought the PT was harder to get into than Generic.

Hello NRSGRL4583! Allow me to help you clear a little bit your confusion on the uniforms as well as the level of difficulty on getting accepted to the part-time program. Firs of all, the nursing uniform isn't that bad. It actually looks pretty nice; however, its price is high. Just for the top it's like $50.00, the bottoms/pants are like $20.00 plus like $20.00 for the name tag. White shoes, of course! I'm going with MBTs.

Next, yes it is harder to get in the part-time program due to simple fact that most of us, including myself, have got to work for many reasons. So yes, more people apply to this program; the list itself longer as opposed to the full time one. Full time is pretty much for the fortune ones that don't have to work; their main focus is pretty much school. So far I haven't heard of anybody doing both. Yeah, right! Especially with Med/Surg. What are you, Super Nursing Student or something?! :twocents:

fem · Jul 16, 2011

NRSGRL,

Uniforms - yep, mostly white. very little color (teal strip on sleeve). Plan to buy a lot of bleach! LOL. Get Merrell Jungle Moc smooth leather shoes. Your pocket book will hate you. Your feet will love you. Sure... I say that... then my luck ... this shoe will not be "allowed" for some reason! LOL.

PART-TIME PROGRAM MIX-UP: Well, Mocadell, was the one who first blogged about the mix-up. I recall being in A&PII + lab (spring 2011) and someone said to me, "MDC cancelled their part-time program". I thought, "hmmm, must be budget cuts" or "misinformed students".... and didn't think a whole lot more about it. But then, Mocadell blogged something about the fact that Fall 2011 part-time program was way more competitive than usual, because there were students who were either "admitted to the spring part-time program" or "applying for the spring part-time program". (I don't remember which it was.) Either way, with the spring part-time program cancelled, it means more applicants/less seats than usual for the Fall part-time program which translates to even less chance of being admitted to the part-time program. This information I'm sharing is to the best of my knowledge. If you can reach Mocadell, she was the one who knows more than I on this topic. She REALLY wanted to be admitted to Fall 2011 part-time program and as of today I don't think she has received an acceptance letter. I keep crossing my fingers for her. Her GPA is good and her TEAS score is good. If she doesn't get admitted I will be very surprised and disappointed for her. I knew if I didn't get admitted I was going to go for LPN then apply to both RN & LPN-RN programs to increase my chances of being admitted. I suggested that idea to Mocadell. I know that the frustration of waiting to get accepted into RN school can be overwhelming. It was very interesting that Juan (JCabrera) got in with a lower GPA & TEAS score. I figure his advantage was that he has 4 years hospital experience, something many applicants do not have! But MDC doesn't discuss "hospital experience" as an advantage to get admitted to RN school. So, I don't know... only tossing out ideas as to "why people get accepted or not accepted". Sometimes I think it is like a lottery! LOL.

Penny Pincher - yep, all us penny pinchers! To me, this means I want to buy the right thing I need the 1st time. Instead of making purchasing mistakes (ie buying a cheap stethoscope then having to buy a quality one shortly thereafter). Not sure how cost-effective I did with the pre-RN medical stuff (titers, drug tests, physical, etc). But with only 3 weeks to get everything done I didn't have much time to "price it". I'm just glad I completed everything in time. If I come up with any penny pinching ideas... I'm happy to share!

My biggest question on my mind today is... is it worthwhile to penny pinch and buy old edition textbooks?

FEM

fem · Jul 16, 2011

MED-SURG: It is my understanding that this is the foundation of being a nurse (at least in the hospital setting). So, it is my understanding one needs to try to really do well in these classes. Maybe Juan (JCabrera) can elaborate on this topic? Maybe he has a rapport with RN's at his hospital who are giving him some tips to become a great nurse?