hi and congrats to all of us! i made this thread so we could all exhange info for out ft cohort. that way we won't get mixed up with the other p/timers and ao track! congrats to them too!
for those who are just tuning in:
our orientation is july 18th, the ati assessment is july 19. mark your calendars!
we do need to get titers for 2 tb's, mmr, varicella and hep b is highly suggested! i think hep a too!
the program is 4 semesters. we graduate in december 2012!!!!!!:yeah:
we have to turn in all our paper work for orientation, which includes our drug screen, health record, background check(i think they receive this from the actually company though)
make your ati account!!! atitesting.com
what i have left to do:
get my drug screen and 2nd tb! should go tomorrow.
uhhh all my titers actually
my unform--although i've already gotten my skirt for clinicals (don't wear pants), i don't have the top or lab coat!!!
get my books-- i've gotten supplementals like an nclex book and stuff but not the actual texts.
what i have done to get ready:
i am going on a diet! healthy meals all day! i don't want to gain 10+ lbs--don't like the idea of being an unhealthy nurse lol
going over some, but not all a&p--mostly bones, muscles, heart, endocrine, and stuff like that.
cleaning out my room to make more space.
i got an extra desk--its big and spacious for those late night study sessions. i have another one but its small. mostly for the computer. but it has lots of shelves for my "enjoyment books".
i am cleaning my shelves(i have lots) and organizing the books by subject (anatomy, physio, patho, bio, chemistry, dictionaries, etc) and as time goes by, i'll put the nursing books as follows: (fundamentals, health assessments, pharmacology, patho, medsurge, specialties, references/dictionaries, review books)
i'm cleaning my filing cabinet out but i am making copies of all my important documents, including my health record incase mdc loses it, lol. so i'll have files for my health docs, extra copies of my other valuable docs(house docs, car docs, insurance etc), and drug screen results. i'm also going to keep file of my ap notes. this is all for simplicity!!!
i'm going to buy those under-bed storage bins to store my extras-- extra back packs, extra office supplies, and my sewing supplies(yes i love crafts)
make sure my dental appointments and my dog's shots are up to date!!!
i printed a ton of "grocery list/menu planner" sheets. i am going to put it on a magnetic clipboard and put it on my white board. every week or month i am going to pick out a day just for meal planning and grocery shopping. i am going to work it out so that the first semester i only have to go shopping twice a month. most of my meals, if they turn out alright lol, will be freezer meals.
i think i need to buy a mini freezer lol
i'm going to do all my fun stuff before school starts. i want to go to the zoo and see some museums and other geeky stuff with my mum. might not be able to for a while
what other misc stuff are you doing to organize your life? i *love* organizing :redbeathe any tips would be great!!!!!can't wait :redbeathe:eek::rolleyes::clown:
Yay for getting through orientation! :) I already purchased the jacket and scrub top as well as the bag of nursing goodies :-P I am going to start looking online for some less expensive options for our books and for some possibilities for shoes (the book store doesn't carry my size!).
I wasn't able to find any of you today though. Maybe we can all meet in the student success center before our testing tomorrow?
Yay for getting through orientation! :) I already purchased the jacket and scrub top as well as the bag of nursing goodies :-P I am going to start looking online for some less expensive options for our books and for some possibilities for shoes (the book store doesn't carry my size!).
I wasn't able to find any of you today though. Maybe we can all meet in the student success center before our testing tomorrow?
I just got home. I'm so exhausted:yawn: because I couldn't fall asleep last night till about 3am and I got to orientation early (about 8:30am). Did you get there early too? Let's definitely meet up tomorrow.
On eagles wings, mocadell, and pixiemom, it was great meeting you today! ...oh mocadell, I meant it was great seeing you again.
I just got home. I'm so exhausted:yawn: because I couldn't fall asleep last night till about 3am and I got to orientation early (about 8:30am). Did you get there early too? Let's definitely meet up tomorrow.
On eagles wings, mocadell, and pixiemom, it was great meeting you today! ...oh mocadell, I meant it was great seeing you again.
Just got home too - I'm exhausted too!! After we finished for the day, I found out that my ppd's weren't accepted until I got "documentation" for them. So I drove to pembroke pines to see my doctor. Hopefully MDC will accept what they gave me this time. I also went to the bookstore and bought the nursing bag, lab coat and 2 tops. I think I may get another so I don't have to worry about washing, drying and ironing during the week. The pants I will get tomorrow. I was too darned tired and hot to try them on today.
It was so awesome to see some of you! You really helped get me through the day there, especially at the end! I'm up for meeting tomorrow, just name the time and place :). I can't believe we have to take another test! blech*
Is there an exit exam (ati) that is done at the end of nursing school in order to get your degree? or did they say anything about taking ati every semester?
Pixie- I also have to go to my PCP to get more documentation regarding my PPD's. Everything else seemed to be in order. I'm a bit confused when it comes to the background check clearing through MDC though- I received an email from the background check company June 16th. They've had over a month to look through my very boring background check and clear me off! I think I'm just anxious to get my schedule set and figure out where and when my clinical rotation will be for this semester.
Also, I'm hoping they were exaggerating a little about the amount of time consumed by the program because I actually have to work in order to pay for school and the associated costs. Talk about a catch 22! Really though, 33 hours of studying and 11 hours in class is only 44 hours. . . We can devote that much time to school and still work 20 hours a week! Sorry everyone, I'm stressing a little :/
Is there an exit exam (ati) that is done at the end of nursing school in order to get your degree? or did they say anything about taking ati every semester?
yes.. there is an ATI exit exam.
yes, it is my understanding that we will be taking ATI exams periodically throughout the RN program....starting Tues 7/19.
new ATI exams / scores - Best I understood, they are 5 or 10% of our lecture grades (maybe lab grades, too?) & you can take the practice ATI exams multiple times.
There is a 3 strikes rule to eliminate us from the program. Not sure I understand it entirely. But I'm feeling sure that if you fail a class and retake it and fail again... you are OUT!
ANYBODY that knows the statistics on graduation rate (# of students accepted into the RN program compared to # of students that graduate from RN school at MDC), I'm all ears. Nobody likes to be the one that "doesn't make it", but I know it happens. Not everybody graduates. Not a 100% graduation rate.
MDC explained not everyone who graduates passes the NCLEX. If I recall correctly, it was 85-92% that graduate and do pass the NCLEX.
It is my understanding that the ATI testing tomorrow is more for tracking purposes and to help us be successful while in the nursing program. The testing throughout the program are proctored exams that count towards our grade in that particular class, and are also designed to help us pass the exit exam and boards.
Also, an 85% boards first time pass rate is actually pretty high. That's not to say another 10% pass on the second attempt and even more people pass on the third attempt. Lets just not get too far ahead of ourselves. . . we have books and things to buy and will soon have classes to study for!
Yes, it is my understanding that the 1st ATI exam is to test our "learning style" so we can be counselled to help us through RN school. Thanks for that added info & clarification.
(I don't go to orientation until the end of the week)
Salutations
58 Posts
Yay for getting through orientation! :) I already purchased the jacket and scrub top as well as the bag of nursing goodies :-P I am going to start looking online for some less expensive options for our books and for some possibilities for shoes (the book store doesn't carry my size!).
I wasn't able to find any of you today though. Maybe we can all meet in the student success center before our testing tomorrow?