Mercy College of Health Sciences - Des Moines

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New poster hear and excited to be joining! Is anyone going (or has anyone gone) to Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, IA?

I am starting this fall and wanted to see if anyone had tips? Professors to stay away from? Or just hear experiences with the school / get to know some people.

I went to Wooster for a year and Grinnell College, but decided it wasn't for me-so I do have two years college experience. This will be my first time living in Des Moines though.

I will be starting with the CNA course this fall, along with liberal arts courses, then nursing in the spring (Bachelor's Integrated Program).

Thanks!

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Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.

If you Move/Repost this in the Iowa Nursing Programs forum, listed under the "Region" tab, you might get some responses from people who know/care.

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Thanks!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT GO TO MERCY!!!! That school is the biggest joke in Des Moines. Not to mention it is $6700 a semester, their passing board rates are horrible and their retention rate is less than 50 percent. This means that less than half of the students who begin the nursing program with them actually finish. I am speaking from experience because I went to that school while working at Mercy Hospital. I wish I would have chose a different route and if I can help anyone else not make the same mistake I did, I will. Take my advice and get on DMACC's waiting list. It is alot cheaper, a better education, and alot higher passing board rates.

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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT GO TO MERCY!!!! That school is the biggest joke in Des Moines. Not to mention it is $6700 a semester, their passing board rates are horrible and their retention rate is less than 50 percent. This means that less than half of the students who begin the nursing program with them actually finish. I am speaking from experience because I went to that school while working at Mercy Hospital. I wish I would have chose a different route and if I can help anyone else not make the same mistake I did, I will. Take my advice and get on DMACC's waiting list. It is alot cheaper, a better education, and alot higher passing board rates.

Well, thank you for your thoughts. You are a bit late though, seeing as I start at the beginning of the month. Tuition is not a problem at all. I have been going to Grinnell College the past two years (over $35,000 after tax). I hope I have better luck than you did. I know a few people that went there and loved it, so we will see which way it goes for me. I am done with changing schools (this is #3 in three years).

Thank you for sharing, though.

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Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo - LOL

Well, I hope you dont have the same experience that most people have had in the past. If you have any questions about teachers and assignments, let me know. There is going to be alot of hoops to jump through but just do it and remember that you will be done before you know it. Good luck with everything!

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I don't know anything about Mercy College, but I do think it's a good idea that you are working as a CNA so that you have the opportunity to experience the health care environment. My suggestion is that if you plan on working as a nurse in the hospital, then be a CNA there. It has always been my firm belief that a good nurse will do CNA work as his/her day allows and not just sit back and eat Bon Bons (if they have an occasional slow day) while his/her CNA runs ragged!:)

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my wife and i (both lpn right now) are considering relocating to des moines within the near future. we just received out lvn license (or lpn) in texas, but intend to pursue rn asap, so our questions:

1. what is the job market for rn/lpn like? is it hard to find a job with a new rn license?

2. what opportunities are there for lpn to continue to rn (like an lpn-rn bridge program)?

3. are there waiting lists for entrance to these programs?

4. what is the typical starting salary for rns in des moines?

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Honestly, I know alot of nursing graduuates who graduated last year and have still not found a job. Nurses in Iowa are the lowest paid in any state in the country. When I graduate, I plan on moving ASAP. The typical starting salary for a floor nurse here is about $20.50 but ranges higher or lower depending on what area you are in. Des Moines Community College has the best nursing education and highest passing board rate but they currently have a two year waiting list. DO NOT go to Mercy College, they are a joke and nothing more than a money scam. They do not have a waiting list and it is obvious why they dont. I hope that helps ...

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First of all, as of winter of 2010 our pass rate was above 95%. Not only do we not have a waiting list (like DMACCS two year wait WHILE being enrolled as a student taking god knows what classes) but our tuition can be easily helped by being a mercy scholar, tuition reimburssment, and student loans. You pay for what you get just like everyone else. Mercy's program is hard and demanding but like i said you get what you pay for. I am currently a student there and absolutly love it. ALL my teachers are willing to help with anything and the tutors are students who have recently gone through the class. Whoever wrote those negative things obviously has other intents.

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As my name implies, I'm currently pursuing my ASN/BSN through Mercy. Mercy's most recent Board rates were much better than they had been in the past, which is obviously a big deal. A lot of Mercy students are Mercy students because they don't want to wait on the DMACC waiting list, which is why I am. I also liked that because I already have a BA degree, my BSN is only 1 semester more.

What I will say: the school struggles with organization. Mainly this is because of the high volume of students (my class has 2 sections of 40+ each) and they run on 15 week semesters 3 semesters a year, so the instructors only have a week to organize that many people and all of the clinical sites and groups - which is a hefty task, and I feel bad for them. That said, it is incredibly annoying especially for the first two semesters when it seems like the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. It gets (slightly) better.

My advice: Avoid Moravec. He was my advisor prior to entering the nursing program when I was completing all the liberal arts requirements and working full-time. He frequently told me that when I wanted to "take my education seriously" I would quit my job. He's a religious man, so I held my tongue when replying to him.

Ask for help. While the program is disorganized, it is also difficult. The reason many don't complete it is because of that. From the beginning (of the nursing program) your grades will be based on 90% NCLEX style questions which are not just regurgitating information, but about looking at the entire clinical picture and choosing the best course of action. This can be really hard for some people. There are some books that will be recommended for you to get which helps with this i.e. Med-Surg Success, Pediatric Success. I also recommend getting NCLEX review books (the kind with tons of questions) to help me study material rather than just looking over notes, since then I have no idea whether I can apply it appropriately. They offer tutors which some really like. I've never used them, because I have had a lot of success studying my way.

As much as you will hate it, the more you can pay attention and understand the material in your physiology and pathophysiology classes, the more success you will have later on. If you understand how the system works normally, and how it works when it's broken, you'll understand why you would see certain manifestations and take certain actions as a nurse. I would also recommend taking Pharmacology earlier than they have in the curriculum. You start giving meds basically right away, you want to understand what meds you're giving without necessarily having to look in your med book for every last bit of information - it will make all of your scenario testing much less painful. Most of my friends got flubbed up by the medications.

They emphasize "therapeutic communication" you will hate this. It will suck. Grin and bear it - there's a test over it in 4th semester where you have to write your own IPR without any help of a text book or anything.

All in all, while you're in the program, you will probably curse it...most all of us do. However, their pass rates have gone up, and I'll be finishing my BSN before a friend of mine who put her name on the wait list at DMACC even starts her program. By the time she's done, I'll have the potential to have my Masters. That's hard to argue with.

Good luck!

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