Mercy School Of Nursing, NC- Anyone have some answers?

May2011Grad · Mar 3, 2010

I live in Charlotte, do not attend Mercy but I did apply and decided on another school. They offer a Diploma not a ASN or BSN which may be cause for the low tuition. When I applied, a little over a year ago, you needed to be listed as a CNA but didn't actually have to have worked as a CNA. Go to the website that you have posted and on the right click on Nursing program and it should answer more of your questions. CMC does have Carolinas College of Health Sciences that offers an ADN program if that is what you are looking for.

As for Charlotte, it is a nice city. Lots to do Uptown but let's face it during nursing school you may not be participating in all the night life.

Good Luck!

the_london_sky · Mar 18, 2010

You dont need your CNA to apply. You can get your CNA after the 1st semester. Tuition is around 2600 dollars a semester. But that is only tuition for the nursing class. If you still need to take Sociology, G&D or Micro, you pay the tuition to the community college you are taking it at. Charlotte is alot of fun and very diverse! I have lived in Cary, NC all my life and Charlotte is way better. I am starting at Mercy this May!! :)

rosebud123 · Mar 18, 2010

I am starting at Mercy this May!! :)

Wow! You're starting in May!! Congratulations! Was it hard to get in? I looked at their website, and there really isn't much information. Is there a nursing entrance exam? What GPA is required? Is it accredited? And as for the tuition, they don't post the out-of-state tuition. (Which I'm going to be a non-resident).

Again, good luck in school! :yeah:

the_london_sky · Mar 18, 2010

Thank you! I am super excited! May 17th seems sooo far away!!!!!!

I got in my first try, i am not sure how many people applied (I was told that it was pretty competitive when I put my application in ) ....I have a BS in Biology and my GPA was 3.4, I think you have to have a 2.0 to apply. The higher the GPA, the better your chances.... There is no out of state or in state tution, everyone pays the same amount. But, if you have non nursing courses that you still need to take when you go to mercy, the community colleges have out of state tuition rates. So I would suggest taking as many non nursing classes (A&P, English, Micro, Sociology and Growth and Development) at a community college where you live now. You have to take the TEAS test to complete your application. Go to www.atitesting.com/ to find out more info and you can purchase materials to get you ready for the exam. There are tons of books that can help you with the test also. The school is approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing and the North Carolina State Approving Agency and is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. I think I read somewhere that 99% of all Mercy SON students passed their NCLEX the first time.

Hope that info helps!!!

rosebud123 · Mar 19, 2010

the london sky: Thanks so much for all of your information and for sharing your experience! I've already taken my non-nursing courses so that definitely helps me out a lot. I have also take the TEAS! =)

I heard that Mercy gives diplomas? What's the difference??

elkpark · Mar 19, 2010

Mercy is one of only two hospital-based diploma schools left in NC. It's old, fully accredited, and well-respected. (I attended Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in the early '80s, when diploma programs were already becoming less common, and used to joke that Charlotte was probably the only place in the US that had two diploma programs literally across the street from each other (it was rare, by that time, for any city to have two diploma programs, period). Presby has closed since then (the nursing school, that is, not the hospital -- the two hospitals are still across the street from each other. :))

Hospital-based diploma programs (based on the educational model Florence Nightingale developed in England) used to be the only kind of nursing schools in the US, and then some moved into colleges and universities and became BSN programs, and then ADN programs were developed later. Now, there are v. few left, as most programs are BSN or ADN programs. They are known for including more clinical experience than either ADN or BSN programs (because they are directly connected to a hospital) and for turning out graduates better prepared to begin practicing. You will get an excellent nursing education at Mercy, and graduate with a "diploma" rather than an associate's or baccalaureate degree. Practically, that doesn't make a great deal of difference. I had no difficulty, as a diploma grad, getting into a BSN-completion program -- I don't think most of them distinguish between ADN and diploma grads for admission purposes -- and you shouldn't have any problem furthering your nursing education later on if you choose to.

Since Mercy is not a public school, they don't have "in-state" and "out-of-state" tuition. AFAIK, that concept is limited to public schools that are supported by the state taxpayers. In my experience, private schools just have one tuition rate, regardless of where you're coming from.

Best wishes!

Gemini Girl · Mar 31, 2010

i do not recommend going to mercy. i completed 7 weeks there and dropped. i did not have a good feeling about the program. it is only a diploma-you do not receive a degree. they do jump around a lot between subjects. there is 120 clinical hours required each semester instead of the usual 80 at other schools. i was working my butt off, barely passing. mson is a hospital based bed-side nursing program.

it's very stressful and don't feel the amount of effort i was putting into it was worth getting a diploma. i just kept thinking, i have to get through these 5 semesters and i still have to get the rn-bsn for another 4 semesters. it did not make sense.

yes, i have a previous bs degree in business/marketing from usc. i was #16 on the waitlist. i moved up very quickly. a girl in my class was #30 and got in at last minute. many people use mson as a last resort-turn it down when they get accepted someplace else. i hope to attend queens u. in the fall in the bsn program.

if you insist on going, take the nurse aide course first, go ahead and get certified. also, get all prereqs done first, even easy ones. you will want that na certification because you will most likely drop from the program (many people do). i also recommend applying to a backup program at another school for the following semester. so, when you drop out of mercy, you'll be set to go somewhere else the following semester.

read literature on bsn. that is what is going to be required eventually.

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elkpark · Mar 31, 2010

Read literature on BSN. That is what is going to be required eventually.

Some groups within nursing have been trying to accomplish that (making the BSN the minimum educational level for licensure) for over 30 years now, and they're no closer to that happening than they were 30 years ago. Don't hold your breath.

While having a BSN (whether from a traditional, pre-licensure BSN program or by completing a BSN-completion program as a diploma or ADN grad) gives you a significantly wider range of professional opportunities and is definitely a smart idea, there's no reason to avoid starting out in nursing via an ADN or diploma program (esp. with BSN-completion programs being as comparatively easy and widely available as they are now).

csaund29 · Mar 31, 2010

I'm sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your Mercy experience, Gemini Girl. I would like to comment on a few things you said. A diploma is a type of degree, it's just not a Bachelor's. I consider the clinical experience I'm gaining at Mercy to be invaluable. I feel that I will be much more prepared to care for patients than if I had chosen a BSN program. Learning from books and practicing in labs simply do not provide the same level of preparation. You are correct that Nursing 1000 jumps between a lot of subjects. However, you will find that this the case with any nursing fundamentals class. There are many areas of nursing to learn about and fundamentals offers an introduction to each of these areas. You will find that subsequent class have a more narrow focus.

I also have a BA in another field. I like the fact that I will be able to work as an RN while completing an RN-BSN program. The sooner I get out there and start making money the better. UNCC offers a year-long RN-BSN completion program that can be completed online. I agree that most RNs will eventually want to have a BSN. However, even if you choose to go the associates or diploma/BSN completion route rather than the BSN route, it should not take you any longer to obtain your BSN. In fact, Mercy even offers an accelerated program that allows you to graduate in four semesters (this program does require an additional application and acceptance process).

From my experience most people do not use Mercy as a "last resort." With a student body of only 140 people, it is a very difficult school to get into and with good reason. Mercy currently has a 100% NCLEX pass rate compared to 81% at Queens and 80% at UNCC. Our sister school, Carolinas College of Health Sciences, currently has a 99% pass rate.

I agree that workload is quite heavy and doing well requires a tremendous amount of effort. It is difficult, but certainly not impossible to succeed a Mercy. Good luck to those of you on the wait list! Mercy is an amazing school and is definitely worth the wait :)

Junebugfairy · Mar 31, 2010

mercy school of nursing is awesome, hands down the best clinical and classroom experience you will find in charlotte!

you will need to have all of your pre req's done prior to applying, almost everyone who applies will have these, and it is exceptionally competitive.

rn diploma's from mercy are accepted at uncc for the bsn program. with all of your bsn pre req's completed, which can be obtained at a local community college, you attend uncc one tuesday night a week for 3 semesters to finish your bsn.

mercy is very very cost effective, and imo the clinical experience is far superior to that of many programs.

Gemini Girl · Apr 5, 2010

Mercy School of Nursing in Charlotte is a wonderful school. I loved the atmosphere and the instructors. I guess I should have said that I did not recommend getting a Diploma instead of saying that I did not recommend MSON. Deciding where to go and whether to get a BSN, ASN or Diploma is very confusing and I was just as confused. However, after being in school and researching a little more, it became clearer to me as to what I should do.

A friend of mine with a Diploma says she is being passed over for jobs by ADN/ASN degrees. From what I am reading and based on the economy, I recommend that someone at least get the ASN/ADN degree over the Diploma.

If a lot of clinical is what you want and you think it will make you a better nurse, then by all means, go to MSON. You can go 19 months straight and knock it out pretty quick. Out working in no time!