Microbio Pre-Req Emergency!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hey all of you nurses (or, if you're like me, then hi wannabe-nurses, too)!

I have applied to several accelerated nursing programs, and my plan to fulfill my microbiology prerequisite this spring has fallen through. Now I'm scrambling to find a way and have been exploring several options to meet the deadlines of classes starting this summer for most of my programs!

Does anyone know of any microbiology courses offered over a Winterim (shorter intense 3-4 week term in over December and/or January)? Preferably these courses would be offered in NH, MA, VT, or CT... but at this point any advice is great!

Or, does anyone know of online microbiology courses offered this Spring that don't appear as "online courses" on your transcript (since some schools don't take online courses)? The advisor to one of the schools I've applied to said that as long as it doesn't state it was an online course, then it's gravy.

Much thanks and warm wishes from the Northeast!

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Specializes in NICU.

I can't really address your original question, I'm not from New England, but I wanted to offer MHO regarding taking Micro online. I would discourage you from doing that if you have any other option, that is a class that I think is best served in a traditional environment. You gain a lot of knowledge from a fully functioning lab setting.

Good Luck though!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I'd check out all the local community colleges in your area. Good luck!

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Yeah... I called 40 bajillion schools last night trying to sort out my options. I was just hoping someone may know something I missed. Like whether or not I'd have to take them through "continuing education" dept or if I can take them at a university just as a non-traditional student.

Thanks so much for the advice, I will look again :)

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Hi again,

Try searching online. I checked a few in my area and haven't seen any that have it during winter, sorry. Definitely check with universities because I took a couple of pre-reqs without being a registered student.

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I can't really address your original question, I'm not from New England, but I wanted to offer MHO regarding taking Micro online. I would discourage you from doing that if you have any other option, that is a class that I think is best served in a traditional environment. You gain a lot of knowledge from a fully functioning lab setting.

Good Luck though!

Yes, you will see get to see all kinds of things under a microscope, as well as learn to use one, but how often have you used a microscope since you became a nurse? The knowledge can just as easily be learned online...

Will your college accept credits from Regents? I studied at home (yrs ago) for micro then took the micro test from them and it was accepted for me. And ask the school for a copy of the policy where it states they will not accept an online class. The advisor may be wrong or they may not "prefer" to take online classes, but there is not really a written policy. Is it a regulation for the board of nursing that online classes are not accepted?

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Specializes in Assisted Living Nurse Manager.

I took micro online and it had a lab component to it also. We did all our labs at home. Granted we did not get to look under a microscope but we did test for many different bacteria. I did my enitre LPN through distance education, except for clinicals and skills testing. I love the online enviornment and am able to pretty much teach myself. Here is the link to the college, it is in minnesota and I think you have to register and take an entrance exam. That can be done online with a proctor. This college is fully accrediated.

http://www.northlandcollege.edu/distance/

Kathleen Huschle is who I took it through and I really enjoyed her class.

Good luck!

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Specializes in LTC/Psych/Alzheimers/Telemetry.

Hey!

I don't think taking Microbiology online would be a very smart idea. Micro is such an intense hand-on course that requires a lot of teacher-student interaction. Also, I don't think many colleges, if any, will offer a Biology class during a Winter-mini due to the fact that it is such an intense course with a lot of material to cover. 4 weeks just isn't enough time to cover everything. I took Micro during the summer, which is a 6 weeks course, and we still had to cut out a few things because we didn't have enough time to cover everything.

Hope this helped!

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Thank you all for the suggestions today. Sounds like I have a whole new slew of numbers to call tomorrow and hunt down some answers! Will let you know what I figure out :)

Gratefully,

Mmmkay

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Mountain State University in WV is an accredited school that offers microbiology by independent study. I doubt you could finish it in less than a semester, but you might want to take a look:

http://www.mountainstate.edu/online/courses.asp

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