Milw area nursing programs any recomendations?

Bree124, BSN, RN · May 2, 2008

I actually don't know much about any of those three programs, but I looked into Waukesha County Tech, and they appear to have a really solid program. They have an excellent pass rate for NCLEX (best in the Milwaukee area, I believe), and the students are respected in clinicals.

They also changed their admission policy, so there is no longer a wait list.

Good luck to her!

dawgmama · May 2, 2008

Thanks Bree, we hadn't even thought of WCTC, but we will certainly look into it. Perhaps more of her gen ed credits from UWGB would transfer, and she would not lose much ground timewise from her transfer.

Farmer Jane · May 5, 2008

If she's already a sophomore I would recommend transferring into a BSN program rather than a tech. She'll likely get in faster, and it will save her a lot of time afterwards because she won't have to go back to finish her BSN. I can't speak to the specifics as far as instructors, but I have seen very good nurses come out of Concordia and Mt. Mary/Columbia. I don't know anyone who graduated from Alverno. One thing to consider with Alverno is that its grading structure is VERY different, so know what you're getting into before you go there.

dawgmama · May 6, 2008

Thanks Farmer Jane. We had heard that Alverno was unique. Now she is not sure that she will transfer. She would still like to save some $, (who wouldn't?), but she doesn't want to lose ground on the studies she has already done. Funny, but schools are so different in what they want for Gen Ed's. Bellin is a good school, she just had a rough semester of clinicals, really nervous the first day, quite competent the second. I think she was just worn out from exams, etc., so she was thinking of transfering. We too heard that Concordia and Mount Mary were good schools. I think the knowledge that the option of transfering was there helped ease some of the stress.

Were you nervous during some of your first clinicals? Her hands actually shake, and anti-anxiety meds were recommended. The fact that she gets it together the second day makes me think she just needs more experience/exposure to the clinical setting. We are encouraging her to be a CNA this summer, to become more comfortable providing care.

Farmer Jane · May 7, 2008

Tell her not to worry. Being nervous during clinicals is SO normal! Honestly, transferring schools isn't going to help her any, and financial aid is probably better where she is than what she'd get as a transfer student. She's already so far--if I may offer my advice as a now-experienced nurse who transferred schools, I think she should just stay put.

Working as a CNA would be a great idea. It really helps with confidence and time management. I think it's beneficial to work with RNs to see what they do and how they do it.

I would also recommend yoga and other meditative practices to help her calm herself and focus before clinicals. I've been known to sneak away during a 12 hour shift, do a few forward bends (they're calming) and meditate to refocus and refresh my mind.

Nurse Kari · Apr 22, 2009

I graduated from Alverno College in 2007. I'm very happy with the results of my nursing education and now I'm getting my Masters from Madison. After graduating I moved out east, and as I was practicing nursing out here, other professionals frequently asked me where I went to school because they are impressed with my skills as a new grad. When I told my co-workers I was returning for my masters I was amazed at how the support came from all directions from people I had known for a limited time.

Alverno does have a different way of grading and it takes awhile to get used to. The grading process is based on abilities and the idea that everyone needs to show mastery of those abilities to move on, rather than achieving an overall percentage grade. I'd be surprised if you were able to find an environment where faculty are more focused on students. Every Friday faculty gather together to make sure everyone is on the same page and that learning progresses smoothly for the students. I have seen many shy, anxious women transform during their time at Alverno because the environment is so nurturing. The goal of the 'grading system' is not only to make sure students are competent, but also to make sure students can evaluate themselves throughout life. If your daughter finds that she is overly stressed with the traditional grading system, Alverno might be a good option. On the other hand, if she is worried that a 'no grades' system will set her back, I can assure you both that the abilities based grading system has the opposite effect. Being able to evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses is essential in the real world.

Recently I heard that Alverno NCLEX pass rates weren't as high as other schools. I can definitely see how this might happen. Alverno taught us the content that was on the NCLEX, but we didn't spend very much time focusing on how to take the NCLEX. Instructors don't use multiple choice questions as much as other schools, (lots of group projects, essay test, poster presentation, speeches, and other methods to evaluate a student's learning.) As a student I went to the student resource center at Alverno (a free service) and worked with a staff member who could help me learn how to take NCLEX test. We met maybe a handful of times. I passed the NCLEX my first time, and with the least amount of questions. I anticipate you'll see more emphasis put on preparing for the NCLEX in the future. I have a lot of confidence that the faculty have already collaborated on a plan to increase NCLEX pass rates. Both my mother and my sister-in-law are nursing instructors. My mother went to Alverno as well, throughout my experience, and from meeting some of the faculty at other colleges, I'm surprised at the number of Alverno graduates working in other institutions as well as in Alverno. So I'm pretty confident in saying that the low pass rates not necessarily correlate with poor standards at Alverno.

I hope this helps!

dawgmama · Apr 22, 2009

Thanks Kari! I really appreciate the input about Alverno. She ended up staying at Bellin, and with different instructors, has had very positive clinical experiences. She still gets nervous, but is gaining more confidence, as she learns the 'routine' on the unit. She will be a CNA at a LTC facility this summer, and I really think that will help. She ended up getting her own apartment, as opposed to having 3 moody roomates, so she has a calm, home base to unwind at the end of the day.

Good luck at Madison, and I think your post will help others who are considering Alverno, it sounds like a great place!

luvbug080688 · Apr 22, 2009

Hey!

I go to MMC/CCON so if you ever need any questions answered about there feel free to PM or ask me. I have/knew quite a few people who went to school at BCON and they absolutely love it. If it weren't for the gen-ed's being done at UW-GB that is where I would have ended up going.

dawgmama · Apr 23, 2009

Thanks for your reply. Hmmm... MMC, is that Milwaukee Medical College? CCON is that Columbia College of Nursing? Just guess' on my part. Is that a 4 year BSN program? Glad to hear that your friends liked BCON (they are changing the name to just Bellin College because now they are going to offer a radiology program). My daughter likes the small class sizes at Bellin, and most of the instructors. She had a heck of a time freshman year at GB in Biology because her professor was cramming 3 semesters into 1, and she was from another country, so she was hard to understand. Otherwise, she had no trouble at GB. Why didn't you want to go there? They have great dorm rooms, 2 girls, one bathroom! :) What year are you? Do you have a lot of clinicals? I have some friends whose kids may want to go into nursing, so maybe I can reccommend your school. We have a friend who goes to Carrol College, and she sounds like she is getting a good education too. My daughter liked BCON because if you were accepted to the school, you were in the nursing program. The state schools, you have to apply to the school of Nursing, and she didn't want to have the stress of hoping she was in the program, or having to go for 5-5.5 years. Good luck!

luvbug080688 · Apr 23, 2009

MMC = Mount Mary College and CCON = Columbia College of Nursing

Yes it's a four year BSN program; the 2 schools are combined and you take your cores at MMC and nursing classes taken with CCON.

The main reason I didn't want to go to Green Bay is because it's just like a bigger version of my small town. Everyone leaves my hometown to go to Green Bay and I wanted to get away from some of them. Ha. And I never really heard rave reviews about UW-GB. My dorm at MMC rocked. I had a double room to myself but the only trade out was a common bathroom for the floor. The other 2 floors though all had private in-room bathrooms.

I am a junior, so only 1 year left...thank God for small miracles! Clinicals start Sophomore year spring semester. In that clinical you really just do work that a CNA/PCA would do so you get accustomed to being in a hospital setting and you really don't know anything else to do. Then you have clinical both semesters of your Junior year 1-2 times a week depending which semester. Senior year you are required to have 180 hours of clinical per semester. They totally revamped the curriculum but I don't really know a whole lot about it because I am grandfathered in on the old one.

I have heard good things about Carroll as well. They used to be partnered with CCON but not anymore. I got it right away in the program when I applied so I am the good old traditional college student- started right after high school and 4 years later at 22 I will graduate with my BSN.

breezer714 · Apr 24, 2009

I actually don't know much about any of those three programs, but I looked into Waukesha County Tech, and they appear to have a really solid program. They have an excellent pass rate for NCLEX (best in the Milwaukee area, I believe), and the students are respected in clinicals.
They also changed their admission policy, so there is no longer a wait list.
Good luck to her!

When did they make it so there's no waitlist and how does it work now?