Mohawk College RPN 2012

World Canada CA Programs

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Anyone else accepted and confirmed? I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! September is so far away! I'm just itching for more information/registration/timetables but thats still a few months away! :)

Specializes in NICU.

Tip...have all your things for placement finished WELL before classes start. Start getting things done 2/3 months in advance. First day of classes there we're people that hadn't even began the process and now can't go to placement on time.

Specializes in Community/ Home Health.

Thanks for the tip. Are you referring to the Health forms and Police check? Is there anything else?

How are you enjoying the program?

Specializes in NICU.

yes, health forms, police check, cpr, mask fit etc..

so far the program is overwhemling! lots of work.

I'm also looking at the Jan start in 2013. Can you tell me what you think of the PBL teaching methods? Would you give me the typical format of a lesson? Have previous years been 8:30-5, 5 days a week?

Specializes in NICU.

Well, for every class you are assigned packages week by week. The packages you find online, and they tell you things to read, provide videos and other resources...and give you questions to answer. You do not have to do this, but you will be lost if you dont. Classes are mainly for clarifiction purposes only, for people to ask questions about what they didn't understand. Essentially you are responsible for teaching yourself the material, and the teacher is there to answer any questions and go over things in class.

My schedule is mondays off, and tuesday-friday from 830am-330pm. Thursdays are lab classes and Friday is clinical.

good luck!

Thanks, it's reassuring to know what I should expect. I have now accepted the Jan 2013 start and can't wait.

Ok kids, I am starting at Mohawk (Practical Nursing) in January 2013!!!

I have a billion questions, so if anyone can answer them, please do so!

1) Placements. I do not have a car, and can not afford to get one to use during school. So, is there any way for you to sort of get in before anyone else and pick your placements so that they are easy for you to get to? Or is it completely random? A little birdie told me if you go early (whatever that means), you may be able to sign up for specific ones.

2) Lame question but do we wear normal clothes all the time or is it scrubs right away? I wear scrubs to work (I'm an EA at the Juravinski), and my god I can't wait to wear normal clothes.

3) Mask fit...I had to do this for work and I have my little card so I should be able to skip this, no?

4) Communicable diseases, also had to do this for work and it took 3 extra Hep B shots to make me immune so I hope to god I can skip this (I have all the paperwork).

5) How much homework is there, really? Be honest.

6) Placements on weekends? That will really hard for me because I'm going to need to work weekends in order to keep my job. And seeing as how I'm already in the same union as the RPNs that work for Hamilton Health Sciences, I'd like to hang on to my job!

7) Books. Did you buy everything? Did you use everything?

Specializes in NICU.

Hi, I just started the program a month ago, so im no expert. Im typing this on my phone so it will be short and probably have spelling errors lol. No, you do not get to choose your placement. You are told at orientation where you will be. Unfortunately they don't give preference to people without cars...I don't have a car and although my placement is in Hamilton, it takes me an hour to get there by bus. We have to be there by 0630am and the first bus isn't until 0545am...so I had to ask if a fellow student would drive me. Other semesters can be in brantford, niagara or st catherines so you will have to find a way or carpool. You become pretty close with you classmates fairly quickly so I wouldn't worry about it. Scrubs: you have to wear them for your lab day and clinical day only...so 2 days per week. Mask fit: if you have a valid one now it's fine but you must re do it before it expires to continue in clinical and you will need another appointment with Paramed to get cleared again. As for medical clearance: you must have your Dr sign off that you are immune by getting blood work...there is a form that the dr has to fill out that you submit to Paramed to get cleared for clinicals...dates of vaccinations and proof of immunity must be on there. Homework: yes there is a lot. For every class there are manuals to.complete beforehand...they aren't marked but you are expected to know the material already in class. It is quite a lot of work and is.overwhelming at first...but you get into a rhythm. Let me know if you have any more questions!

Specializes in NICU.

Oh...there are no placements on weekends for semesters 1,2,3...your clinical days are Thursday or Friday usually. In fourth semester you actually shadow an rpn full time and work her shifts which may be weekends. And books...they started a new thing this semester where you buy an online bundle of the main 3 textbooks and they are e books. It's a lot cheaper...but you can still buy the physical ones if you want (more expensive and insanely huge and heavy...but some people prefer a physical book). So far I've only bought and used the online bundle.

Oooh thanks Andrea! It's nice getting feedback from someone who is going through it all right now!

I work at the Juravinski and have been talking a lot with the nurses on one particular ward. My Mom is also an RPN on a different ward. I really want to do my pre-grad on a surgical ward...but it seems like it's just the luck of the draw! This makes me sad! The RPNs I know that did their pre-grad on a surgical ward got jobs on that ward and are still working there! And that would be ideal, although my long term plan is to do the RN bridge after I'm done with RPN.

Do you know if they use the same placements all the time? As in the places used for your first semester will be the same places used for my first semester? I know my Mom's ward at the Juravinski has students but it's a rehab ward and not at all what I want to do. Hell I could do most of it now! (minus the paperwork and any bloodwork that might have to be done!). But I'm an Environmental Aide and we do a lot and see a lot and plus I've been around the hospital my whole life.

I realllllllllllllllllllllllllllly hope I get a good pre-grad placement. I want to learn as much as possible (hands on)!

Can anyone give me an idea of book costs? Just trying to get a budget in place.

Hi sweetcurves we have septembers 2012 books list on the mcmaster website Textbook Listing | McMaster University Campus Store lots of option books not sure which are worth while getting but they do sound interesting.

Just over 2 months to go, put down my deposit, OSAP forms sent away, going in on Wednesday to see the health service in the IAHS building to hopefully get immunizations and other things sorted.

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