Mom Seeking Details of Schedule @ Samuel Merritt ABSN - Oakland -

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Hi, I am a mom of two kids (ages 2, 5) and applied to Samuel Merritt's ABSN program for May 2011 entry. Assuming I get in, I need to start figuring out my summer childcare but haven't a clue of the schedule for the Oakland program. Can any of you SMU Oakland students (or grads) give me a rough idea of the schedule for the first 5 weeks (assuming 2 days of class on certains days/times + 3 days of clinicals on-site @ SMU but at what time options?), and the second 5 weeks (assuming 2 days of class on certain days/times + 2-3 days of clinical off-site)... I know the schedule could change but would love to communicate with someone who is currently in the program! Thanks!!

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

There's this thing called a phone. During normal business hours, you can pick it up and call the school/department office and ask if they can help you out.

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I would love to know if anyone knows of the answer to your question. I can imagine how hard it can be even to make a phone call during the day with 2 years old and 5 years old, as your questions may take more than 10 minutes or longe to be answered. With life with small children, what it seems easy for others may be very hard to do, isn't it? Good luck!

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The(Sarcastic)Squire,

You must not be familiar with Samuel Merritt. They take 6 months to complete admissions/acceptance for any given session so they sure don't have time to answer questions like mine. Since they've been less than helpful over the phone (they say the schedule has not yet been finalized), I'm opening up this question to students on this forum.

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There's this thing called a phone. During normal business hours, you can pick it up and call the school/department office and ask if they can help you out.

That is just uncalled for.

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Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.
That is just uncalled for.

Considering the number of people who ask questions in the student forums who haven't first thought of calling the program in question and asking them first, it really is a suggestion that needs to be made to people. Since the OP did not include that she had attempted to contact the office already and found them unhelpful, I could not assume that she had.

Further, this thread properly belongs in the "California Nursing Programs" forum under the Region tab where it will be seen by those familiar with the program and not here.

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Possibly... could there be a little nicer way to remind the person that she may want to call the office first? Probably, she already knew that there is "this thing called a phone" exists this world.... so you did not have to mention it in such a way.

Let's be nice to others.

Considering the number of people who ask questions in the student forums who haven't first thought of calling the program in question and asking them first, it really is a suggestion that needs to be made to people. Since the OP did not include that she had attempted to contact the office already and found them unhelpful, I could not assume that she had.

Further, this thread properly belongs in the "California Nursing Programs" forum under the Region tab where it will be seen by those familiar with the program and not here.

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I did the ABSN at another campus. I would be shocked if the school gave you any schedule information over the phone. They're very proud of the fact that they own your life for a year. Your schedule may change day by day, especially with clinicals. I would line up multiple flexible sources of childcare that you can arrange at a moment's notice.

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I would line up multiple flexible sources of childcare that you can arrange at a moment's notice.

Haha ha ha haa!

I would like one of those little free leprechauns, too!

But I see your point. This is my biggest worry at this point. How to find/pay for childcare/back-up childcare during school. Can it be done?

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Fellow mom of 2 tiny ones here and I'm waist deep in the SF ABSN @ SMU (+ LOVING IT!). You really do need to sign your life away for a year- There is no way around it. I had to ask my mother to move in with my family for a year (in addition to paying for full time childcare for both children) to make it happen, because even between my husband and myself, we couldn't bridge the time gap between when I leave for clinicals (5am out the door) and when childcare opens at 7am, nor could I be back in time for 6pm pick up. After acceptance but before the first day of class, the SMU staff were polite but the schedules really are confirmed late and so no clear indications regarding schedules were given. A student from the cohort ahead of me told me that her first 5 week schedule was just M-Th, released by 3pm-- Oh no, no mine-- My first 5 weeks was M, T, Th, F, Sa anywhere from 8am-4:30pm. And currently the clinical schedules among my classmates very- Many weekend 12 hr shifts.

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Heather925...thank you for giving me some insight into the schedule for the SF campus. Where in the East Bay do you commute from to SF? I will be starting this April and have to commute from Concord. Do they give you any advanced notice of your schedule?

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It will be nice to know.

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