This is a new thread for anyone that has applied to the Mount St. Mary's College Accelerated BSN program in Los Angeles for 2010 entry.
This is my second application for admission since I wasn't offered admission for Fall 2009. Did anyone hear anything back yet for Spring 2010? Is there an interview process? I have read conflicting information on this topic. I also applied to Samuel Merritt in the Bay Area (also turned down twice to 2 programs for Fall 2009 entry). They wont be sending out admission offers until February for March start dates!! Would love to hear from fellow nursing school hopefuls )
Just wanted to confirm what Dawn said - I'm currently in the ABSN program, and it's just as hard as she said it is. 76% and above is passing, and if you fail one class, you have to drop out of the entire program and start again with the next cohort. So that means every exam week (which is every 8 weeks, as we do two semesters in one), is very very stressful. Just got through one yesterday...phew!
My first recommendation is read as much of the Med-Surg textbook as possible. It's called "Medical-Surgical Nursing" by Lewis, Heitkemper, Dirksen, etc. I have the 7th edition, but if there is a newer edition, then get that. This is the main book you will be using for the first half of nursing school (you'll use it for several classes), and you'll eat sleep and breathe it. So if you even just get familiar with as many concepts as you can, you'll be way way ahead of the game. I'd recommend checking with the office, though, just to make sure that they're using the same book for you guys.
Don't worry about getting a stethescope right now - you won't be working at the hospital for the first few weeks. You can always buy one at the school book store anyways. Then after the first few weeks, they'll throw you into the hospital, having you take care of patients from day 1! We were all together at UCLA medical center three days a week (Wed-Fri) from about 6am-3pm, for the whole first semester, and we had classes at Doheny Mon-Tues 7am-3ish. (Not sure what you guys will be doing, but just so you can get an idea of how a possible week might go...) Every night at the hospital we'd have to go home and write a care plan - it's about a 6-10 page paper on the pathophysiology of your patient's disease process, your nursing interventions, plan of care, lab values and explanations, etc. They'll start you out with easier care plans, but by the end you'll be doing a full one every day. FYI, UCLA charges like $10 per day for parking, so carpooling would be a good idea!
You should get at least 2 sets of uniforms - 3 would be better if you can afford it. And FYI, they are extremely see-through...
All the classroom exams are scantron, but there are sometimes group projects, presentations, case studies, etc. Take really good notes in lecture - a lot of what the teacher will say in class will be in the test. Read the book as thoroughly as you can - you won't always have time, though, which is why it is important to start now!
You may want to get a book on general nursing assessment - read through how nurses assess their patients and do a head-to-toe, because you'll pretty much just learn that by experience. Go online and listen to heart sounds and lung sounds - those are important. What I like to do is watch medical shows, and go online to find out more about what the fictional patient has, to solidify in my mind a disease process, what it looks like, and what the symptoms will be. Immerse yourself in nursing as much as you can, and in medicine too. Your classes will teach the nursing process and interventions, but because MSMC is a top-of-the-line school, they do teach a lot of more advanced concepts, such as medical diagnoses, surgical interventions, etc.
Definitely stick together as a group! Help each other get through, share notes and ideas, study together, and you'll make it. My class is very tight-knit, and we're not competitive with each other at all - we know that without each other, we won't get through this program. So work together!!! And have fun together too!
And it's true what they say about not being able to have a life - you'll spend your weekends studying for exams, your days in class/clinical, and your nights writing care plans. Make sure you let all your friends know you'll be disappearing for a year!
Time management is going to be really important - buy pre-made meals, live near school if you can, etc. You'll get a long Christmas break (4 weeks), but besides that, you just get scattered days here and there. Breaks between semesters end up being a few days (and sometimes you'll have homework to fill it). So if you get a break, take advantage of it and relax!
There's a nursing honor society - Omega Rho - which just started last year. We're really trying to increase membership, and you can even join if you haven't started just yet! I'd really recommend it. Membership is not too expensive ($30-40, I believe), and looks great on a resume. We'll also be doing some community work, which will be fun. You have to have a 3.0 GPA to be a member. I'll see if we can bring sign-up forms to your orientation, in case some of you want to do that then.
You'll have orientation in April, and my class is planning on having a few people go to it to meet you guys and answer questions (I'm in the August class with Dawn). So bring your questions! :) We're here for you guys if you need us! Good luck class of 2011!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! this information is EXTREMELY helpful and beneficial to all of us who are going to start or applying!
Our orientation is on May 3 not in April...I hope the admin told you guys that because as far as I know, our orientation is in May from what the packet tells us. I haven't received any emails or anything regarding the change..
anyway, THANK YOU!!! Your class is so helpful and very informative. We are all extremely grateful that you guys are taking the time out of your busy schedule to help us succeed in the program. =)
someone who was on the wait list recently got news that she was gonna start with us in may. she found out last week i think...also, someone recently opted out of the program who was accepted initially so that definitely opens up a spot for people on the wait list. keep trying!! dont give up :)
By reactivating your application do you mean you reapplied on the same website you applied the first time or did you fill out another type of application? I couldn't find a reactivation application online. I applied the same way I did the first time I applied to MSMC ABSN nursing program.
There is a reactivation form on the application page of the website that you fill out and it tells you to write a new essay explaining the steps you have taken to become a stronger candidate. You could have requested a meeting with an advisor who could point you where you needed to be stronger or supplement documents to provide. With me, I had already submitted my last transcript, so all I needed was to submit the form and essay.
I spoke to an admissions advisor today who told me that Web Advisor will not be accurately updated until 3-4 weeks. Does that mean we won' hear back until May!?! As long as I hear something, I'm not complaining.
I sent in my reactivation form 3 weeks ago, and my status in WebAdvisor says "Incomplete Misc. Documents" for Fall '10. There is no record of the new transcripts I sent in...... making me nervous! I wish I could verify that they at least received the documents. Anyone else in this situation? I know, I know, I need to relax. :)
They are sifting through all the application for the March 15th deadline, so give it another week before calling. I'm actually surprised that they wouldn't have gotten a head start on this already.
@TinyBiz - Is this the first time you reactivated? It is for me, and I'm hoping the last.
I'm currently in the ABSN May 2009 cohort and will be completing the program soon (seven more weeks!)
I saw that someone from another cohort posted on here that you should start reading the Med Surg book. My advice would be to relax and enjoy the time that you have before the program starts because once it does, you'll have little time to do other things outside of nursing. The book can be overwhelming, and not everything in the book is covered or emphasized in class, so if you choose to purchase and read the book in advance, please be mindful of this! Personally, I read the book to supplement what I learned in class, and the teachers specified specific pages to read in the book. Also, the same book covers content for the first semester and a half (though I used it as a reference throughout the entirety of the program) which is A LOT of material! However, everyone has a different learning style My main advice: relax and use this time to enjoy other things like friends and family before you neglect them for a year!
) 
My main advice: relax and use this time to enjoy other things like friends and family before you neglect them for a year!
kalami08
46 Posts
Hey everyone,
Just wanted to confirm what Dawn said - I'm currently in the ABSN program, and it's just as hard as she said it is. 76% and above is passing, and if you fail one class, you have to drop out of the entire program and start again with the next cohort. So that means every exam week (which is every 8 weeks, as we do two semesters in one), is very very stressful. Just got through one yesterday...phew!
My first recommendation is read as much of the Med-Surg textbook as possible. It's called "Medical-Surgical Nursing" by Lewis, Heitkemper, Dirksen, etc. I have the 7th edition, but if there is a newer edition, then get that. This is the main book you will be using for the first half of nursing school (you'll use it for several classes), and you'll eat sleep and breathe it. So if you even just get familiar with as many concepts as you can, you'll be way way ahead of the game. I'd recommend checking with the office, though, just to make sure that they're using the same book for you guys.
Don't worry about getting a stethescope right now - you won't be working at the hospital for the first few weeks. You can always buy one at the school book store anyways. Then after the first few weeks, they'll throw you into the hospital, having you take care of patients from day 1! We were all together at UCLA medical center three days a week (Wed-Fri) from about 6am-3pm, for the whole first semester, and we had classes at Doheny Mon-Tues 7am-3ish. (Not sure what you guys will be doing, but just so you can get an idea of how a possible week might go...) Every night at the hospital we'd have to go home and write a care plan - it's about a 6-10 page paper on the pathophysiology of your patient's disease process, your nursing interventions, plan of care, lab values and explanations, etc. They'll start you out with easier care plans, but by the end you'll be doing a full one every day. FYI, UCLA charges like $10 per day for parking, so carpooling would be a good idea!
You should get at least 2 sets of uniforms - 3 would be better if you can afford it. And FYI, they are extremely see-through...
All the classroom exams are scantron, but there are sometimes group projects, presentations, case studies, etc. Take really good notes in lecture - a lot of what the teacher will say in class will be in the test. Read the book as thoroughly as you can - you won't always have time, though, which is why it is important to start now!
You may want to get a book on general nursing assessment - read through how nurses assess their patients and do a head-to-toe, because you'll pretty much just learn that by experience. Go online and listen to heart sounds and lung sounds - those are important. What I like to do is watch medical shows, and go online to find out more about what the fictional patient has, to solidify in my mind a disease process, what it looks like, and what the symptoms will be. Immerse yourself in nursing as much as you can, and in medicine too. Your classes will teach the nursing process and interventions, but because MSMC is a top-of-the-line school, they do teach a lot of more advanced concepts, such as medical diagnoses, surgical interventions, etc.
Definitely stick together as a group! Help each other get through, share notes and ideas, study together, and you'll make it. My class is very tight-knit, and we're not competitive with each other at all - we know that without each other, we won't get through this program. So work together!!! And have fun together too!
And it's true what they say about not being able to have a life - you'll spend your weekends studying for exams, your days in class/clinical, and your nights writing care plans. Make sure you let all your friends know you'll be disappearing for a year!
Time management is going to be really important - buy pre-made meals, live near school if you can, etc. You'll get a long Christmas break (4 weeks), but besides that, you just get scattered days here and there. Breaks between semesters end up being a few days (and sometimes you'll have homework to fill it). So if you get a break, take advantage of it and relax!
There's a nursing honor society - Omega Rho - which just started last year. We're really trying to increase membership, and you can even join if you haven't started just yet! I'd really recommend it. Membership is not too expensive ($30-40, I believe), and looks great on a resume. We'll also be doing some community work, which will be fun. You have to have a 3.0 GPA to be a member. I'll see if we can bring sign-up forms to your orientation, in case some of you want to do that then.
You'll have orientation in April, and my class is planning on having a few people go to it to meet you guys and answer questions (I'm in the August class with Dawn). So bring your questions! :) We're here for you guys if you need us! Good luck class of 2011!
-K