Moving to Philly.Need help with programs

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

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Hi everyone

I'm trying to figure out where to apply for school once I get to PA. I was actually going to apply to harcum but Ive heard such bad things about it on this forum. I was also thinking about Delaware CC for the ADN program and then Applying to for the RN-BSN.

Someone said something about one of the BSN programs only being 6 months longer than the harcum ADN??

I'm so confused on this and have no idea where to go. I'm looking for a full-time program and would really like to start working asap which is why I wanted to do the ADN first. I may going all the way to anesthesia which is what I really want to do but it all depends on how long it will take and how burnt out ill be.

I just want to make sure I get into a good program whether its ADN or BSN. I'm starting from scatch so I would think id have a better chance doing my prereqs at a CC or even both my prereqs and ADN then transferring out.

My thing is the quicker the better but I don't want to sacrifice going to a crap school just to get out faster either.

Please any advice would be great.

Also do they have any schools that contract you to a hospital once graduated? They do that here in FL

Has your doctor friend been looking for work as an RN with no experience recently?

Thats what I'm saying. My sister who lives there now just told me the other day, "I was just out with him and 3 other doctors, and they all said the same thing....you won't have a problem getting a job, there's a shortage here."

So I said, just because theyre doctors doesn't mean they know everything about the nursing profession and job market.

I was going to go for RRT but apparently they all said the job market for that is a lot harder because there's only 3 or so RT's to every hospital. I wasn't aware of that. sigh. :confused:

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http://www.ariahealth.org/default.aspx?pageid=3330

aria health school of nursing is a diploma program but its on its way to becoming a bachelor program affiliated with penn state. you can get your associates degree with penn state with this program if you choose too. its also in the process of moving its present location next year 15 minutes from where it is now. good luck

That's awesome that they're becoming a bsn program! I applied for January 2012 and I was kind of hesitant because I was looking for bsn school, but now that you've said that it changes everything. :D Do you know when they'd be starting it and also what location they're moving to?

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hello! they are moving to somewhere called the nesheminy interplex? (spelling?). Im from jersey so i dont know where that is. Ill be plugging in the address in my gps and be on the way.

Its in the process of switching over...theres already bachelor classes available. The dean is bringing them in one by one and she said everything is a long process of paperwork, meetings, and approvals by the state. I can't tell you exactly when it will be switched over...but it should be switched by the next 1-2 years from what they say.

We are supposed to move into the new building in January. IF the state lets them that soon the dean said. IF not, we will move the next semester.

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Thanks so much for the info! I know exactly where that is, it's by the mall I always go to. Ugh, now I'm getting really anxious about getting in. I take the TEAS next week. And I'm taking my pre-requisites at CCP with a current gpa of 3.6, so hopefully that's good enough to give me an edge on the competition. I talked to the admissions officer the other day and she said she was juggling with about 400 applications.

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wow thats a lot this time!! i started january 2011. i believe we only had like 250-300 applications then. idk i could remember wrong.

3.6 sounds good, what prereqs did u do? have you done anatomy 1 & 2? You dont have to have it to enter the program, im unsure what those people do to get in though.....great high school grades? *shrug*

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I've taken sociology, psyc, developmental pysc, anatomy 1, chemistry, english 101 & 102 and nutrition. I'm taking anatomy 2 right now so I'll be done that this month, and I'll take microbio, statistics, ethics, and abnormal psyc in the fall. (Although i read in another post that abnormal psyc won't transfer in for the penn state degree??)

As far as the nursing courses, how do you like your clinicals and do you have a lot of research papers to write?

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Also @ BumbleBee, I'm definitely going to go for that interview. Lol I used the "helping people" idea on my essay, although I did try to customize it as much as possible! I've also taken other classes with the ones I already mentioned so I'll have an associates by the end of this fall. So I think I might have a chance as long as I do ok on the TEAS. Idk, my fingers are crossed!!

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I've taken sociology, psyc, developmental pysc, anatomy 1, chemistry, english 101 & 102 and nutrition. I'm taking anatomy 2 right now so I'll be done that this month, and I'll take microbio, statistics, ethics, and abnormal psyc in the fall. (Although i read in another post that abnormal psyc won't transfer in for the penn state degree??)

As far as the nursing courses, how do you like your clinicals and do you have a lot of research papers to write?

Yes, sounds like you have a good chance!!!!! Let me know what happens! :)

Penn State will only take a 4 credit abnormal psych class, and its what they offer. Most other colleges offer a 3 credit. They won't accept it for transfer credits...and youll have to take it again. Alot of people were upset about taking it again but , theres nothing you can do.

I am starting Med Surg in september (3rd semester) so im still new. Nursing 110 we had clinicals at nursing homes. I was at PPH. That place is amazing inside....its so big. I really liked it there and would recommend it because we got to choose from 3 different locations. Very clean. We did CNA work the first semester and learned how to write one care plan and how to use patients charts.

Last semester N11, i was at frankford hospital next to the school. We wrote one or 2 careplans each WEEK. Its alot of work but it gets easier as you go because you get better at it!!!! This semester we got to pass medications and give shots (fun). We also got to have our day in the Operating Room (OR) to watch surgeries all day...great experience...

Clinicals can be stressful, but you really learn alot!!! Its always exciting to start, nerve wracking till you get settled...and we're always happy when its over!:eek:

We didn't write any papers the first semester....the 2nd we wrote one 3 page and it was easy--no sweat. There will be more to come and they just get harder..

Im excited for you...Aria is awesome :yeah::lol2:

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Thanks so much, I'll be sure to update you! :) Ohh so that's why they won't accept that class. Hmm maybe I should choose another pre-req to take then..

But overall, the program sounds great. I can't believe they even let you choose your clinical site for the first semester. I heard other schools use a lottery system. And I'll be looking forward to that OR experience, sounds cool! I'm glad they allow for so much experience with care plans and work you extra hard bc I wouldn't want to be like a fish out of water when I actually finish nursing school and have to go out and work on my own. :eek:

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I start the DCCC program in the fall, i'am excited and I hear it can get tough....

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So bumblebee they ARE doing a BSN now...thats really cool. I guess if I decide to come up there I will have to check it out. I'll be doing my prereqs at DCC most likely so I wont be done for a year. They'll most likely have the program sorted out by then. Although I was thinking about doing my ADN there and then getting my RN-BSN somewhere else. I'm sure Aria wont have that option yet.

I'm still REALLY struggling right now on whether to come up there or stay in FL. I'm really upset that they don't offer scholarship programs ANYWHERE there!!!! Here in MIAMI they have at least 4-5 schools that offer Scholarship programs that are contracted out with Baptist hospital. So if you get it, Baptist pays for your entire BSN, you do your clinicals there AND you're contracted to work for that hospital for 2-3 years THE SECOND YOU GRADUATE!!!!! No problems finding a job!!!!!!

aaaahhhhhh Why don't they have that in PA!!!!??? Wiith all the problems getting jobs with no experience, I'm finding it really hard to make a decision and risk not taking advantage of that. If I was to come to PA at this point I may just go for Paramedic instead. Shrug.

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I think Our Lady Of Lourdes in Camden NJ might pay for your tuition if you agree to work for them for a year or 2 after you graduate. They used to have something like that, I cant remember and it could have changed. I just really don't like that school so I dont mind not having that opportunity.

Yes they are on their way to becoming a BSN so some classes are available. You dont have to go anywhere else if you get your associates from there, you will be accepted already into the RN-BSN program online with Penn State. The way the program is set up now, if u were able to take all the classes, it will only take you 9 months to get your BSN online after that. But things are changing for the better so it will be different by the time you get there.

Penn State is a good name i think! :)

Uhmm yes...they have let us choose where we would like to go for clinicals but obviously they cant let everyone go to the same place. So we write our 1st and 2nd choices out of the 3 and MOST of us get our first choice.

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