MY NURSING SCHOOL EXPERIENCE Alvin, College of the Mainland, San Jacinto, HCC

[FutureDNP]

If you have to put school on hold or fail, keep going, if you had any other setbacks keep going. If you have to find A BETTER suited school, don't look back, KEEP GOING. All of the above has happened to me. I want to share some light on my experience.

Alvin: Nice curriculum, bias female clinical instructor. They were so strict yet certain classmates were able to wear mesh sneakers, wrinkle uniforms and receive leniency with clinical grades etc. (Not saying they were bad students) but definite favor. This lady actually failed someone in clinical and they were passing their classes! At Alvin if you fail clinical you can't return. It may be different now. Cinical grading criteria for certain classmates were not as strict. Procedures were limited and you were lucky to give a shot because they only used about 2 hospitals at the time, and one in particular was horrible. Med pass was ridiculous. You may have a patient with 30 drugs and if it was your med pass day you had to memorize all drug cards, explain signs and symptoms, contraindications for EACH DRUG if you weren't a "favorite" and couldn't remember, you had a second attempt with a chance of failing and not being able to pass meds. The classroom atmosphere was pleasant but divided and when there isn't unity it makes the journey a more harsh. Exams were fairly tough. If memory serves me correctly, no reviews nor blueprint. You didn't have time for anything ever other than trying to stay afloat. This is strictly my opinion, other people may have had a different experience afterall they do have a 100% NCLEX rate however I know someone who graduated from a Ma and Pop school and recently passed NCLEX soooooooo. I woke up daily stressed and uneasy. I continued to try to make something work that just wasn't in my plan.pp

HCC: I flat out refused

San Jac: Refused

COM: A match made in heaven. I enjoyed the program. Classmates were special. We did have a little division but we still enjoyed class time as well as each other. The environment from instructors was positive, no silly weening out. They really wanted to see you make it IF YOU took advantage of the opportunity. The lectures were AMAZING!!! Lectures were also based on real life experiences so that you can remember the disease and the nursing process. Clinical! All I can say is WOW!!!! We went to MANY clinical sites. Experienced MANY procedures and hands on! No horrible med pass, no 30 drug card memorization. It was enjoyable! We learned in Pharm and we were trusted to pick our own patients and learn the disease process without the stress of failure. Care plans were taught and examples were given. When you go on the floor and see patients, the lightbulb will shine. You will remember things and see lots. Take advantage of clinical time. ASK to do procedures. There may be some sIow days and that's OK take advantage of those days as well. I learned much more due to instructor knowledge and comfortable environment. Blueprints were fantastic and helpful for exams. I am not certain how things will be for newcomers since most of our great instructors left however there is one instructor still there whom I consider an ANGEL.

My advice to anyone on a journey is to NOT take advantage of kind instructors, put in your work, enjoy the opportunity, speak up for yourself if you have an issue, and remember there are thousands of others striving to be in your place. Always be KIND, thoughtful, and it is OK to share! You dont have to be best friends but working together helps. *Read the chapters and go over the blueprint as you read or after you read! You will also have more of a life, maybe not LOTS of time but you will have days of relaxation. Some of my classmates worked. Since we were in clinical 2 days a week I used those days to rest and weekday and weekends to read and review.

Good luck, God bless, and NEVER EVER EVER give up!

Finally a NURSE