2nd Degree WSU or Oakland???

suzanne4, RN · Aug 3, 2005

WSU has one of the best ratings in the country for their nursing programs.

utahliz · Aug 4, 2005

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cjog · Aug 4, 2005

utahliz - what 2nd degree program did you just finish? I would be starting in Fall 2007 or Spring 2006, depending on where I go.

I have been leaning toward OU becuase I live closer, it's cheaper and they've been able to give more info than WSU, but I know WSU is a top school. I'm financing this whole thing on my own, and won't be able to work while in the program, obviously.

utahliz · Aug 4, 2005

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cjog · Aug 8, 2005

utahliz~

thanks for replying. i have a bachelors in english from uofm, so that was actually the first school i looked at. i'd love to go back, but i'm a lot closer to ou and wsu now. when you refer to the grading scale, are you talking about the actual program or about them rating you to get into the program? i can't imagine it would be any tougher than uofm. wow - a 70 mile commute! that's amazing. how many hours of sleep do you get a night?

utahliz · Aug 9, 2005

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rhp123 · Aug 9, 2005

WSU has one of the best ratings in the country for their nursing programs.

Hi susan:

Would you mind giving me more information on this? I live in NJ now but also thinking moving to the border of Canada. I am tossling around schools in NJ and WSU.

TLC RN · Aug 11, 2005

I go to OU's program. You need a 100% to get a 4.0 in the classes you take in the school of nursing. To get in the program, you pre nursing gpa is comprised of 5 pre req classes. The minimum is a 3.0 avg in the 5 main pre req classes. They use a regular scale 4.0 = 90-100% ect. to determine the pre nursing gpa. It is a new program and has had its growing pains.

Wayne is a great program and it is normal for them not to give much info till you get accepted. I think they rank all applicants based on the pre req gpa and the top students get in. When I applied for the class that started last fall you needed over a 3.6 in the 10 pre req classes to get in. They also require a statement letter to go with the application but I don't know how it is weighted.

cjog · Aug 11, 2005

TootyX121~

I would love to know more about your whole OU experience!

TLC RN · Aug 13, 2005

TootyX121~
I would love to know more about your whole OU experience!

We just finished the first semester last week. My class is the first class to do the program. You have to be pretty flexible because of the growing pains. It was an intense summer. The material is not so hard but there is just so much to know.

The program is sorta front loaded. You pretty much do all your classroom work first and then go to the same clinical 4 days a week for a few weeks. Our Med Surg one lasted about 3 weeks. I had a 2 inch binder full of PowerPoint notes for that class alone. We had I think 20 chapters for one test in another class. I like the set up. You can focus on book work and then switch gears to do clinical.

They will work a bunch of kinks out cause they see what works with us. My feeling is it will only get better. Although, i just saw an article at school from a local paper that said they are increasing the number of students from 50 to 125.

We don't have class on OU's main campus. We go to a satellite campus on Hall road and Garfield. I heard they won't have the program there next year. I am not sure where the classes will be held.

If you want a program with fewer bumps (I feel any accelerated program will have bumps) maybe try ones like U of D or Wayne because they have been around longer. With any program you have to be able to adapt. It is so fast paced. If you blow a test, you have to be able to figure out why and fix it fast so you don't blow the whole class.

Some people say they don't feel like they are retaining anything because it is so fast paced. I feel like I am. I know when I look at an NCLEX book I can answer the questions better than when I first started. 6 months ago the questions were like Greek to me. When I read them now, I can figure them out if I have not covered the material yet and if I have, I usually get the answer right.

In my first two clinical this summer I have changed briefs, bathed patients, inserted and removed Foleys, passed meds, started an IV, changed IV fluids, given meds via PEG tubes, pushed meds even narcotics, done assessments, dressing changes, charted, given sub Q and intramuscular injections and done tons of patient teaching. I feel like if I were to get a job as a nurse today based on what I know I would have a good foundation to start with a good hospital orientation training. I may not remember how to do everything I have done but I would know what to get to be prepared to do it with someone helping me. As with all skills they take practice. Some things I may not get a change to do again during my clinical because we may not come across it.

As for what we have learned in classes I feel I will be prepared to study for the NCLEX. I started comparing our classroom topics with what is presented in class to the NCLEX review books. We probably hit 95% of the topics presented in the NCLEX book. So I feel like when I go to study for the NCLEX, I will have at least studied it once before so most of it won't be foreign. I don't think I could take the NCLEX without studying a few hours (like 4) a day for at least 2-4 weeks before taking it and pass. I do feel if I put that kind of time in after, I will be able to pass. They also are making us take a NCLEX type test for each class this fall semester. I also think we will have an NCLEX review class in the last semester.

I don't work but I have an almost 6 year old. If I did not have him I think I would be able to work about 10-24 hours a week if I had too. To spend enough time with my son and keep my sanity, I choose not to work. I may pick up a contingent nurse aid or tech job this fall or in January for a few shifts a month. When we are in class you pretty much feel you never have enough time so you have to prioritize things a great deal.

The program is do able but you better want it real bad or you maybe miserable. I went away two weekends this summer while I was in school. I also had weekends that I got home Friday after class and studied till the following Monday. I realized after one weekend that my son had a hot dog bun for dinner because I was so focused on studying. He told me he was hungry a few times and I kept saying in a minute. After the test on Monday it hit me. He had not asked me for anything anymore and I remember him eating a hot dog bun and I did not remember feeding him! (Bad bad mommy :stone please don't flame me I keep good snack food options in the fridge and I know he at an apple, carrots and yogurt too that night.) So it can get intense.

If you want to know more PM me. I have to go to school next week and will see some people I can ask some questions about the direction the program is going with the next classes. I don't know if they will give me answers but will be happy to try.

phill · Aug 18, 2006

Hi Nurses, I am thinking of going to school in Ohio. Brown Mackie College in Findlay, Ohio.

I am a mother of two girls who needed me day and night I have been taking classes slowly. Has anyone worked with a brown mackie student?

I went to look at the school about half the parking lot had Michigan tags. I am still wondering if driving over an hour for an LPN is worth the time. After I get the LPN I would go to Davenport in Dearborn or Flint. at $450 a creit hour is it worth the time and money