Niagara College 2012 RPNs

Dsun · Apr 8, 2012

Hey Poko,

I applyed for sept and jan sept i got waitlisted as i took forever to apply. I was woundering if you knew how many days a week Practical Nursing modified is....

Dsun · Apr 8, 2012

Im asking this because im from out of town so not sure if i have to move up there or drive back and fourth if its not to many days a week like the fulltime program

poko, BSN, RN · Apr 8, 2012

I went to an open house there and talked to a prof last weekend. Apparently the program is going through some changes, but the prof told me the program was likely going to be 2 evenings per week and clinicals on the weekends.

I plan to commute there from out of town if that's the case (from Hamilton). It's about 45 to 1 hour drive from where I am so I will probably keep my job and drive in.

Good luck to you and I hope it works out! It is still so early in the year and I'm sure you will get in!

Dsun · Apr 8, 2012

so would it be 4 days a week or 2 days during the week and then when we have clinicals just weekends so for all the questions im from Cambridge so im a bit father i think one hour and 45 mintues

poko, BSN, RN · Apr 8, 2012

From what I understood, it would be 2 nights during the week, and then Saturday and/or Sundays for clincals.

It sounded like they were working it out though still and that this plan wasn't finalized. I can only hope that it's 2 weeknights per week so I can keep working at my job in Brampton! LOL

Dsun · Apr 8, 2012

LOL I hear ya..

if it was going to be only 2 days a week i was going to drive back and fourth but if its going to be 4 days then i have to move up there because that would be alot of driving. We dont have clinicals everysemseter so im not sure how this all plays out lol My main goal is to be an RN

iwanowski · Apr 24, 2012

I am about to graduate from the Full-time RPN program offered by Niagara College. I am currently completing my consolidation time as I am at the end of the program. The program itself has been great, though very stressful with all the changes and what not. If you are to be going through the modified route, I would not be too concerned as it is laid out pretty evenly. I have spoken with some part time and modified students and each of them seemed to have a life, job, and enjoyed the program. If you were to get into the full time program however, it is a little more crammed and would be a lot more stressful. Many teachers will tell you the first days of class to forget about family, friends, and jobs, as school will consume your life Regardless, if you're in the modified or part time program, I believe you will enjoy it. Additionally, I believe Niagara College has one of the better choices of placements and such. I myself, will be consolidating for a month in the Emergency Room in St Catharines General Hospital. With that being said, I do not believe many schools get the opportunity to send a student into the emergency room.

Goodluck! if you have any questions let me know and I will do my best to answer them!

EDIT: bridging opportunities are not the greatest with Niagara College. My goal is to become a Critical Care Nurse one day and that requires one to be a RN. Having said that, I am attending a full 4 year BScN program this coming fall as there are not many direct bridging programs available through Niagara. If you were to have the option, i'd recommend applying to collaborative nursing programs as there are many available, and are easier to get into then full 4 year university program. The reason why I am choosing to just restart my 4 years instead of bridging is because many bridging programs require a) experience and b) registration. In order to have both, I would have to take the year off and work and then start the bridging program (which is 3 years long) come Sept 2013. Instead, I am choosing to take the full 4 year program as I will start right away and finish at the same time if I were to bridge. On top of that, my girlfriend had just been accepted to the same school so we will be attending together :)

poko, BSN, RN · Aug 22, 2012

Update for anyone interested in the format of the Modified Nursing Program (RPN) at Niagara:

I just received my September schedule for the program. Again I entered the modified program, which is described as 70% of a full time course load which runs all year long.

Monday, Wednesday: Class from 6:30 to 9:30 pm

Tuesday: Clinical from 5:30 to 9:30 pm

Saturday: two courses delivered between 9 am and 4 pm

At this point I plan to keep my full time job in Brampton, and I live in Hamilton.

I hope I"m not setting myself up for failure.

Dsun · Sep 3, 2012

Thanks for posting that.. thats really not bad at all and the program is still 2 years right

Dsun · Sep 7, 2012

Have you started... How is it going poko

poko, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2012

I did start, and had a slight change in plan.

I found out a day after classes started that I was accepted to Mohawk RPN program for January, and since it's closer to home, I'm going to transfer there instead of doing Niagara.

The basic impressions I got from my short couple of days at NC was that the assignments were manageable, but the amount of reading each week was heavy, and that you really need to devote time to read your textbooks. I spent 900 dollars on 13 textbooks for term 1 (granted that some are used throughout the program) so you can clearly see that the reading is by no means "light". With all that said, it seems doable, you just need to manage your time well, be organized and plan your studying!

Are you attending anywhere this year Dsun?