Taking Deaconess as a Lead And Findng a Preceptor

Nursing Students Online Learning

Published

Okay I am up for two traditional LPN program where I live, but I still can't shake the feeling of wanting to have more control over my schooling by distance learning. So I found two programs that would let me do that for Practical Nursing, Deaconess, and Minnesota. But for Deaconess it it too hard to get into and the tuition is ridicoulas, pluss I don't want to travel up there, and for Minnesota, the tuition is okay, but I don't want to travel up there, and they have the program set up with pre-req's that I will have no choice but to take a year to a year and a half to finish. I want to be done in a year to 15 months at the most.

So..........Here is what I was thinking, I see many programs at Techs, and CC's that allow their PN students to take their theory courses online, an do normal clinicals. These programs are not set up, for a person in a different state, but hey distance is distance. So I thought that I might propose to one of these schools or maybe a few, to let me take my theory online and get a preceptor where I live to do my clinicals. I know it's a long shot, but I have to try. And I mean they could always give the preceptor their course objectives, and I think any experienced nurse could be a preceptor.So before I present my idea to these schools, I need to put together a professional proposal, and to do that I first need to find someone to be my preceptor. So my question for all of those who have had to do this, or is going to have to do this, is how do I do it? Do I just call up hospitals and ask if they have preceptors? Do I call up local schools and try to recruit their faculty? How?

And how do I get the hospitals or nursing homes to let me use their facility as a clinical site?

And as for the preceptor, I don't know how it is usually done if they are volunteers or what, but I was planning on offering my preceptor, a small fee. I want as many clinical hours as possible, and if I am distance learning I will not be confined to a strict schedule, so I will be able to get in more of those hours. I was thinking maybe 5 hours a day M-F, or whatever the schools, usual hours are, whatever they require.( I just looked it up, the school that I am looking at, has 4 clinical course for their PN program, and in each course they require 6 clinical hourse per week, for 16 weeks) And I would pay my preceptor maybe $10 and hour. A little steep,(I'll see) but if i get financial aid, I should be able to pay her/him with the money from my refund check.

So ya'll please tell me what I need to do.....:uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3:

What is the name of the school in MN?

Is it an LPN program? RN? ADN? Any details?

Does anyone have a link? I tried the one posted, but it does not work...

Please help..

I forgot the name but it is http://distance.minnesota.edu

it is LPN, you can get a diploma or an Applied Associate in Science Degree

I forgot the name but it is http://distacne.minnesota.com

it is LPN, you can get a diploma or an Applied Associate in Science Degree

If anyone does research on this program, be sure to ask about accreditation...and then let us know here...

Thanks

Cheri :)

The PN program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing. The College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, (800) 621-7440, 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504.

The program is approved by the Minnesota BON, I checked, adn the school is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

If anyone does research on this program, be sure to ask about accreditation...and then let us know here...

Thanks

Cheri :)

If anyone does research on this program, be sure to ask about accreditation...and then let us know here...

Thanks

Cheri :)

I would love to Do the research, but that link does not work for me!!! :p

I even checked the spelling.... Can you post it one more time for me???

Thanks

Edit: I got it!! Whooh!! :rotfl:

I forgot the name but it is http://distance.minnesota.edu

it is LPN, you can get a diploma or an Applied Associate in Science Degree

I think this is it...

http://www.distance.minnesota.edu

Cheri :chuckle

Okay I am up for two traditional LPN program where I live, but I still can't shake the feeling of wanting to have more control over my schooling by distance learning. So I found two programs that would let me do that for Practical Nursing, Deaconess, and Minnesota. But for Deaconess it it too hard to get into and the tuition is ridicoulas, pluss I don't want to travel up there, and for Minnesota, the tuition is okay, but I don't want to travel up there, and they have the program set up with pre-req's that I will have no choice but to take a year to a year and a half to finish. I want to be done in a year to 15 months at the most.

So..........Here is what I was thinking, I see many programs at Techs, and CC's that allow their PN students to take their theory courses online, an do normal clinicals. These programs are not set up, for a person in a different state, but hey distance is distance. So I thought that I might propose to one of these schools or maybe a few, to let me take my theory online and get a preceptor where I live to do my clinicals. I know it's a long shot, but I have to try. And I mean they could always give the preceptor their course objectives, and I think any experienced nurse could be a preceptor.So before I present my idea to these schools, I need to put together a professional proposal, and to do that I first need to find someone to be my preceptor. So my question for all of those who have had to do this, or is going to have to do this, is how do I do it? Do I just call up hospitals and ask if they have preceptors? Do I call up local schools and try to recruit their faculty? How?

And how do I get the hospitals or nursing homes to let me use their facility as a clinical site?

And as for the preceptor, I don't know how it is usually done if they are volunteers or what, but I was planning on offering my preceptor, a small fee. I want as many clinical hours as possible, and if I am distance learning I will not be confined to a strict schedule, so I will be able to get in more of those hours. I was thinking maybe 5 hours a day M-F, or whatever the schools, usual hours are, whatever they require.( I just looked it up, the school that I am looking at, has 4 clinical course for their PN program, and in each course they require 6 clinical hourse per week, for 16 weeks) And I would pay my preceptor maybe $10 and hour. A little steep,(I'll see) but if i get financial aid, I should be able to pay her/him with the money from my refund check.

So ya'll please tell me what I need to do.....:uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3:

Dear New Mom,

While I certainly admire your ambition, I think you need to have a clear understanding how programs are set up. Clinical hours and placement cannot be simply "adjusted" to student needs. All accredited programs are set up specifically to accrediting agency guidelines as well as the guidelines set up through your state board of nursing. Another issue, and this is a huge one with DCN, is that many hospitals do not/will not allow students in to do clinicals without an onsite instructor from that school of nursing due to liability issues. In St. Louis, where DCN is, one is hard pressed to find a site outside of Forest Park Hospital if you are an online student. (You should read some of my other posts)

I am glad you have chose nursing as a career, but just do your homework. Check out NLN guidelines, your state board of nursing guidelines, and talk to some CC directors of nursing. Talk to other nurses. Get all of the information you can from very reliable sources so that you can be sure you are making all of the right decisions.

Best of Luck to you!

Nadja9

Another issue, and this is a huge one with DCN, is that many hospitals do not/will not allow students in to do clinicals without an onsite instructor from that school of nursing due to liability issues. In St. Louis, where DCN is, one is hard pressed to find a site outside of Forest Park Hospital if you are an online student. (You should read some of my other posts)

Nadja,

While it is your right to share your past experience with DCN...it is misleading and inaccurate to imply that what happened years ago regarding clinical experience at DCN is still what is currently in practice. Currently local and online DCN students are successfully completing their clinical experience and/or validations under preceptors at Forest Park and other facilities such as St. John's Mercy Medical Center. I am providing this information based on how I completed my clinical validation for Spring 2005.

Cheri :)

Nadja,

While it is your right to share your past experience with DCN...it is misleading and inaccurate to imply that what happened years ago regarding clinical experience at DCN is still what is currently in practice. Currently local and online DCN students are successfully completing their clinical experience and/or validations under preceptors at Forest Park and other facilities such as St. John's Mercy Medical Center. I am providing this information based on how I completed my clinical validation for Spring 2005.

Cheri :)

First of all, this was less than a year ago. It was last summer. Second, I live in the St. Louis area where I work with many DON's and nursing professionals in the areas of education as well as acute care. Third, you should hear what is being said about the program as well as the students in it. (And this applies to the online program only - the traditional program is great.) Some of what I hear has come from preceptors used by DCN online students. Remember, this is all coming out of St. Louis, where people KNOW what is going on. You are in Orlando, Florida. I wish I could tell you some other things that I know. I could write a book about this subject.

While I understand you are very pleased with the program, nothing I have said regarding the online program has been inaccurate or false. And while you have the right to express your satisfaction with others, I have the right to advise "buyer beware."

As far as clinical sites in St. Louis, do you have any idea how many hospitals there are here in the St. Louis area? I can think of 17 off the top of my head, and 1 will allow online students to do clinicals, FPH. Oh, and presumably St. John's. That's 2. I could say sooo much more.......

Dear New Mom,

While I certainly admire your ambition, I think you need to have a clear understanding how programs are set up. Clinical hours and placement cannot be simply "adjusted" to student needs. All accredited programs are set up specifically to accrediting agency guidelines as well as the guidelines set up through your state board of nursing. Another issue, and this is a huge one with DCN, is that many hospitals do not/will not allow students in to do clinicals without an onsite instructor from that school of nursing due to liability issues. In St. Louis, where DCN is, one is hard pressed to find a site outside of Forest Park Hospital if you are an online student. (You should read some of my other posts)

I am glad you have chose nursing as a career, but just do your homework. Check out NLN guidelines, your state board of nursing guidelines, and talk to some CC directors of nursing. Talk to other nurses. Get all of the information you can from very reliable sources so that you can be sure you are making all of the right decisions.

Best of Luck to you!

Nadja9

Well,

This post first off what not about DCN, or me wanting to attend it was about finding a preceptor. And thanks for your advice, but the way I see it #1 - No state in the US requires NLN accredidation, for the school to be approved as a school of nursing. Let's remember that accreditation is a voluntary process. And no employer really cares about a nursing school's accreditation in my state, as long as the school is approved by it's BON. Next, if DCN is not following the NLN's guidelines, that is between them and the NLN, I have nothing to do with it, and even if I wre a student I would have nothing to do with it, because if they all of the sudden lost accreditation they would still be approved by the BON.

And lat a lot of people mae a big deal about the nursing school that they go to, I guess to some people name and reputation matters. This is not the case for me. I have basic requriements:

A school approved by it's BON, so that I am eligible to sit for the NCLEX upon graduation.

A school where I can learn (how the instrutors teach mean nothing to me since I learn better, alone)

And, flexibilty because I do have a family.

As for the name and reputation good or bad it doesn't matter to me, because if it meets at least the first two requirements above, it will allow me to become an nurse, period. Grad school may be different, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Nadja, Cheri, all those hunting for info on DCN & to all how may read this thread:

I have read a lot of the stuff you guys (and others) have posted on DCN.

The conclusion, Deaconess will work for some and not for others. Just like every school in the country, some people will not do well through the online program.

Because of its unique approach to online education there are many situation a student will face.

I have done my own private research. I called an old professor who is originally from St. Louis and she called her old buddies in the area to get the full scoop.

It does seem that, while they do have problems, they have done there best to iron out as many situations as they can. DCN continues to try to improve the quality of education for its online students.

I think many of the problems Nadja has faced may have to do with the local perception of DCN. St Louis folks know the brick and mortar school (solid rep), its administrators, professors and the online program's struggle with the MO BON. They would be the ones to be more involved with the politicking and wrangling that made it so difficult for the online students locally.

Cheri and others who are not local have experienced fewer setbacks because they are not inadvertently involved in the local situations. Their preceptors, hospitals and local DON's in their home towns gather their greatest basis of opinion about the DCN online program through the performance of the local student. Cheri is an excellent ambassador for DCN and I am convinced performs wonderfully in clinical, which in turn opens the doors for future DCN students and its graduates in her area.

Nadja I am sure is also an outstanding student. She is right to point out that a pre-nursing student should gather as much information on their potential school as possible.

Yes, nursing schools do have waitlist and it is difficult to gain admission. That does not mean that the pre-nursing applicant should not do his or her homework. It is your money and even more importantly your time. I would not attend any program, nursing or otherwise, that could not reasonably answer any reasonable question I asked.

Many of the woes and setbacks that nursing students face in their programs would not exist had we researched, and asked many, many questions.

Agape,

Nydia

Remember, this is all coming out of St. Louis, where people KNOW what is going on. You are in Orlando, Florida.

Out of the 14 students in my class, 10 of them live, work, and do their clinicals in St Louis. A total of 11 of my classmates completed their clinicals with preceptors arranged by DCN in St Louis. All 14 of us completed validation together at St John's. These are the facts and just because I am all the way down here in Orlando does not mean that I don't get the scoop right from the heart of St Louis through my classmates that worked those clinicals with those preceptors.

New Mom,

I apologize that this conversation came up in the middle of your post to get ideas about finding a preceptor. I had no intention of highjacking your thread with DCN conversation, but I feel that the facts regarding DCN's current clinical situation should be represented for those that are interested intaking advantage of the program they are offering.

Cheri :)

Actually I'm in my fourth semester and the local students in my class have been divided into two groups and they are having their clinicals at St. Johns and Des Peres Hospital. (I think that's how it's spelled). Unfortunately I'm not local I'm just sharing the info from my class :)

LTNurse

First of all, this was less than a year ago. It was last summer. Second, I live in the St. Louis area where I work with many DON's and nursing professionals in the areas of education as well as acute care. Third, you should hear what is being said about the program as well as the students in it. (And this applies to the online program only - the traditional program is great.) Some of what I hear has come from preceptors used by DCN online students. Remember, this is all coming out of St. Louis, where people KNOW what is going on. You are in Orlando, Florida. I wish I could tell you some other things that I know. I could write a book about this subject.

While I understand you are very pleased with the program, nothing I have said regarding the online program has been inaccurate or false. And while you have the right to express your satisfaction with others, I have the right to advise "buyer beware."

As far as clinical sites in St. Louis, do you have any idea how many hospitals there are here in the St. Louis area? I can think of 17 off the top of my head, and 1 will allow online students to do clinicals, FPH. Oh, and presumably St. John's. That's 2. I could say sooo much more.......

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