Ohio University RN-to-BSN Program

Nursing Students Ohio University

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Since it seems that there's quite a bit of interest, I'm attempting to start a new thread devoted exclusively to the OU on-line RN-BSN program that will hopefully build on the comments on assorted previous threads.

I'd like to ask nevergonnagiveup, mtsteelhorse and babynurse73 - all of whom (I think) are either already in the program or have applied for admission - to post about their experiences. I just sent in my application and plan to post periodically about relevant issues. If we can populate the thread with good material, it could become a very useful resource for both those considering the OU program and students already in it. Once that happens, I'd hope we could prevail upon the forum moderators to make it a sticky thread.

As indicated, I've only recently applied to the program. So far, I'm happy with the support and information I've gotten. I've been contacted by an OU "enrollment specialist" who was somewhat helpful (I suspect that they have dual roles, one being to provide basic information to prospective students and the other to follow-up with the prospects and help to fill the roster for the program). This person e-mailed me, followed up with a phone call and was able to provide some useful, if basic, information about the program. I also sent a lengthy e-mail to OU with quite a number of specific, detailed questions. This too resulted in both an e-mail and telephone response, this time from an academic advisor in the OU School of Nursing. Again I received some useful and quite helpful information. All in all, my early experience has been pretty positive.

As indicated above, I plan to post about relevant issues that come up as I work my way through the admission and evaluation process. I'd very much like to hear from others about their experience with OU and I'm sure that there will be a lot of interest by others in our collective experience with the program.

Thanks michelemybell.

That's the same contact info that I have. I've never had anyone pickup when I phoned and I've declined to leave voice mail messages, so I don't have any experience with their response time from that perspective. They have responded to my e-mails, generally within about 24 - 36 hrs, so no real complaints about response time.

One of my gripes though is that the e-mail response is general, vague and very non-committal - "You should hear back in late May or early June". Really - that's the best you can do? I "should" hear back - to me (as someone with a lot of experience in writing business contracts) that's equivalent to saying "we'll try to get back to you but you're not really all that important to us and if something else comes up, we'll probably changes our minds and not bother". And either "late May or early June"? That's a span of roughly 30 days. A much better response would have been something like "Ohio University plans to provide the admissions information information no later than early June. While we are working hard to get the information out sooner, due to the volume of admissions requests, we are unable to commit to an earlier response. We will notify you promptly should there be any changes to this planned schedule."

It also drives me crazy that you have to beg them for information. if you don't, you won't hear anything at all. That's no way to run a program and especially not an on-line program.

Specializes in nursing.

I totally agree. Are they new at this online program stuff??? You'd think so. My employer approcahed ohio to become part of the outreach program so I trusted them. We'll see. I plan on calling/emailing today to see what happens. I'll keep you posted.

Check you email!!! Got my official acceptance letter :lol2:!!

Specializes in Home health was tops, 2nd was L&D.
Check you email!!! Got my official acceptance letter :lol2:!!

Congrats:yeah::yeah::yeah:

Check you email!!! Got my official acceptance letter :lol2:!!

Congratulations!

I'm jealous though - still nothing in my e-mail.

yea.. The rest of us are still waiting!!!!!!

I just made application to OU, so I wanted to get in on this thread. I have an ADN from 1992, a stat, nutrition, chem, and I believe the rest of my prerequisites, pending review. I've read a lot of comments and been unable to decide if it's a good program or not. The cost is good, and it's fully accredited, so i guess.......

Specializes in Rehab.

Waiting... Hope to hear something soon.

I just made application to OU, so I wanted to get in on this thread. I have an ADN from 1992, a stat, nutrition, chem, and I believe the rest of my prerequisites, pending review. I've read a lot of comments and been unable to decide if it's a good program or not. The cost is good, and it's fully accredited, so i guess.......

If you looked at some of the comments in this thread, you will have noted that most are about the adminssions process and are largely negative. Though I've certainly posted my share of less than flattering comments, it's important to note that in January, OU switched to different a admission system and that change is really at the root of most of the complaints. As the bugs get worked out of the new process, things should improve so I'd caution you to factor that in when you see the negative comments.

There are also several posts from students in the program. Their comments were by and large positive. I've also posted in the Ohio nursing section asking for comments about the OU RN-BSN program. Though I did not get many, they were also largely postive. Those are good things to hear for those us who are dealing with the aforementioned new admissions process - it gives us some justification for putting up with the crappy and non-responsive OU admissions system.

Since I've not had good success in getting information from OU, I poked around and found out some useful information about the program. It has tiered reqirements that break down as follows:

General Education (Tier I)

- Freshman English

- Quantitative Skills (statistics meets this area)

- Junior Level Composition (must be a "300 level" or above advanced writing course)

General Education (Tier II)

- Students are required to complete a total of 32 hours from an approved list of courses in the following six areas (3 credit hour minimum in each of the six areas):

- Applied Science and Mathematics

- Cross-Cultural Perspectives

- Fine Arts

- Humanities and Literature

- Natural Sciences

- Social Sciences

General Education Tier III

- Requirement is met when NRSE 455 is completed through Ohio University. If NRSE 455 is transferred in, a Tier III class must be taken.

Lower Division Nursing - completed during your ADN

(Your associate degree/diploma nursing hours meet this requirement.)

BSN Support Courses . All support classes must be completed with a grade of C or better

- CHEM 121 Principles of Chemistry I

- BIOS 130 Anatomy

- BIOS 132 Physiology

- PSY 101 General Psychology

- SOC 101 Intro to Sociology

- NUTR 128 Nutrition

- PSY 273 Growth and Development (aka, Developmental Psych)

- BIOS 221 Microbiology

- PSY 120 Statistics

I can't comment on the evaluation process but like you, have stat, micro and nutrition as well as at least 4 courses each of psych and sociology, so I don't expect any problems with the BSN Support Courses requirements. Most ADN students will have a math course that may count toward the Applied Science & Mathematics requirement. Computer science, engineering, info systems, some geography and health science as well as geology also count toward this requirement. I have a couple of semesters of calc and info systems so should be OK with this requirement. OU has some funky requirements that do not seem to be well-defined however and I see these as potential problems .

One is the Cross Cultural Perspectives requirement. I was able to reach someone at OU by phone on one occasion (this is one of biggest gripes - it's difficult bordering on impossible to get anyone by phone - I was only successful once). This person was an advisor in the nursing program and told me that courses in Anthro, Religion and non-US History should satisfy this area. I have a couple of anthro courses plus one course in comparative religion and one in south-west asian history, so I hope I'm good to go here. Another is Natural Sciences. Biology will count toward this, so again most ADNs will be OK for at least part of the requirement. If I understand this correctly, chem also counts and can be used here as well as in satisfying the BSN Support Reqt (meaning you get credit for both requirements with the one course). I think I'm good here too but less sure than for Cross-Cultural and Applied Science.

You can get additional information via this link:

http://www.ohio.edu/univcollege/courses/upload/genedtierii_fall2008.pdf

Of course, at this stage all of this is speculative and I'm eagerly awaiting not only my admission notification but also my evaluation (called a DARS by OU). In addition to the ADN, I also have some undergrad engineering and science courses, a BA in communications, an MBA and a handful of additional grad courses in information systems, so I'm really hoping I have only the 12 nursing courses to take. My biggest gripe is that I applied in mid-February and am still waiting for a response.

Here are some other links that may be useful:

http://www.catalogs.ohio.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=12&poid=2600&bc=1

http://www.catalogs.ohio.edu/content.php?catoid=19&navoid=960#gen_ed_reqs

Specializes in nursing.

Just wondering.......those of you who JUST received the acceptance email.....are you starting June 20th??? Does this mean you have less than 3 weeks to get prepared????

Specializes in nursing.

chuckster....what in the world is going on with your application????How do you find this stuff????? I followed the links they forwarded and have not seen this page before(the 2 you posted). Does ANYBODY have private ??? There just seems to be more course requirements....or is it just me??

chuckster....what in the world is going on with your application????

I wish I knew. Sent off an e-mail this morning so hopefully will at least get a status sometime soon.

How do you find this stuff????? I followed the links they forwarded and have not seen this page before(the 2 you posted).

Most of what I posted over the weekend comes from additional info that I found pretty much by accident on the OU website and downloaded as a pdf. I managed to misplace that particular link but saved some others - at least one of those links was courtesy of another AN poster though. Also found several videos on YouTube by accident.

RN-BSN Prograom:

DARS Overview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU5e05tckYA&feature=related

Tier 1 English reqt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svYxQHN6GJw&NR=1

Tier 1 Math reqt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCNFrJGBq7c&feature=related

Tier 2 & 3 reqts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_d_RhQKwVA&feature=related

Does ANYBODY have private malpractice insurance???

Hadn't thought about this. It's relatively inexpensive but unless I missed something, there is not really a clinical requirement in the OU program, so why would it be necessary or desireable?

There just seems to be more course requirements....or is it just me??
While I think that the additional info and the YouTube stuff gives you a pretty good idea of what OU requires and how you can satisfy things. Now, if I could only get a DARS . . .
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