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They expect you to buy the scrub uniforms and skills pack at orientation. You will need those for class. The company rep is there taking orders, you pay, and it's delivered a few days before class starts. It was an extra expense that I didn't know to factor in. Clinical uniform is white scrub top and blue bottoms and class uniform is blue scrub top and bottoms. I bought 2 sets of class and one clinical (~40ish each set) and the skills pack is 150 ish.

There is a lot of information at orientation and some segments aren't applicable but it's mandatory so not much you can do. They have time during orientation where you order uniforms, ID badges, skills kit, stethoscopes, jackets, rolling bags, and other miscellaneous items. You can try your stethoscope out and see how it works for you. You won't need it until 8B.

I forgot! If you buy just the Course Point Plus you have access to the Foundations ebook and for $50 they will print out a copy and send to you. Doing that is cheaper than renting the book and buying CPP. I bought the least expensive stethoscope and it works fine. I was told by some nurses that the heart sounds on a fancy one might not be discernable to an untrained ear. It made sense when they told me - especially after I listened with one. Foundations we had 4 exams and a comprehensive final and so far all other classes have 3 exams and a comprehensive final. First semester 8A you have 2 classes that have exams, 8B one class with exams; summer you have 2 classes with exams (unless you've already taken pharm); and 3rd/4th semester 1 class each 8A/8B. Not sure about 5th semester. When's you orientation? 16 December?

They'll tell you what you need during orientation and you can either buy at the on campus bookstore or you can buy elsewhere. Southbelt textbooks is near South campus and you can rent from them. Amazon, chegg are other place you can rent. If you go the rent route you'll still have to buy the Course Point Plus access. They'll tell you everything during orientation. And I highly suggest joining Student Nursing Association. I think it's $30? It serves as a liason between staff and students and they offer various activities that benefit nursing students. No volunteering needed and you can do as much or as little as you want.

First semester you take Foundations and Health Assessment the first 8 weeks and 2nd 8 weeks is Skills and a clinical. Clinical is wherever they have a spot but you will be at that same hospital the entire 8 weeks. Once a week for a 12 hour shift.

I'm finishing my third semester and set to graduate in August. Nursing school is like taking a class in a foreign language with a completely different culture and mindset that you are used to. It's not just the regurgitation of knowledge but it's the critical thinking and application of knowledge that trips people up (me.) NCLEX style questions feel tricky and some have answers that are all correct but you need to find the most correct (priority.) If I had to do it over again I would have taken pharm before starting program because Med Surg/clinical and Pharm were a beast together. That semester is where most stumble. That number you have isn't only people who failed a class. Some decided nursing wasn't for them, some had health or family issues and paused their schooling. Registered Nurse RN on YouTube and practicing NCLEX style questions will really help. Saunders has an NCLEX practice book that's good. If you buy it new it has a code and once you register the code you have access to thousands of questions online.

Hi Yadira! I'm starting my 3rd semester and I was told by someone who sells insurance that you do not have to wait until open enrollment to get insurance. She got very technical in her explanation, but I would suggest speaking to a private insurance person. Googling "private insurance texas" pops up a lot of listings.

You take the nursing classes they tell you and in the order they tell you. There is no taking classes early. Have you submitted your FAFSA yet? That's the first step towards financial aid. And if you do qualify for financial aid then you can only take classes on the degree plan; the financial aid office will send you to the counselor who will map out your degree and you follow that plan to be compliant for financial aid. Have you taken your fine arts appreciation and Lifespan? That's 3 hours each and not a nursing course so you can take those. If you have the cheapest way to get to 12 hours is take a PE course for 1 credit hour. Solid black shoes or solid white shoes (no mesh, not toeless/backlass) for class scrubs and solid white for clinical uniform.

javicerv16, if you've taken an RNSG pharm within a certain number of years (5?) then you can have that credit transferred and if accepted you don't have to retake pharm. My second semester starts Monday and I have to take pharm; I have some in my cohort that do not because they came from a BSN or different ADN program.

You go to any hospital in the Houston area. They explained it like the NFL draft where the schools take turns and pick a rotation (hospital and day.) From that selection they place students and it's a "you get what you get" situation. The classes are broken down into 8 weeks and you get a new rotation every class.

Jpee, apply to everything and once you get into the different programs you can decided which ones to accept.

Correct. 21 without micro. If you added micro it would have been 24. You can retake portions of HESI. You know on the test they have the main screen and you click on the subject to bring up test - just click what you want to take. If you have 100 in math and reading comprehension there is no need to take those again. You can submit 2 exams.

Max is 27 and I had 21 with micro in progress. I was accepted and had to turn in transcript with passing grade before first day of class. Our cohort is around 100 people and that includes new students and students who are re-entering the program.

The hardest part for me is learning to rearrange my thinking. It's a completely different culture and language. All professors have been professional and really want to prepare you for real world. Spring and Fall are set up in two eight week courses and summer is both sessions. For us we had two classes first 8 weeks; 1 class and 1 clinical day second 8 weeks; summer is two classes and 1 clinical; and I think the rest is class/clinical each 8 week section. You have AM or PM class and you take what is assigned and clinical is whatever day and hospital they assign you. I had AM class on Monday and Wednesday and PM class Tuesday-Friday. There is independent work in the skills lab and you need X amount of hours to check off on skills. This 8 weeks class is either AM or PM T/Th and clinical day one set day a week. They said summer is typically Monday and Tuesday all day (2 classes) plus a clinical day.

I'm in San Jac's ADN program right now and it is difficult. I don't have anything else to compare to, but I'd think all programs are just as challenging. It's a lot of reading, changing your thought process, reading other things to try to understand what you read, watching YouTube videos, and learning to be flexible.