capgirl

Hi, happy to answer your questions No clinicals were necessary in this program, as we are all RNs already. There was some 'service hours' in the courses, but those were fulfilled by the course requirements such as in the population focused community health you had to give a few education presentations to your target audiences. Most of the classes were 7 weeks. In my last semester they were changing some of the more challenging courses (pathophysiology, pharmacology and nursing research) to a 14 week semester. They suggest taking one course at a time, but I found it reasonable to take 2 courses concurrently and managed fine. The courses are really set up in a system and a schedule - for example, on monday you start the readings, on wednesday you post your discussion, on friday you take a quiz or post your responses etc....most courses have a one hour 'chat' where you sign up for the most convenient time and you have a discussion with 15 classmates and a facilitator. The books are outrageous!!! (aren't all textbooks crazy expensive???) But of course you can buy them online at ebay, half.com, amazon etc...look for the best price on the correct edition and you will do better. Also, you can buy from your classmates that maybe already finished that class.... I thought the instructors were very approachable, you have the facilitator that is your resource, and you also can reach the main instructor via email. I don't think there were any lab fees, you don't go to lab! The graduation fee was 50 dollars, and it covered your diploma, cap and gown, pinning ceremony (have to buy your own pin though) graduation luncheon, and graduation program and photo. It was the best money I ever spent!!! The one thing I found the most difficult was sustaining to the end of the program. Make no mistake, it is a lot of work. It is writing papers every week, it is one course after another and you just have to put your head down and keep plodding along....If it was easy it would be meaningless wouldn't it? So make up your mind and go for it!

I enjoyed this program...but as with courses taken online, there are a ton of papers to write!!! It was a challenging program, but definitely do-able, and it is accredited and the tuition is definitely more affordable than other programs. I would recommend it to anyone!

How funny that this thread is finally answered!!! I have since gone on to this program and graduated in April. I would recommend this program, and would be happy to answer any questions....

We got our grades from the first test back last night. The entire class got C or D. No A or B or F. That is kind of weird... The professor gave us a long chat about how to get organized,and to follow her outline to only study what she has mentioned on it. I am a little disappointed, I am finding this class harder than I thought it would be....but since the whole class is in the same boat, I don't feel so bad!

I was happy to see I got a 90 on my lab quiz last week, but this week we had a lab practical exam. While I could identify all the microorganisms, I messed up on kingdom/phyllum. I think I switched all those answers So much for that easy A+

We had to buy a black plastic apron for the lab. I think it was $6. It doesn't even cover too well (so don't wear anything nice to lab!) The instructor had the gloves in the lab. I really like my instructor, he is very funny and keeps it interesting! Now if only the lecture wasn't so DRY! I am taking it online, so reading all that dry material is killing me off. But so far, I got 100s on my first 2 quizzes - just wait 2 weeks for the real test though.

I never heard of giving it IVP either. We always give it as a mini, sent up premixed by pharmacy. This is from the FDA website: DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION PROTONIX I.V. for Injection admixtures should be administered intravenously through a dedicated line, using the in-line filter provided. The filter must be used to remove the precipitate that may form when the reconstituted drug product is mixed with I.V. solutions. Studies have shown that filtration does not alter the amount of drug that is available for administration. If administration through a Y-site is desirable, the in-line filter must be positioned below the Y-site that is closest to the patient. The intravenous line should be flushed before and after administration of PROTONIX I.V. for Injection with either 5% Dextrose Injection, USP, 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, or Lactated Ringer's Injection, USP. PROTONIX I.V. for Injection should not be simultaneously administered through the same line with other intravenous solutions. I can't tell how up to date this is, since we no longer use the filters either. But I did see something VERY INTERESTING! Laboratory Tests There have been reports of false-positive urine screening tests for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in patients receiving pantoprazole.

75/passed Congrats to all you new nurses!

Hi glimmer, I will be taking this class at Hudson Valley - I am in the Capital District... Lake Placid is so beautiful - but far too COLD for me...

I am also taking it this fall, it is the prerequisite to officially matriculate into my RN to BSN program. How I have wished over the years that I had taken it as part of my ADN, but it wasn't required and I took gerontology courses instead. MISTAKE!!! I am in upstate NY, am taking the course online, but have to go to campus for the lab. Hopefully I have learned something about microbes in these years of nursing, and it will be more interesting than boring....we can hope right? I am using the foundations in microbiology book by talaro also. New it was $140, and I couldn't find it any cheaper online, since it is 5th edition. I saw many dirt cheap 4th editions though! I was able to get a used copy at the bookstore, but it was still over $115. What a racket that book business is! I am also taking pharmacology this semester - online also. Good luck to everyone!

I went to a small private college for my ADN. I think it was about 3500 per semester, x 5 semesters = $17,500 plus books and fees. It was about double the cost of the community college here, but no waiting list, and luckily I qualified for some financial aid. Still paying off the student loans though!!!

Our unit originally went to 12s because they could never fill the evening shift. So they just deleted that shift entirely! Now the only option is to work 12s.

Back when I worked LTC, they stopped stocking baby powder because it had set off the fire alarm system. EMS, police, fire departments all responded to every alarm triggered. Yep, it was the powder.

Apparently she doesn't have any idea what we do, if she would walk over fire for $38 an hour! You could suggest she go back to school... I would just let it go, especially if she is a person responsible for booking your shifts! I agree with trauma - let the machine pick up.

I don't see how you made that jump with the logic... Handwashing/ alcohol hand gel is the number one way to reduce the spread of infection. Look at the CDC recommendations. I don't think anyone here has alluded not to wash hands, that's not what we are talking about. My school uniform had a placket in the front, that was designed to be removed when leaving the hospital, washed, and buttoned on when you got to the hospital. However, they stopped actually requiring students to do that back in the "80's" and if anyone was meticulous about infection control, it is the old nuns that ran my nursing program.