Ap3x6

I know for sure at least two got hired. One at Queens and the other at Pali Momi. Edit: from what they tell me they're hired as RN positions but can't get paid the RN wage because their license didn't go through yet so until then they will be getting CNA pay.

I just graduated from KCC this December and a lot of my classmates who took the NCLEX and passed it early already have interviews lined up for RN positions. No clue if they implemented working with hospitals but something seems to be getting done.

Depending on pt load, and what class you're in. Clinicals vary, normally from 0645-1500 two days a week. Homework varies too, I know people who spend 5+ hours and some spend 2, its all a matter of how much you 'get it' and how long it takes you. Of course knowing the ways to do paperwork helps, too. The medsurg I/II classes were spent in clinicals 7-8 hours a day, 2-3 hour patient writeups and 2-3 hours of studying. 156/157 are the two classes that normally kill people trying to work.

First semester isn't bad at all, despite what a lot of people tell you. It's the next two that will kill you if you try and work full time, although I know a couple people who did it. After that, it goes downhill and you're able to work more and more.

They have some online thing at UH Hilo I was looking into, only takes about a year. And yeah, the Medsurg2 classes were by far the hardest. Donna is a hard lecturer, but her clinicals are awesome. Just finished my first OB/Peds rotation and going into psych next semester, so that should be interesting. Honestly, at this point I'll take whatever I can get to work as an RN and get experience. Although I'd like to work at one of the main hospitals I'm perfectly fine gutting it out for a couple years in a LTC, I mean, that is where we started off.

Haha, you were smart. You got in before the huge influx of new nursing students. Did you ever go back and get your BSN? I'm contemplating on doing it, but I figure the more time I wait, the harder it'll be to find a job. So I'm thinking just concentrating on getting a job first and going to school part time.

The CPR/firstaid thing is easy to get done. You got the checklist of certified cpr teachers? Call Ken Bambico or something. He comes to your house and does 1:1 training, it's pretty quick too. The physical is up to you. Yes, I was an alternate. I got a call a week before the December meeting. It all varies, really. I know one of my classmates who got into the program as an alternate got called a couple weeks before the semester started. If you really think you did that good, chances are you will most likely get in so I wouldn't worry too much. If you don't mind what was your GPA/NLN?

KCC set a due date for all the paperwork for people who got accecpted AND alternates(if you are indeed an alternate, they should have sent you a letter with a specific date, if not it would be your best bet to call someone at the admissions office). I think the meeting that is required for both alternates and fully accecpted people is when all those documents are due. If you were accecpted and are not able to finish the required documents on time I think that's when they start moving on to alternates. If you're talking about when alternates get selected to join the program, Wes normally calls you and gives you a couple days notice to make a decision. Are you an alternate?

I believe KCC alt lists around 10, no more than 15. If you're worried about being alt listed, don't be. Your chances are still good. I think our class accecpted 8/10 of the alternates.

Good luck to you all. Hopefully I'll see you newbies next semester =]. I was fortunate to not know the exact date so when my letter came it was a big surprise. I don't know what I would have done if I knew I had to wait two weeks. Go crazy, I suppose

Sorry I haven't responded in a while, clinicals and studying for tests have been hectic. I lost the number but I'll go and ask around on Monday, I'm sure someone still has it. As far as the LCC thing I don't think so. If I'm not mistaken I heard that they were thinking about having a whole separate program at LCC? Don't quote me on that, just something I heard through the grapevine. If KCC is only accecpting 30 like you said this semester, I highly doubt they are going to send 10 to LCC. Normally its when they accecpt 40+ people that they send some to the other campus.

I'm pretty sure there were 2 meetings. One was in.. November I believe. Only reason I know this was because I just had to go and get retested for TB a couple weeks ago since they were going to expire before my Kapiolani rotation this semester. The final one is a couple weeks before school if I'm not mistaken, so that's gonna be the one you're cutting close. I know of a couple people who missed the second information session, because by that time the people they accecpt into the program should be set. Just make sure you have a good excuse to tell them. And mcubed, the alternates getting notified vary. One of my friends got called a couple weeks before school started. She was all set to retake classes and everything and last minute dropped them all to register for nursing. As far as the CPR thing goes I'll go search for his card, I know I have it someplace. He's a really cool guy and since its a 1:1 session it takes like half the time normal CPR classes take, IIRC.

Yeah, I honestly wonder how so many alternates got in. I mean, I was taking pre-req's with a couple people who got in and no one I know got accecpted and decided not to go into the program. I was like that with the NLN test, but that took a lot less time to come in. The KCC acceptance took a long time, so long I forgot about it. When I did get the letter it was a nice surprise. First aid and CPR last 2 years, so you'll have to retake it before the program is over regardles it's up to you. I actually called a guy who came over to your house and teaches class there. Only catch was you needed a DVD player to play the videos. It was pretty cheap as I remember it too.. I think it was $75 for both classes? So what are you doing this semester as far as classes are going? Just chilling waiting for KCC to send you the letter?

Nope, there are clinicals every semester. First semester is normally LTC/medsurg, second is medsurg, third is OB/peds/psych and the final semester is medsurg again. The only thing that changes between medsurg classes are the amount of patients you have. It slowly increases from 1-4or5. When you get your letter don't get discouraged if you get put on the alternate list. For our class I think we had 10 people as alternates come in, and out of the 10, 9 got accecpted. Just make sure you have all your physical/cpr/first aid/immunizations and all that other stuff done on time. And again, good luck. It's a life changing event once you get into nursing school. Assuming everything goes to plan I'll grad Dec '09.

Oh the dreaded bed bath. Haha, yeah, we had to do that. You don't get fully naked or anything, you're wearing a swimsuit or something you don't mind getting wet. You get REALLY close with your first semester classmates doing bed baths and physical assessments and what not. You're pretty much with them for 5 hours a day, 4 days a week, for 16 weeks so you can imagine how that goes. I was attending UH before going to KCC so I had quite a bit of the req's done already. It took me a year + summer only because you have to wait to take Zool141/142/pharm203. The last semester I was pretty much just taking pharm 203 and my humanities because KCC wouldn't accecpt my 300 level classes. I got accecpted into the program in Spr '08.

Yeah, I was in the same boat. They told me I shouldn't retake classes too, but I decided to anyways. Come to find out half way through the semester I did get accecpted and it was all for nothing, but I guess it was nice to know I had a little insurance policy to back it up. You know the funny thing is I didn't know anything about those electrical circuits and junk either, but I scored pretty high on the science section. The English section I scored a 70th percentile I thought for sure I was in trouble. Luckily I'm not that bad in science/math. Haha, I'm sure I'll see you next semester when you're a newbie at KCC. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you. As far as clinicals, no. They aren't flexible at all. Well, okay, there has been one night clinical from 1400-2300 instead of the normal 0600-1500 but it's not like you can sign up for it, its all based on chance so don't count on it. No weekend clinicals but you normally do have one day off during the week. By off I mean no school, you still need to head out to the hospitals and pick up patient information and do a writeup. On a side note is KCC doing the whole thing where if you take certian classes it looks "better" on your application or did they stop that? I know when I applied they were thinking about doing that for upcomming applicants, but not sure how that went.

I'm about halfway through, just starting my OB/peds clinicals now. Yeah, the program is pretty study intensive, but that's the way it should be. Everyone has their own opinions about students from different schools but I've heard that even though KCC is only a ADN program as opposed to a BSN that doesn't really effect if they get hired or not too much. If you read around the forums you'll notice that new grads are having a hard time finding a job because so many places require experience to apply. I have a couple friends who graduated from the KCC ADN program and they both have jobs, maybe they were just lucky? Honestly, your GPA and NLN scores don't look that bad. The only other thing I would suggest is if you don't get in my some chance try and retaking both for higher grades? Have you talked to Wes? What did he tell you. He was extremely helpful in letting me know my status and what to expect when entering the program.

I guess it really depends on the quality of people applying. I'd say you have a fighting chance at getting in though. You applied with all your pre-req's and co-req's done? When I applied I had ~3.6GPA and a 14something NLN score, but I was missing 2 classes. Good luck on getting in, it's a pain in the ass but once you get in it takes a lot of stress off... that is until classes start =x.

The first test is always a feeling out process for me. You don't know how nursing tests are so you don't know what to expect. I was the same way when I first started school, it seemed like everyone was doing better than me doing the same type of studying I did. I found a system that works for me and I'm doing a lot better. For me, it was just recording the lectures and re-listening to them in my free time. During tests I can hear the instructors talking and hear the answers verbatim from the tape. I know it's weird but just try new things out and find something that works for you. Good luck and don't get discouraged.. it's only the first test.

It's funny you mention this.. I have noticed the few people who aren't willing to help others do get "exiled" and have to sit in the grave they dug. Honestly, I don't get why people do this. In the end it's better for you because you know who you can and can't count on when you need it.

For me it was the second/third semester classes that are the hardest. From all the people I have talked to they agree that our med surg-2 classes were by far the worst (granted, I'm still only in my third semester and still in the midst of all these "hard" classes so I can't say for sure). I guess because initially in our basics class the tests were all based on facts that were either right or wrong whereas now we're getting more into the NCLEX type questions where all the answers are right, but there is one that is MORE right, if you know what I mean. The previous year I think we had 12 or 13/ 60 people fail the second semester class for one reason or another and we lost 4 in our class of 40. From what I've heard once we get to OB/peds it gets a lot easier and hopefully it's the same for you. In the long run I think it'll be a better thing for you seeing as how you'll be more prepared for the NCLEX when you do end up taking it. If you're thinking about dropping out of school soley based on the amount of school work, don't. I'm sure you'll regret it in the long run.

It sounds like you're extremely unlucky. I'm in my third semester in nursing school and I have had the complete opposite experience. With the exception of a few people most people are more than willing to help others. I remember I was sick once during the first month in our first semester and I had three, yes, three people from my clinical group call me up and explain what I had missed and what was due the next day. Needless to say I was a little shocked but it just goes to show that not everyone is in it for themselves. Honestly, the people in my class have made nursing school a much better experience and hopefully things will change for you.

I think we have one PM group at Kaiser in our class. I think they're there from 1500-2300 or something.

Every program has its advantages and disadvantages. My main reason for going to KCC was because it was cheaper than UH, and a LOT cheaper than HPU. I think we pay around 1100 a semester, and total, around 9k for books and everything. Also, if you wanted to further your education past the associates it's an automatic acceptance into UH's BSN program. My advice would be to study. I'm not gonna lie, it's really competitive and I still sometimes wonder how I got in. You just have to want to become a nurse and study study study. Buy the NLN book and study that in your spare time too. Have you started working on your pre-req's? Zool 141/142 and Pharm 203? Those are the "weeder classes." If you can make it through those with A's and B's you should be fine.

Have you talked to Wes about your scores? He was really helpful in breaking everything down for me. As far as your NLN score goes, I really think you need to get that up. You can take the test once every 6 months and I highly suggest you do so again. How did you study for it? http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Review-Guide-for-RN-Pre-Entrance-Exam/Mary-E-McDonald/e/9780763724863 That book helped me a lot with the test. As far as your GPA is concerned, it looks okay. I applied with a 3.7ish, but I was missing pharm at the time. I think my nln score is what saved me, I forgot the exact number but I scored in the low 140's. I worked during the first semester, that was pretty easy. The second, however, I had to quit working. It's like night and day. You really get into disease processes and how NCLEX questions will be like, so it's going to be a rude awakening for you. I highly suggest cutting back, if not quitting all together. In the end it'll be worth it. As far as teachers go you get good ones, and you get bad ones, it's the same with any program.