noladancer

No, we workers in the US do NOT have it better than any other time in history. Several decades ago there was less of a gap between the rich and the poor and there was not such a small number of people holding such a great percentage of the country's wealth (BA in History, graduated Summa Cum Laude). I understand what you are saying about pushing back too hard but when you don't push back, the greedy walk all over you. Sutter made $3.7 billion in profits over the last five years, their CEO Pat Fry was paid $4 million in 2009, and most Sutter top executives have had raises of over 100 percent over the past few years. Sutter is trying to limit the nurses' ability to advocate for patients, ending paid sick days (forcing them to work while sick), and slashing their health care coverage and retiree health benefits. What is wrong with this picture? I'm not saying Sutter can't make money but this is pure greed!

There have always been people willing to cross picket lines, but that doesn't mean you don't unionize and try! I can't believe how workers in this country have just given up and accept crumbs while the big corporate players just get richer and richer. Anybody who has studied history knows that the ultimate conclusion of that downward spiral is a revolution. Maybe the legal (and therefore monetary) liability that Sutter has incurred from this will make management at Sutter think about something besides fattening their own personal wallets.

I understand how you might feel the strike -- and you by extention -- was responsible but I agree with the writer who pointed out it was the lock-out, not the strike, that caused this. That and Sutter's decision to bring in travelers willing to cross picket lines. Yes, California RNs are blessed to have mandated RN:patient ratios. That should be true for the rest of the country but isn't. But just because you have that, it doesn't make it right for Sutter to take away your benefits. Nurses across this country need to be willing to unionize, go out on strike, and not cross picket lines. That's the ONLY way we can achieve safety for our patients and decent working conditions and benefits for ourselves. Since when is it okay to just cave and let Sutter's CEO make millions while nurses have to give up health benefits?! Unions made the middle class in this country and if we don't support them, we'll be the chattel the hospitals want us to be. I'm so sorry about the patient's death but it is on Sutter's head, not yours and your co-workers'.

It's not about enjoying nursing school, it's about getting a very expensive, often inadequate education while dealing on a daily basis with an incompetently run program. There is so much to learn in so short of time, there is no room for disorganization without the student suffering and disorganization is rampant. Yes, I'm almost done and since you all are asking, I'm telling you "buyer beware." If you chose to go to this program, you can't say you weren't warned. I wish I had been. I'm still enthused about nursing and have plans for furthering my nursing education but it's safe to say OLOL College is not part of those plans. As for the Tulane program, it has the same problems because it has the same instructors and the same administrators.

I don't know anything about the nearby apartments. I know there are some because I drive by a few of them but I don't know anything about them. Some of the books we've used are the same but not all of them. For pharmacology we used "Clinical Drug Therapy: Rationales for Nursing Practice, 9th edition" by Abrams, et al., published by Lippincott, (I also bought the accompanying workbook, which I found very helpful). However, there is no guarantee that they will use that same book for your class. I bought most of my books on Amazon.com and got better prices than through OLOL itself. It's tempting to buy used books but if you do that you will not get to use the access numbers for the publishers' websites and I've found those sites helpful for test preparation. You also may not get the CD if you buy used (that's iif the book has a CD -- not all do) and I really use the one that came with our Med-Surg book. Quite a number of people who started the program with me have flunked out and not because they were dumb. Some have resumed it with the cohort behind them but some haven't (there's no guarantees they will let you do this). Also, they grade on a 6 point scale so 94 and above is an A, 87 and above is a B, and 80 and above is a C. You must get an 80 as your final grade to pass a class, plus you must pass the clinicals for that class, and pass the ATI test (if there is one) at level 2 or above. And sometimes the information needed to answer correctly for ATI is different from the information needed to answer the instructor's test. No one told me when I was applying or at orientation that I would have to learn it one way for class tests and learn it a different way for the ATI test, all in a very condensed time frame. Sorry to scare you but if there's time, rethink your decision and see if it's possible to go to a different school, even if it means putting off school for a year. I heard the OLOL accelerated program was really good at one time. I don't know what happened but it clearly isn't anymore. Seriously -- try to figure out how to go to a different school. Nursing school is hard enough, particularly at an accelerated pace, without the additional problems and stressors of a badly managed program.

Or if you don't have a Bachelor's, give Delgado or another institution a try. I'd have to vote thumbs down for this school. Thank goodness we only have 10 1/12 more weeks until we graduate.

I just looked at the Website too and you're right -- they've taken that requirement out. I know for sure that they are in the process of creating an accelerated BSN program (to be ready to go in a few years), so perhaps this is a change that interfaces with that somehow. What I do know is that this is the most disorganized, unprofessionally run educational program I have ever seen. They have a few good teacher who are real gems, but the program is very poorly managed and that creates countless problems for the students. If I were you, I'd look elsewhere. I wish I'd have gone to one of the accerated programs at LSU or Southeastern.

The application we will filled out was called the "Application for Admission Professional Clinical Programs." If that was not the application you filled out, you need to call the school admissions office and ask them what to do. In addition to the usual info requested on application, the application we (those of us who are currently students in the accelerated program) filled out asked for prior health care experience, 3 references, and a personal statement that had to address 5 specific things.

Yes, three letters of reference were required. You'll want to check their application to make sure that is still the case but I can't imagine that it's changed. if the process is still like it was last winder, you go into the online application (https://www.applyweb.com/apply/ololc/indexa.html) and it tells you everything you need to submit. You can (and should) start the application and then save it, then come back to it and finish it as you get further along in the process.

Any one accepted to the OLOL EJ program who is a resident of Orleans Parish and trying to get the OLOL background check forms taken care of should know that neither the Louisiana State Police, the Orleans Sherrif's Dept, nor the NOPD are doing fingerprints for the public anymore. The NOPD, District 2, told me about AKI Services, which is just a few blocks from them at 4113 Magazine, 453-2372, open M-F, 11 am - 6pm, $15 per fingerprint card. That's where I went.

Okay, I just spoke to the lady that administers the three New Orleans accelerated programs and she confirmed for me that the FIRST DAY OF CLASSES FOR THE EJ PROGRAM IS SEPT. 28TH. I told her that the Admissions Office in Baton Rouge is telling everyone August 21st and that she needs to call them (with four Accelerated programs on staggered schedules and the main OLOL school calendar as well, I'm sure it's hard for them to keep things straight). However, tuition is due on August 21st (that's what the August 21st reference was meant for in our letters). hnewman81: Did your mail come yet? Did you get your letter? If you didn't, I think you should call both the Admissions office and the lady that administers the 3 New Orleans accelerated programs.

Okay, I just spoke to the lady that administers the three New Orleans accelerated programs and she confirmed for me that the FIRST DAY OF CLASSES FOR THE EJ PROGRAM IS SEPT. 28TH. I told her that the Admissions Office in Baton Rouge is telling everyone August 21st and that she needs to call them (with four Accelerated programs on staggered schedules and the main OLOL school calendar as well, I'm sure it's hard for them to keep things straight). However, tuition is due on August 21st (that's what the August 21st reference was meant for in our letters). Dimescurves: That sounds about right for that area. Try to stay away from the frontage road apartments -- I-10 is right by them and you get the noise and exhaust fumes. Better to stay closer to Esplanade. And the closer to Severn you get, the closer to Whole Foods you'll be. :-)

the website page that has the tuition and fees (don't forget those fees!) is http://www.ololcollege-edu.org/content/home-current-students-bursar-tuition-and-fees , then you select 2009-2010 under accelerated asn (accelerated associate of science in nursing program). my calculations came to $6550 for fall, $6234 for spring. i checked the chimes website a few weeks ago (it's having a server update right now so i can't look it) and came up with about $1000 in books for the fall semester but only $300 for spring. with the hospital not paying our tuition, there isn't going to be any contract. dimecurves: i live in new orleans already, so i don't have to find a place to live. there are a number apartment complexes not too far from the hospital -- you should be able to find something.

I called again and this time they are saying the first day of classes is August 21st, which makes no sense because the letter says our transcripts are due to the school AFTER classes begin. Plus it would make orientation a mere 2 weeks prior to classses -- the Tulane people are having their orientation on June 17th but not starting classes until late July. This is frustrating because I've been told August 21st, Sept 21st, and Sept 28th. I've accepted but since I have to give notice to my employer, I really need to know the actual date! As for paying Tuition, no, the hospital is not going to pay Tuition this year. The first semester's tuition is due up front -- not sure about the second semester's, although the acceptance letter seems to imply that. If you've applied for financial aid or a student loan and haven't received it at the time tuition is due, it has to be pending at that time.

I did last semester (as well as Summer and Fall 08) but I'm not taking anything this this summer.