scuttles

Geez'us. Not sure why people are asking questions that they should be beating the pavement to get themselves. If you feel happy and secure w/iuon...why aren't they supplying you with all the answers? ...yeah, whatever...I'm praying too. If you are hell-bent on going to iuon...know that Florida does not accept iuon credits. You will have to work 2 years in another state before you can work in a Florida state hospital. (state, not federal)... Yes, call the FSNB..call them. Ask them, heck ask to speak to the director. As of 3 weeks ago they are still adamant about not recognizing iuon as a valid school, much less a nursing school. Again, that 2 years (24 months). IF you try to endorse into FL from another state PRIOR to 2 years you will have to still go through having your credits evaluated by a accrediting company that FSNB uses, when they get to iuon credits you will be denied in FL. $300 down the drain. If you are planning on becoming a nurse, well then PLAN! Good you're asking questions about island life, great your getting your money in order. Hope you have a co-signer, federal aid doesn't apply. You have credits to transfer in and you think you're going to be there for a semester???? Think that one through. You believe they are going to allow you to take MedSurg 1 AND 2 w/i the same semester? Including clinic hours for both? hmmm, it is iuon... Have you asked admin for schedules? Yes, well good...wha? they can't email it to you?? odd... Why do you think they want to wait for you to get on island before they review your transcripts? yeah, bring photocopies of your orginals, along w/your orginals. You want to work in a certain state???? Well then, duh, call that State Board NOW!!! Find out what the hiring climate is currently... CA, most of the Utah compact states are in a hiring freeze (thats about 15 states), MD, PA, VA, TX are all in some kind of hiring s.l.o.w down. Meaning, they "might" have jobs, they just need to "wait for budget approval to hire nurses." Here we go again:: iuon is considered a foreign school (its NOT accredited w/any valid accrediting board). How did the other students avoid this? Well; 1) they dont list iuon. They apply to a state and the state only see: NJ, AZ, CO, etc (also know that almost every bsn partner school is a one shot deal w/remediation, and currently there is only one that MAY take on another class). yep, suckage... 2) ...ah forget it Best of luck to you and I hope JC holds ya close. ((standard disclaimer of being happy and joy-joy, JC and I have a tight bond, no extra prayers needed, oh; I am glad I went before the over-development of the island. I do miss Gong Beach))

Wow, where to start....wow... First yes iuon is a school that students that are really driven to succeed in nursing should attend. Yes, iuon has and is still going through "growing pains"....but...you mentioned iuon earning its respects from new colleges and "vetrans" (veterans), wow...after talking to professors at iuon, they and I would like to know what you are talking about. If you mean the visit by potential partner school, well that is what they call salesmanship. I had to call some of the instructors to clarify and make sure I was not off base here. So, lets clear up some misnomers. Everyone should know by now that St. Kitts is not a US territory or the 51st state. Going to iuon on St. Kitts you'll have a grand experience with dealing with really wonderfully friendly people, once they get to know you. Facts are facts, St. Kitts is a poor country. The see the foreign students as a source of income, and with some apprehension. We have the money, they need the money...so charging $1150 a month for a 15 year old clunker is within reason (yes, there are some fond funny moments). The iuon "housing" is a list of owners that have gone to iuon and placed their name on a list stating they have a room/house for rent. A iuon employer is suppose to go and check it out, make sure its "good." There is no discount. After you are on island and settled, and make friends, is when the joustling to lower the expense begins and you see 3-4 students to a place or 6 student go in to rent a $1150/month 15 year old clunker and put on a clown show everytime they arrive anywhere.... The clinical s are, you are right, different than in the US. For starters you are dealing with patients more on a one-on-one basis. In the states we were running 4-5 patients in the final semester. AND EVERYONE will tell you, at iuon one is going to be a GOD in therapeutic communication. You go to the Cardin Home, the Grange, and sometimes to JNF and that's ALL you do. Yes, yes, there is the occasional blood sticks, the countless glucose sticks, heck I was even in to assist with a NG placement, took stomach residual to see if the ng tubes were set right, observed a birthing (normal and c-section)...all of which can be done in the states, maybe not as OFTEN... Others have mentioned "north american egos," its not that at all. Or some desire to run a full code as a nursing student and getting handed a Nursing Degree afterwards for saving the life; that someone saw on a ER dream episode... Call it a spade that is a spade, the expierence is nice, but lacking in the full dynamics one would get if they stayed in a stateside school. From expierence, when you get to a stateside school you will see the "night-and-day" difference. So, its not a ego issue, or a new cultural issue, it is a issue with being prepared. Yes, again the Kittians are wonderful. Now the facts of this following statement are false in regards to the employment part of this statement. Per my conversation with the Dean and some of the professors at iuon, there are NO students working in Canada or Australia (if you meant the "Land Down Under"). There were only 4 students that took the Caribbean Track, 3 passed. 2 went back to Jamaica where they are from the other to a country in Central America. Canada, well brace yourself cause it is not pretty for iuon, was were about 10 Vietnamese students went to because their financial support disappeared and the promises made by the upper echelon never materialized for them to continue at iuon. There are even a few students from Africa that are stuck on St. Kitts. When the banks pulled the loans out we all were affected, and promises made by the iuon head office, again, never materialized. A few of the students have sought St. Kitts citizenship. Just another "growing" pain? hmmm suckage is more like it. You have to remember, nursing school is considered a undergraduate program, so it is a lot harder for private banks to give out loans, especially now. There are no federal (USA) loans that were usable for a non-American school. To sum it all up. If you are driven to get your degree, then yes, this is a option. Can you make the most of it? sure. Is it worth it? ....... You have to believe me when I say, iuon did not prep us for nursing, they are too easy. Making a pinata as a Mental Health final isn't exactly what we should be "challenged" to do. We had a student fail clinical's, and passed on to the next semester. Teacher knew of a student that made a medication mistake and allowed them to pass and move on. Both without any actions taken. No accountability. (yes, its on the teacher/dean, but ask yourself what kind of environment is that to get a NURSING education) Out of my class that hit iuon and went on to passing from a partner school, all have passed the nclex. They did it. We pass the boards because we knew, we realized, we understood, that iuon did not do their part, it was on us to know the material. We stayed up in all-night study sessions, we supported each other, we waited outside the testing door praying and worrying, "we"....and we would not suggest to anyone to go to iuon. Again, make your own decision. On this forum there are a lot of post about NOT attending. There are those like yours. Then there are those that just want to forget about iuon, only say they graduated from KY, NJ, AZ, and never mention their stint in iuon, put the proverbial "happy face" on and nod yes and smile and walk on/change the subject to the weather. ...no its not bitterness your reading, just disappointment in my education. And thanks but JC and I have a great relationship already... If you're accepted in a stateside school, go there. :paw:

Ok all, here it is. Sit down and brace yourself. I have updated information, oh, I have graduated with a BSN degree!!! its a victory at a great cost... There is a lot that I wish I knew prior to signing on with iuon. If I knew just 3 of the things I know now, I would have stayed the heck away and preached in front of their office and taken out ads and bought radio/tv/done college tours to advocate staying away from iuon. Is it that bad? well, $120 THOUSAND+ dollars later...yes. Why, to save time just scroll up/down and reread what I have stated in prior posts. Now, I had stated earlier that iuon is partnered with a school in Puerto Rico for a BSN degree. That is Universtiy of Turabo ( UT ). I also stated that if you wanted to, go to the Inter-American Unviresty in/near San Juan Puerto Rico. Well, don't...to both. After graduating from UT, and earning the dual degree from UT and iuon, and can first-hand tell you that it was hell. And not in a good "nursing-school-hell," the very bad kind. To simplfy things I will bullet em, this is for ut:::: -UT is in Puerto Rico..period.. What does that mean? Well, a lot. IF you were hoping to go through iuon and get into Florida or Cali...forget it!!!! FORGET IT!!! DO NOT GO TO iuon... -1) Puerto Rico is considered a FOREIGN country by FL/CA/and a few other states...let that sink in....k, with me. What that means, IF you wanted to go to FL, CA, or even a few other states you NEED to have all your credits evaluated by a 2ndary company. Thats about $400 when all said and done. THEN that company sends it to FL /CA...you pay their nursing fee; only to get rejected when they see iuon on your transcripts. ******FL and CA Nursing Board has come down and FINALLY said "they do not recgonize iuon as a accredited school."****** ..now wait, if Jane/John Doe got into FL/CA from Timbuktu, why not me from iuon/ut? Well, they worked in Timbuktu for 2yrs or more. FL/CA both have stated that if you work anywhere for less than 2yrs your credits still need to evaluated, and iuon well be the red-flag that will get you rejected. -Teacher, at ut and iuon, are too laid back, there is no accountability. During UT, students were begging the Dean to do something about teachers not showing up, being late, dismissing the class early, allowing homework to be turned in late, showing up late to clinicals, *sigh*....list goes on. Teacher were smart, most were working 1-2 other part/full-time jobs and then there is the "its raining, I couldn't come in...it was raining" excuses....We had one teacher that showed up to 4 classes out of a 3 month long course. ..4...for a class that met 3x's a week....4 times....*sigh* There was one teacher that was amazing!! but worked another job, drove a few hours to the clinical site, and at times became so tired she cut the clinical time in 1/2. We had to go back to campus and do...*gasp* more powerpoints assignments - The lack of discipline, ut & iuon, drove almost every student in my group to slack off. Literally, a few took 3 days to go off island, miss class and clinicals "just cause." The make-up assignment...nothing. Nada. zip... Then there are those of us who hated that, complained (to the teacher, the student, the dean), and got nowhere... -The language in Puerto Rico. You either know spanish or you do not. If you do, great. If you don't, well sucks for you. Patients will talk in spanish (comfort level), if they talk in english its cause they lived all their life in the US and moved back to retire or its spangilsh. Can you learn spanish? Heck yes!! LoL with all the free time you have you could. Most of us just ended up getting into study groups and tried to learn what we were suppose to know about nursing to pass the Nclex. -UT, some very nice people, but what a wacky setup. We graduated in December, but our offical transcript were not ready for 4 months. The 2nd group of iuon students graduate in May and their transcripts won't be ready till June/July. On the nursing applications we noticed that they wrote down our graduation was January 9, 2009, instead of December 22, 2008. I don't want to hear about schedules, or "well its when you walk across.." or even "they need to make sure you actually passed..." No. Its just the way UT does it. In 2005/2006, we were told, that they only use to give out transcripts ONCE a year and issue a diplomia ONCE a year. They changed due to "a change in times." So, if you were hoping for expediance in getting paperwork done; you're not. Think military, "Hurry up!! and wait..." Now you may have done research or have a friend that is in iuon and going gaga over island life, and will say "they have a BSN in CO! Scuttles is an idiot!! Come on down!!" ..wait for it..waaiiiiitt... The CO college has put a "hold" on more iuon students!! LoL just the way the AZ school did. Is anyone from iuon going to AZ??? heck no. Its a dead deal or better known as a "Conditional Contract" ...a 1 time deal. Then there are those that ARE working in CA from iuon and a partnership school....well, those students came from a STATESIDE partner school. From what we are able to gather is that the boards do not see iuon students, they see that the iuon'ians were "re-educated" by the ADN/BSN stateside schools. Robert Ross should have stopped at the Med and Vet. schools. He took time and effort to get those up before running with them. Oh, iuon isn't iuon anymore it is a college within the University of Medicine and Health Sciences, because he is combining the school to take in students who want to be doctors. So the future for the nursing school side of it looks like it will be slowly absorbed to a full doctor school. ((easier for medstudents to get loans, than bsn students..medschool is a graduate level education, while BSN is a undergraduate degree.)) Is it all bleak and dire gloom? No, it is just that if you know yourself and you are not self motivated and can not sit down and challenge yourself to self-teach the information, then iuon and ut may not be the school for you. Teachers hands down were better at st.kitts than in ut, but those teacher weren't teaching medsurg. They were teaching community, and mental. And thats still not saying much. The group behind my group, never were taught about burns, and the Parkland formula. Will people still shout praise about their time in iuon, oh heck yes. I do too, but its about the friends, not about the school or the challenges they presented to us to become nurses. WE challenged ourselves to know the material. We had potluck dinners (money was tight), We went over cranial nerves and head-to-toe (cause it was glossed over), We made fast friends and shared in something that was unique and is hard to get into writing. Though if you ask each one of us, we would tell you not to go to iuon. :paw:Scuttles

grrr ...hate to ask this, but where is the thread with the allnurses.com nclex review guidelines, made by a allnurses.com moderator. Thanks, scuttles :paw::paw:

Inter American University of Puerto Rico, San Juan. I gave them a call and reconfirmed that they do have nursing classes in english. Good luck! :paw: :paw: :paw: :paw: :paw: :paw: (just cause I like animals)

I like this topic...now if the coffee would just kick in, I could be useful. I've noticed that I like to have a hemostat, a calculator and tape on me at all times. Also, I don't like having anything around my neck (steth., ID necklaces, etc.), the potential for getting swung around the room by my neck by someone is unappealing. There are some nurses that bring a personal little, little, tiny "school box," filled w/extra pens/highlighters/sharpies/toothbrush&paste/chapstick/hand sanitizers/etc, that they leave at their workstation. ....think the coffee has finally kicked in .....need...more (and always bring your humor with you)

....and remember, nursing test are nothing like standard college classes. Well, in my experience that is. The first exam is always the "feeler" exam. And always, always, met with the instructor to go over the test one-on-one, and get pointers on how to study for the next one. Its why they have office hours.

"Breath mints"!!! SO true, I still breath a travel toothbrush/paste w/me always. Sometimes you forget, until you begin to wonder who poo'd their bed...then you realize its your breath. Nothing says "love" better than a garlic, bacon and sour cream chip bagel :imbar. Regardless of your prior background, don't be a arrogant "know-it-all," be confident. If you don't know something, say so..but add at the end that you'll look up the answer right away (if you are allowed access to comps/hosp. library) or you'll have the answer for next clinical's. Our clinical instructor would get upset if we said "I don't know." Because, she thought it was a careless attitude. We quickly learned to follow-up with the "but I'll look it up and talk with you about my findings...." And focus on making the patient comfortable. Any and all meds you'll be pushing, you should have had time prior (even that day) to look up and write notecards on. And the nurse you are shadowing that day, s/he will double check your work (after you checked it a b'zillion times ) and never be afraid to say "CAN YOU HELP ME WITH......" or "I'M UNSURE OF..." oh, and get to know your Nursing Assistants/Patient Care Techs, they're a wellspring of normalcy. Relax, observe, listen, volunteer, and ask questions...you'll be fine. -Scuttles oh, carry around a small flip-notebook, to take notes and jote down info

wow! Thanks very useful site. Like the simplicity

A wet nose, sloppy kisses, and the usual dose of whimpering.....gotta luv dogs...*sleepy time now* :zzzzz

I agree with what has been said before and let me add.. don't procrastinate! Get things done asap. Trying to stay atop the material will be hard, but projects and papers, try to get those done asap. Also, make mnemonics of everything to help you study. Kinda like the bones-of-the-body song. Some of the ones I've been taught are funny, "R" rated, and some only make sense to those that made em. So, stay focused, breath, find your rhythm, and don't forget to dance in the rain.

I know I'm going to have a tough time with the NCLEX. I suffer from text anxiety and its haunted me for years. Everyone I talked to have all said, to go out and do something fun the day before the boards. "You'll know the material, you just need to relax." and "go in there and make sure you pick the best answer that covers care and being beneficial to the patient." With that being said, Jan is fast approaching (graduate then) and I'm already getting the butterflies. BUT a healthy dose of beer and a good friend clears is right up!!!!!!

I have never had a bad study group experience. Grant it, our study groups start with bs'ing, then shift into high gear and its all business. Before a exam we come together and the bs'ing takes a very very way back seat. We mainly dissect the chapter and when anyone is stuck we brainstorm to find ways to help make the issue 'stick.' Also, some of us actually learn better by "instructing" the group, doing a Q&A, doing mock exams, or delving into a topic more indepth. For us, it helps. Also its a way to vent about a teacher, nurse, etc. for a few minutes, then we collective breath and get back on track. oh, and our group is only 5 people. So, for me, study groups help. They force me to me to be on point.

Clinical ladder? Thats a new one on me. What is Benner's full name? Getting too many hits on google. -Scuttles

Excellent, thank you. I've always believed that medics/corpman have set the pace for our field. -Scuttles

Be worried about clinical's, not terrified. Its what we are striving for. You sense all the negatives, but the positives are far more often and encompass all that we hope for. Talking to our patient, learning from a "older generation," or a different point of view, seeing that spirituality isn't just a bible or a formal structure and it is vital to most everyone, learning tricks of the trade (even from those nurses with the "going to eat you" attitudes), or how "I never want to be like..." lessons, the sense of getting a IV cath in, dealing with doctors, getting the medications right, being the one to correctly answer a question by your instructor or nurse, and the sense worth from getting an old patient to drink contrast for a xray procedure...where for 2 days everyone else failed to. So, don't be terrified. As nurses we do more than just give out medications, its vital and critical, but so is taking 5 minutes and talking and joking with our patients. Remember that those theorist we had to learn about...some of what they teach is important. And not having prior expierence is a godsend. You'll not sit there with your mind 1/2 open. Ask all the "duh" questions , read everything, and you'll be great! And nursing, is a artform :redpinkhe, not a something you take out and kick the tires to see if it "suits you."

Kinda wondering what everyone's experience is in regards to nursing theorist. I've had to study Watson, then transition into studying Gordons', then finally Leninger. Would like to know if they, any theorist, are enforced in schools and practice. Seems like a few of the theorist are based in "the known," and that some are great in the ideal setting, but wonder how many times we are faced with the "ideal setting" to implement their ideals. Seems most are guidelines to nursing care, though I truly wonder just how effective they are in everyday care. ....just some wondering thoughts at 3am, drank to many Monsters...

http://www.free-ed.net/sweethaven/MedTech/NurseCare/NeuroNurse01.asp?iNum=44 saw someone posted this in response to a question, and can't seem to figure out how to get to the "Home" page. The layout is simple and after long hours in a book, sometimes its nice to be able to see the info simplified. -Scuttles

Anyone have any information of the procedure of or experience working with agencies like Doctors Without Borders, or Ship of Hope or others like them. Also anyone work in a developing country and how was it? I'm seriously looking into working at least 6months after graduation in a some form outside the states and need to know where to look. Peace Corp and the such, with a long contract isn't what I am looking for. Thanks -Scuttles

From a current student, I tell you this: You want a school to go to without a waiting list, without worries of jobs conflicting with school, or that living in a exotic place will be worth the expense?? You think you've found your fantasy island??? WAKE UP First: Do not go. Secondly: Don't go Thirdly: Please, don't go.... The school was constructed after Ross sold his successful Med and Vet schools to DeVery. With that being said....the time of "growing pains" has passed and all that is left is a dismal failure of prepping students for the nursing career. 1) You are in a country that is 2-3rd world standards, beautiful, but freakishly expensive and woefully struggling in all areas. 2) Most private loan companies will not give loans out w/o a co-signer, and in todays failing bank climate, the prospect of getting a loan in almost nil. (Last I was on Kitts, SallieMae, Chase and Citibank refused to loan money to students, due to Kitts being a foreign country) So, most students can't afford to live there. 3) When its all said and done, you'll be 100k+ in debt (housing, car, airline tickets, fun-n-the-sun, food, school supplies, random testings, partner school expenses, etc..all add up). Now, on to the acadamia: As a student, we understand that somethings we just have to swallow and do. Though when it comes to the amount of money you are putting out, and the fact that you are being promised a shorter time to graduation than stateside, you ask questions, and a lot of them. Which led us to realize that we as students were second on the list to admin/professor politics, and before all was the al'mighty dollar. So, yes our education was below standard. Some teachers were amazing, most were using the job as a retirement gig. Again, some teachers were amazingly phenominal...and they are the ones that even questioned why (we students) stayed. Now, after your stint in Kitts, you spend your last semesters in a partner school stateside. This is key, because it allows you to sit for the NCLEX. And every group that went to a partner school, every last one was deemed inadequately trained, and had to take another semester of "refresher" course. So, your nifty little timetable has just been screwed with again and your debt just increased again. Some states don't recognize IUON credits, so dropping out and transferring your credits isn't a solution. Also, you want to know partner schools? There are 4 ADN, and current 1BSN. BUT, some of the ADN are putting a hold on ADN students from IUON, citing a state validation and not wanting to lower their chances to pass it. The BSN, well....thats another story, currently it is in Puerto Rico. Yes, some students passed and will say that had a blast and was well worth it. Most will not though. If you're set on going, know to get the best, THE VERY BEST out of iuon...you'll need to self learn all the material and that there will be non-nursing courses you will be required to take. So, how to get into a accredited school and avoid a waiting list and getting the best dar-n education you can? Well...look beyond your backyard. Look on the opposite coast, look in the states that you'd never imagine yourself being at. Also, get loans, the cost for a state school is way cheaper than 1 semester at Kitts. Now, also look into US territories...you want sun and beach's? Look into PR, yes Puerto Rico. Its NOT bilingual, its spanish at mac10. BUT there is a nursing school that is taught all in English, you're partnered w/a bilingual nurse in clinicals...and its inexpensive. (The name? Thats your homework to find out, you didn't think I'd give all the answers? hint? hmm, ok...part of the name has the fourth word of my country.) If I could have done it all over again....