neld257

Here are 2 links that might help with your decision. Pass rates for all PA RN programs and stats on student who applied and were accepted into HACC clinicals. I personally chose HACC for the cost and their reputation. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/770539/nclex-performancern_pdf http://www.hacc.edu/NewStudents/Apply/HowtoApplyandRegister/upload/Profile.pdf

I go to HACC and I just finished taking Statistics online. Here is the link to all of the iTunes videos from my professor https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/math-202-introduction-to-statistics/id424625873 The class was much different from Algebra. While there are many, many formulas used in statistics, they are all programmed into graphing calculators and programs like minitab and statcrunch so you really just need to know when to use which function on your calculator. My professor also provided formula sheets during our proctored exams so there was no memorization of formulas to do. There were a few concepts that I found extremely hard to grasp, but overall the class was not very hard.

I am also taking this course. I have already completed A&P 1 and 2, and will be starting my nursing classes in the fall. I decided to take this course to help review some of the things from A&P and to help tie them into the actual nursing process (we did not learn things like where to take pulses in A&P). I watched all of this week's lectures already and I really am enjoying the course so far. I like the way the professor takes the time to really explain everything. I do think it will be a good head start for you to do this course before taking A&P. A&P 1 has an overwhelming amount of information to learn and this course will give you a good solid foundation to build on going forward.

pmabraham: No worries. It's too bad that all the professors don't take advantage of the opportunity to show the students what the actual organs look like. Looking at the kidneys was especially cool.

Hi pmabraham: Yes, we certainly did do dissections at HACC Lancaster Campus. If you read my post you will see that they were done as a group in A&P II. The parts are stored in buckets in the same shelving as the microscopes in the lab. If you look over there you will see many buckets. It is possible that your professor(s) chose not to show you any actual organs, but my professor did. We got to look at brains, eyes, and kidneys. One student would actually cut the organ and then we would all handle it and study it. Then the organ would be used as part of our lab exam. I was lucky enough to be the one to cut into an eyeball. If you ever get to do that be prepared for a mess!!

My ADN program requires a 75% or higher in class and clinical is met/not met. You must meet both to advance to the next class, as well as maintain a 2.0 gpa. If you fail 2 classes you are not eligible for readmission into the same program, but you can apply for the LPN program. There is also a 10 question dosage calculation test at the beginning of each semester which you must score 100% on to continue in the program. You have 2 chances to retake the test and if you fail to score 100% after the third attempt you are dismissed from the program.

My program uses a points system to determine who gets into the nursing program. There are 100 possible points you can earn. No history of withdrawals, D, or F in A&P I, AP& II, and Microbiology gives you 12 points so in my program, yes, having withdrawals in these three classes can mean not making it into clinicals.

While researching the GN Residency program for new grads at a hospital in my area I found this statement under their FAQ section regarding interviews... "Dress appropriately. This is a competitive job interview. Dress professionally, preferably in a suit." I know what I'll be wearing to all of my interviews! If they take the time to write it down in the FAQ section, it must be important.

I took A&P II and Micro together this past fall and got a high "A" in both classes. I actually found that a lot of the same concepts were being taught in both classes so they kind of reinforced each other. If you did really well in A&P I (I ended up with nearly 100%) you should do great taking these 2 classes together. Just put it the study time. I am married, with two teenage kids, and I work part time. Just about all of my "free" time was spent studying for these 2 classes.

Have you looked into whether your cc has any agreements with the universities you are interested in attending? I am currently pursuing my ADN at a cc that has agreements with several universities in our general area. I have chosen the university that I want to obtain my BSN from and I am currently "dual enrolled" there. This means that I will complete my ADN at the community college and then complete my BSN at the university. They have the plan all mapped out on paper as to exactly which courses I should take at the cc to fulfill the requirements at the university and after each semester the university evaluates my progress and sends me feedback. Although I will not begin my actual nursing clinicals at the cc until this fall, I already have a full semester's worth of general BSN courses (my university requires inorganic chem, statistics, and I took 2 more humanities courses that I need for the BSN) that I completed at the cc. I am saving so much money by going this route. Plus, if I decide to, I can work with my ADN while pursuing my BSN and have the benefit of employer reimbursement for part of my tuition.

YouTube videos are a great tool for the anatomy portion of the class. They are a great way to get more study time outside of the lab. There are many professors out there who post videos using the actual models you will use in the lab. My school also has an anatomy practice lab set up in the library and if your school has one, you should take advantage of it. For the physiology portion of the class, I used the book and notes (which came from the book). I made tons and tons of flashcards from the book and notes (though I know flashcards don't work for everyone). I found that they were an effective way to break down the information into smaller pieces. One very important piece of advice I will give you for AP is to study EVERY SINGLE DAY! There is an overwhelming amount of information that you must cover in both AP1 and AP2 and there is no way to learn it all if you do not study every day. I finished both AP1 and AP2 with nearly a 100% average by simply putting in the time. There were others in my class who said "I don't understand why I did so poorly on this exam, I started studying a week before!" That just doesn't work in AP. AP1, at least at my school which is a community college, is the make or break class for nursing. We had 48 people in lecture when the semester began and less than 20 made it to the final! People underestimate the amount of work required to become a nurse even in the prereqs!

I agree with pmabraham. Taking Micro and AP2 together in the summer will be extremely hard. I took AP2 and Micro together this past fall, and did very well in both, after killing AP1 with nearly all 100s on exams in the Spring. My adviser told me not to consider taking AP2 and Micro together unless you get an A in AP1. Both AP1 and AP2 are difficult courses because of the sheer load of content that you need to learn. You are essentially learning the anatomy and physiology of the entire human body in 2 semesters. I spent a minimum of 2 hours per night studying for both AP classes during a normal semester length. When I began to make my prerequisite schedule I, like you, tried to squeeze everything in to get done quickly. However, as I progressed through the courses I began to realize that it is much more important to take the classes at a pace where you can actually learn and retain the information in AP and Micro because they provide the foundation for all of your nursing classes. Good luck with whatever you decide!

I took professor ******* for both A&P I and II.

I took A&P I and II at HACC Lancaster campus - Spring and Fall 2013 respectively. I do not remember any dissection in A&P I, but we definitely had dissections in A&P II. I specifically remember looking at the eye, the brain and the kidneys. We dissected them as a group during lab class so you would not have to personally do the dissection, but you would have to look at them well enough to identify the parts for the exam. My instructor used the dissected parts as part of our lab exam.