malaz

UGH. I know this is an old thread but I'm losing it over here. Just found a Kaplan ? that says morphine is first (I picked O2 and got it wrong). But a LaCharity question said O2 was first. And someone posted a question about this over on Learning Ext, but the rep just refused to confirm that MONA is the right order. What is the answer????? :'-(

ABG_LING_68, I'm reviving this super old thread because I have the same frustration with Kaplan drag and drops. Were they similarly arbitrary on the NCLEX, or did they stick to prioritizing / procedural questions where the exact order of operations actually matters? Or did you find a trick that made those frustrating Kaplan questions make sense?

Good for you! I wish I could nail down a strategy change that would improve my scores, but according to Kaplan I'm more likely to change answers from incorrect to correct so I know that's not my issue. I am just *so* frustrated with these Kaplan questions, I think they are really badly written and I don't get much from the rationales ... but I do plan to finish their Qbank and trainers (have completed all but one) since I already finished the UWorld Qbank. I'm also going to do LaCharity and go back over my flagged UWorld questions as time allows. I test in late August, I hesitate to say the date because I'm actually hoping to change it- it took FOREVER to get my ATT and there were no available test dates in my city that worked for me. Best of luck!!!

Flourish, it sounds like your test date is a couple weeks before mine- I hope you will update us!

Congratulations- may I ask what your Kaplan scores were like (including the QBank)?

I'm in the same boat! To me, UWorld's questions are much more clearly written, even though they require the same level of knowledge and critical thinking. My UWorld scores are pretty good, my Kaplan scores are making me feel discouraged. :-/ I'll be following.

That's great to know- and I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks Kaplan needs a copy editor. I am almost completely done with the UWorld Qbank and I'll be sure to go through all the pharm questions again. Did you see many general questions about IV fluid and administration procedures, transfusions, etc.? These topics fall under the same category as pharmacology, I know I'm just collecting anecdata but I'm curious about the distribution.

I would have LOVED to have a general pharm course early in the program. We did have a separate med calc and principles of medication admin pre-req and pharm integrated into each course, but I could have used more instruction regarding specific medications. I'm not at all trying defend how my program was structured (tons of criticisms), but my community college does have a higher first-time pass rate than NYU, Columbia, and the statewide average for BSN programs. It's not a diploma mill, it's just the best (flawed) option in my area for career changers. Anyways, I will look into doing a course online. I would love more feedback from anyone who used Kaplan in particular.

Please no judgmental comments? I attended the program that worked with my family / financial / work obligations (and turned down a spot in a competitive accelerated BSN program in order to do so). I'm doing my best to fill in the gaps in my education and become a good nurse.

Hi all, I plan to take the NCLEX in about a month and I am really struggling with pharm. I have read other threads on this topic, and advice ranges from "Don't bother, there are too many drugs, just know basic categories" to "Buckle down and memorize everything there is to know about hundreds of drugs." I would love some reassurance and / or tips. Here are my study stats so far: I have completed most of the UWorld QBank with a 64% average / 89th %ile, 62% average in pharmacology. I have completed the first 6 Kaplan trainers (scores ranged from high 50s - 70s) and a ton of Kaplan pharm questions, I'm averaging in the high 50s in pharm but Kaplan has a LOT of med calc questions which I think are inflating my average! I must be doing pretty poorly on the actual drug questions, because I get almost all the math questions right. I have read the packet that is circulating on here, isolated the drug notes and added my own notes while reading the Kaplan content review guide ... and my scores are still weak! Other relevant details: I work PT and have young kids, so studying more than 3 hours / day is out of the question for me. I planned to take the NCLEX about 3 months after graduation for that reason. I graduated from nursing school with a 3.9 GPA and my program has about an 85% pass rate. However, my school did not offer a pharmacology course (ASN program) and I feel like I'm learning some of the content from scratch. Random questions: Kaplan seems VERY heavy on math. Is this reflected on the NCLEX (I know, everyone gets a different test- but I stand a better chance if some of my pharm questions are actually math questions)? I am doing better with UWorld than Kaplan (in pharm and in general), and I think it's at least partly because Kaplan's questions tend to be pretty vague and IMO awkwardly / confusingly worded. If anyone else has noticed this- are NCLEX questions better written? One of my biggest fears about the NCLEX is that I will miss a few low-level memorization type questions (pharm SATAs are my worse) because I don't know some random bits of trivia, and then I'll never get to the application questions (which are often easier for me, provided I know the content). How reasonable is this fear? OK, novel of a post, thank you kind RNs for letting me vent.

That's a good question. I've heard mixed things about this. I will finish my ASN in May and will be starting an online BSN through a SUNY school. I only have to do 30 credits because of my prior BA + additional courses I took over the years, so I am hoping to finish quickly. My advisor at the BSN program says many of her students do find jobs while working toward their BSN- I hope this happens for me!

Hi there, I don't have the answer for you, but I'll share my experience. I also have a BA in another field, and am considering becoming an APN. I had a choice between SUNY Downstate (ABSN with very reasonable in-state tuition) and BMCC (ASN program with a nights and weekends option). I chose the latter because I have 2 young kids and would have had to borrow over $30K for childcare ALONE if I went to Downstate. BMCC has allowed me to stay out of debt and see my kids. I am about to graduate from BMCC. I was considering applying directly to MSN programs, but decided to finish my BSN first because I want to have good job prospects sooner than later, and I want to gain experience and work my way through my MSN if and when the time comes. I'm going to complete my BSN at CUNY SPS (online, with a couple independent studies at clinical sites you select). I should be able to finish in 12 - 18 months because they are more generous with transfer credits than most RN-BSN programs, and I will pay very little out-of-pocket thanks to the low tuition and NYS TAP grants. Obviously this route takes longer than an ABSN, but I decided it was worth it to me to finish more slowly and stay out of debt because of my family situation. It was also helpful to hold onto my current job while attending the nights and weekends program- because it's hard out there even for BSN grads. A lot of people will advise you to just do the ABSN because your job prospects will be better- and that might be the right choice for you. But I can tell you that MANY of the students in BMCC's nights and weekends program are second (or third) degree students / career changers who need to save money or hold onto jobs in related fields or fulfill family obligations. Best of luck with your decision!

I have mainly researched distance programs and programs in NYC offering NP and CNM, but I know of several MSN programs that accept ASN + BA. Frontier (with portfolio), NYU, Columbia, Pace, Duke, GW, Vanderbilt... SUNY Stonybrook is a public university that will accept ASN + BA, but their portfolio requirements seem stringent. I believe there are many others, especially if you're not looking for an NP program. But many of these are quite expensive.

Every RN-BSN program I've looked at requires you to do 30 credits in residence regardless of prior education, and they are usually structured to take at least 2 semesters or one full calendar year. If anyone knows of an exception to the rule, please post! It seems like it makes more sense for someone with an RN + BA to go straight into an MSN program. I have found a number of MSN programs that will accept an RN + BA, though many are expensive private schools. :-/ Would love to compare notes with others.

Did you find anything?

Hi @ryanalice, I would love an update! I also have a BA and am about to start the clinical phase of an ASN program. I hope to become a CNM or FNP after I get my RN. How are your job and grad school prospects looking? You must be (almost?) finished by now?

Hi, I know this is an old thread but I'm dying to know: how did things work out for those of you who had BAs and opted to get your ASN at BMCC? I am leaning toward going this route (nights and weekends while working), rather than applying to ABSN programs, because of the cost (not to mention the high cost of living in NYC- I can't imagine borrowing money for living expenses AND private school tuition). However, I'm torn because I keep hearing that ASNs can't find jobs and are less likely to get into MSN programs (many of which require work experience). Were those who attended BMCC able to find jobs and get into MSN programs with a BA + ASN? Thanks!

The Borough of Manhattan Community College

Hi everyone, I am finishing up my pre-reqs at BMCC and I would love some advice from current BMCC nursing students or recent graduates. I have seen a few threads on this topic but most are at least a couple years old. My situation: I have an unrelated BA, I considered ABSN programs but most NYC programs cost a fortune. I may still apply to Downstate, but I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket. I am now considering applying to the nights and weekends program at BMCC. The schedule would be a huge plus for me, because I have a job and a toddler. I can't imagine completely quitting my job AND paying for day care! First question: I have heard that the instructor for the evenings and weekends program is terrible, and even A students struggle to pass her exams. Is this still true? I'm a solid student, with a 4.0 in my pre-reqs and 3.85 for my prior degree, and I expect to work hard in nursing school. But I don't want to end up struggling to get Cs, because I plan to go into a BSN completion program or possibly directly into an MSN program. Second question: Are the instructors the day program really much better? Third question: Anyone have experience with the day care at BMCC? Is it hard to get in? How much does it cost, and how would you rate the quality of care? Fourth question: Is it possible to apply to both the day program and the evening program (I would be willing to cut back on work or change my hours if needed)? Is it possible to switch from one program into the other during the clinical sequence? Last question: Are BMCC grads getting hired these days? I have almost ruled out applying to ABSN programs at private schools, but I will reconsider if it's impossible to get a job with just an ASN. If this makes a difference, I work in health care but not in a hospital, I'm not a union member or a licensed provider. Thanks!

Personally, I am not really concerned about human cadavers- they consented, after all! I'm not squeamish, I just don't want to dissect or experiment on animals who were farmed and / or killed for that purpose. If anyone has taken A&P I at BMCC in the last year or so, I would love information about what is involved in the labs and whether the profs allowed alternative simulations. Thanks so much!

Thanks for your reply! What kind of documentation did you bring? Did you go to BMCC, or do you know anyone who went there recently? A friend who took A&P there a year or two ago said they didn't do any dissections, but I found a current syllabus online (who knows if it's accurate...) and it says dissection is required.

Hey, veggienursenyc. I know this is an old thread, but I am wondering whether you ended up having to do the dissection. I'm registered for A&P I next semester and I'm also concerned about this. I'm vegan, too. I hope nursing (or nursing school) is treating you well!