Hi All,
So several of you have asked me for my thoughts on Mercy Hospital's LPN and LPN - RN bridge program. Let me start by saying I have only completed the LPN program, however, the administrators are the same for both programs and the majority of what I write will apply unilaterally.
Let's start with the positives:
Hospital based
Most of the professors actually give two shakes of a lamb's tail
Professors liaison with clinical floors to ensure students have ample learning experience
One, of the two clinical professors I had, is a beast and you really learn a lot (she is an old school nurse) if you aren't there to just pass time
You can complete co-requisites while taking nursing classes (not recommended)
Now the cons:
Communication and clarification is abysmal and varies dependent on who you speak with
Administration loves to posture and make egregious claims regarding the program
No Federal student loans, you either qualify for Pell Grants or you pay out of pocket (do not expect this to be disclosed to you up front)
$1200 non-refundable registration and administrative fees NOT covered by financial aid
Theory and clinical pedagogy is varied between day and night programs
Be prepared to listen to droning and slide reading, there were only 3 lecture professors who actually taught
Theory and ATI are not parallel and there is disparity in theory education if the goal is to teach for the NCLEX
Tests are 1+1=2 type reasoning and most questions have 3 answers so blatantly wrong only one could be write
Schedule was consistently changed, even with a syllabus, every semester (my cohort ended up with 11 tests in 2 weeks [including a final exam] during the second semester because of the 3 Ps)
No extended breaks between semesters (we got a week between Christmas and New Years and then back again on January 4)
ATI is bundled into tuition fees with no opportunities to buy/rent independently
Gotta drive to the hood to buy uniforms (females don't go by yourself or later in the day)
All clinicals are held at Mercy Hospital exclusively with the exception of pediatrics (Miami Children's and the CP home on 163rd and 95)
Administration likes to use scare-mongering tactics to achieve a desired outcome
Absolutely NO financial aid for the LPN - RN program, 100% out of pocket
Asides:
Administration will tell you graduation is required if you want to come to the LPN - RN program, this is illegal, they just want to make sure students show up to graduation
Enrollment is down, they are accepting everyone who passes the entrance exam and meets the entrance requirements
New uniforms effective May 2017
NCLEX pass rates to-date for the LPN - RN program are down and currently Keiser University Miami Campus and Broward College have better NCLEX pass rates
LPN - RN requires Saturday clinicals
