KatRNStudent

I understand I may not be in the best section to post this, I am looking for information for those who have already attended college. Thanks so much! :) Hello, so I am a mother of two currently in a 2 year long divorce. Long story short I was in an accelerated BSN program for 1 year while married and I found out my husband was drinking and doing a lot of not so 'ok' things behind my back. I filed for divorce, ended up having to leave nursing school which I loved because I knew the stress and finances were not going to allow me to continue at that time. I have received acceptance to begin this coming fall semester at both STLCC's Forest park location and Meramec's campus location.. I am raising these two young kids (both school age) 100% on my own. I have zero family living in the state that could help and none of his family are close enough to help. I want to know what the hours will look like so I can figure out childcare. I was told clinicals first semester are 7:30-1:30?? Is this true? Do you need to be on campus everyday during the week or once or twice a week or what?? Also, I know the first semester runs 8 credit hours.. but I am wondering what the means as far as days of the week and what kind of hours I should expect to need to be on campus?? Do they schedule 8 credit hours.. then that's it you go to class and you go home or is it 8 credit hours then there is time not listed on the class schedule that they need you to be on campus?? Please share everything you can about when I should plan to be at school and also which location you attend.. I have to make a decision pretty soon which campus I want to attend. Thanks so much!!

Hello, so I am a mother of two currently in a 2 year long divorce. Long story short I was in an accelerated BSN program for 1 year while married and I found out my husband was drinking and doing a lot of not so 'ok' things behind my back. I filed for divorce, ended up having to leave nursing school which I loved because I knew the stress and finances were not going to allow me to continue at that time. I have received acceptance to begin this coming fall semester at both STLCC's Forest park location and Meramec's campus location.. I am raising these two young kids (both school age) 100% on my own. I have zero family living in the state that could help and none of his family are close enough to help. I want to know what the hours will look like so I can figure out childcare. I was told clinicals first semester are 7:30-1:30?? Is this true? Do you need to be on campus everyday during the week or once or twice a week or what?? Also, I know the first semester runs 8 credit hours.. but I am wondering what the means as far as days of the week and what kind of hours I should expect to need to be on campus?? Do they schedule 8 credit hours.. then that's it you go to class and you go home or is it 8 credit hours then there is time not listed on the class schedule that they need you to be on campus?? Please share everything you can about when I should plan to be at school and also which location you attend.. I have to make a decision pretty soon which campus I want to attend. Thanks so much!!

Thank you! That does help a lot! The way you explained it wasn't really much different than I've considered doing it but for some reason you saying it makes it more clear to me. hahah thanks again!

Unfortunately no study guides at all.. we get powerpoint slides during class and they just talk through each one. We get no hints so typically it's a free for all trying to figure out what they want from us.. it's horrible. I do use white out but typically it just appears too messy for me. I'm a mess! But getting back on track.

Actually, you don't sound like a loser.. It sounds like a real stand up thing to do in order to go to college and get your degree. I am 30 myself and in nursing school - with 2 kids and I tell you what.. I'd love to have family I could live with to go to school since my husband and I are now separated. It's admirable what your doing. Keep at school.. guys are much more attractive when they are going for their goals and succeeding!!

anyone?

Can someone please share you tips with me!?! So I failed Patho by having a massive meltdown the night before the final.. Had a great cushion and everything going into final but my husband is bipolar and he chose the night before finals to go completely manic and insane. It caused me a great deal of stress and I was distraught and failed but less than a full point. Now I am retaking it next session (thank god I have that option) but I must pass it this time around or I am excused from the program. So to be honest and blunt I struggle with proper organization. As funny as it sounds I have a tad bit of OCD and need a clean smooth way to organize notes. I have recently been diagnosed with PTSD from being with my bipolar spouse of 10 years and it's increased my anxiety so bad it's not controllable (therapist says because I've spent so many years in a completely uncontrollable situation) In Pathophysiology, organization is key - everything has a process and a list of symptoms. When I rewrite my Patho notes it helps me to absorb the material and I record the lecture and listen to them over and over while looking at my notes.. but here is my issue: - If I rewrite my notes I have to do so in colors I am very visual so new topics get a heading color etc. But if I mess up and have to cross out a word or scratch it out my OCD flips out and I must scrap the whole page to avoid severe anxiety - If I type my notes I don't know if I should do it in outline format.. or a table..?? And when I've tried both I spend more time typing all my notes into my laptop then what I have left over to study. - If I draw a process I don't know if I should do arrows.. for instance: R. Atria -> R. Ventricle.. or if I should draw a picture with the flow?? - If I highlight in my book I go back and just see all yellow and can't concentrate on just studying, again OCD. ----- So the question.. do you know any sites that off concise ways of organizing difficult nursing notes? I say nursing specifically because nursing school in NOT like any other school I've been to.. its more than a name and a definition there are whole processes to disease and I need to be able to clearly have those notes available to me for studying ---- I have looked at pinterest but it's not specific to nursing really.. any blogs your aware of or can you share what you do for a visual learner?? Thanks so much!! Also, please answer my poll!!

I began Chamberlain this Jan 2015. So far so good! I am currently in one nursing school which is NR101 and it's a lot of fun! It's about how to be a professional nurse, how to do APA papers and just basics of nursing and what to expect. I am in week 6 of 8 total weeks and I love the 3 classes I am in right now. Everyone has been helpful and I have found myself telling my husband .. more than once in fact how much I wish I would have enrolled in here sooner. I am Really liking the fact that everyone is going for nursing.. so you can literally walk up and ask a stranger for help and they know the answer. The class that requires actually studying and hard work begins next semester for me which is Health and Wellness. In 101 I am making 100% right now so that should tell you something.. its just a prep class for what's to come. Any questions?

I love that! I wish my teachers would do the same!! We have one or two girls who make it a point to be at least 15 minutes late. They come in.. start making a bunch of rattling in the bags and then start asking people - mid lecture for what they missed. I think every single teacher to do it. I pay for my education and that's to Ms. late over there I lose focus.

Congrats!! I started a BSN program in Jan of this year and I LOVE IT!! I have been doing really well so far I'm only into an into nursing course so it's been a lot of fun - I have 100% right now in the class :) You will love it. I remember how excited I was to when I found out I was finally accepted! Your hard work paid off!

I started jan 5th as well! I love it!!

Go to Chamberlain's website they have a chat option that you can find out if they will take you in their program or not.

I had 46 credit hours transfer - everything I took that they require they accepted. They didn't deny any credits of mine :) they took my Ethics, Math, Soc's, Psych's, both English's, nutrition, med term and some others. As far as cost it goes by credit hours you enroll in.. It's really expensive but honestly I LOVE the schools so far. I love the teachers and everyone has been very supportive at that school. I highly recommend it.

Don't worry too much I looked into a lot of this when I was deciding which nursing schools to apply for. They go on probation when they have 2 or 3 NCLEX pass rates that reach below 80% I believe. They are simply on notice that they need to make improvements not that they are going to lose the license as of today. If the next few NCLEX pass rates stay as low they will lose their accreditation. Your class may actually be the deciding factor. At the worst situation the people to test will be the deciding factor if the state takes it away. You should be ok since your so late into the program.

Chamberlain is very fast paced. They do not offer night classes so if your already working during the day you can plan to have to quit that job. I spoke to some students who are getting ready to graduate and they said you usually do clinicals 12 hours a day twice a week then you will have 2 days of lecture and lab. So plan on 4 full days a week during the day. Also, if the nurses you are paired with work an evening or night shift.. you will be working the evening or night shift.. I have always heard to expect to work only part time if you have to work at all and make sure its a flexible job. I think you can only miss 1 clinical. Period. And the number 1 thing they said at orientation is that nursing school does Not work around your schedule - you work around it's schedule.

I say get those last pre-reqs finished. I am 29 and a mom of two young kids and I have been working on my pre-reqs for nursing since 2011! I finally made it into a BSN program and I start in Jan 2015. I will only have two years of classes to get my BSN. Don't work on a liberal arts degree until you have completed all your nursing pre-reqs. Especially if you only have a few more classes to go. It is hard to get into any nursing program and since your really close keep working towards that. Your liberal arts degree wont do anything for you - you still have to take a nursing associates degree program to be a nurse. If you finish your pre-reqs go into that ADN program next year then all you have left is a 1 year online BSN program. If you got your liberal arts degree you would still have to go back and do the ADN program then do the BSN. OR you would go right into a BSN program and have 3 years plus.

Well, I was accepted into two BSN programs and one ADN program. Personally, where I live in the Midwest they are no longer hiring RN's with just their Associates degree. They want RN's with their Bachelor's degree OR they will hire an RN with just their Associates and making them sign agreements they will complete their BSN within a certain time frame. Hand's down I did not go the ADN.. I chose Chamberlain for the BSN program.. the accreditation's they have and the fact that every hospital around here takes Chamberlain grads. My own personal opinion is to really think long and hard.. do you want to get your RN and be very limited who will hire you.. or just go in for the two years and be complete.

Well, I was getting a D in my first Anatomy I class. So I dropped and retook. I then went onto Anatomy II and was pulling a C. I ended up dropping it.. I didn't want a C on my record (because it would drop my gpa below 3.0) I got into a BSN nursing program just fine and I start Jan 2015! Sure I will have to retake the second Anatomy but that's not to bad. I know people who took it got a C - Retook it and got a B. My comment is to leave the C and when you take anatomy II be better prepared. Get in a study group.. find a study partner. If your passing it (which you are) and your gpa wont fall below a 3.0 just leave it and pull for an A or B in Anatomy II.

Does your program offer it?? My school offers health insurance because it's required to have for the program. I would highly suggest you look into that. My schools insurance was cheaper than what we pay.. but the thing for us was we have two kids also so we had no reason to get the schools since my husband already carries the insurance.

Ok great thanks! I will go ahead and buy the study guide! Thank you also to the other posters. It is not fundamentals class I take that one this coming fall (and I've already heard it's going to be crazy ha) And to the first poster I am in a BSN program - this course I am referring to is 3 credit hours and is a full 8 year course (in an accelerated program).

Hi could someone tell me what my first nursing course Intro to Nursing usually consists of ?? Is it a class that usually requires a lot of studying or is it just going to be a class that introduces us to basic concepts or what?? Is there any study guide people purchase or is none needed?? I am SO excited to begin classes and appreciate the input!

First of all do not let others tell you what career path is or is not for you on here. You seem like a bright dedicated student nurse. I know many people who have gotten the grades.. gotten into the program.. gotten to clinicals and then left the school midway through. Why? Because of their instructors. One friend of mine a 4.0 gpa mother and wife left a University nursing program because the instructors did not grade fairly and made a habit of beating down their student nurses at clinicals so bad they left in tears on a daily basis. I don't care what others opinions are.. nursing is a Stuck up field to go into! It's tough it's no fair and its bs to be frank. But if one school is not working you move on to a school that does. There are programs everywhere and there is no reason you should stay at that place with the bad reputation they are gaining by treating their paying students that way. Move on.. leave a complaint with the BBB and go someplace that appreciates their students. You CAN do it!

Look for an Accelerated BSN program. Because you already have a degree you will most likely be able to get right into a program. Take that 1 class your still needing and in the time being apply to programs the following semester. I'd call around to anywhere within an hours drive of your home because your already way ahead of others who do not have a degree.

First of all I have struggled with anxiety for almost 8 years now. I took everything under the sun to help with it.. Paxil included. Paxil did not work for me.. it seems other people who have taken it have help with depression but not with their anxiety. To give you an idea of my anxiety.. I start nursing school in Jan 2015 and I was under the impression I had until next summer to complete my clinical packet (the shot record.. CPR cert etc.) and then I get an e-mail that I actually have it due by the end of Feb 2015. Now that is two months away but I went into full blown panic attack.. called my husband was shaking.. breathing heavy the whole thing. I HATE being thrown into things that I feel I didn't have enough notice on. I took a Xanax and felt better within ten minutes. I would suggest you get off Paxil (you have to wean off of it to avoid withdrawals) and get on Lexapro. I lowered my dose from 10mg to 5mg about a month ago and started having little panic attacks again haha so I upped it back to 10mg and I feel like a million bucks. I have found with Paxil you have to go on higher doses and still don't always have relief. On Lexapro you can stay on a lower dose and it does help a great deal. I have no side effects with Lexapro as well where as I had headaches with Paxil. Please keep in mind it takes a good month to get relief on Lexapro. Also, I have Xanax that I rarely use but it helps to have an as needed medication as well.

Drop! Do NOT risk it. Try again next time with a better understanding of what you struggled with in the class and how you can improve. It is NOT worth it to risk.