Puerto Rico school feedback?

World US Territories

Published

Anyone out there have info on the school in Arecibo, PR? It is a 24 month program that begins in August.

I'd love to hear anything, thanks.

zzzzzgirl

Hi there!I'm moving In a week to PR to begin my BSN at UMET- Universidad Metropolitana in Bayamon. The courses are taught in ENGLISH, the textbooks are in English, and the exams will be in English. I spoke with the Director of the program because I have concerns about the clinicals. She told me the clinicals are 90% or more in English...the clinical instructor teaches it in English, and those clinicals are held at the Veteran's Hospital of PR which is required to conduct most of their care in accordance to VA protocol and the doctor's orders, charts, etc are in English!Since ( I already have a BS and all the prerequisites I need) I'm trying to accelerate my degree and I speak Spanish perfectly, I have been given permission to take courses in Spanish in Cupey if I need them and not offered in a particular semester.The bottom line is if you go to UMET Bayamon BSN afternoons and evenings, you can get away with not being fluent in Spanish, besides Puerto Ricans speak English--the vast majority!Good luck in your studies....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

First, I'm not Puerto Rican and I don't have a problem with going to Nursing School in PR. Employers (the smart ones) know Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth part of the United States and Puerto Ricans are US citizens; consequently employers cannot discrimate based on the location of the University. in addition, most Colleges and Universities (the reputable ones) are recognized by the US Dept. Education, hold Higher education accreditations, and membership to professional educational organizations. The important thing to research is whether or not the Universidad you are trying to go to in PR has a nursing accreditation such as:

National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission http://nlnac.org/Forms/directory_search.htm

OR

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation/accreditedd-programs

Hope this posting dispels some notions about attending Nursing School in Puerto Rico

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Manr23 I sent you a private message

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Out of 52 nursing programs in PR only 10 are accredited. Luckily Umet and la inter metro are!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi there... I registered for classes at UMET Bayamon on Dec 5, 2011 so I can begin on Jan 18, 2012.

I tried to conduct business over the phone but unfortunately things move at a glacial pace when dealing over the phone. Personnel ignores calls, don't return calls, and you are pretty much left to your own devices. If it wasn't for the fact that school is cheap in PR and I want to save money for my MSN here in the US. If you can deal with bureaucracy and the sometimes convoluted and inefficient ways embedded in the way things are done in the island, it pays when you can get your degree for a whole lot cheaper.

You can send me a private email and I'll explain to you all the process. The only major hurdle I think was transferring credits prior to my first semester. Getting all of my credits evaluated and accepted for transfer was important to me so I could make my final decision. So far UMET haS taken 48 credits and I'm still fighting for a Sociology class since they (UMET) specifically want Intro to Social Sciences. So hopefully the only non-nursing class I need is History of Puerto Rico. You can definitely apply online, get your student ID number and from that point you can get the ball rolling in several areas.Write me and I will give you the information you need.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Practice, Aesthetics.
Hi there!I'm moving In a week to PR to begin my BSN at UMET- Universidad Metropolitana in Bayamon. The courses are taught in ENGLISH, the textbooks are in English, and the exams will be in English. I spoke with the Director of the program because I have concerns about the clinicals. She told me the clinicals are 90% or more in English...the clinical instructor teaches it in English, and those clinicals are held at the Veteran's Hospital of PR which is required to conduct most of their care in accordance to VA protocol and the doctor's orders, charts, etc are in English!Since ( I already have a BS and all the prerequisites I need) I'm trying to accelerate my degree and I speak Spanish perfectly, I have been given permission to take courses in Spanish in Cupey if I need them and not offered in a particular semester.The bottom line is if you go to UMET Bayamon BSN afternoons and evenings, you can get away with not being fluent in Spanish, besides Puerto Ricans speak English--the vast majority!Good luck in your studies....

I'm actually wanting to become fluent...Being bilingual would help lots when looking for work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Practice, Aesthetics.
Yes that is quite annoying. There were other threads I was getting info from and that info has now disappeared due to this update they did where we could not access the forum for over a week.

Ha fluent in Spanish! Nope, not at all. I had never studied Spanish and tried when I arrived. Even shelled out a ton of money to Pan American which is a language institute in San Juan and I studied at La Inter.

Everyone speaks English so you have to make an effort to speak and learn Spanish. I studied French for 15 years before I considered myself fluent. So I stopped with the Spanish because I was spending a lot of money but not feeling I was getting anything out of it.

It would be different if I was living in a Spanish speaking country where English is not spoken.

I plan to study Spanish from the beginning when I return to CA.

I was really hoping this would help. Maybe I will take some courses. I have about 7 years of study. But have not used it much. My downfall is responding in English when I know I am able to...What part of CA? I plan on moving there after I get my BSN (fingers crossed).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I was really hoping this would help. Maybe I will take some courses. I have about 7 years of study. But have not used it much. My downfall is responding in English when I know I am able to...What part of CA? I plan on moving there after I get my BSN (fingers crossed).

7 years of Spanish. Wow that is a lot. You will totally improve. If you speak Spanish people will get the hint that you want to improve and reply in Spanish even if they speak English. With that many years of Spanish under your belt you should improve a lot while you are in PR.

I am from the San Francisco Bay Area but don't even think about getting a job here right after school. I don't know of anyone who has been able to find a job as a new grad here. After a year or two of experience yes but not as a new grad.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Practice, Aesthetics.

Thanks Yogi. I will try that hopefully I can improve :-). What will you be doing after graduation? I will honestly have to wait until 2014 lol . I have a few friends in CA and an old job that will take me whenever I move back.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Thanks Yogi. I will try that hopefully I can improve :-). What will you be doing after graduation? I will honestly have to wait until 2014 lol . I have a few friends in CA and an old job that will take me whenever I move back.

I have not started looking for a job yet. I have to finish school and take the NCLEX. I will start NCLEX studying when I get back from the holiday break.

Remember that you can take the NCLEX after 11 months if you go to La Inter and with 7 years Spanish you could definitely work as a nurse in PR your second year. You don't even take the NCLEX for that. You pay some money for a provisional license that is valid for 2 years.

There are people working as a nurse with minimal Spanish that swear I could get a job no problem and I really don't speak Spanish. I find that hard but many people have said I would not have a problem. I know people that work part time as a nurse while finishing the second year.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Practice, Aesthetics.

Oh good for you! Sounds exciting yet stressful. lol I wish you the best. You seem very well put together I am sure you will do great on the NCLEX. I am going to PR in like 2 weeks I am going to visit both schools. Thanks for the info. That would be great and VERY helpful when looking for a job in the states. When are you completely done with the program?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Oh good for you! Sounds exciting yet stressful. lol I wish you the best. You seem very well put together I am sure you will do great on the NCLEX. I am going to PR in like 2 weeks I am going to visit both schools. Thanks for the info. That would be great and VERY helpful when looking for a job in the states. When are you completely done with the program?

I am done in May of this year. Get in touch with me when you are in town and we can meet up. When exactly do you arrive?

Also I have been looking for alternatives to Kaplan. A friend that graduated last June just told me about the Hurst Review so in a week I will start with that one and then do Kaplan. It seems cool because it reteaches you everything or fills in the gaps of stuff you didn't learn in class.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment