Rio Salado Online Program

*BUMP*

Me, too. Any Rio online nursing students? How about out of state online nursing students? How is the program, how are the clinicals? And how exactly does an online nursing program have a waitlist?? I'm full of questions. How many times a year does the Rio Salado online nursing program start, or is it ongoing? Thanks, I hope someone answers our questions. :nuke:

I'm told it has a waitlist because of the clinical availability. You can only have so many students vs instructors and there are just so many sites to get.

Although I have not actually met or talked to any students in the nursing program. Are they a myth?

I'm beginning to wonder if the online nursing students are a myth myself. Rio Salado online nursing students, speak up please! :) We have lots of questions about how it is.

Another reason they the Rio Salado students are on a wait list is because the Maricopa county schools all are mixed together. You don't apply to each school individually. You complete the pre-req's and apply for every school at once. You list the top 5 schools you want to go to an you'll eventually be assigned to one. And as AZMOM02 pointed out, there are only so many clinical sites and the lack of instructors also put people on a wait.

I have talked to someone who did not go to Rio Salado but she had considered it at one point. She had gone to a few areas hospitals and LTC centers to get some information and do some shadowing. She said that almost every place she went said that a person applying from Rio Salado will be far less likely to get the job. Apparently the school, although accredited, doesn't have a good reputation. One reason being that the students get very little instruction from the teachers. It is all self taught (besides clinicals). Apparently the just feel that Rio Salado doesn't education their students near as well as the other on-campus schools.

Anywho, this is what I have been told. It could be true or could not. But I'm not going to take my chances.

I have just been placed into Rio Salado's accelerated online program (adn). I am curious to know what the schedule is like. I don't even know what hospital the clinicals are held at...anyone know?

Congrats...tons of people would love to be in your position. You will know those answers before anyone else. Rio will send you a packet with program info...just be patient. Yeah for you!

I am just trying to figure out if I will be able to keep working while I do the program. I want to...I want to know where the clinicals are...I work monday through friday in a school health office. With the job market the way it is, I am afraid to give it up at the moment. Do you know what block clinicals begin? I have all the pre reqs and co reqs finished and psych 101.

Hi Tinae; I was just curious how long your wait was for Rio program; and was that your first choice? I am in a similar position; work full time and will only be able to cut a couple of days a week of work when I do start school (work till 6 or later every night so the other part time programs wouldn't work), so the Rio program is the only choice I listed. I've been in the system since April 08. With as few spots as Rio has I'm feeling kind of dishearted that it may be another year or more. Wish I had more flexibility with my schedule. Congrats to you on your placement!!

I applied in 2007, and Rio was my first choice. I defered the first placement because it was at Phoenix College...that was too far and I really wanted online as much as possible.You can only defer once, then you must reapply, so it is a little risky. I am still a little nervous because I do not know when clinicals are...I wish I had more flexiblity as well. Last year I went through the emtb program at pcc and am working at the same school as my kids and my husband, as a health tech assistant. I love my job, but have always wanted to be a nurse, so this is my chance....

I totally understand; it is scary to think about jeopardizing your job the way things are now; but FIND A WAY! As long as you've waited, don't let the opportunity pass you by, it's just a short year and a half to your goal!! I'm like you, really wish I could know exactly what days clinicals may fall, but I don't think they're always the same each semester anyway. You should find out soon when you get your packet. When I tell my boss I have to cut 2 days a week to do the clinicals, I may very well be the next employee to get cut in my company, but to me this goal is worth that risk, I'm just trying to save and be prepared for that if it happens. Looks like I may have another year or so to prepare anyway, if you applied in 07 and have only deferred once. Wow, that seems like a long time! Again, congrats to you, and I hope you get it all figured out.

I just want to say, in regard to the comment that Rio Salado isn't regarded well in the professional community, I would highly doubt this. There are many threads on allnurses that deal with this issue.

Rarely do you have a prospective employer that asks where you went to nursing school. The fact that you DID is all that matters. I have no idea where any of the nurses I work with attended school. My facility administrator is simply a diploma RN and she is one of the most intelligent people I have ever known.

I wouldn't worry too much about where you go to school. The fact that you hold an RN should be at that matters to employers.

just my opinion

I'm happy to hear that. I have a few pre-reqs to take and will be taking the NET exam. I get nervous about making the right choices but I guess I'll be on the waiting list for a little while with Rio anyways. What makes me the most nervous is the hands on part. I know this is what clinicals is about but will we be missing more by going through Rio? I don't want to set myself up for failure. Will we get enough info for the NCLEX? Aghhhh....