Rivier College

U.S.A. New Hampshire

Published

I am applying to the nursing program at rivier college for fall 2007 and wondered if we have any current or past students of the school here? How was the program? How were the clinicals and what not? Is it a respected program? Thanks guys!

I'm a current student at Riv in the nursing program. I love it there. Yeah, it's pricey, but I feel I'm getting a great education. Because it is such a big nursing program (I think over 500 students between the ADN, BSN and MSN programs, day and evening), there are a lot of clinical sites. The woman who schedules the clinical sites for students does a great job of placing you nearest your home, as best she can. For instance, due to where I live, I know I'll not be placed in any of the Mass. clinical sites.

I think it is a highly respected program - now. Apparently a few years ago there was a below-avg rate of students passing the NCLEX, but the whole program has been revamped. An 80 or above is required for ALL nursing classes and science classes. It used to be a C or better for sciences, but with the increase in both, the NCLEX rate is now 100% for the past couple of years.

I know alot of nursing programs claim a 100% pass rate but here are the current pass rates for anyone intersted in attending a nursing school.

Colby-Sawyer College, New London 69.2% 100.0% 80.0% 100.0% 85.7% 66.7%

St. Anselm College, Goffstown 91.1% 87.5% 95.9% 88.0% 89.5% 91.9%

UNH (BSN), Durham 81.4% 86.4% 87.2% 86.0% 80.3% 82.9%

NHCTC: Berlin (+Laconia 2005) 81.8% 82.4% 89.5% 73.7% 88.5% 87.2%

NHCTC - Claremont/Nashua (+Keene 2005) 91.7% 88.2% 78.9% 90.6% 87.5% 82.6%

NHCTC - Manchester/Stratham 97.7% 92.5% 94.5% 76.5% 81.8% 96.4%

NHTI - Concord 88.7% 97.7% 94.4% 94.8% 81.9% 91.3%

Rivier College, Nashua 86.2% 82.0% 74.4% 75.7% 75.0% 83.5%

National RN pass rate 83.8% 85.4% 86.9% 87.0% 85.3% 87.3%

The dates are from 2000 to 2005. I know that next year the technical schools are seperating so you will be able to see the scores for each individual school to help navigate your options.

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Where is the information from above available? That is really awesome info to have! I am very surprised by the dip at Colby-Sawyer!

I thought Rivier advertises like a 99% pass rate?

Also Laconia has only graduated one Nursing Class, maybe two so the ones prior are definately from Berlin.

The schools are seperated now (Techs) and Claremont and Laconia are still in the midst for the new Presidental search as we speak. There are three finalists for Laconia being considered now.

Laconia also just announced a new Director of Nursing as the one we had went to Berlin with the split. She officially starts like next week. Great things are in store for us!

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Where is the information from above available? That is really awesome info to have! I am very surprised by the dip at Colby-Sawyer!

I thought Rivier advertises like a 99% pass rate?

Also Laconia has only graduated one Nursing Class, maybe two so the ones prior are definately from Berlin.

The schools are seperated now (Techs) and Claremont and Laconia are still in the midst for the new Presidental search as we speak. There are three finalists for Laconia being considered now.

Laconia also just announced a new Director of Nursing as the one we had went to Berlin with the split. She officially starts like next week. Great things are in store for us!

The New Hampshire Board of Nursing. They post NCLEX pass rates on thier website yearly. I also attend a Tech school (Nashua). Our director of the nursing program has said that if we weren't included with Claremont we would have a 100% pass rate but I don't put much merit into what she says becasue ALL schools try to claim this. The way I see it is all the nursing programs have thier time. I chose the tech because it is close to me and cheap. The board of nursing is an excellent resource.

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Where is the information from above available? That is really awesome info to have! I am very surprised by the dip at Colby-Sawyer!

I thought Rivier advertises like a 99% pass rate?

Also Laconia has only graduated one Nursing Class, maybe two so the ones prior are definately from Berlin.

The schools are seperated now (Techs) and Claremont and Laconia are still in the midst for the new Presidental search as we speak. There are three finalists for Laconia being considered now.

Laconia also just announced a new Director of Nursing as the one we had went to Berlin with the split. She officially starts like next week. Great things are in store for us!

I am confused do you attend Laconia NHCTC or Riv?

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.

I know, it's funny how the numbers are. I know Riv's numbers were BAAAD for several years, which is why they completely re-vamped their nursing program and grading. A nursing student now needs to pass every class with an 80 or better, including sciences, or they have to re-take the course, and can't continue with the nursing program until they do pass with an 80 or better. Example is Microbiology: I know a lot of students that only got in the 70's, so had to retake that, but couldn't take their nursing courses until they passed Micro. It makes it even harder because Micro is not offered every semester, and the nursing classes are only once a year (like Nursing 102 is only offered in the spring semester, etc.), so if you fail a class, you have a year's wait for the nursing class to come around again.

I know that 100% of Riv grads passed the NCLEX last year on the first try. We had a big celebratory thing about that. BUT.....that doesn't say how many students are lost during the course of the program. I know that just within my clinical group of 8, there are two people that MUST pass the exam we have on this Monday (yeah, yeah, I AM studying, just taking a break! LOL) with a 95 or better, or there is no way they will pass the course. One actually may drop the course on Monday after exams are graded, because someone told her that a "withdrawn while failing" looks better than a plain "failed" on her transcript, and it won't hurt her GPA. In any event, there are only a couple weeks left of the semester, and two exams, so without a 95 it would be impossible for her to pass. The last day to withdraw from classes is Monday (can you imagine getting through the WHOLE semester like this, and 12 weeks of clinicals, only to drop out and have all of it mean nothing??? I feel so badly for them!) so I'm sure we'll be minus a lot of students then.

I know we lose a lot between Fundamentals and Med/Surg 1 due to failing. I think a lot has to do with the nursing math also. We have 3 attempts to pass the famous "math exam" at Riv with a 90% or better. A lot of students can do it. A lot drop out because of that also.

So, we'll see what happens come Monday.

I don't think any of the programs are "bad", but some are much more lenient than others. Riv's was, and it didn't help students at all. So now it's very hard-line, but they have better numbers.

I think it's hard with the tech colleges, since they all have "sister" schools. The students from the Keene program have only graduated one class, since that is a new program. I looked into that program when applying since it is closer to me than any of the others, but the wait list was over 2 years! I got accepted at the Nashua program, but would have had to do night clinicals (um, no thanks!).

Plus, the programs are only as good as what you put into it. Granted there are some crappy instructors (I would NEVER recommend anyone take Medical Microbiology at Riv. The instructor is worse than awful!) but it's up to us as students to take the initiative in a lot of cases.

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Ok so I did a search on the NCLEX pass rates and here is the reason why schools claim different pass rate than what the NHBON states. It is a measure of first time test takers who pass, so if it takes you more than once but you pass then technically you have a 100% pass rate. However if one person has to retake it the NHBON decides your pass rate is now a 99%. I hope this helps:idea:

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Gosh that is way too confusing but it makes sense!! There is more than one way to calculate everything I guess!! Thanks so much for looking into it! I really thought that they were embellishing or something!

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I attended the LPN to RN program then the RN to BSN. I had a great experience with both programs. Instructors were graet and always available

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Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.

I am currently one class away from my BSN at riv....RN-BSN program

my only complaint is that the classes are very limited in when they are offered...like the only time i can take pathophys is on mondays at 2:30 pm...and i have a full time job so i have no idea what i will do.

the Capstone class is also a killer....100hrs of clinical + 35 hr service project + 1 eve a week in class + presentations!!! we complained so much i think they were going to revamp it ...

an excellent class is offered on sat ams...."spanish for health professionals " with Maria Guidi...i would recommend that for anyone!!

good luck to all of you..pm me if you have any questions I can help you with!!

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