Samuel Merritt ABSN Intensity Questions

amzyRN · Oct 25, 2007

I'm going to start the program in 1 and 1/2 weeks. It looks intense from what my class schedule looks like. Total unit load for 1st semester is 19 units. But it's broken up into 5 to 7 week sections so you focus on a couple of classes at a time within that time frame. It seems like it will be like summer school through out the whole year. I don't know how long clinicals will be yet. I'll try to ask when I go to my orientation this Friday. I think it's going to be tough, but I'm hoping that b/c I did a pretty tough bachelors program, this one will be doable.

onyok · Dec 5, 2007

Hello,

I am currently in the ABSN Oakland program ---6 months into the program. It is not as bad as I have anticipated -- lot of take home exams -- easy if you work as a team. Most of us do independent study for further learning but not necessarily for exams.

Personally, I had more stress last year taking pre-reqs & working full time --- The past few months seems like a breeze -- maternity though was something else- class averaged B.

Be prepared for a lot of reading! Class lectures will not cover it all.

Good luck!

CaliRN29 · Dec 10, 2007

I completed the first ABSN program back in 2005 and it was stressful but manageable. There is a LOT of reading and be prepared to have no life as they change your schedule often. Be flexible, patient and have an open mind and you will do ok. You will be learning so new stuff but most of all you will be applying what you know in a new way. As for the schedule, it depends on the rotation. For us, ICU, L&D and Pedi were all weekend rotations with Pedi being 12 hour shifts! Then classes 2-3 days a week so be prepared for at least 5 days a week of "school" and sometimes your days off are not in a row, which sucks! But it is fast, so that is nice! Good luck!

iwannabeanurse06 · Dec 20, 2007

I graduated from ABSN-SF & we only had 1 take home exam throughout the entire program so my experience was very different! For me it was pretty intense. Class 2 days a week & clinical 2-3 days depending on if they were 8 or 12 hr shifts. We also had papers & group projects throughout. As well as, lots of studying & reading in between. Somehow we all made it through despite having families & other responsibilities. Good luck!

amzyRN · Dec 20, 2007

I'm in the ABSN-SF 08 class. I just finished the first 5 weeks and about to go into clinicals in Jan. The first part wasn't that bad. If that's all your doing it's not that bad. But I didn't start the harder stuff yet, so I may have a big surprise coming up.

J

scoobysnax · Dec 22, 2007

Thanks for all the replies!

Keep 'em coming! I start in 11 days and I'll keep everyone updated.

iluvmusak · Feb 17, 2008

Hello -

I was accepted in the San Mateo ABSN program for summer 2008, and was wondering how things are going for you guys now. What's the program like? How intense is it? Does anyone know how the San Mateo program is? Are the exams mostly take home or in class? Gosh, so many questions . . .

Anyways, please let me know how things are going. I have to give my decision by March 7th and I'm getting a little anxious when I think about my life for the next year.

-- Jeannette

teensmom · Feb 17, 2008

Hello,

I am in the San Mateo ABSN program, I'll graduate in June. I am having a great time, but I am an older student so I can focus quite well. There are times when the schedule is tough, for instance, when you have 2 classes with papers, presentations and tests all on the same day and a care plan due in clinicals, it can get stressful. The hardest time for me was in Med/Surg III, hemodynamics and heart rhythms were really hard to learn. But it's gotten easier and a lot builds from each class.

I think you could have a job if the job would only have you work maybe once a week and during class breaks-especially if you could study on the job. Working as a unit clerk would be a good idea. Not many in our class are working.

Clinicals are all over the Bay Area so be prepared to carpool, that's where you'll make friends too. We have great class leadership so our class sticks together pretty well, we have really tried to make it so no one fails, if someone needs a study buddy we meet at a bookstore and study till we can't keep our brains together.

The tests are mostly in class, multiple choice. I find them easier than the take-home tests, they can be so hard that even when the whole class does it together, the grade is not the greatest.

We just finished the pediatrics rotation, one of my favorites, probably because I am a mom so it was somewhat easy but we also had a great teacher. The intensity of this rotation wasn't too bad. Next is community health and the mentally ill with clinicals in both so that is different, might get hard again. It varies with different rotations.

Good luck and have fun!

iluvmusak · Feb 17, 2008

Thanks teensmom! It's nice to hear that you are enjoying the program. I am also an older student, and am a much better student than I was when I was younger. I'm still nervous about the intensity of the program. I have 2 kids in college. Out of curiousity, what is the age span of your class? Where are the clinicals? Any advice you can give me for beginning the program. I live in Castro Valley and was hoping to get into the Oakland program, but San Mateo isn't too much farther.

-- Jeannette

teensmom · Feb 18, 2008

One of our classmates lives in Castro Valley, she doesn't seem to mind the commute. When I was applying to Samuel Merritt, there was no waitlist for San Mateo. The disadvantage of our campus is that is the tutors, the dorms, and other support is all on the Oakland campus.

The age range of our class is 23-48 years old. Probably the average age is 30. One thing that continues to impress me is how smart and driven everyone is, it certainly keeps me motivated, we also very competitive with each other, in a good way.

Our first clinicals were in San Francisco, our latest clinicals were in Oakland, Hayward, San Jose, San Francisco. The majority of the clinicals have been in San Jose.

For the beginning of the program, don't buy all the books they tell you to buy. Figure out which ones you reallly need and get them on Amazon or rent them from cheeg.com, the books are extremely expensive. Carpool the first day and get there early. Keep an open mind about the school, sometimes the teachers and staff seem scary and intimidating at first but once you get to know them, it's okay. Make friends with your classmates and really help each other, a classmate that is not doing well reflects badly on the whole class.

That's about all I can think of right now.

T

iluvmusak · Feb 19, 2008

Thanks teensmom. I really appreciate it! Enjoy the rest of the program . . . can you believe you're almost finished. Hope my hear goes as well as you have described your past experience.