Should I switch Nursing Schools after finishing my 1st semester?

[JCast87]

So, I have been in tears for 2 days now with this internal conflict that I am having about leaving my current nursing school for another.

I started one of those small, expensive, private nursing schools after completing all of my prerequisites with a 3.76 GPA from my local community college. This school is a 1 year ADN program that is approved by the state of Florida but not accredited. Their NCLEX passing rate is about 40% but I decided to go in order to finish nursing school quickly and start working. I figured even if the passing rate is low, I will still do well because I know the type of student I am.

Needless to say, I don't feel like I am learning much. I just finished Pharmacology in 4 weeks. It's impossible to learn what we need to learn in such a small amount of time. Although I have A's in this school, I doubt myself everyday for making the decision to come here. once we were told by someone in administration that "we should be lucky to be here because we obviously couldn't get in anywhere else". I felt like saying "thats not why I came here". Granted, most of the students or teachers do NOT speak English at this school (Miami, Fl.)

I recently spoke to an admissions rep at another school that is well known in Miami and has a reputation for developing grade A quality nurses, however the program is 27 months (BNS). She said I would have no problem getting in. This school is $40,000 as apposed to the $20,000 school that I am at now.

One RN I know, told me to stay at the school that I am in now because what matters is me passing my NCLEX and everything else I will learn on the floor. She says she also felt that she didn't know anything when she graduated from her school and she managed to pass her boards.

I am in tears as I write this because I don't know what to do. I have finals at my school this week and I need to end on a good note should I decide to transfer (but at the new school I will have t start from scratch). I just want to be a great nurse. I don't want to settle for good. I love this field and have a deep passion for nursing. Any advise is appreciated!!

[SENSUALBLISSINFL, BSN, RN]

@ EMMUNOZ, I am from MDC, and one professor would not elaborate an issue that occurred between Dade Medical and a local hospital in which such hospital decided not to take students from Dade Medical. No matter how many times we; the class, asked her to tell us what happened and which hospital she would not divulge it and just made it clear to us that when we apply for a job we are to state clearly that we are from MDC so as not to get confused with that school since the names are so similar. She also stated that Miami Dade College is more commonly identified as MDC and to state this as well.

I wish I could tell you more, but I cannot. This has nothing to do with being a proud MDC graduate, there are several schools in South Florida that have good nursing programs. Since I am trusting by nature, I will take it as fact that the professor had a legitimate reason for saying this and not mere gossip and so I had to pass this to you.

Try to get into MDC, the program is hard but worth it. Barry University is great, if money is not an issue (I would pick it over University of Miami even), the tuition I think is close to $50K and Keiser a little under that. While you wait for acceptance take the pre-requisites needed to get in the BSN program.

@JCast, the best decision you have made is to switch, as the other replies have confirmed. If you plan to continue with your education in nursing, graduating from a school that is not accredited will be an issue.

Good luck

[veggie530]

Thank God you're switching. Even though you learn a lot on the floor after getting hired you still want a good foundational knowledge going in and you have to pass the NCLEX. If the school only has a 40% NCLEX pass rate there's a reason. My community college I'm at has a 93%... 40% is unacceptable!