Some advice about the Peralta Colleges concerning Nursing

Hanna0225 · Oct 3, 2008

wow.. i am disappointed to hear about this, i was seriously considering this school as an advanced option.

jennafezz · Oct 3, 2008

I'm glad you posted this. I'm going to be applying next fall and Merritt was definitely on my list, because it's about a half hour away from me and I was going to apply anywhere within a certain radius. I have never really read anything on here about that school, so I've been wondering about it. If anyone else has experience there, I'd really like to hear about it too. I think I'll be crossing them off my list..

2jojo · Oct 3, 2008

I also was a nursing student at Merritt College within the Peralta District. After the first exam, the instructors had all students gather outside the nursing office building and called us one afte another. We had no clue what was going on....some came out happy and yet others came out with a white memo in their hands.....my instructor didn't even have the audacity to look me in the eyes and tell me my grade but just offered that my last day to drop from the program is this friday, I on the other hand looked him/her in their eyes and said that I was not dropping. My instructor didn't see a 40 year old student willing to risk a W on her transcript, didn't even offer a willingness to teach. I thought teachers were there to teach and guide.....teachers are supposed to be compassionate....well I didn't see that in them.....I was supposed to teach myself when I have no health background. These teachers have no passion for teaching......infact I wouldn't even put them in that catagory....however, there is only one amongst them who even cared about the students, but I have to leave this person nameless......

jennafezz · Oct 3, 2008

I found this posted on craigslist, I did not write it (I'm not in a nursing program yet) but I found it interesting, and it obviously won't stay up on clist forever so I'm pasting it here:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/com/863174163.html

The students at Merritt College in Oakland (Peralta schools) are failing in high numbers and the nursing instructors and the Dean are not helping these students. The RN program is accepting many applicants for more grant money. If they cannot teach the student adequately why are they accepting so many into the program? So, far our instructors and Program director have been lacking to provide us with Adequate teaching to prepare us for our exams. Our first

Exam was on 20 chapters, each chapters ranging from 40-50

pages each. We were suppose to have these chapter retained

by our first exam with in the first two weeks of the

program. The exam was also timed on NCLEX standards, of one

minute per question. The instructors did not cover the

material, and failed to addresses the numerous errors in the

text book and on our practice CD. The instructors also,

failed to teach us how to answerer these very difficult

questions, they did not teach us the logic or the rationale

behind the correct answerer. Out of the 103 students who

took the exam only 23 passed with a 75%. The

instructors then advised the failing students to drop

before taking the next exam to avoid a "W"on

their transcripts. Many students did drop. Our next exam

followed two weeks later, the class of 92 had only 30

Students pass with a 75% our instructors again reminded us

to drop. This class is barely passing because the

Instructors fail to prepare us for the exams, and fail to

lets us have adequate test reviews. I'm too considering

dropping this faulty nursing program. It is a shame that

with such a nursing shortage that potential future

Nurses are being encouraged to drop instead encouraged

to stay. The students by themselves cannot learn how to

become safe RNs. This program gave us very little

structure, no support and zero confidences. From the very

Start we were reminded that if we do not have a 75% by

October that we are considered unsafe and cannot move on. I

do not understand how do they expect us to learn and

practice the art of nursing if we are only guided and not taught If they want

Us to succeed how come they are failing to give us the

Nursing education we need. To produce a safe, intelligent

and caring nurse is possible. However, to accomplish that, it

2jojo · Oct 3, 2008

I am on of the students that withdrew from Merritt College's nursing program....a very unorganized program....I know nursing is difficult...but when a student is willing to work...the instructors should be willing to teach....they are supposed to be our support system away from home....one thing these instructors did teach us was that they are not our friends, they are not here to teach but guide...they didn't do either....we are not at their level....THE ELUSIVE LICENSED RN'S....who are supposedly teaching students to be CARING AND COMPASSIONATE...but they themselves are not role models as such...

nursetobein2010 · Oct 4, 2008

I was also enrolled in the Merritt College (Peralta Colleges) Nursing Program and dropped out this semester. I am not trying to brag here but I just want to make it clear that I am not someone who doesn't study, ok? I am a straight-A student with a bachelor's degree. I am an over-achiever. I aced all my prerequisites. I work hard. I was failing the program. About 75-80% of us were, and the vast majority of us were solid students, very smart, hard-working, many with previous degrees. Once again, not trying to say those without straight As or degrees are worse off, I am just trying to give you as much information as possible about this horrible, horrible program. If we couldn't even pass, who can? There were very experienced CNAs and LVNs in the program, with years and years of experience behind them, and they were failing.

The textbook Merritt uses is ridden with errors. The practice questions in the back of each chapter often have the wrong answers misprinted in the back. A couple of these questions were even on the exam! How were we supposed to know what were the right answers and what were the wrong ones? The teachers said they would review our exams with us but they didn't. They just read the correct answers out loud, really quickly and then made us turn them back in. How were we supposed to learn from our mistakes for the next exams????

What my fellow classmates have said is true...everything is true. I know it's hard to believe that a program so bad, so blatantly, well, EVIL, can exist. This is a program that is supposed to be training students for a profession based on CARING. The teachers did not care about us AT ALL. We went to the Director of Nursing. She didn't care. The dean? Nope. The chancellor? Perhaps a little, but he didn't do anything. We have now gone to the press and an article is coming out next week. I will post a link to it as soon as it comes out.

DO NOT GO TO THE MERRITT COLLEGE NURSING PROGRAM. Save yourself heartache. Seriously. It is not worth it. I was really full of myself and never considered for a second that I wouldn't be able to get through. The program is set up to make you fail. I am not sure why. I have my suspicions that it is due to grant money but I can not confirm this.

Hanna0225 · Oct 4, 2008

this is truly disturbing, i am in shock and disbelief that an rn program does exist, especially in the bay area!

i hope that the board of registered nursing, evaluates this "so called" school, and will take drastic measures, to either modify it or shut it down.

so sad :cry:

nursetobein2010 · Oct 4, 2008

this is truly disturbing, i am in shock and disbelief that an rn program does exist, especially in the bay area!

i hope that the board of registered nursing, evaluates this "so called" school, and will take drastic measures, to either modify it or shut it down.
so sad

we have already contacted them. it is sad, isn't it?

SF415EMT · Oct 10, 2008

I'm glad you posted this. I'm going to be applying next fall and Merritt was definitely on my list, because it's about a half hour away from me and I was going to apply anywhere within a certain radius. I have never really read anything on here about that school, so I've been wondering about it. If anyone else has experience there, I'd really like to hear about it too. I think I'll be crossing them off my list..

You should call and ask each program about their retention and failure rate.

Schools who only accept 30-40 students will most likely help you stay in the program versus making you a failure statistic.

123nursing · Oct 10, 2008

This program is a piece of something. What an experience! I have a four year degree and thought nursing school would be tough but manageable. I would like to say to Angel that the last few years were a lot easier than this year although the pass rate was the same. For christ sake you guys used an LVN book. One lady in particular passed all her test last year. With that said you would thing she would have a huge leg up coming into this years program. Well she didn't pass a single exam. To me that says something. Some of the students that stayed in the program simply skipped lecture entirely and just studied. The teachers in fundamentals of nursing waste your time. One in particular missed his calling to become a stand up comedian. One teacher thought she was doing us a favor and gave us a test review before are last test, LAST TEST which to me is a day late and a dollar short. Lots of grammatical errors on test questions, questions that weren't even in our text book, and I know for a fact that the teachers didn't ready this new book they say they did but it was obvious in lecture when they themselves couldn't figure out the answers to questions. Most programs I've researched go through the fundamentals book throughout the entire semester. Well folks you have one month at Merritt College. Which to me is completely rushed and unsafe, you simply retain nothing. My advise if you do decide to go is skip class and study. I was up into the am's every night studying but its part luck. Since the teachers don't guide you, you may think one area of the book is more important but find out its not even on the test. So if your lucky you may pass the first semester and who knows if you make it the next semester, although I heard it gets easier. For the skills lab test I was tested on inserting a catheter and the first time I used one was during my testing. Everything is completely out dated and for somethings they don't even have. The Dean and director are clueless. The director talks a big game like you better quit your job, end any relationship, have your finances in order... hell you can't even get financial aid at this college. They expect everything from you and expect nothing from themselves. This program is under staffed and doesn't have the resources for you to learn and practice your skills. I really hope that the California State Board of Nursing takes a look at the structure of this program. I pray that if I'm ever in the hospital that a merritt grad is not taking care of me. I know they will be able to pass a test, but I don't know if they can apply it since the lab is nonexistent. And keep in mind they may have a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX but only 20-30% make it. And some of these students can't walk straight. Its great they passed a test but it would be really scary to see them in the clinical setting.

nursetobein2010 · Oct 22, 2008

The East Bay Express article will be out in tomorrow's edition. It was posted on their website tonight.

Read on:

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/news/merritt_college_nursing_woes/Content?oid=850642