SPC nursing students

Published

Are there any nursing students who are attending Saint Petersburg College? I am going into my first semester on the 20th.

if you want to get it done faster, yes you will have to take the night classes because they don't stop for the summer. it will be fall 08', spring 09', summer 09' and graduation december 09', 16 months like you said. it is difficult to go through the summer, but they only put the best instructors on in the summer to help you through. why take summer off? not to mention the day classes have to do more dirty work, like "am care" (bed-bath, adls). night instructors are better in my opinion, and the students are as well. there are a lot more dedicated students at night. i started in the days, then switched to night.

since you don't have your class schedule or know if you are in nights or days, i am guessing that you have been selected as an "alternate". please correct me if i am wrong. alternates don't get to choose which instructor or hospital they get to go to, they get what ever is leftover (the ones that nobody else wants). you will get stuck with more difficult instructors, but they will make you stronger if you stick with it. i just wanted to say that i was accepted as alternate and while you do not get to choose your instructor, you are not getting what is left over. you are getting whatever spot opens up, so it is random, not what no one wants. i admit though that i would have loved to be on nights so that i can go through faster and i may try to switch to nights for that reason, but i am happy with the instructors i have during the day.

in the day program, there are 72 students, and the night has the same. however, out of the 144 students, 36 are in special grant programs that are paid for by the hospitals. when you go to orientation, they will tell you everything. and afterwards, they are going to make you take to tests. the first one is 2.5hrs, and the second is about 1-2hrs. the first one is the teas test which is on math, reading, writing, and science. when you are done, it will tell you your score, and compare it to students in 1600 nursing schools across the country. it isn't hard, but i will give you a heads up, know your metric conversions.

i wish i had listened to this piece of advice. i had just know metrics in chem, but did not memorize the conversions so it was tough. i did do a lot of word problem practice type questions online, but i because i did not have time to prepare...again, it was tough. math is not my strong suit, so if you have time to review, do it!

as far as the program goes, don't waste time! start studying now for the fall semester. the syllabus is 512 pages! read that, and also start reading kozier & erb nursing fundamentals (1800 pages). if you read these before august, you will pass level 1 with flying colors.

i really wish that they would give you the calendar at least a week in advance so that you can start reading the assignments that you will be going through for that next week. it has been difficult because to read ahead when i did not get the chance to start that way. in my opinion the syllabus is all over the place. i actually did read chapter 1 in an effort to be ahead, but we started in chapter 29 & 30. just sayin', it would be nice to get the calendar early.

i hope this helped someone and i hope you are having a great semester!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 1.

Hi my name is Amanda,

I am just starting my nursing journey, I am registered for school at SPC and PHCC I have not decided on which school would be best, I live in Springhill, Hernando county Can anyone tell me there thoughts on either school. Like I said I'm just begining everything from scratch. I have been out of school for 10 years! I can't wait to begin. I also start my CNA classes next Wed. Wish me luck! :nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Did you go to the orientation yesterday? I was wondering if you are planning to work through the program?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yea I went to the orientation and I got my first pick schedule:) I plan to work through the program but being active duty military its going to be really hard. Are you working too? If so is your work pretty flexible with your schedule?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I got my first pick schedule too. I got the evening program at St. Anthony's. I am going to try to work as many hours as possible but I am not sure yet how much I am going to be able to handle or how much the work will allow. I checked out all the books on amazon, the price was like $650, which isn't too bad considering the huge list they gave us. I guess this is the bulk of the book purchases at least. What program are you in?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I got my first pick schedule too. I got the evening program at St. Anthony's. I am going to try to work as many hours as possible but I am not sure yet how much I am going to be able to handle or how much the work will allow. I checked out all the books on amazon, the price was like $650, which isn't too bad considering the huge list they gave us. I guess this is the bulk of the book purchases at least. What program are you in?

First semester is the most expensive for the books ($1200 including skills kit), and then each semester after is about $200-$300 in books. Your syllabi are about $20 each(550pages!), but don't buy them after the first semester because you rarely need it. You can actually download it in PDF on ANGEL nursing commons. Be sure to buy the study guides that are recommended. They take about 10 questions out of there for each test.

First semester is so easy, you will think it is hard when you are doing it, but then you will take nursing II and that is where the hell begins. That is the semester with the highest attrition rate. Study your cardiac, fluid & electrolytes, and CVAs. You are in the night program starting in spring, which means you will take level II in the summer. You will have to take tests every other week, clinicals from 1-11pm 2 nights, pharm 1 night (easy), and theory for 5hrs on a different night. You can try working full-time, but those who do are the same ones who end up taking it again. Good luck and start studying now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Which books would you recommend studying first? I was planning to buy some now just to get the reading started. I wish they would tell us all this up front. Is it better to buy the books at the book store at HEC or online? I didn't have a chance to stop in there to check the prices out.

I am going to try to work as much as I can to pay the bills but my work is kind of inflexible when it comes to changing schedules. What do you think is hard about the program? The time commitment, the material, the testing? I am not sure what to expect or what I should focus on.

Also, did you buy the recommended texts for Nursing 1? The Dirksen Clinical Companion and the Doenges and Gessler Nursing Diagnosis Manual sound like the most helpful. Thanks for the advice and tips so far.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Which books would you recommend studying first? I was planning to buy some now just to get the reading started. I wish they would tell us all this up front. Is it better to buy the books at the book store at HEC or online? I didn't have a chance to stop in there to check the prices out.

I am going to try to work as much as I can to pay the bills but my work is kind of inflexible when it comes to changing schedules. What do you think is hard about the program? The time commitment, the material, the testing? I am not sure what to expect or what I should focus on.

Also, did you buy the recommended texts for Nursing 1? The Dirksen Clinical Companion and the Doenges and Gessler Nursing Diagnosis Manual sound like the most helpful. Thanks for the advice and tips so far.

1st semester readings come from the Kozier "Nursing Fundamentals" book. Start reading it now. You will go through the whole thing. Most of the material in there is easy with the exception of a couple chapters (Fluid & Electrolytes, Cardiac, and Oxygenation). We use the Ackley book for our NANDA nursing diagnoses.

All of the questions will be based on the Kozier book for the first semester though. The hardest part is the tests because there are multiple correct answers to each question, and your job is to choose the Best answer. In nursing you need to know what to do first and what is most important. Oh, and they won't give you a test review. You are expected to read between 5-7 chapters (400 pages or so), and the questions can come from anywhere in those chapters.

You also have papers to write, and one is between 40-50 pages! This is to be done on one of your clients. You have to do this every semester. In your 1st semester you don't even see your first patient untill week 8, leaving you about 6 weeks to do your paper. It will get stressful at times and that is why I suggest reading and getting ahead now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
1st semester readings come from the Kozier "Nursing Fundamentals" book. Start reading it now. You will go through the whole thing. Most of the material in there is easy with the exception of a couple chapters (Fluid & Electrolytes, Cardiac, and Oxygenation). We use the Ackley book for our NANDA nursing diagnoses.

All of the questions will be based on the Kozier book for the first semester though. The hardest part is the tests because there are multiple correct answers to each question, and your job is to choose the Best answer. In nursing you need to know what to do first and what is most important. Oh, and they won't give you a test review. You are expected to read between 5-7 chapters (400 pages or so), and the questions can come from anywhere in those chapters.

You also have papers to write, and one is between 40-50 pages! This is to be done on one of your clients. You have to do this every semester. In your 1st semester you don't even see your first patient untill week 8, leaving you about 6 weeks to do your paper. It will get stressful at times and that is why I suggest reading and getting ahead now.

Thanks so much for the information. I will order the Ackley book and the Kozier and Erb book and study guide to get started now. I hate those type of tests where you have to pick the best answer, the "most right". I can't believe they want a 40-50 page paper too, wow!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Cool, I got evenings at St. Anthony's too. I'm so nervous and excited about starting. I wish I could buy the books now but they are so expensive. So I think I'll wait til December. Anyway goodluck

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Cool, I got evenings at St. Anthony's too. I'm so nervous and excited about starting. I wish I could buy the books now but they are so expensive. So I think I'll wait til December. Anyway goodluck

I am going to put in for a schedule change at work today, so hopefully they will be cool about it. I can't buy all the books right now either, I only ordered three to try to get started on the reading at least. I am anxious about starting too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Ortho/Neurosurgical.
I am also accepted for the Spring 2009 class. Do you know when the orientation is?

Lucky80-congrats, I remember getting that little piece of paper saying I got in.

Livs mom-love your screen name, my daughter is Olivia and we call her Liv too. Anyhow, what did you think so far of your first semester? Basically you learn how to be a PCT and then assessment skills at the end. Don't be nervous about you're head to toe, you'll be a pro in no time and it really does become second nature. Let me know if I can help at all. I am just starting on Thursday my management portion of level IV and am so happy I just passed my EOP with glory today. Let me know if I can ever help, I know some of the instructors too so I might be able to give some insight on that. If you can ever take Leslie Honig, do it, she is amazing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion