St. Louis BSN programs

maggijo:

I finished at SLU this year. The accelerated schedules are set by faculty each semester.

SLU starts in May and for the summer, you have class from just after (or before--varies) Memorial Day until the second week of August. You have clinical two days a week (Thurs/Fri) for maternity. You're off for two weeks and then back for the fall semester in late August.

Fall semester is basically two semesters in one. You have two days of clinical (med-surg, usually peds, gero or adult--two of those three) and one for psych or public health. I did psych in the fall and enjoyed it. You're really busy. Do not work if you do not have to...you will be dead tired all the time if you do and if you're grades suck, you may not get what you want in the spring. You have Thanksgiving break, then you're done by mid-December. You'll return after MLK Day (usually mid-January). I did an internship that lasted three weeks and still had a couple of weeks to veg, which was nice.

Spring semester is your last semester of med-surg, followed by nursing management, your public health project, and your final clinical (must do 144 hours in an area of your choice, usually after spring break). Choice, however, varies. Some areas are more popular than others, so if decisions must be made, it will come down to grades. If you have a higher GPA, you stand to get your choice. If you don't, you won't (you'll get one of your top 3 choices--or med-surg if they think you need it). My GPA wasn't stellar, but I got my first choice, because no one else picked it. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to go work where I did this clinical.

So far, it's been pretty good, but as our instructors told us, if you do this, there is a chance your nurse manager may try to shorten your orientation. This is happening, but I keep telling my manager I need all 12 weeks, and you should, too, even if you're familiar with the hospital. I'm barely one month in, and they want me up and running in the next two weeks. I will not do it. It's too fast and I don't feel ready.

We'll see how it goes. Good luck to you and hope you enjoy your accelerated BSN. SLU's is the first in the nation, and IMNSHO, the best.

maggijo:

I finished at SLU this year. The accelerated schedules are set by faculty each semester.

Thanks for the great info. As for the weekly schedule, I was just wondering if I can pretty much count on all day, M-F or not. I have small children, so this is a major concern for me. I am considering Maryville's Weekend College BSN program for this reason. Thanks again!

maggijo:

Yes, the SLU Accelerated schedule is pretty much M-F 8 until 3-4PM most days. This does vary, however, so some days you may be done earlier. Clinical days are usually 630-3PM or sometimes you can do a night clinical from 2-9PM, which is okay if you don't have an exam the next day (not a lot of these, but some).

My psych and occasionally public health clinical days lasted until 5PM, but this was because we had class at SLU and then went to clinical from there, so the actual clinical time was 1030-5 with lunch in between.

The comprehensive clinical (at the end) is when you follow a nurse and work their schedule. Many people work 12 hr shifts, but I got a preceptor who worked 8s and it was much easier for me to get my son from daycare. You can ask for a nights preceptor, but that varies, too. 12s get done faster, but I preferred 8s since I could actually have a life and not have to get a babysitter (since I already had daycare from 6AM-630PM).

We had two people who had three kids each, a few with two and a few more like me with at least one, so you can do it, but it helps to have a good spouse and backup babysitting when you need it.

Hi,

You might also want to check out Barnes Jewish College of Nursing. They have a fast-pased (1 year) accerated program, but they also have an Upper Division one that is a little different. The UD has more prereqs, but the program is two years instead of one, and they will be offering a nights and weekends option every spring.

I have 3 kids and a husband, and even though it's going to take me longer to get thru it, I'm going to do the UD. I'd much rather have a more managable 2 years and actually learn something, than a stressed-out, crazy 12 months!

Just another option to check out. I won't be starting until Fall of 08, and 2 of my kids will be in school and 1 in preschool, so I'm planning on doing the daytime program.

Good Luck!