I have been accepted into the TJU FACT program that begins in May but the orientation isn't until a week before classes begin and I would like to get a better idea of the scheduling. I know it's 5 days a week but does anyone have some more specific info? i have to arrange for child care and transportation and a general idea of the class/clinical hours would be helpful.
also...anyone else out there starting the program with me in May?
Yes, definitely take advantage of those post-exam weekends! :) You will learn to savor any time when the pressure slacks up for just a bit. Don't go into it feeling overwhelmed. It's totally doable. And I had classmates who found time to do things like go to the gym! (I'm a walker, so exercise was easy for me. LOL) We all had families and loved ones, and we survived. Remember, I tend toward being Type "A", so like I said, I could have done a lot less work and passed my courses. You will find a couple or a few classmates that you like a lot and who will keep you SANE. Without my best friend (that I met at Jefferson), I don't know if I could have done it, and she says the same to me. (We are still friends to this day.)
Having 3-days-a-week clinicals is rough sometimes (not all clinical rotations even have that as a possibility), but at least the shifts are only 8 hours and the time flies. 12 hour shifts are tough, even though you are usually off the floor long before the end of 12 hours (for post-conference). Now that I am working as a nurse, I prefer 8 hour shifts, even though I currently work 12 hour shifts.
When it comes to studying for exams, share the load! You will get guided readings to help you study, and if you split them up with one or two people, you can get them done quickly *and* have someone to bounce ideas off.
When I used to feel overwhelmed, I would remind myself that hundreds and hundreds of people had done FACT before me, most of them were now working as nurses, and they could not possibly have been 100% geniuses. Meaning that it was quite possible for an ordinary person like me, who was willing to work hard, to succeed in the program. You will succeed, too,as long as you stay focused.
Definitely don't stress at this stage. Save that for later! Just prepare your family that your time with them will be curtailed for a year, and then you'll be done. You'll definitely have the big holidays with them, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Even Jefferson doesn't make you go to school on holidays.
If you need more info, feel free to post more questions.
Thank you both for all your infomation. It's really helping to ease my mind. I just have to go into this prepared and telling myself I can do it, and keep telling myself that. And have a count down till the final week haha. It's one year, I know it's doable. But people that have never even been in the program are the worst with how they keep saying I'll have no life. I'm sure I'll have somewhat of a life, it will just take a lot of adjustment and focus, and it will be after lecture, studying, clinicals, and tests lol. What has been either of your favoite parts about the program so far in either lecture or clinicals? Also, how long do your teachers recommend you study before the boards after you're finished school? Can you look for jobs before you take them, or how does that work?
If you think of it as 4 quarters, that helps a bit. Because you're only counting down to the end of any given quarter, not the whole year. :) So in the first quarter, just concentrate on getting through until the middle of August!
My favorite clinical was community. I just loved it. But some of my classmates just *hated* it. I don't know, it just suited me well. I also think you'll find OB fairly easy and a breath of fresh air after you finish Acute & Chronic II!
The advice is always to take the boards as soon after graduation as you can. There are stats I've seen that show that the longer you wait, the greater the chance you won't pass. I took mine June 23rd and passed. After I took it, I commented to my friends that I was apparently ready for the NCLEX after we did our Med/Surg HESI (and our Exit HESI, too), and wished I could have taken the NCLEX the day after I took one of those HESIs!! Don't worry; the FACT program prepares you well to pass the NCLEX. That should be the least of your worries right now.
Most of my classmates did not have jobs before we graduated, but a few did. (Mainly, they were students who got into nurse residency programs and knew early.) Most employers were oh-so-not-interested until we had our licenses in hand. Another reason to take the NCLEX quickly! Some of my classmates are still not employed, but I don't have an exact count of how many people that includes. If you can possibly work as a CNE or nurse extern during the program, even every other weekend or something like that, it will help you get a job. But heck, I didn't have the time or energy to work during the program and I still got a job, so don't push yourself to do that unless you feel you can handle it. And don't even THINK about doing it until you get through the first half of the second quarter! LOL
People who haven't been through the program have no idea what they are talking about, so ignore them. Whenever I meet another FACT or ACE graduate, we have an instant camaraderie, knowing what the other person went through in one year.
For now, chill, enjoy your final prereqs if you are taking any, sleep as much as you can, spend time with your family and friends, etc. No sense having anxiety about a program you haven't even started yet!
Wow! Thanks for all this valuable information, MPHgirl and AtomicWoman! Much appreciated!
AW, how long did it take you to find a job as a new grad? One of my biggest concerns is not being able to find a job after graduation, especially since I plan to remain in Philly (not the suburbs, but would consider working there if I had to) after I graduate. I know the job market is tight, but I'm hoping it will be a little better next summer! Would you mind telling us what you're doing now?
Sorry for my delayed responses. I don't check this site that often. But I appreciate your words and information so much. It's making me believe that I can get through this with my sanity lol. I would think taking the NCLEX right after you're finished the program would be the smartest decision because everything is fresh in your mind, plus you just finished testing from Jefferson, which I know prepares you well because their perentage of students passing is almost 99%, if not that. Some people I talked to said something like, you need to study that whole summer because it's 3 years of information. But even after studying the whole summer, I know people that failed the NCLEX. They were in other programs obviously, but hearing someone from FACT say that the NCLEX is passable right after finishing the program is great news because I want to get through it and then just take a long vacation after it's all finished, including my NLEX. I'm always thinking too far ahead lol. I still am finishing up my pre-reqs which are Micro and Anatomy II. And you're right, I shouldn't be stressing so much over a program when it hasn't even begun, I just get nervous because I've never done anything this intense before when it comes to school. I was an English major and found college pretty easy and enjoyable. I love school, so I don't think it's that which will bother me, because I like learning new things, it's just the amount I guess I'll be learning in the time frame. It's a little daunting, plus the whole not having as much time as before, but it's only a year, and to me it's worth it because I'd rather get done a year early then do the APW.
But thanks for all your great tips and information, they really are helpful. Did you get any financial aid or loans? I was going to apply, but I don't know if they give much help to students. Also, I read the you need to take a CPR class and get a drug and criminal background check. When would all that take place? And I know someone who is in the APW program who is finishing up this May. I wondered if I could use her books if she agrees. Do they change them every year?
Christina
If you think of it as 4 quarters, that helps a bit. Because you're only counting down to the end of any given quarter, not the whole year. :) So in the first quarter, just concentrate on getting through until the middle of August!
My favorite clinical was community. I just loved it. But some of my classmates just *hated* it. I don't know, it just suited me well. I also think you'll find OB fairly easy and a breath of fresh air after you finish Acute & Chronic II!
The advice is always to take the boards as soon after graduation as you can. There are stats I've seen that show that the longer you wait, the greater the chance you won't pass. I took mine June 23rd and passed. After I took it, I commented to my friends that I was apparently ready for the NCLEX after we did our Med/Surg HESI (and our Exit HESI, too), and wished I could have taken the NCLEX the day after I took one of those HESIs!! Don't worry; the FACT program prepares you well to pass the NCLEX. That should be the least of your worries right now.
Most of my classmates did not have jobs before we graduated, but a few did. (Mainly, they were students who got into nurse residency programs and knew early.) Most employers were oh-so-not-interested until we had our licenses in hand. Another reason to take the NCLEX quickly! Some of my classmates are still not employed, but I don't have an exact count of how many people that includes. If you can possibly work as a CNE or nurse extern during the program, even every other weekend or something like that, it will help you get a job. But heck, I didn't have the time or energy to work during the program and I still got a job, so don't push yourself to do that unless you feel you can handle it. And don't even THINK about doing it until you get through the first half of the second quarter! LOL
People who haven't been through the program have no idea what they are talking about, so ignore them. Whenever I meet another FACT or ACE graduate, we have an instant camaraderie, knowing what the other person went through in one year.
For now, chill, enjoy your final prereqs if you are taking any, sleep as much as you can, spend time with your family and friends, etc. No sense having anxiety about a program you haven't even started yet!
AtomicWoman
1,747 Posts
Yes, definitely take advantage of those post-exam weekends! :) You will learn to savor any time when the pressure slacks up for just a bit. Don't go into it feeling overwhelmed. It's totally doable. And I had classmates who found time to do things like go to the gym! (I'm a walker, so exercise was easy for me. LOL) We all had families and loved ones, and we survived. Remember, I tend toward being Type "A", so like I said, I could have done a lot less work and passed my courses. You will find a couple or a few classmates that you like a lot and who will keep you SANE. Without my best friend (that I met at Jefferson), I don't know if I could have done it, and she says the same to me. (We are still friends to this day.)
Having 3-days-a-week clinicals is rough sometimes (not all clinical rotations even have that as a possibility), but at least the shifts are only 8 hours and the time flies. 12 hour shifts are tough, even though you are usually off the floor long before the end of 12 hours (for post-conference). Now that I am working as a nurse, I prefer 8 hour shifts, even though I currently work 12 hour shifts.
When it comes to studying for exams, share the load! You will get guided readings to help you study, and if you split them up with one or two people, you can get them done quickly *and* have someone to bounce ideas off.
When I used to feel overwhelmed, I would remind myself that hundreds and hundreds of people had done FACT before me, most of them were now working as nurses, and they could not possibly have been 100% geniuses. Meaning that it was quite possible for an ordinary person like me, who was willing to work hard, to succeed in the program. You will succeed, too,as long as you stay focused.
Definitely don't stress at this stage. Save that for later!
Just prepare your family that your time with them will be curtailed for a year, and then you'll be done. You'll definitely have the big holidays with them, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Even Jefferson doesn't make you go to school on holidays. 
If you need more info, feel free to post more questions.