U of C Degree holder/Transfer Route Nursing Jan 2016

quartz · Nov 26, 2015

Congrats to everyone who got in! I was in your place last year and it is agonizing not knowing what your future holds! Anyone who didn't...keep up the hard work and best of luck if you try again next year.

I will share a bit of info for everyone, because I know I would have appreciated it!

First term is called Term 3, the focus is on community nursing. The courses have a more social science feel to them with an emphasis on social justice, determinants of health etc. Lots of reflective writing and talking about your feelings! My placement was with the Alzheimer's society Adult Day Program. Other people were at churches, senior centres, homeless shelters. The schedule was Mondays off (!!!) 3-hour lectures in the morning (8-11am) on Tues, Wed, Fri. On-campus time (lab and talk-about-feelings sessions) in the afternoons on Tues and Wed. Some of this on-campus time was boring and painful, just a heads up! Clinical all day Thursday and Friday afternoon. You do a group project on your clinical placement, which is supposed to be worked on during clinical hours. All in all this semester didn't feel much like nursing... but they want you to gain foundational skills in communication and establishing rapport with people. I still enjoyed it :)

Term 4 feels a bit similar to Term 3, the focus is on Family. Everyone gets a placement in Long Term Care or similar, doing Health Care Aide duties. It is important because you learn basic personal care skills. I was also lucky enough to spend a couple weeks doing new baby visits with the postpartum nurses which was great, because I FINALLY got to see an actual nursing job! The course instructors for this term were horrendous, so hopefully they have changed them! There is a big focus on aging and maternal health in classes. The schedule was pretty similar to Term 3.

Term 5, .... this is where they throw you into the fire!!! Placements are in an acute care setting in the hospital. You finally get to rock your stethoscope and feel like a nurse. I was on a higher acuity medical floor which I thought was awesome, and learned so much! Labs are still a bit redundant... I still feel like they are holding back on some nursing skills. My clinical made up for that though. Classes feel more "sciencey" pathophysiology and pharmacology, and it pays to remember your A&P class. There is also a dull nursing research course that is mandatory. This term you will appreciate they drop the useless on-campus 4 hour session for more clinical time. My schedule is Monday morning on-campus lab (3 hours). Tuesday and Wednesday clinical rotating days (7am-3pm) and evenings (3-11pm). Two lectures on Thursday, and lecture Friday afternoon.

Term 6... from what I hear is similar to Term 5 but more of a focus on chronic illness. I have also heard Term 5 and 6 make up the "weeding out" year, then it is (hopefully) smooth sailing in Terms 7 and 8.

Already a number of people have dropped, a couple got into med school, more felt like nursing wasn't for them, and a handful failed. So far, I am really loving it and look forward to my future career. I hope you all will feel the same!

Now I will quit procrastinating and finish my final paper!!

youngjames · Nov 26, 2015

Wow! Thanks for the information....good to know. What textbooks are we going to need for term 3? Hope you get your final paper done on time!

quartz · Dec 2, 2015

You can look up this terms textbooks on the U of C bookstore website. Search Nurs 285, 287, 288, and 289. I only got the Community Health Nursing and Jarvis texts. You will need Jarvis again later. I found the rest at the library or borrowed them in exchange for goodies.

KWelwood · Dec 30, 2015

Hi everyone!

I'll be joining you all for the January program and I couldn't be more excited! I can't wait to meet everyone on the 8th for orientation!

In response to the textbook list, it went live a couple weeks ago on the bookstore website. Looking pretty intense and only 3/4 courses have listed their books.

Here's the list so far:

[TABLE=width: 655]

[TR]

[TD]287

[/TD]

[TD]Publication Manual Of The APA 6E Pb[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Canadian Community As Partner: Theory and Multidisciplinary Practice[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Community Health Nursing[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Fundamentals Of Canadian Nursing: Concepts, Processes & Practice w/ MyNursing Lab[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]288[/TD]

[TD]Publication Manual Of The APA 6E Pb[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Community Health Nursing[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Varcarolis Canadian Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]289[/TD]

[TD]Community Health Nursing[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Physical Examination And Health Assessment (2nd Cdn Edition)[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Nursing Interventions Classification (Nic)[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Nursing Outcomes Classification (Noc)[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Fundamentals Of Canadian Nursing: Concepts, Processes & Practice w/ MyNursing Lab

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

I do have a question for those who have already completed term 3 and it might be an odd one; In my experience (especially with courses that have several books), not all books end up being necessary and just end up collecting dust. How many of theses listed are actually vital in the course? I noticed a couple of the books are utilized in more than one class (and maybe again in later terms?) so I'm wondering if it's really crucial to purchase each and every book on the list. New we're conservatively looking at ~$1000 which is an awful big chunk of change. I'd like to whittle that down if it's possible and I'm sure I'm not alone!

Thanks in advance for the insight! :)

jmcl · Jan 5, 2016

Depending on who you have for 285, there is one textbook that I never used. If the professor is still ****, then she has a textbook (pretty sure it's called "Older Adults") that she says is necessary for the course but I think I cracked that guy open maaaaaybe once and it wasn't useful at all. Just find someone that has it and photocopy the 3 or 4 pages she assigns from that text. Biggest waste of money ever. The rest you will probably use, some certainly more than others and most of the community-based textbooks will only be used in term 3 (unless you take a community focus in later classes, I guess, but then you may not use the same textbooks). The Fundamentals, physical assessment, NIC, NOC, and mental health textbooks you will use throughout the program so I would suggest buying new copies if you can't find any used ones in the second hand store. I think buying new copies gives you access to some online content that is useful for studying, so keep that in mind. As for the rest of them, I would try and find them on craigslist or kijiji, because you'll use them for term 3 and then never again.

And good luck!! It's definitely a bit scary starting out but they really do ease you into everything. The orientation day is really fun and you'll get to know your practical course instructor and your group pretty well by the end of the day. Have fun!

senzen5 · Jan 22, 2016

Hi all,

I'm hoping I can get some reassurance from some current U of C students... I am in the last semester of my 4th year in General Biology - my overall GPA is a 2.3 from a combination of anxiety, depression, and no idea of what I wanted to do with my life. I straightened out at the beginning of 4th year and am now taking courses I enjoy. I am retaking easier statistics, anatomy and physiology courses this summer post-graduation, and am fairly confident I'll be able to pull at least a 3.7 GPA in the ten half courses I complete before August 31st. I'm really nervous about my overall GPA.... thoughts? Also, will the 1.0 physiology course be split into two half courses in the 'ten half credit evaluation'?

monde · Feb 7, 2016

Hello

I am currently preparing to submit my application later in the year for 2017 Jan admissions. I would like to know if the English and Arts courses are actually used in determining admission. I didn't do these in my undergrad degree. Just want to be sure before enrolling. I'm almost thru with my A&P. My statistics is in place. Or will I need to meet the requirements later? I have called admissions and visited the faculty, was told to comply with the requirements.

Thanks

fingers_crossed · Feb 8, 2016

Hello
I am currently preparing to submit my application later in the year for 2017 Jan admissions. I would like to know if the English and Arts courses are actually used in determining admission. I didn't do these in my undergrad degree. Just want to be sure before enrolling. I'm almost thru with my A&P. My statistics is in place. Or will I need to meet the requirements later? I have called admissions and visited the faculty, was told to comply with the requirements.
Thanks

Not exactly sure what you mean by "used in determining admission". They are required courses, so I don't see how you would get admitted without them, because you wouldn't be fulfilling the requirements. If you don't meet these requirements, I would recommend taking some online courses, either through Athabasca, TRU or your home university before applying, or at least have them in process. Generally, an English and other arts class can be relatively easy to complete online if you choose an entry-level one. There isn't an opportunity to complete them after you have been admitted. Best of luck!

monde · Feb 8, 2016

Thanks @fingers_crossed. That was helpful.

kneuroknut · Feb 9, 2016

Yes, the A & P (assuming it's the 6 credit course) will be doubly weighted when calculating your GPA. So it will be your last ten courses that they will look at for your GPA calculation with your A & P counting as two. If you can pull a 3.7 overall you should feel pretty confident of getting in. Good luck!

monde · Feb 9, 2016

Yes, the A & P (assuming it's the 6 credit course) will be doubly weighted when calculating your GPA. So it will be your last ten courses that they will look at for your GPA calculation with your A & P counting as two. If you can pull a 3.7 overall you should feel pretty confident of getting in. Good luck!

Thank you.

monde · Feb 9, 2016

Hello, I am about registering for an Arts course through Athabasca University to meet my requirements. I would appreciate suggestions from people who have taken Arts courses on easy ones. Also, I am looking at taking Cultural studies which is an Arts course in Athabasca univ, but this is not in U of C's Arts courses, can it be used?