UNH Direct Entry Program

I only know that it's a new program. Didn't they just start it last January? Last year we had a group of students from the direct entry MSN program come through to do their maternity rotations on my floor- for many of them it was their first patient care experience ever! I talked to a few of the students and their clinical instructor (who is now working on my floor as an IBCLC) and the impression I got was it was a very intense program and no one (neither the students nor their instructor) knew how well they'd fair passing the NCLEX-RN after the first year, or what they'd all be doing when they graduated.

Some time has passed, and the first group should have taken/passed the NCLEX by now or soon, so maybe if you speak to someone in the nursing program they'd be able to give you a better idea.

Good luck to you, anyway!

I believe it is a new program, I only found out about it a few months ago... so I'm apprehensive of it from that perspective (I don't want to be the school's guinea pig).

Thanks for sharing your experience. I e-mailed the director of the program and got a reply from her assistant saying that they would have info sessions this spring, so hopefully attending one of those will answer some of my questions (the admin told me to look at the website which doesn't say much of anything except that the program exists).

I am in the DEMN program at UNH and by the time we had our maternity rotation we had at least 700 hours of patient experience.

I know many of my classmates have passed the NCLEX with no trouble at all (including myself).

We are the "guinea pigs" and at times this is difficult. On some occassions the "rules of the game" have been changed on us. In addition, the 8 week classes are brutal. For some classes the 8 weeks works out great, but for other classes such as research, we need at least a 16 week course.

Sorry folks. I just found this thread.

I too am an UNH DEMN student. (one of two males in this class) Although I am in the second batch and as such I am just starting my summer courses. Those of us in the Class of 2007 do thank the Class of 2006 for paving the way. However, not all the bugs have been ironed out.

Yes. this program is new. Yes, it is intense. Sixty-four credits in the first year of study leading to the NCLEX. One has to be flexible and have a sense of humor. (the advice we are all given) Information is crammed into you and you must be prepared to study, study, study. There are a few weeks off but not very many.

It helps if you have a supportive family network of some kind and a source of income. This program is expensive due to the "extra" credit hours abouve the normal graduate load of 9-12 per semester. This past spring we have taken 26 credits. The cost for the first year is well over $20,000 including fees and books etc. The remaining year-and-a-half is at a normal graduate level pace and thus normal cost.

We do (will) have a lot of clinical experience before taking the NCLEX. Generally, two days (16 hours) each week in the clinical setting. I am now in my community rotation and again 16 hours per week in clinical. Additionally, after passage of the NCLEX you can work as an RN and complete the graduate studies portion of this program (1.5 additional years)

The program is designed for those whose undergraduate degree is in a field other than nursing. Mine was Parks Recreation and Tourism (concentration in environmental education). Many of my classmates have had some experience with health care. I was an EMT in college and with the National Park Service more than a decade ago.

I would encourage anyone to consider this program. But you must have a thick skin also as many RN's out there (and doctors also) are critical of this type of program. We find ourselves frequently defending the program to these people. Our solution is to be the best nursing students possible.

The program at the moment has three tracks after your first year: Education, Clinical nurse leader (see the AACN website for info about this) and a self-designed track.

If one is interested, I say go for it. This is no cake walk and is perhaps the toughest and most demanding education I have received so far.

Despite the late info, I hope it helps.

Sorry folks. I just found this thread.

I too am an UNH DEMN student. (one of two males in this class) Although I am in the second batch and as such I am just starting my summer courses. Those of us in the Class of 2007 do thank the Class of 2006 for paving the way. However, not all the bugs have been ironed out.

Yes. this program is new. Yes, it is intense. Sixty-four credits in the first year of study leading to the NCLEX. One has to be flexible and have a sense of humor. (the advice we are all given) Information is crammed into you and you must be prepared to study, study, study. There are a few weeks off but not very many.

It helps if you have a supportive family network of some kind and a source of income. This program is expensive due to the "extra" credit hours abouve the normal graduate load of 9-12 per semester. This past spring we have taken 26 credits. The cost for the first year is well over $20,000 including fees and books etc. The remaining year-and-a-half is at a normal graduate level pace and thus normal cost.

We do (will) have a lot of clinical experience before taking the NCLEX. Generally, two days (16 hours) each week in the clinical setting. I am now in my community rotation and again 16 hours per week in clinical. Additionally, after passage of the NCLEX you can work as an RN and complete the graduate studies portion of this program (1.5 additional years)

The program is designed for those whose undergraduate degree is in a field other than nursing. Mine was Parks Recreation and Tourism (concentration in environmental education). Many of my classmates have had some experience with health care. I was an EMT in college and with the National Park Service more than a decade ago.

I would encourage anyone to consider this program. But you must have a thick skin also as many RN's out there (and doctors also) are critical of this type of program. We find ourselves frequently defending the program to these people. Our solution is to be the best nursing students possible.

The program at the moment has three tracks after your first year: Education, Clinical nurse leader (see the AACN website for info about this) and a self-designed track.

If one is interested, I say go for it. This is no cake walk and is perhaps the toughest and most demanding education I have received so far.

Despite the late info, I hope it helps.

I appreciate your insights, this is very valuable. I've recently decided to put off applying until next year to give me a little more flexibility in completing pre-reqs (since I'm also looking at other programs which have different requirements). I'm excited about the program, but the cost is a big thing for me. As a single homeowner with all the bills that go along with it I'm not sure how I'd be able to afford that first year. Hopefully an extra year will give me some more insights into how to deal with that one.

I'm sorry to hear that you guys have faced criticisms from others in the medical community. I think, as with the ADN vs. BSN debate, it's a matter of what is right for each individual. With the range of choices we have at the current time, I don't think it's fair to say one way is right and another wrong. It may not be what someone would choose for him or herself, but if it works for someone else... well, then they should go for it. I'm confident in my choices and would have no problem dealing with criticism (or ignoring it as necessary), my only concern would be how these attitudes may affect the clinical experiences.

Thanks again, lots to think about...

Hi,

This is the second year I've applied to this program. How many students are they taking each year? Have any students dropped out? When do they start interviewing? Do you have many students in the class that are over 40? Thanks in advance for any info - I've been sitting on pins and needles for so long waiting to get in to this program. Has anyone else applied for January 2006?

- Janice

Janice,

Yes, I have applied for the Jan 2006 class as well, and am on pins and needles too! From what I understand, they only accept 24 students. I think they were looking at the possibility of expanding the program, but it all depended on whether or not they could get enough clinical sites. I spoke with a lady that is in the 2nd part of her studies, and she had told me that she thought there were 2 people from her class that dropped... one was pregnant and the other left to attend Med School instead. She was in her 50's and said she was probably the oldest, but there was a mix of ages. Hope this helps! Good luck with getting into the program... I hope we hear soon!

Janice,

Yes, I have applied for the Jan 2006 class as well, and am on pins and needles too! From what I understand, they only accept 24 students. I think they were looking at the possibility of expanding the program, but it all depended on whether or not they could get enough clinical sites. I spoke with a lady that is in the 2nd part of her studies, and she had told me that she thought there were 2 people from her class that dropped... one was pregnant and the other left to attend Med School instead. She was in her 50's and said she was probably the oldest, but there was a mix of ages. Hope this helps! Good luck with getting into the program... I hope we hear soon!

Thank you for the information. I'm glad to hear there was a diversified age group in the last class. Good luck to you in getting into the program. I do hope they expand this program, as it is an excellent way for career changers to get into the nursing world. Keep in touch.

- Janice

Thank you for the information. I'm glad to hear there was a diversified age group in the last class. Good luck to you in getting into the program. I do hope they expand this program, as it is an excellent way for career changers to get into the nursing world. Keep in touch.

- Janice

Janice,

Have you heard anything yet?

Has anyone else out there that's applied heard anything from UNH?

Thanks!

Hi Serena

I have not heard anything yet. I watch my online application status every day or so to see if there was a change. Last year, I saw the status change in webcat before I received the postcard a few days later.

I am hoping that we should be hearing soon.

- Janice

Hi Serena

I have not heard anything yet. I watch my online application status every day or so to see if there was a change. Last year, I saw the status change in webcat before I received the postcard a few days later.

I am hoping that we should be hearing soon.

- Janice

Thanks, Janice. I've been keeping my eye on that too. I emailed the office last Monday and they said that they had just finished going through the initial applications, and would be contacting people soon for interviews. So... hopefully we won't have to wait too too much longer.

Thanks,

Serena

Hi,

They are scheduling interviews. I got my email today.