Hospital Diploma Programs in VA

U.S.A. Virginia

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Hi,

I'm trying to find more information on hospital-based nursing schools in Virginia. From this site, I gather that there are only a handful of these schools left in the state. The ones I am particularly interested in are listed below, since I would prefer to avoid northern VA and I'd like to live in a larger city.

Riverside Hospital (Newport News)

Sentara Norfolk General Hospital

Bon Secours Memorial (Richmond)

Southside Regional Medical Center (Petersburg, near Richmond)

Can anyone offer feedback on their experience with the nursing diploma programs at these schools? Do any of these schools offer tuition abatement programs, where your tuition is covered in exchange for a promise to work for the hospital for a certain number of years? For those of you who have done a diploma program, do you feel that it equipped you adequately for the challenges of professional nursing?

Also, does anyone have recommendations for other hospital-based schools in VA or elsewhere? A friend of mine is in nursing school in Pittsburgh and he has had a great experience so far. I am willing to look out of state.

Just so it's clear, I am planning to speak to representatives at these programs, but I am impatient and hoped for some on-the-ground feedback if possible. Thanks for any help you might be able to give me!

Hello,

I am currently a student PN. I am very interested in Riverside's evening & weekend RN program. I have a few questions:

1. What is the homework load like? Is it doable for someone working full-time?

2. What are the instructors like? Good, bad, okay?

3. What is the overall experience like?

4. How hard is it to maintain a high GPA there?

Any current students out there???

Any other random or specific commentary about your actual experiences there???

0 Votes

Re: Hospital Diploma Programs in VA

Hello,

I am currently a student PN. I am very interested in Riverside's evening & weekend RN program. I have a few questions:

1. What is the homework load like? Is it doable for someone working full-time?

2. What are the instructors like? Good, bad, okay?

3. What is the overall experience like?

4. How hard is it to maintain a high GPA there?

Any current students out there???

Any other random or specific commentary about your actual experiences there???

Hi There~

I am currently attending the E/W program over at Riverside & I really like it so far. I decided on Riverside since there is no way I can quit my FT job to go to school, and Riverside is the only program in the area that offers a night and weekend program. I just started (Jan 2009) but so far, it seems to be a really good school with good instructors, etc. I am currently working full time too, and I will admit, it is hard to keep up with everything, but it is doable :smilecoffeeIlovecof . Most (if not everyone) in my class also works FT and/or has children at home. The grading scale is much harder than regular college classes-at Riverside anything below a 79.5 is considered failing-but most nursing schools grading scales are pretty tough. Since it is a hospital based program, all of our clinicals are (mostly) at Riverside Regional. All and all I'm very glad that I decided to attend Riverside, they have a high NCLEX pass rate as well. Please feel free to ask me any more questions you may have and good luck to you!! :yeah:

0 Votes
Hello,

I am currently a student PN. I am very interested in Riverside's evening & weekend RN program. I have a few questions:

1. What is the homework load like? Is it doable for someone working full-time?

2. What are the instructors like? Good, bad, okay?

3. What is the overall experience like?

4. How hard is it to maintain a high GPA there?

Any current students out there???

Any other random or specific commentary about your actual experiences there???

Hi There~

I am currently attending the E/W program over at Riverside & I really like it so far. I decided on Riverside since there is no way I can quit my FT job to go to school, and Riverside is the only program in the area that offers a night and weekend program. I just started (Jan 2009) but so far, it seems to be a really good school with good instructors, etc. I am currently working full time too, and I will admit, it is hard to keep up with everything, but it is doable :smilecoffeeIlovecof . Most (if not everyone) in my class also works FT and/or has children at home. The grading scale is much harder than regular college classes-at Riverside anything below a 79.5 is considered failing-but most nursing schools grading scales are pretty tough. Since it is a hospital based program, all of our clinicals are (mostly) at Riverside Regional. All and all I'm very glad that I decided to attend Riverside, they have a high NCLEX pass rate as well. Please feel free to ask me any more questions you may have and good luck to you!! :yeah:

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lily0625, Thank you for the information. :)

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i think i may have commented previously on the SRMC diploma program, but i'll comment here again, too. ..

i started the LPN to RN program in January 2008 and it was a good program from what i got to experience. the LPN to RN class was online with clinicals being at the end so the instructors could decide where to place you in the program. i was unable to finish the course d/t financial issues, but will start again in August 2009, and am looking forward to it! all of the staff there has been very helpful and friendly.

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also, the only other diploma program i know about is the bon secours one -- i've known several people who have graduated from it. they said it was tough (what RN program isn't?), but they said they enjoyed it. i went to a fundraiser not too long ago for bon secours nursing students to go to guatemala for a missions trip and all the instructors and students seemed to really enjoy the program.

i got into the program, but ended up going with SRMC instead .. just seemed a bit more user-friendly if you will. :)

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Specializes in Medic since 2004. EMT-2004.

lily0625, did you have to wait long after you applied to Riverside??

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It wasnt a long wait at all. Most of the time, they have new classes starting in January and again in July/August (depending on if you are applying for Evening/Weekend or Day Division). I applied to the E/W division in September, and I was admitted to start in the following January. Some students in my class didnt apply until later and were still able to start in January. Hope this helps. :nuke:

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Thanks for the info! Does anyone know of any hospital based programs in the michigan/ohio area? I have 5 kids in college and, quite honestly, don't have the money to re-take a bunch of nursing classes I already passed. (I mean reallly! How much can Anatomy change? Unless humans are sprouting additional organs I don't know about!)

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

You might have better luck checking in the Michigan and Ohio nursing program forums. As far as I know, no knew organs have been discovered! Except maybe that one that makes us eat McDonald's fries against all better judgment. :D Good luck!!

MI Nursing Programs Discussion - Nursing for Nurses

OH Nursing Programs Discussion - Nursing for Nurses

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Hi I'm interested in Hospital Diploma programs,in Northern VA,or nursing scholarship programs,that will pay my tutitution etc. RN ,give them a work committement Either in Nova or DC or Md , the othr programs in riverside is too far for me! Thanxs for asst.

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If you complete the LPN program at Riverside Hospital Nursing School and work a year at Riverside as an LPN, can you apply to the LPN-RN bridge program without prerequisites or do you still have to complete them at community college to take chemistry, microbiology, and human anatomy I & II?

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