What to look for in a nursing school program

Accreditation, NCLEX pass rates (available online, usually through the state's Board of Nursing), student recommendations, and maybe try to find out how local hospitals view hiring graduates from these schools -- not sure how up front and honest you can get them to be by just a phone call, however....maybe talk to nurses in the area?!?! I'm sure others on this board can give you other suggestions...

I have plans to visit a number of campus this coming up spring. Is there a way to weave out colleges to insure that I pick the best program? What should I look for when attending college open houses? What questions should I ask the counselors? One school that I am thinking about attending will allow me to sit in one of their classes. Should I maybe ask other school to maybe sit in the class but I make a decision on whether or not to attend their school? I want to insure that I get into a program that will give me a quality education. Nursing school is hard of enough without dealing with problems with the instructors and administrative staff. I want to insure that I have no regrets later in the school of my choice :uhoh21:

Wow, I wished i could "testdrive" classes. Good luck

Nursing unless your getting a graduate degree, is about obtaining the license... Most of what you will learn will be obtained during your first years working as a nurse. So don't spend a lot of tuition money on going to some big named school..

For me, it was simple.....a high NCLEX pass rate. If the school's teaching me what I need to know in order to pass NCLEX, that says enough for me.

average gpa to get into the program, do they like to see medical volunteer experience, attrition rate, do they maintain a waitlist, do they allow you to sit for the LVN/LPN NCLEX while in school (if that is important to you), do you need a CNA license before you get in.

Most importantly, ask to speak to a student or two already in the program...they will give you the most honest response.

For me, it was simple.....a high NCLEX pass rate. If the school's teaching me what I need to know in order to pass NCLEX, that says enough for me.

I agree that is very important and also whether the school is accredited.

I agree that is very important and also whether the school is accredited.

mine was the only one here so I didn't even think of any of those things one school one choice, I was going to say though whichever one would be the easiest to get into, least waitlist etc...

mine was the only one here so I didn't even think of any of those things one school one choice, I was going to say though whichever one would be the easiest to get into, least waitlist etc...

That's terrible that you don't have much choice...sometimes you just have to take what you can get and make the best of it. SA is a large "medical" city and there are many different programs. People from all over the world, including me trickle in here and the competition is outrageous. Our school will start construction of a bigger nursing department....maybe the slightly lower GPA's will have a better chance once they will be able to admit more people.

You will do great ANYWHERE in any program, you are smart and determined....good luck

That's terrible that you don't have much choice...sometimes you just have to take what you can get and make the best of it. SA is a large "medical" city and there are many different programs. People from all over the world, including me trickle in here and the competition is outrageous. Our school will start construction of a bigger nursing department....maybe the slightly lower GPA's will have a better chance once they will be able to admit more people.

You will do great ANYWHERE in any program, you are smart and determined....good luck

oh ya I am in the worst possible place to be doing what I want to do, not only do we not have schools for nursing in my community but i also don't have any decent hospitals, our clossest hospital is only 140 bed so we have to travel to do clinicals depending on the discipline we are doing that semester I will probably have to travel about 60 miles to do my clinicals. We have a good size hospital suposedly in the works practically within walking distance of my home, however the nurses union is protesting it for some odd reason. I am in a town that has seen so much amazing growth in the past 20 years no one predicted it. i am also stuck between two huge cities so most of our medical care comes from that direction both about 60+ miles from us which is sooooooo inconvienient I can tell you! I have been dealing with a ill child this past month and have driven down there for one useless appointmen after another. My area is in such dire need of hospitals and good medical care its not even funny.

sore spot with me

)

What to look for?

1.) Accreditation :mortarboard:

2.) An acceptance letter!

3.) Clinical sites within driving distance :caduceus:

4.) High NCLEX Pass Rate :redlight:

Yes, in that order. :sofahider

oh ya I am in the worst possible place to be doing what I want to do, not only do we not have schools for nursing in my community but i also don't have any decent hospitals, our clossest hospital is only 140 bed so we have to travel to do clinicals depending on the discipline we are doing that semester I will probably have to travel about 60 miles to do my clinicals. We have a good size hospital suposedly in the works practically within walking distance of my home, however the nurses union is protesting it for some odd reason. I am in a town that has seen so much amazing growth in the past 20 years no one predicted it. i am also stuck between two huge cities so most of our medical care comes from that direction both about 60+ miles from us which is sooooooo inconvienient I can tell you! I have been dealing with a ill child this past month and have driven down there for one useless appointmen after another. My area is in such dire need of hospitals and good medical care its not even funny.

sore spot with me

)

I lived very isolated before....1hr to get to class, one hr to drive back and the daycare closed at 3:00 p.m ?!?!......Thank goodness I was was only taking an American Lit class and not a class with lab.

I am sorry that things are so difficult in your area, you deserve a medal :redpinkhe

I lived very isolated before....1hr to get to class, one hr to drive back and the daycare closed at 3:00 p.m ?!?!......Thank goodness I was was only taking an American Lit class and not a class with lab.

I am sorry that things are so difficult in your area, you deserve a medal :redpinkhe

.

lol thanks I don't deserve any medal at all just doing my thing. The funny thing is we are not in an isolated area, my school is about 20 minutes from me and we have about 100,000 people in our town and we have other larger towns around, but the fact that it didn't become a city until late 1980's and then at that point it just trippled in growth happened to fast. I don't think the city planners have a clue as to what the city needs short of nice new houses to attract people from the expensive areas LOL. Hopefully the whole mess will be worked out by the time I graduate so I have a brand new decent sized hospital that I can ride my bike too for work hehehehe