Mohawk RPNs- what do you wish you had known before starting the program?

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Specializes in Surgical.

Current/previous Mohawk College RPN students- what things do you wish you had known before you started?

I've had some extremely kind posters on the board share their wisdom with me about the program, and it's really helping me feel more prepared for when I start in January. Just wondering what others would have done differently, or wish they had known about before they started school? Or anything else that you think would have helped you?

I'm sure there will be things that apply to all programs, not just this one, so it will be a help to all prospective students!

Thanks in advance :heartbeat

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Well, I didn't go to Mohawk. I went to Conestoga. But I'll post anyway.

I can't say there is really anything I wish I had known (maybe I shouldn't post after all!)

I really enjoyed my program and would not have done anything differently.

Just stay organized, stay on top of your work.

I guess one thing that I wish I could tell myself then would be that someday I would be a good nurse. I had ZERO confidence! I did not enjoy clinical's (the setting can be very intimidating) and the worst was having a teacher tell me that because I lacked confidence I would not be a good nurse. Well, I'm still very new but believe I am a good nurse. I would just encourage you to have confidence, and follow your dream

Good luck,

It wont be easy but it will be worth it

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Specializes in Surgical.

No, that's great- thank you! Thoughts from students who went to other schools in the area are really helpful too. I think the Ontario programs would tend to be similar.

Keeping my confidence up will be hard at times, I'm sure- I hate being 'new', but we all have to go through that stage before we can start feeling truly useful. Any tips or advice, whether it's about ways of staying organized, or recommended supplies/equipment- anything is great! Just want to be prepared as much as possible.

Thanks!

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I'm in the Mohawk BScN program, but maybe I can throw in some advice too?

There isn't really anything I wish I had known, but I will say that I think to keep on top of work you must be organized! Mohawk gives you this handy planner for free- use it!

Another thing- don't cram the night before tests... just a pet peeve of mine sorry :lol2: If you know you have an upcoming test, study at least half an hour a day for a week!

Hope you don't mind that I'm not in RPN

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Specializes in Surgical.

No, of course not! I specified my program in case there was anything really specific, but I'm sure students from other schools and programs will have tons of good advice!

Thanks! I'm getting the message about staying on top of the work. Did they hand out this planner at orientation?

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You can pick one up in the student life office at the IAHS

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Hey.... I'm going to Humber for the RPN!!

I wish someone had told me I didn't have to buy the current edition text book from the campus bookstore!!

Textbooks are EXPENSIVE!!! I am only going part-time and usually have two classes at a time, so I only need to buy my textbooks as I need them. It's a good thing too, because first semester books probably cost over $500. I only bought my first two textbooks full price.

It was on allnurses that I found out you can go to websites like Alibris.com and get your textbooks for literally a couple of dollars if you get the previous edition!! The previous edidtions are the exact same except the chapters may be in a different order or there may be an extra statistical chart. And every text I bought has been in great condition. You pay more for shipping. Also check out couponcabin.com first as they have coupons for alibris.com

Serioulsy, don't waste your money at the campus bookstore!!

Also, this is just me... but some nursing classes I don't buy the 'extra' textbooks required. This class it was a mental health textbook. Our instructor does amazing powerpoints with all the informaiton I need and I take excellent notes during lecture. Plus, google is an amazing tool!! Whatever you decide, you NEED the main textbooks. Your med surg, assessment, fundamentals.

p.s. depending what your psych and soci texts are... you can have mine for free!!

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Specializes in Surgical.

Thanks, great advice! I'm so happy that I have an earlier edition of one of the book I'm going to need already from another course- it was $125 new, so great relief that I will be able to use it again! :yeah:

The books really are a huge expense, and one that I think students don't always take into account. Maybe because we are accustomed to getting those mangled-up 10-year old textbooks provided to us in high school...? (they still do that, don't they? High school wasn't exactly yesterday for me...) :lol2:

I don't know what texts I will need exactly yet, but that's kind of you to offer! I will let you know if I end up needing them.

On another note, for me- it was a very big surprise to learn that the program runs year-round. Mohawk's website actually states that it DOESN'T do that, so naturally, I was a little shocked to find that wasn't the case! Are the other colleges like this as well?

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My program runs all year, but like I said, I'm part-time. I'm pretty sure the full time students don't go during the summer because when have to use the labs the whole college is dead.

Another thing is that Humber and Conestoga require 100% in the math components of the program. Not sure what Mohawk might be like, but I think Fanshawe is 90-95% I almost had a bird when I found that out as I'm not very good at math. (Actually I am I just didn't know it lol) The math for us fell in with our first clinical. Our clinical wasn't graded, it was either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. So if we didn't get 100% on the math quiz (which is dosage calculations for ex. Order: Tylenol 0.5g Supply: Tylenol liquid 500mg per 5ml. Enter the dosage you would give in tsp) we basically failed clinical. There were three chances to pass though, but they included tutoring from the college. I don't think anyone has failed clinical because of math, but it's scary knowing you could. Anyway.... what I'm trying to say is brush up on basic multiplying and dividing of percentages and fractions.

We have clinical coming up again in January and we have to get another 100% in math, but this time it's on IV dosage calculations.... egads!!

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Just a note...in the MoMac program the math component in lab practicum is 100% - so brushing up on basic math is an excellent suggestion ;)! You write 2 tests of which you must achieve 100%; you are given 3 attempts.

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Specializes in Surgical.

I assume the math practicum component pertains to dosage calculations? We should know how to make these calculations manually (pencil-and-paper style), or just know how to make those calculations, using a calculator?

Would anyone give some more examples, so I know what to study?

Thanks everyone, GREAT info so far!

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You need to know how to do them manually... no calculator!!

Order: Clindamycin 0.3g

Supply: Clindamycin 150 mg per ml

Enter dose you would give.

First you have to convert g to mg. And that's easy, you're just moving the decimal point. So now the order is 300 mg and you divide that by the supply.

300/150 = 2 Now take the 2 and multiply it by the ml. 2x1=2 Therefore the dose you will give is 2mls

Order: Morphine 4mg

Supply: Morphine 10 mg per ml

Enter the dose you give in mls

Order: Ilosone 500 mg

Supply: Ilosone Oral suspension 250 mg per 5ml

Enter the dosage you would give in tsp

Hint: 5ml = 1tsp ;)

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