[FutureNurseSaga]

Originally Posted by lonestar88

You have to specify it when you apply as a freshman to UMBC. I know UMCP has a similar program because they're all sisters schools.
According to my sister, the Women college of Notre Dame has the same program but with JHU.

I was bitter but now that I'm accepted I don't care as much. lol.

Interesting... I spoke to someone who just got accepted to UMB ... she was a member of the UMBC-UMB agreement.... out of her class of 40 who were in the program and were suppose to transfer to UMB only 13 got accepted!!!! She had a 3.8

I was thinking of going to UMBC or UMCP because of the agreement .... but it's not guaranteed that you will get accepted to UMB

[*ac*]

I graduated last December. Most clinicals in the second and third semester start at 0630. This is because nursing shifts shart at 0700. You need to be there before that to get your patient assignment(s) and be ready to sit in on report with the nurses at 0700.

Things sometimes change (not that much), but when I was there Adult Health was one long clinical day (supposed to be 12 hours but rarely had to stay that late) per week with the exception of one site that had two evening shifts instead. Pediatrics and OB were one slightly shorter (eight hour) day (still starting at 0630), each going for half the semester. Psych was one eight hour day per week all semester, hours varying a little by site.

In the last semester Community Health is one eight hour clinical day per week, hours vary alot from site to site. Also, in your last semester you do a 180 hour practicum, hours arranged by you and your assigned preceptor. This could include nights, weekends, whatever your preceptor is working. Most hospital shifts are 7a to 7:30p or 7p to 7:30a, but your preceptor may be flexible and let you work partial shifts if you want to.

As far as sites, as someone else said, it's first come first served online registration. However, if you don't get what you want, you can try to switch with another student. Just make sure all your ducks are in a row before registration day or you will be locked out of registering (CPR up-to-date, immunizations up-to-date, etc.).

Hope this helps.

[Bee76]

Thank you ac that was very helpful.

Are there any clinical days during the first semester? Do they hold an orientation for new students? Is parking terrible?

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm really excited to start and I guess a few new questions just popped into my head. I was patiently waiting for more info from the school, but it's helpful to know some things in advance.

Any information you have is appreciated. Thanks

[*ac*]

Originally Posted by Bee76

Thank you ac that was very helpful.

Are there any clinical days during the first semester? Do they hold an orientation for new students? Is parking terrible?

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm really excited to start and I guess a few new questions just popped into my head. I was patiently waiting for more info from the school, but it's helpful to know some things in advance.

Any information you have is appreciated. Thanks

There are only two short clinical days the first semester, during Fundamenals - and they are later in the semester. The first semester, you spend a lot of time in the labs at school.
If the uniform they sell at the bookstore doesn't fit you, don't buy it. You can get any white scrub top and iron on the school patch (from the book store) and any khaki colored scrub pants. You don't need it right away, anyway. (You do need a lab coat.)
They offer parking for $5 a day in the student garage which is several blocks away. That's where most people park the first semester because you will be on campus a lot. For big bucks you can park in a closer garage. Sometimes you can park on the street but you have to feed the meter every 2 hours.
Yes, they have orientation.

[shamus]

Is there any subjects we should study ahead of time to give us a good start? I have heard that pharmacology is the difficult one during the first semester.

[aHolisticStudent]

Originally Posted by shamus

Is there any subjects we should study ahead of time to give us a good start? I have heard that pharmacology is the difficult one during the first semester.

Review your developmental psychology (particularly Erik Erikson and his stages), they'll be useful in Health Assessment. Know your A&P and Microbiology, particularly the immune response, the inflammatory response, blood pressure & hemodynamics of blood, really all of the homeostatic mechnisms in the human body with a particular focus on the roles of the liver, kidneys (if you're looking to ease your transition into pathopharmacology), and the RAAS. Review and know all the cranial nerves, where they are and what they do. This will save you time when learning how to assess the different CNs in Health Assessment. Fundamentals is all about learning to think differently so I would recommend picking up a book on how NCLEX questions are created and how to break them down. Not necessary, but most people who did really well on the tests (read: high A's) had a better understanding of how to approach the questions than did everyone else.

Other than that, just relax and enjoy your time off. School will start before you know it and you don't want to be burnt out before the semester even begins.

[clhRN2b2010]

I will ask next week if they have a book list that we can access. I got a book from AACC's required list that was helpful in test taking strategies and looking at NCLEX type questions.
Its called

Test Success: Test taking techniques for the beginning nursing students. By Patricia Nugent and Barbara Vitale.

It's designed essentially to prepare for the type of testing that you will see in NS. It's hard to gauge how spot on it is since I haven't been to NS yet

[aHolisticStudent]

Originally Posted by clhRN2b2010

I will ask next week if they have a book list that we can access. I got a book from AACC's required list that was helpful in test taking strategies and looking at NCLEX type questions.
Its called

Test Success: Test taking techniques for the beginning nursing students. By Patricia Nugent and Barbara Vitale.

It's designed essentially to prepare for the type of testing that you will see in NS. It's hard to gauge how spot on it is since I haven't been to NS yet

It's a good book. However, two things should be considered first when looking at questions and answers.

1) Your ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Bleeding, Circulation) always takes precedence when deciding which answer should come first.

2) Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

If neither of those two options help with the answers provided then I'd move on to the Nursing Process, all encompassing words, restatement of words in the question and answer, False/False, etc. as outlined in the Nugent text.

Good luck in the Fall.

[*ac*]

Originally Posted by shamus

Is there any subjects we should study ahead of time to give us a good start? I have heard that pharmacology is the difficult one during the first semester.

Yep, patho-pharm is the killer. Five hours of lecture on Fridays.

Beyond having taken your prereqs I don't know what you could do to prep.

[clhRN2b2010]

Well, I went to info session today. The admissions counselor had less info on clinical times and such than our counterparts here, so thanks to the past students for the inside information. She said that students usually had the choice between two 6 hr clinical days a week, or a single 12 hr clinical day. I definitely favor the single day.

It does sound true that they are making a concerted effort to move toward loking at the whole package an applicant brings to the table and really emphasized the entrance essay. This is not the place to slack off because you think your grades are that good.

FYI- the new student center, located adjacent to the SON, will be opening January 2009 and looks awesome! swimming pool, athletic facility, student lounges, restaurants..lots of good stuff. Another perk!

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to this thread!