[jla623]

Originally Posted by kalmeira

Hey everybody, 2 weeks left for us 4th semester students! I can't believe it, we're almost there!

How are you 2nd semester students doing?

Congratulations! I can't wait to be in your shoes

It's going pretty well for me. Lecture is finally over on Thursday and we have a test and a final to take, so that is a bit stressful. I like Common Concepts of Adult Health much better than Nursing Fundamentals.

Do you guys all have jobs lined up? Or atleast an idea of what you want to do?

[coolpeach]

I am starting my first semester in the program on Aug 25th, and have a couple of questions.

We were able to sign up for our support courses, and nursing foundations, but thats it until success camp which is a week before school starts. I have 3 kids which start school the same day I do, and really need more than the Friday before school starts to get my schedule set.

I know we have a skills lab and its right after our nursing foundations class. Do we take skills lab ONCE or TWICE a week?

In the course schedule book it shows clinicals Monday for 12 hours. Is that the only choice we have or do they offer clinicals on other days, or the option to split it up during the week into 6 hours shifts?

How soon into the first semester do we start clinicals? Do we start with the 12 hour days right off?

How many sets of scrubs, and labcoat did you order for the first semester?

What brand of nursing shoes did you buy, and where did you buy them? Do the local hospitals that we do clinicals at restrict what shoes you can wear?

What hospitals do we do our clincals at, and do you get a choice?

Any help would be great as I am an anal planner and can't stand waiting until the last minute to get everything sorted out.

[jla623]

We were able to sign up for our support courses, and nursing foundations, but thats it until success camp which is a week before school starts. I have 3 kids which start school the same day I do, and really need more than the Friday before school starts to get my schedule set.

It is tough, but honestly there will be all kinds of last minute schedule changes. They often change your class days with almost no notice in the first and second semesters. Mostly your pre-clinical and skills lab days.

I know we have a skills lab and its right after our nursing foundations class. Do we take skills lab ONCE or TWICE a week?

You will have skills lab once per week and pre-clinical (which is just like skills lab) for the weeks BEFORE you start clinical. After clinical has started, you will only have skills lab once per week. Pre-clinical is just like skills lab and you will be learning basic skills that you need to prepare you for your clinical rotations.

In the course schedule book it shows clinicals Monday for 12 hours. Is that the only choice we have or do they offer clinicals on other days, or the option to split it up during the week into 6 hours shifts?

Yes, that is your only choice. You can only do 12 hour shifts. We had the choice of doing clinicals Mondays or Tuesdays. We chose our clinical sites in Success Camp, so you draw a number and pick your first choice. If you draw last and don't get your first choice, sometimes people are willing to trade with you so don't worry about it too much if you don't get your first choice.

Summer is even tougher as far as clinicals go. Our clinicals right now are 3 12's for most classes, but mine are 4 or 5 12's in a week ,but we get a week break to work on our major care plans.

How soon into the first semester do we start clinicals? Do we start with the 12 hour days right off?

I honestly can't remember the exact number of weeks, but I think it was 8 or 10 weeks. You will start with the pre-clinical in place of the clinical, but it isn't 12 hours. It's 3 or 4.

How many sets of scrubs, and labcoat did you order for the first semester?

Most of us got 2 sets and one lab coat.

What brand of nursing shoes did you buy, and where did you buy them? Do the local hospitals that we do clinicals at restrict what shoes you can wear?

I got white tennis shoes. Just get some white ones to be safe. Preferably no other colors/designs.

What hospitals do we do our clincals at, and do you get a choice?

I think it varies every semester. We had Medical City, Baylor Garland, and Medical Center of Plano. This semester we got to add big Baylor.

[wannabanrn]

ditto jla...with a BIG reminder to be as flexible as possible. There were numerous times when we had schedule changes at the very last minute...it does make it hard for those of us with kids or those that are working, but they really do expect you to have that flexibility. I just can't stess that enough because it took me by complete surprise. It looks like we won't register for fall until the week before class starts, so we won't know either what to expect in regards to scheduling.

[jla623]

Originally Posted by wannabanrn

ditto jla...with a BIG reminder to be as flexible as possible. There were numerous times when we had schedule changes at the very last minute...it does make it hard for those of us with kids or those that are working, but they really do expect you to have that flexibility. I just can't stess that enough because it took me by complete surprise. It looks like we won't register for fall until the week before class starts, so we won't know either what to expect in regards to scheduling.

Did anyone ever find out about our clinicals??
I was kind of surprised that we didn't sign up. I heard that they didn't have enough instructors or clinical sites for OB....and that is the first one!

[wannabanrn]

Originally Posted by jla623

Did anyone ever find out about our clinicals??
I was kind of surprised that we didn't sign up. I heard that they didn't have enough instructors or clinical sites for OB....and that is the first one!

not yet...I heard that we had the choice of parkland on mon or fri or big baylor on fri, but that they still needed one more ob clinical instructor for the last spot (not sure if the last choice is big baylor on mon or what....) it's such a pain not knowing...and it makes me nervous that they still need another instructor...how are your clinicals going? my group's is good...just loooonng...by day 3 we were all cranky and tired. but paperwork is lighter this time

[jla623]

Originally Posted by wannabanrn

not yet...I heard that we had the choice of parkland on mon or fri or big baylor on fri, but that they still needed one more ob clinical instructor for the last spot (not sure if the last choice is big baylor on mon or what....) it's such a pain not knowing...and it makes me nervous that they still need another instructor...how are your clinicals going? my group's is good...just loooonng...by day 3 we were all cranky and tired. but paperwork is lighter this time

You are at Baylor right? I wanted to go there, but it was filled up. Mine are going pretty well. It's just really hard doing those long days. We had to go Tuesday-Friday last week. She is letting us be in the OR for a day each so it kind of helps break everything up. I am loving the lighter paperwork too! I hope yours is going well!

I'm glad we have different choices for next semester. I would be happy with big Baylor or Parkland. They both sound interesting! I haven't heard anything about peds or psych...do you have info on that too? I'm out of the loop!

[Buttercup_fields]

I am in Fourth semester getting ready for HESI and our pinning.
I went to Parkland for OB and loved my Clinical instructor, and for Peds I went to Children's with Ms. Wilson that was a great experience and she was a wonderful Clinical instructor.
Good luck to every one it will be over before you know it.

[jla623]

Originally Posted by Buttercup_fields

I am in Fourth semester getting ready for HESI and our pinning.
I went to Parkland for OB and loved my Clinical instructor, and for Peds I went to Children's with Ms. Wilson that was a great experience and she was a wonderful Clinical instructor.
Good luck to every one it will be over before you know it.

Congratulations!!!! Didn't it pass quick??

[Buttercup_fields]

We were able to sign up for our support courses, and nursing foundations, but thats it until success camp which is a week before school starts. I have 3 kids which start school the same day I do, and really need more than the Friday before school starts to get my schedule set.
In the course schedule book it shows clinicals Monday for 12 hours. Is that the only choice we have or do they offer clinicals on other days, or the option to split it up during the week into 6 hours shifts?
You do Clinical in 12 hour shifts. During complex Med/surg and OB/Peds sometimes you can do Clinical on the weekend that helped me out a lot with having children at home it was easier to have some one help me out with them.

How many sets of scrubs, and labcoat did you order for the first semester? One labcoat and three sets of scrubs that way during the semesters that we had clinicls three days in a row I did not have to do laundry. ( as the time wore on sometimes we did not wear white pants we would wear black pants. we never had a clinical instuctor say anything)

What brand of nursing shoes did you buy, and where did you buy them? Do the local hospitals that we do clinicals at restrict what shoes you can wear? I went to the outlet in Allen and bought a pair of white nursing shoes, more important was the support knee hi socks that I bought the ones that the outlet store in Allen are the best and not the hose type but the sock type.

What hospitals do we do our clincals at, and do you get a choice?
This can change but we did clinicls at Big Baylor, Baylor Garland , Baylor Plano, Baylor Irving, HCA Medical Center Plano, Medical Center Dallas, Parkland (OB), Childrens Dallas (PEDS the best) Our Childrend House and Scottish rite (Peds)
Any help would be great as I am an anal planner and can't stand waiting until the last minute to get everything sorted out.
Sorry to say you have to be very flexable they change dates and locations and will let you know stuff at the last MIN.
But it is worth all of it in the end.
I would start planing now for home life, stock up on Paper plates and cups you will not always want to do the dishes and anything that will make things easyer with the kids. I do not know how old they are but stocking up with poster boards and stuff for projects right now is good because my kids let me know
sometimes the night before something is due and if I had other comitments with school I would not be able to get those things so having them on hand was great. Good Luck.
Do not forget to take time out for your self.