[natrgrrl]

The most important thing in nursing school is a study partner or small group to review and study with at least once a week.
Then when you buy a new study guide, you can use it with your group so everyone can benefit and nobody has to buy duplicate books.
One book I would tell people not to get is the illustrated guide by Mosby. It's the same price as the good books (Saunder's, Sandra Smith's, etc.) but not enough useful information (IMHO).

Originally Posted by medicalma'am

We all discovered yesterday that our Mosby 'Nursing Diagnosis Handbook" has pages 781 - 812 missing! They put repeat pages in their place.

You just scared me into checking my book! Mine seems fine on those pages, though. Hope you get a revised version soon.

[rangshamelle]

books

[neko11111]

The BEST thing I ever came across during school was OHIO LINK.... I'm sure other states have their own program....(at least I hope)

This program saved me several hundreds of dollars.... I have not bought a textbook since my second semester of school. (when i learned about it)

All of the colleges in ohio are linked on this site, and you can check out your school text book - same as if you were checking out a regular book at the local library.... I was actually able to put my order in online and pick the book up at my local library!!!

AWESOME LITTLE SECRET!!!!

[SweetnSinister]

Originally Posted by JohnRN04

Don't buy the tuning fork, reflex hammer, etc. However buy a good littman stethescope cuz you'll use this a lot. oh get a good nclex book, medical dictionary. oh and my white scrubs and white tennis shoes that i only got to wear like 5 times, were destroyed in an accidental fire....i saw the whole thing happen..it was horrible...i lit the match....and poof! I miss those scrubs....

I luv the scrubs comment!!!

[HappyDay]

Stethascope, a good one. Love my Littman. You will need a good pair of shoes - I love the new Crocs for Nurses/Professionals. Black ink pens, the type without caps. (You don't want to loose the cap and then get black ink all over those nice whites!) A small pair of bandage scissors, chapstick, and breath mints must be kept in your pocket. Invest in a $1.00 clipboard (if it has a metric/standard ruller printed on it even better). A pocket drug guide (small) but most places have a computer based lookup. I have not used my PDA once. A good idea is a NCLEX study guide with as many sample questions as possible. It will teach you to think critically about factual information. Try your best to buy your books used online at a large seller. You don't need new ones, and the pre-highlighted ares may save you time. The last thing I love are premade flash cards out of index cards with a ring bought at WalMart in the office isle. You can use them for math/conversions, abbreviations, even disease (S/Sx, Tx, Rx, Dx ect).

[nphan2]

I would love to thank EVERYONE on their advise on what to get for school.. wow.. so much things to get.. lots of $$.. hmm.. i wonder if there is a discounted store or nursing student to get their supplies..

I received a letter of supplies that is needed for my nursing program, first semester... well, let me tell you.. with tution and books and supplies needed, total comes to $4065.25.. and that's for the first semester.. wowzers..

I wish I could have bought my books online, but they said that i'm REQUIRED to buy my books and notes from them because everything comes in this pre-made package for all of us.. it cost $650

My letter states that I am required to have a Littman Classic II or equivalent stethoscope.. does anyone know what is the equivalent?

[tutored]

Originally Posted by nphan2

My letter states that I am required to have a Littman Classic II or equivalent stethoscope.. does anyone know what is the equivalent?

As they say in my part of the country, "Not for Nuthin'", but how is a beginning nursing student supposed to know what kind of stethoscope is equivalent to a particular model? Perhaps they're trying to say, 'Don't buy a cheap twelve-dollar sprague".

[karlita]

Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful advice and ideas! After reading I've come up with a list of about 10 things I hadn't thought of on my own that I will most likely need for school.

Two of my personal favorites that I couldn't live with out are...
Shoes...I love tennis shoes, but I've found that I wear out my tennis shoes in 3mo or less. Just a little over a year ago I discovered Danskos...wow! I haven't had to buy another pair of work shoes since. They're low-maintenence, in fantastic condition(even after more than a year in ER), and very comfy. My other favorite is my Littmann Master Cardiology stethoscope which I bought as a present to my self a couple years ago...couldn't live with out it

[montanatonymontana]

PDA's, Littman's sthets?
I have a 16 dls. sthetoscope,lost of black pens, 30 dlrs. shoes,note books,one cheap dictionary, and the required books.
You don't need expensive stuff, what you need the most is your gray matter, the rest is just vanity.

[Indy]

There are some things you probably won't want to go cheap on, although money will be tight. Shoes, if you buy them cheap, you'll just be replacing them sooner and wind up spending the same amount the good ones would have cost. Rolling backpack- do NOT buy the walmart el cheapo brand of this thing. American Tourister or somesuch that's at least thirty bucks... look at the wheels on it. If the wheels don't look like decent inline skate wheels, they will break.

My cheap rolling backpack broke on the day before first quarter finals, a half mile away from my darn car, on the library steps. The wheels broke IN HALF. It was not a good day to be carrying 30 pounds of books.

Whatever system you find for notebooks, rest assured that if you stick your head in the dollar store often enough, you will find a cheaper version of it there. If you don't have a printer at home or use computers elsewhere the jump drives are now less than $50 and worth it.

Oh by the way those little calculator things on the walmart clipboards will break (as in come completely apart) within a year of buying them.

Drug cards: it's all good and well to say "I'll make my own" but if you are short on time and in danger of not sleeping before clinical, just go buy a pack. This is assuming you don't have a PDA.

Find a brand of protein bar that you like and don't ever be without some of them. Oh, and calendars. Everyone has their own calendar thingy that they like, just remember if it's a paper one you want, look in the dollar store as well... and when you do sit down and plot all the clinicals, class times, where your kids have to be etc. in the thing, remember to schedule your study time. It doesn't have to be huge blocks of time, if you just keep to a routine.