"I wish someone would have told me....."

Nursing Students General Students

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So I recently graduated from nursing school in May of 2008 and took my boards on August 14th of this month and passed. I have been reflecting on the past couple of years about how life could have been so much different if someone would have told me......

*Before Nursing School get an NCLEX review book and read every detail, use it constantly as a reference and study guide through school.

*No matter how much notes the instructor prints...the important thing to understand is nursing process, assessment and implementation: assuming you have the general knowledge down.

It's ok to ask questions because at the end of the day and at test time, all that matters is that you have understood the concept.

Don't be afraid to get help for test anxiety. Sometimes Prozac can make a wonderful difference.

Life doesn't stop while in school, and your friends won't understand why you have to study all the time, but you can and will pull up your boot straps because you will surprise yourself with hour much courage you have within and just how much you want "it".

Savor the challenging moments and always always always think before you act or speak.

Please add what you wish someone would have told you.....:typing

Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

I honestly can't think of too much more to add. Your point about understanding the fundamentals about assessments, implementations, and basics are essential.

Learning organization and prioritization are vital. I am in the middle stages of my med/surg orientation and just feel overwhelmed with everything -- documentation, where are the syringes/linens/pillows, new pumps, new tubing, etc.., etc.

Someone had told me at a clinical location I was at for two semesters that there would be a huge advantage to having taken a job there as I would so much more familiar with the surroundings leading to slightly less stress. Did I listen? Oh, NOOOOOOOOOO.....I took a job in a huge teaching hospital and feel I've spent a lot of time just learning these simple things in addition to the basics of being a new nurse. Yikes, lol!!!

Enjoy school; getting on the job on your own is seriously where the true stress begins!! UGH!!

Take school one day at time and believe me, it WILL be over before you know it!!

Good luck all!!

Specializes in ICU, Emergency Department.

Don't forget to eat well, exercise and get enough rest. You need to take care of yourself or you will not be able to care for anyone else at an optimal level. YOUR health comes first! (Speaking from someone who neglected to do so during her first year of school, gained 25 lbs and ended up ill, stressed out, and miserable)

Thanks for the pointers. I have heard so much about weight gain.

Specializes in Psych..

Don't forget your personal life. There is only so much studying you can do until it becomes overkill. It's okay to take a break with your loved ones and do something fun.

Even if you don't feel confident, ACT confident. It's like putting a smile on your face even if you're sad.

Specializes in neurology, cardiology, ED.

I wish someone would've told me:

-Get an NCLEX book right away, and study the questions, they will be very similar to the test questions you will get.

-Get a job as a tech, or PCA, or whatever they call it where you are, even if it's just 1-2 shifts a month, it will make you so much more comfortable in clinical.

Thanks for the heads up on the NCLEX book will have to get one

Specializes in Critical Care.

Thank you for all the honest insight! I am going to go get a NCLEX book tomorrow after work. After reading these posts it has made me crack the whip on getting one. I am not a "great" test taker, so any additional help is wonderful!

Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

On the NCLEX books -- the Hurst book helped me most pass my LPN boards, and you bet I'm getting one for my RN program (which starts in 36 hours, gulp).

In my program they use the Fundamentals Success:A Course Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking. Nugent & Vitale. There are other books in the same line... Meg Surg Success and Pharm Success. I will say that for Nursing 101 Fundamentals was a big help, not just with the questions but also the explanation on test taking etc. Another good one is Test Success: Test Taking Techniques for Beginning Nursing Students. If you have never taken a nursing test or looked at an NCLEX book, these books definitely get you on the right track.

I wish someone would have stressed to our class about math practice all the way through. I see some people struggling because they did not practice. I encourage them to start now, it will help all along the road and keep it fresh in your mind.

The tip about getting an NCLEX study guide and using it to study throughout school is an excellent idea, and I wish I had known about that early in school. Many teachers take a lot of their test questions from NCLEX study banks -- you may not see the same exact questions on your school exams, but you will be familiar with NCLEX-style questions (which are an odd beast), AND you will be way ahead in preparing for your NCLEX.

Another great tip is to try to get some type of job in a hospital while in school, even if it is only a few shifts per month. A job as a PCT will make you much more comfortable with patient care and will give you a huge leg up when you are a new grad nurse. I did not work as a PCT but worked in ER registration during school. At first I worked 20 hours per week so I could get insurance and tuition reimbursement (a HUGE benefit for anyone struggling to pay for school). However, part way into school, my dad got really sick and I cut back my work hours to one 8 hour shift per week (and even down to one shift every other week for several months). My manager was extremely flexible with me, so I wanted to stay in a position where I knew I would have flexibility. Now that I am a new grad, I see that others who worked as PCTs are already comfortable with things I am still learning about. However, ANY job in a hospital gives you some great experience and a foot in the door. We kept hearing about the nursing shortage all through school, but the first people to get jobs in my class were people who were already working for hospitals, in any position. I know many people from my class who were not working in hospitals during school who stlll have not found a job yet. I really, really wanted to start in OB, and I am sure that the only reason I got in OB at my hospital as a new grad was that I was already working for the hospital and I had a very good track record as a good employee. My manager in registration knew all along I wanted to go into OB and was able to give me a great recommendation. That is HUGE when looking for a job, and it seems most hospitals are pretty loyal to their current employees.

Try to do any skills you possibly can when in clinical. Some days you will have a nurse that treats you like you are a ball and chain, but other days you will get a nurse who likes teaching, and that is GOLDEN. It is scary the first time you do any invasive procedure, from a Foley catheter to an IV start. However, it's better to get the experience while a student than to have to tell your preceptor as a new grad that you haven't done a certain skill on anyone but a plastic mannequin. Once you have done each skill on a live person, you can tell yourself "that wasn't that bad," and you will be more confident the next time, even if you still feel you need some help. This is something I wish I had been more assertive about while in school.

Keep plugging along. Take one day at a time and don't get overwhelmed by the whole picture. Before you know it, school will be over and you will be a nurse!

would you suggest getting the NCLEX book(s) even while in pre nursing school?

Also, I don't know if this is right for this thread but the college i am going to doesn't require chemistry for nursing...I found this kind of bizarre...would taking it anyway be a good idea to help me when I get out in the nursing field?

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