If you could "do over" one thing about nursing school, what would it be?

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Hello everyone,

I'm a 33 y/o male who is starting RN school in August '13. I tried to get into nursing school 13 years ago and my life took a different path when I was not accepted. I've wanted to do this for a long time and now I finally have my chance. I know its going to be a little different doing it at 33 instead of 20. I really don't no what to expect so I'm a little nervous. So, if you could change one thing about your time in nursing school, what would it be? Hopefully I can learn from some of you who have already been there.

green34, how many hours a week did you work? Do you think it's best to not work at all? (I know that's not an option for some people, but just out of curiosity).

NCLEX is not the end goal here people! You need to understand how the questions work (I would strongly suggest Mark Klimek!) but it's just a test to see if you will survive as a new nurse without killing all of your patients! I focused way too hard on passing that stupid test in nursing school. My best advice is to go to every class unless you are deathly ill, pay attention, ask questions even if they seem dumb (I bet someone else in the class has the same question but is afraid to ask!), but most of all try to apply what's being covered in lecture to your clinical work. After NCLEX, THAT'S what matters!

Specializes in ICU.
LEARN! NOT memorize!!! It seems like its not a big deal at the time but oh....it is. Learn it right the first time and you save yourself a lot of headache and time.

I was going to say this.

Nursing school is really, truly cumulative in a way that few majors are. Maybe mathmatics is similar, in that you have to be able to do algebra to understand calculus, so you can't lose anything. If you just memorize and cram for a test, the next test that comes up that has new material *and also covers the old material* will kick your butt. Especially pay attention to lab values and s/s of various electrolyte imbalances. Once you learn those, give them at least a once over before every single test for the rest of nursing school. They will come back again and again and again.

Thanks everyone, it all sounds like a lot of good advice. I attended a information session with the dean a couple months ago and the school is really big on students learning NCLEX style questions from the very beginning. Students will have the opportunity to answer NCLEX style questions after every unit. The school provides several different software programs so students can relate what we just learned onto the NCLEX. I do agree with chibiRN that learning the material and being able to apply it in the real world would be most important.

Specializes in Emergency.

Start with a 4 year program....

Specializes in CCM, PHN.

1. Do a 4 year BSN.

2. Set your life up so you won't have to work/can work a little as possible. Do what you have to. I lowered my cost of living, took out extra loans, scrimped and saved and begged. I am so glad I did it that way. I watched classmates with kids & jobs struggle, fail and drop out. Don't blow this by setting unrealistic expectations. Set yourself up to succeed. You'll pay off the extra $. I did.

3. Don't take ANYTHING related to nursing school emotionally seriously. Stress is normal. Relax. Keep your sense of humor. Trust in your age & experience. Don't be a crybaby. Chill. Have a martini. Don't let jerk instructors get to you.

4. Stay out of the limelight. Don't be a pain in the behind in class, don't be that high maintenance student instructors dread to see coming. Don't get involved in dramas. Be MINIMALLY social with classmates. At 33, seek out the other 30+ students and conduct yourselves like ninjas.

5. Don't buy the textbooks. Look at the syllabus, then rent or borrow the books from a classmate and photocopy the assigned pages. That's what I did. Saved a bundle and a lot of schleppage.

6. Take WHOLE DAYS OFF from nursing school once in a while. Like, a whole day where you do nothing for or related to school. Whatever floats your boat, a day at the beach with family or locked in your basement grotto alone with World of Warcraft and pizza. Just take a day off here and there.

7. If you have a class or teacher that seems like trouble - practice preventative preparation. Have a sit-down with the prof early on, maturely and calmly discuss your issues and make a plan. If the issues are personality based, figure out how to avoid clashing. Let them know how you want to be treated & establish some mutual respect. If it's academic, make a plan to review material with prof during office hours every week so you're not wasting classmates' time with your questions.

8. If you see someone cheating, leave it alone. They'll fail eventually without your help.

9. Don't be resistant to technology.

10. Be FEARLESS! Even when you aren't!

4. Stay out of the limelight. Don't be a pain in the behind in class, don't be that high maintenance student instructors dread to see coming. Don't get involved in dramas. Be MINIMALLY social with classmates. At 33, seek out the other 30+ students and conduct yourselves like ninjas.

This^. Find like-minded people to study with...it helps to go over material together and talk it through...it sticks in your head better!

And stay out of the drama. You're going to be shocked at how much drama can be started by a bunch of adults. Steer clear of it. You're going to be with these people throughout your program...if you attach yourself to a group who starts creating drama, just break off and find another group.

Good luck!

Pick your team for a study group. I didnt do this during 1st semester and almost fail. 2nd semester, i finally got into a study group, but had drama within the group. 3rd and 4th semesters went fine after i know who are my team/players.

Always stay under the radar. Btw congrats and have fun!

1. Do a 4 year BSN.

2. Set your life up so you won't have to work/can work a little as possible. Do what you have to. I lowered my cost of living, took out extra loans, scrimped and saved and begged. I am so glad I did it that way. I watched classmates with kids & jobs struggle, fail and drop out. Don't blow this by setting unrealistic expectations. Set yourself up to succeed. You'll pay off the extra $. I did.

3. Don't take ANYTHING related to nursing school emotionally seriously. Stress is normal. Relax. Keep your sense of humor. Trust in your age & experience. Don't be a crybaby. Chill. Have a martini. Don't let jerk instructors get to you.

4. Stay out of the limelight. Don't be a pain in the behind in class, don't be that high maintenance student instructors dread to see coming. Don't get involved in dramas. Be MINIMALLY social with classmates. At 33, seek out the other 30+ students and conduct yourselves like ninjas.

5. Don't buy the textbooks. Look at the syllabus, then rent or borrow the books from a classmate and photocopy the assigned pages. That's what I did. Saved a bundle and a lot of schleppage.

6. Take WHOLE DAYS OFF from nursing school once in a while. Like, a whole day where you do nothing for or related to school. Whatever floats your boat, a day at the beach with family or locked in your basement grotto alone with World of Warcraft and pizza. Just take a day off here and there.

7. If you have a class or teacher that seems like trouble - practice preventative preparation. Have a sit-down with the prof early on, maturely and calmly discuss your issues and make a plan. If the issues are personality based, figure out how to avoid clashing. Let them know how you want to be treated & establish some mutual respect. If it's academic, make a plan to review material with prof during office hours every week so you're not wasting classmates' time with your questions.

8. If you see someone cheating, leave it alone. They'll fail eventually without your help.

9. Don't be resistant to technology.

10. Be FEARLESS! Even when you aren't!

Well said! Love this;)

I would have bought the feuer cd's and reviewed over the material before each corresponding class. I also would have purchased Hurst and done over the core content until I just had it down, down, down before med surg and if I was a nut before fundamentals. I would also listen to the pharm cd's by feuer before pharm. I would go over the pharm cd as much as I could before the class. Get it down cold.

Otherwise, I would concentrate on nclex questions, and not stress to much about reading all of the books.

I would not stress over having everything turned in perfectly, for example, on pass fail classes turn in the work hand written, for projects that are automatic A's just turn in okay work, and focus on the graded work.

Most of all understand the process using Hurst and Feuer. They are expensive, but will explain why you are doing things so school will be so much easier, and the tests will be a lot simpler, based on understanding.

Specializes in Pedi.

Keep in mind that nursing school for me was college and I entered at the age of 18. If I could do it over again, I would study abroad. That's the only thing I would do differently.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

@ mclennan

'shleppage' - :)

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