Input really needed, pretty please

mommajoz · Apr 13, 2011

i'll help ya out. :-)

1) what advice would you give to someone who has yet to be accepted into a nursing program?

if they are still working on pre-reqs i would say to keep their grades up, form excellent study habits, and make sure they take a vacation before the program starts because they will need those happy memories while they are slaving away.

2) is there any advice that you were given that you choose to ignore or actually followed? what was this advice and why did or didn’t you follow it?

the only feedback i ever got was "nursing school is hard" and "run while you still can". no good advice really. i didn't listen because i want to be an rn so why would i let someone else's bad vibes ruin me?

3) in what ways has nursing school affected your life socially?

for the most part, nursing school has replaced my social life. it is a struggle to find time for my family and friends but i make sure i do make time- nursing school is temporary and these relationships are not. i make sure to cuddle with my husband at night, read my son a story every night, and go to dollar beer night with my friends every once in a blue moon.

4) if you had to do it over, what would you change?

i am only 1 year into my program but i wouldn't change anything. i gave up my privacy and moved in with my mother in law so i wouldn't have to work- and while that can be very trying i'm glad i can devote my time to my program.

5) what are your favorite aspects of being in nursing school and what are you least favorite?

i love the science involved in nursing so that is my favorite. my least favorite is 4 hour lectures...

6) if you have a family (hubby/wife, and kids) how has this affected them/you?

my husband misses me but understands (he is currently in a phd program so he has very little time as well.) my son misses me but is much more supportive since i have promised him a puppy once i graduate. go figure :rolleyes:

7) how do you balance nursing school and your family?

schedule schedule schedule. mornings i study, afternoon is class time, evening is family time. i clean house on wednesday and date night is friday. everything has a designated day and time.

8) how did you become interested in going into nursing school?

i was in the surgical tech program and loved shadowing the nurses in the or and pacu- much more than i enjoyed being a surgical tech!

9) what type of ancillary products did you purchase to help keep organized? what did you buy that turned out to be useless?

i have bought a new planner every year- don't ever use it. i have terrible handwriting so i can't ever read what i scribbled anyways. i bought a laptop and it is practically attached to my hip. i have all of my assignments, and my master calendar on there.

10) (this one may be a sensitive question) how are you managing to pay for your school? scholarship, loans?

student loans. living with mil. budgeting very very very carefully.

11) is nursing school costing more/less than you initially projected?

it is costing about what i thought it would. education can be expensive- i knew that going in so none of it has been shocking thus far. and really, the amount i have spent on this degree compared to what my husband has spent is a drop in the financial bucket.

12) what can you not live without, that is helping you get through?

my friends and family really and truly. my study group/ support group. hobbies and "me time" always. as far as supplies i love my laptop, wireless printer, and the "incredibly easy" book series.

hope that helps! good luck

allnurses Guide · Apr 13, 2011

1) what advice would you give to someone who has yet to be accepted into a nursing program? make sure you get your life organized. you cannot afford distractions. your family needs to understand you will not always be available. be prepared for stressed relationships d/t the amount of time ns requires.

2) is there any advice that you were given that you choose to ignore or actually followed? what was this advice and why did or didn't you follow it? learn how to take those nclex style tests. they truly are different. know your stuff isn't enough if you don't understand how the testing works. i did not follow this advice. why didn't i? i have no clue. stupidity?

3) in what ways has nursing school affected your life socially? going back to school played a role in my divorce. i have no social life and have come to terms with it.

4) if you had to do it over, what would you change? i'd would learn how to take those darn tests.

5) what are your favorite aspects of being in nursing school and what are you least favorite? i love how much i have learned. i'm proud of how hard i work. i'm proud that i never gave up... no matter how hard it got. i hate the lack of sleep and how i have to say "no" to so many other things i'd rather be doing.

6) if you have a family (hubby/wife, and kids) how has this affected them/you? i got divorced. the kids are very supportive and understanding, but want this to be over too!

7) how do you balance nursing school and your family? the balance has had to fall in favor of school. i don't like typing that, but it's honest. however, i would always put the school work down if the kids were upset and needed a good "mom chat". but they know my time belongs to school and it is a short term thing.

8) how did you become interested in going into nursing school? i have been an aide for 20+ years. it was time to step up to the plate. beyond that, it's a loooong story.

9) what type of ancillary products did you purchase to help keep organized? i'm not organized. i thrive in chaos, lol. what did you buy that turned out to be useless? i must have purchased a dozen planners... i can never remember to use 'em! useless! otherwise, i use and abuse all books and discs. best thing i bought: a pocket guide book called rnotes. i carry it with me everywhere and it is my bible in clinical.

10) (this one may be a sensitive question) how are you managing to pay for your school? work (hospital job) was paying for it until i lost my part-time status. work also awarded me a $2000 scholarship. by the time i'm done, school will have only cost me about $1500 bucks. i'm not complaining. scholarship, loans? there is no way i'd get a loan. i took advantage of what my employer had to offer. i'd have been a fool not to.

11) is nursing school costing more/less than you initially projected? more. i hadn't anticipated on losing my part-time position. still, i'm not complaining.

12) what can you not live without, that is helping you get through? my children. period. they give me the drive to continue even when i want nothing more than to lay down and quit.

anneuhbanana · Apr 13, 2011

1) what advice would you give to someone who has yet to be accepted into a nursing program?

it will be a rocky ride, but so worth it. constantly remind yourself how much you want this, and be ready for it to be your life, as you will have lost yours.

2) is there any advice that you were given that you choose to ignore or actually followed? what was this advice and why did or didn't you follow it? was not given any advice prior, but my guru teacher advises us to meditate every morning, i try to follow it, and it seriously helps. she always tells us to take a b-complex stress vitamin in the morning and 200mg of b6, i followed it because i was drained, exhausted, and mentally braindead.

3) in what ways has nursing school affected your life socially? my social life is almost nonexhistent, people outside of nursing world do not understand what you are going through no matter how much you try to explain it. my social life mainly revolves around other classmates going through the same thing.

4) if you had to do it over, what would you change? i would move out, either on my own or with other students. parents/siblings etc. will constantly need you for something and i constantly get stuck babysitting etc. i would have saved more money before i started also.

5) what are your favorite aspects of being in nursing school and what are you least favorite? favorite:bonding with other students, going home from clinicals feeling so good about what you did for the patients that day (its a high that keeps me going). least favorite: dealing with nursing student drama, all the clinical paperwork/careplans, and losing touch with some of my friends.

6) if you have a family (hubby/wife, and kids) how has this affected them/you? i do not have a husband or kids.

7) how do you balance nursing school and your family? it often feels like i don't, i have to help my family out alot, i just constantly tell them how much i have to do and usually they get the drift.

8) how did you become interested in going into nursing school? my grandma was a nurse, so i grew up wanting to be like her, and then wham i discovered this is what i like.

9) what type of ancillary products did you purchase to help keep organized? what did you buy that turned out to be useless? i did not buy much of this kind of stuff because i know i never use them.

10) (this one may be a sensitive question) how are you managing to pay for your school? scholarship, loans? i got through the first half of my schooling with the pell grant, and the last half is with school loans.

11) is nursing school costing more/less than you initially projected? i guess i didn't have an idea, but the costs and amount of books is what suprised me the most. so much more than i've ever spent.

12) what can you not live without, that is helping you get through? i cannot live without my flashdrive, laptop, index cards (for vocab), and vitamins.

canut · Apr 14, 2011

:) Wow! These are great! Thank-you so much! Also, feel free to add any information outside of the questions I asked. Anything and everything is helpful.

Much appreciated!