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Just have to vent about how my day went today. I was off from work today and decided that I would take my physical and all my other info to the nursing secretary at my school (deadline to have this in is july 10.) I took the info to the secretary and asked her if I could also get a book list for the fall. She told me that they didn't have any that I needed to ask the bookstore. I just wanted an idea on how much it would set me back and maybe purchase a few to start skimming through. I go to the bookstore and there are no books on the shelves yet. I asked the lady at the book store if she could give me a book list. She told me that I would have to buy 9 required texts for a total of $320.00, 3 recommended texts for $130.00, and a lab kit for $65.00. Thats all fine, but I wanted to at least know the names of them so that I could even look online and she told me that she could not give me the names of the books and that I will not know until the books are put on the shelves on August 29th. Thats only 4 days until the first day of classes. I won't even be able to shop around. Besides this, I don't even know what classes I'm going to take. All I know is that I'll be in nursing 101. I know what days and times my lectures, labs, clinical day is on, but have no idea of what I'll even be studying. Has anyone else had this problem with trying to obtain a book list?

Love-A-Nurse

3,932 Posts

Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.

congratulations on starting nursing school! sometime, names of the books are not told to students so they will not purchase them elsewhere.

shyne

249 Posts

Specializes in Telemetry, Stepdown.

My school gave us the book list along with the acceptance letter. I guess it depends on the school.

llg, PhD, RN

13,469 Posts

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Can you ask the faculty? Some may be available for a week or two before classes start.

Also, this sounds like a good issue for you Nursing Student Association to work on. You should get involved in that organization -- or at least talk with the officers of that organization so that they can help improve the situation in future semesters. That's the type of thing they are there for.

llg

RN 2005

237 Posts

I am in the same boat as you are! I have asked and have been told that they have not finalized the book list as of yet. They recommended that I just wait until orientation and pick them up then. I am like you though - want to get the books so that I can take a peek and also price shop. I guess I can wait another 6 weeks......But I really don't want to! LOL

kimtab

349 Posts

Sounds like she just didn't feel like digging it up for you. If you know who your teachers are, email them, introduce yourself and say you would like to get started on your reading. How can they say no to that?

Gator,SN

738 Posts

Jen,

they like to do this to students so that they can't get them cheaper elsewhere.......the only benefit is that at the end of the semester, they will buy them back for half price, so if you can part with them, you will make out OK in the long run.

You could go on line and find someone from last years class and ask them what they used.....if the university bought them back, likely they will use them again.

By the way, I have never had a prof who went in order for the chapters in the book, AND if you have a good friend, split the cost of the lab kit because they are not worth $10, much less $65 and you can reuse everything in the bag for practice and validations, so one set is enough..... ie: foley cath kit, enema kits, dressings. The profs kept our syringes and fake insulin locked up in the cupboards with our names on them, we saw them one day for lab and then, never again! I didn't even bother to buy the lab kit second year.

Good luck Jen, I know it is hard to wait when you want to get started!

Best wishes!

Gator

Jen2

931 Posts

Thanks Gator. Good advice about the lab kit. I also work at a hospital and can maybe swipe a few things LOL.

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