WANTED: Nursing student tidbits of advice

nneokill175 · Sep 27, 2009

i just did my first exam, i got a 70%, i know its not good. But im half happy and half unhappy about it.

happy because majority of the class got below a 70% and was happy that they got a 65%.

unhappy because i was expecting a lot more than 70%.

i guess i will have to get used to thinking the way nurses do, and get a perfect score on my next exam!

sis N · Dec 5, 2009

have you started clinicals yet ?

KellRrn2b · Jan 19, 2010

Hey everyone.

Just checking in. Last semester went by super fast but I loved every moment of it. I finished the semester with a solid B average! Whoohoo. I guess all of that planning and freaking out helped :-)

I hope everybody enjoyed their 1st semester as much as i did. This semster is a lot more challenging but manageable. So now Im off to study for my first unit exam. I hope to be checking in soon.

Bye guys :-)

CalNevaMimi, LPN, LVN · Jan 19, 2010

Good for you, mrskellrd! I have a husband and kids at home...and just finished nursing school. I finished first in my class in theory (classwork). I got so much benefit from my husband giving me verbal quizzes the night before tests. Also, seriously, my MP3 player saved me in class during breaks from all those distractions so I could study some more. Keep it up! Your family no doubt is so proud of you.

Iwantobeanurse · Jan 19, 2010

I agree, the semester did go by quickly. I got a 3.0 average for my first semester but through hard work, blood, sweat and tears. Only because I was in the middle of a break up and moving. This semester I am settled in and plan to work twice as hard. I have five children and they are my strength. I am excited to start Spring semester next week and look forward to learning the next steps of nursing. Good luck to you this semester...

AniraP · May 30, 2010

it's been few months since the last post for this thread. i wanted to "bump" it since those who are in the nursing school can add some advice and those who are looking forward to starting ns can benefit from it.

the original post is this, and thank you op for starting this thread.

thanks.

hey guys,
i start this fall in my nursing program and im extremely anxious!!! im looking for any advice that will help me in school. whats the thing you can not live w/o during nursing school? what was the best study method for you? index cards, recorders, palm pilots? what should i take to clinicals? i know you all were anxious when u started!!!
thanks guys
p.s. ....im hoping this will end up being a huge thread that other anxious students can read

studentinnursing · May 30, 2010

bump

I have a question. I am starting in the Fall, very excited! But nobody has said anything about an entrance exam until I asked . . . . I have asked around the best I can (online classes this semester, so advisors are my only resource) and I am told we have the TEAS but that it's just a baseline? No letter has come stating when to take or what score I need, but is this a regular thing? We have selective admissions; my letter stated you have academically met all requirements, etc., and I had to give my notice of intent when I was accepted. Our school has never said nor does the paperwork say we need to pass the TEAS to get in; once we are accepted by GPA/prereq's completed, we are accepted, is what I was told.

Anybody been in this situation; are they going to spring the TEAS on us at orientation maybe? And the director said no need to study because it's just reading and math, but I hear the TEAS has lots more than that! I have the pdf for McGraw-Hill, but I am doing summer classes too right now, so I dont' know how much time I should be spending studying this or should I not worry about TEAS since they have not told me anything yet.

The reason I wonder about a required passing score is I get a different answer with each advisor, but none have said a passing score is required, let alone a %. But one advisor told me not to buy anything til after orientation when I asked about a stethoscope?

So should I be making time to study for the TEAS now? I have been going over the science portion and now it's getting scary :)

starmickey03, MSN, RN · May 30, 2010

bump
I have a question. I am starting in the Fall, very excited! But nobody has said anything about an entrance exam until I asked . . . . I have asked around the best I can (online classes this semester, so advisors are my only resource) and I am told we have the TEAS but that it's just a baseline? No letter has come stating when to take or what score I need, but is this a regular thing? We have selective admissions; my letter stated you have academically met all requirements, etc., and I had to give my notice of intent when I was accepted. Our school has never said nor does the paperwork say we need to pass the TEAS to get in; once we are accepted by GPA/prereq's completed, we are accepted, is what I was told.
Anybody been in this situation; are they going to spring the TEAS on us at orientation maybe? And the director said no need to study because it's just reading and math, but I hear the TEAS has lots more than that! I have the pdf for McGraw-Hill, but I am doing summer classes too right now, so I dont' know how much time I should be spending studying this or should I not worry about TEAS since they have not told me anything yet.
The reason I wonder about a required passing score is I get a different answer with each advisor, but none have said a passing score is required, let alone a %. But one advisor told me not to buy anything til after orientation when I asked about a stethoscope?
So should I be making time to study for the TEAS now? I have been going over the science portion and now it's getting scary :)

If they said you dont need to study then you shouldnt worry about it. One of the schools I was accepted to did this exact same thing. After we were accepted they told us that we would have to take the TEAS, but the TEAS was only so they could get a general idea of where everyone was at. Taking the test wont hurt you or your acceptance status. Like they told you, they only want a "baseline"; meaning they want to know the "baseline" everyone is at academically. No need to study. Hope that helped...

studentinnursing · May 30, 2010

Yes, thank you!

cmonkey · May 31, 2010

When I start clinicals, I'm going to try an idea I came up with recently. I tend to run hot/cold at random times, and I never quite know what to wear. So instead of wearing a longsleeved shirt under my scrub top (if you're too hot you have to leave, find a room to change in, take it off, store it, put your scrubs back on, blah blah blah), I got a pair of knee-high socks. I'm going to chop the feet off, hem the cut end, and just wear them as sleeves. Then if I get too hot, I can whip them off and just stash them in a pocket. We're supposed to wear our jackets, but if I find I'm too cold even with that, I can pop my sleeves back on and be on my merry way.

Oh, and I registered for a hooping class because unless there's a grade attached to it, I wouldn't spend any time exercising. I figure an hour a week isn't enough but it's more than I'd get otherwise.

AniraP · May 31, 2010

Oh, and I registered for a hooping class because unless there's a grade attached to it, I wouldn't spend any time exercising.

:yeah: :yeah::D:D:yeah::yeah:Funny , I wish I had a class that gives me grades for doing all the household work while studying. that way some how i'll find time for that too.

Serlait · May 31, 2010

CMonkey....I applaud you for your creativity, but I'd suggest a trial run before wearing your sleeves to clinical. Make sure the tops of your sleeves doesn't "ride down" while you're working. (Maybe wear them around the house while cleaning or while doing some other vigorous activity) Nothing would be worse (or more embarrassing) than having your sleeves come down while you're assisting with a procedure....especially with your clinical instructor watching. And YIKES, I hate to imagine if they wiggled down during a poo change/clean up.

I understand exactly what you mean about hot and cold. I decided to wear a lab coat and just shed it when I got too warm. (Just had to remember where I left it usually!!) Let me know how you fare....very interesting idea!