What happens in Nursing School?

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Nov 22, 2014

It was about 3.5 years ago for me, but... when I was accepted, they sent me info for the date and time for a mandatory orientation. The orientation covered both information about the program as a whole and also certain information about what we would need to purchase right away for the program. This included things like our nurse kit, uniforms, book bundle for first semester, and the like. I think at that time we were also provided a link to the student handbook or we were at least advised that at some point that the student handbook would be made available to us in the beginning of the semester. That was pretty much it for the mandatory orientation.

The first day of class was basically administrative in nature, just like any other first day of class in a college setting. That was basically going over the course syllabus and related materials, followed by about 2 hours of lecture. The next 5 weeks were essentially all lecture or lecture and lab because we were getting ready for our first clinical days. Our first clinical days were basically a tour of the various hospital floors, finding where everything was on the floors, doing EHR training, and the like.

Each program is different and will do their "stuff" slightly differently, but basically they'll provide you information about where to go, what to do, when to be there, and the like. They'll teach you what they want you to know so that you'll be a safe beginning 1st semester student before they let you loose on the floor under fairly close supervision.

As far as study style goes, that's very individual and it sounds like you generally have a good system that works for you already. I would suggest you use that style for at least the first part of 1st semester and look for ways to adapt the style to improve your study efficiency. There will be a LOT of reading, a LOT of lecture, a LOT of doing stuff and not a LOT of time to do it all. At this point, I'm not going to suggest a study style because what worked for me may not work for you because I already showed up to nursing school with a very broad knowledge of patient care. I needed to know how nursing does it, so I only had to build upon that existing knowledge base instead of creating an entirely new foundation of knowledge and that directly affects how I study.

Also, you'll find that nursing is more about figuring out what to do rather than simply gathering data. In terms of thought processes, it's application-level stuff. In other words, knowing the background information you've been provided in nursing school and the information you've gathered during your assessment, what do you plan to do for helping the patient heal? Simple rote memorization, cramming, and regurgitation of memorized facts will only work maybe for an exam or two in the first semester.

In the meantime, don't stress out too much about nursing school until you actually get there and start your first day of class. Otherwise you'll be dumping much catecholamines unnecessarily into your body and that just isn't a nice thing to do to it.

sasasa25 · Nov 22, 2014

Thank you for sharing. Do you have any study guide you recommend for first semester student?

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Nov 22, 2014

I really don't have a study guide for really any semester because each semester will be different for each program and each program wants some different things from their students. There should be LOTS of videos on the internet that show you the basic nursing stuff you'll be expected to know. First semester is pretty much about learning to do basic CNA level stuff with some critical thinking and beginning patient assessment stuff thrown in the mix too. Make sure you know that CNA stuff because that's literally the foundation for a lot of your nursing care that you'll be providing down the road. Also, don't be afraid to learn from the CNAs how to do stuff because they often are quite expert at doing things very efficiently. Do be careful though because sometimes they can be so fast that they cut corners and not do things the way they're supposed to... which can lead to problems and poor patient care.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Nov 22, 2014

I got a big envelope in my mailbox that said I had been accepted with my date for orientation and the paperwork to get started on stuff like background and drug testing. Stuff for my physical. Orientation was just about what we would need the first day and to go over all the paperwork we were sent in the mail and we went over deadlines to get all of this stuff done. There is a lot of paperwork that needs to be done. But I got it all done in time.

Each school is different on how they schedule things. Some people have nursing fundamentals for an entire semester. We did it in 4 weeks then went on to Med/Surg I. We had to have our own scrubs for lab. I got 3 pairs of scrubs but that was too many as our lab days are done. Our simulation lab is very nice. It is new. Just built in the last couple of years and is set up like one of our local hospitals. There is an ER bay, an examination room, an OB room, and a med/surg room. We have computers and med carts just like the hospital. It's pretty neat. We go in and take care of the patient, then go out and chart. We have started doing simulations in there on days we don't go to our facility. I really like it.

Clinicals are not bad. We have our uniform scrubs for clinicals. I bought 2 pair for it. In case I needed to change into another pair one day. You can get pretty wet giving showers. The first day I was very nervous. I did my first head to toe assessment on a live person!! But my instructor was with me and helped me. We are on our 3 week in our facility this past week and I am much more comfortable. I'm getting to know the nurses and CNAs. It has been fun and I am doing much better.

I don't study every day. I do make flash cards though when I do and it helps me tons. This first semester really has not been bad. Next semester though, I'm not sure. It's going to be very busy. 2 days of clinicals and 3 days of lecture. I'm a little worried but I think I will be fine. I think it is really about planning your time properly. If you can do that you should be fine.

brit.pz · Nov 22, 2014

I love reading how nursing programs vary!

In my program we had our orientation a few weeks before classes started. There a few instructors and the dean just went over things like immunizations, clinical uniforms, and gave us some information about our classes.

Our clinicals start that very first week of classes. I had clinical on Monday and didn't have my first actual nursing class until the next day! Because we hadn't been taught any skills outside of what we learned in our CNA/STNA course we spent that day getting to know each other, learning how to use the glucometer, and getting oriented to the hospital rooms.

** They require us to take an CNA/STNA course before we are allowed to apply to any nursing program at my school.

In our program first semester students take Nursing Concepts, Pharmacology, and Nursing Skills. Pharm and Concepts are typical lectures. Our Nursing Skills class consists of a 50 minute lecture, a 3 hour lab - in these labs four stations are set up and instructors teach us different skills/topics each week, and a 1 hour mandatory group session where we practice a skill we were taught during lab. This class also includes our skill competency check-offs (we have 5: physical assessment, med pass, Foley catheter/sterile technique, IV initiation, and IV med pass) and clinicals. It's a busy class where something is always going on. And once we've went over a procedure in lab our clinical instructor expects us to be able to know how to do the procedure that next week at clinical if it needs to be done.

First semester clinicals vary based on the hospital you are at and the floor you are on. My clinical is on a Med-Surg floor at a smaller hopsital..I know some students that are on an Ortho floor at a large hospital. It all just depends. And our instructors all have different things that are required, which has created some confusion among students and professors/instructors at the school. For instance, before we have a skill competency check off done we need to have a peer review and instructor review sheet completed. These need to be done at the Skills Lab and the instructor review needs to be completed by the Skills Lab staff. Students have tried to have their Clinical Instructor check them off on a skill, which doesn't count. This has happened multiple times and multiple times the head of the Lab has e-mailed saying this was not allowed...but it keeps happening every check off.

As for clinical my instructor gives us our patient the night before clinical so we can have our research ready that morning - research for us includes what medications they are on in the hospital and at home, concept maps, care plan, etc. While we're at clinical we pass meds on our patient, do vitals, head to toe physical assessment, and whatever care our patients need. If we have down time we're required to help out the other nurses/answer call lights.

A few students have also been able to go down to surgery with their patients and watch their procedures.

Other clinical instructors have the patients start researching right when they get on the unit. Some instructors have specifically told their students not to "bother" the nurses and not to speak to them. Others have only allowed their students to do basic care like making beds and giving bed baths all semester without letting them try the skills they were taught in lab.

My clinical instructor requires all of our paperwork including that darn care plan to be completed and turned in before we leave. Luckily ours is just a sheet and not an actual paper that has to be written. The other clinical instructors require their paperwork to be turned in the following week before the next clinical.

It's been a lot of stress, a lot of anxiety, and a ton of self-doubt but the semester is almost over! Thank goodness! I can't say I've had the best clinical experience based on what I've seen/heard from other students but hopefully it will make me stronger and a much better nurse in the long run.

Next semester is Adult Health 1 (which from my understanding is like a Med-Surg class?) which will be a lecture and clinical, and Pathophysiology. 3rd semester is Adult Health 2, Adult Mental Health Issues, and Community/Family Health. 4th semester is Adult Health 3, Maternal and Neonatal, Peds, and then precepting.

Good luck on your upcoming semester!!! :)

gizmojamz, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2014

Thank you very much for all of the replies. I read them all thoroughly :) Very interesting to hear how different first semesters are at other nursing programs! All of your words make me feel a bit at ease and a bit of a nervous wreck lol. Since I am still in that pre-nursing phase, are there any types of jobs or experience for someone of at my level? I'd love to build up my resume and I would like it very much if I could at least get a job related to the field I'm studying. Right now I kind of feel like a leech because I am currently unemployed but thankful that my parents help me pay for things I cannot afford myself. During my late high school career and after I graduated in 2011 I did a lot of babysitting at hotel events and for friends until I enrolled in university. Since then I've been focusing on my studies. But I feel kind of guilty because my brother who is also a pre-nursing student, works part-time at an amusement park so you know he's got extra money to spend. I figured that I should at least apply for something that will help me become familiar with a hospital environment. Anybody have ideas as to what would be suited for me? Home Health Aide? Sitter? Medical secretary? Keep in mind, I have little to no experience in anything health related so far.

TO KEEP YOU UP TO DATE: I passed with high Bs in the last 3 prereqs mentioned. Yay! Next semester (Spring 2015) will consist of Anat & Phys II and Allied Health Chem, both of which I've already taken but will brush up the grade because I had Cs in those and I will be taking it at a local community college instead of at UT Arlington. After that I will be applying for Spring entry at UTA as well as at the community college after I retake my HESI.