What Should I Be Doing Right Now?

Nursing Students General Students

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Hello! I was recently admitted into my University's Nursing Program and have signed up for classes starting this fall! I am so excited! I worked very hard during my pre-reqs to get into the program and am now chomping at the bit for nursing classes to start!

Don't get me wrong though, I am loving my summer away from school! No droning professors, no persistent homework and no long nights studying!! But, at the same time, I want to be prepared for the upcoming semester. We have a mandatory orientation in July, so I'm sure I will be getting tons of information then. But what do you all think I should be doing during the summer months to prepare myself?

I do have a full-time summer job (not health-field related, I'm afraid) and I have been working on a few scholarship applications. But I always feel like I should be doing more! Anyway, I'd love some opinions!

Thank you! :)

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Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.

Nothing.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

This is a great time to have a break before the Nursing orientation. If you need to fill out scholarship apps, then by all means do so.

Once you go through the nursing orientation, perhaps you can find out what readings you want to skim over and prepare for classes, however, you may have a lot of questions due to the different application of theory approach that nursing subjects have; no rote memorization occurs in nursing theory.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

There are a bunch of posts if you peruse the forum on exactly this topic. If you don't want to relax (which I would also suggest), there are tons of ideas and suggestions in those threads.

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Thank you for the response! I agree with you. I think I'm just excited! I have the tendency to want to do everything right now and be prepared. It just came together so fast and I want to be the best student possible. Thanks again!

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Specializes in Home Health, Education.

Trust me, just relax doing working and enjoying your hobbies during the summer because it will be full speed ahead once nursing school starts. The fall will be here before you it, so spend time with friends and family. Time with them will be few and far between in the very near future.

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I will also (hopefully) be starting in the fall. I bought the Anatomy and Physiology coloring books by Kapit and Elson. It keeps me occupied and is great review for A&P. I also have been looking through NCLEX review books. Even though I'm working part time, I don't really like to waste the time I have free. It drives me crazy. Congrats and good luck!

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Thank you! You all are right!

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I'm exactly the same way. Which NCLEX books do you have?

Okay, the coloring book idea made me so excited! Haha! My summer job is so...SO...boring (makes me really know I want to be a nurse instead of stuck in some dead end job). So honestly, anything that would be fun and give me some review would be AWESOME! :D

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I bought new colored pencils and everything! They're reasonably cheap through Amazon and the explanations of A&P are fairly thorough. I'm currently looking at the newest Kaplan and thinking about purchasing Saunders. There are so many NCLEX resources that I think it's better to look at all of them and decide which ones benefit you the most (have the best explanations). I recommend going to the bookstore or Barnes & Nobles to sit down and read through them - much easier than buying each individual book.

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Hello there, congratulations on your acceptance to nursing school. If I could do it all over again...

-find someone who has taken the class before, get the syllabus, and start reading/outline chapters. Not the whole book, just up to the first exam. You can add/take out info once class has started.

-review A&P

-if you have pharm first semester, start reviewing drug classifications. Just a general overview/understanding.

-if your weak in math, and your dosage calculations class is separate from pharm, start reviewing how to use dimensional analysis.

Do enjoy your summer, lol. However, maybe starting in late July, early August, just review these things. Even if its just 2hrs a day, 3 times a week. Only you know the type of student you are, and how you learn best. Time management is important. Don't fall behind in your readings. Get small assignments out the way asap. Research assignments/papers, do a little at a time. Stay focus. Be on time, don't miss class, do ALL assignments & extra credit given. Turn in work BEFORE the due date. I personally know students who have failed classes because they were short 2 and 3 points, turning in papers late, and so on.

NOW, I need to go read/review (again) material for my exam next week, lol.

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Oh my goodness! Thank you! You really gave some great ideas! I will definitely be looking at the pharm and a/p review. Also thinking about some NCLEX practice! Thank you so much!!

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