Crucial advice needed

[nursingmama417]

Hi ladies and gents ! My name is Andrea and I started my course yesterday ! One day down, 300 some odd days to go. I started an LPN course back in August of 2011, but had to withdraw literally halfway in due to personal family issues. It was very unfortunate and I was incredibly discouraged from starting school again, especially because of the experience I had while I was in nursing school. I'm doing this course with my best friend, and we're ecstatic. What tips can you guys provide for the year to come? Anything from finances to planning to home life to health. I work, have school, a 4 1/2 year old daughter and a great support team. It's going to be rough, but so worth it.

[CountryMomma, ASN, RN]

I think the biggest thing that has helped me is Be Organised.

I got a desk all for myself, organized it, color coded my classes and dedicated a binder and notebook to each class, worked ahead in the schedule if possible, and read before class so I could ask the teacher my questions on the material if she didn't answer it in lecture.

I also made sure to read to my boys before bedtime. It was only a half hour, but it made me feel like I wasn't being the worst mom ever if I forgot a snack or something later on. We still had that connection.

You've already got a leg up on a lot of other people, because you have a good support network and a friend who will understand what you are getting into. :)

Other things that help: hope, optimism, and the occasional night to just veg out in front of the tv or behind a non-nursing book.

I also like to prepare my lunches the night before. I cold-pack my lunch. Less cost, stays healthier, and I control the portions. Carpooling, splitting hotel rooms if you have to travel out of state, and looking high and low for scholarships, grants, and reimbursement programs. Sometimes the State Board of Nursing helps reimburse some tuition costs once you start working. CollegeFish, Cappex, and Fastweb help.

Good luck! I finished my PN last July, and will (gods willing) finish my RN courses this spring. :)

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

This isn't a tip about your education, per se. Please don't use your own photo as an avatar, and be careful about using your own name. Sooner or later you will post something controversial, something negative, something that gives away just one too many details about your patient or your disagreement with your manager or coworker. Sooner or later you're going to post something that you wouldn't want your manager to see. But you've made yourself absolutely identifiable. If someone prints out a page and slides it under your boss's (or instructor's or dean's) door, you have not a leg to stand on. That's YOUR picture on the avatar. No way to deny you wrote that. No room for benefit of the doubt. This has happened to other posters; please don't let it happen to you.