Spring Semester Discussion Thread!

Kaligirl02, ADN, BSN, MSN, LVN, RN, APRN, NP · Jan 13, 2012

Oh wow girl that's crazy!! Monday will be week three for me. Ugh.... Idk. I took my math calc on the 6th and missed 9 out of 50 :-( I was upset, but luckily we are able to retest which I did today and got an 100% Umm actually I like all my classmates do far. Well sorta..lol. There is this one girl who is clearly out to be brown noser of the year, I don't think it's working. She also questions the instructor ALL the time. Idk, she is just annoying. We took a 100 question test today on te first 3 units of our fundamentals book. I think I did ok though, we get out tests back tomorrow. We have two tests next week, which I'm not looking forward to at all since I have two documentation projects to do. We start learning assessments next week too. We only have about 3 more weeks in Nursing Funds. We are learning a lot. I mean ALOT!

Iridescent Orchid, CNA, LPN · Jan 13, 2012

[color=#2f4f4f]yeah, fundamentals is going ok so far, but we haven't had our first test yet. it's going to be over 6 chapters and it's next thursday. sounds doable, right? lol, wrong! today was finally our first day of lecture in the class. monday was the syllabus, tuesday we did independent work/studies, and wednesday she had an emergency and couldn't make it to class. we're all hoping she may move it to the following monday...it would be fair, but if not, i am preparing myself to be ready.

our drug cal test is tuesday when we return back to class. i'm a bit nervous, but i am truly hoping doing all the practice skills throughout each chapter is going to help me out a lot. i know it didn't hurt! there were a few things i needed to get the hang of, and practicing them helped a lot.

congrats on getting 100% on the retest! we all mess up or make mistakes starting out. i know i can't wait for next week to be over. i am always terrified of first tests. i hate not knowing how the instructor does exams.

i like everyone in my class so far as well. it's so tiny. there are 17 of us currently. i am not sure if it's going to drop after the drop/add deadline or not, which is coming up soon. that is just the way that girl is, i can't let it irk me every time she opens her mouth. i just feel so uncomfortable when she is questioning or trying to somehow make our instructor wrong. that's the only thing that really gets under my skin, and the fact that she came in there acting like a complete know-it-all and you know, the superior complex...some people just have it naturally! i'm sure it'll get easier to ignore with time. class has just begun! lol

it sounds like you are doing some major hard work! keep it up!

Kaligirl02, ADN, BSN, MSN, LVN, RN, APRN, NP · Jan 13, 2012

yeah,it was a stupid mistake. I missed all 9 porportions!! I forgot to divide after I multiplied. So basically if I wouldnt have done that I would have gotten an 100%. Oh well, at least I know what I did wrong. A six chapter test? Do you have the NSG fundamental book by DeWitt? My test today was over chptrs 1-12. Im stuck right now on doing POMR. I have to do one of those and an Exception charting project. It sucks and Im sooo confused:confused: Thankfully its not do till the 17th so I will be able to get some help from the NP I work with on Saturday. Hope you have a wonderful Friday.

Iridescent Orchid, CNA, LPN · Jan 13, 2012

[color=#2f4f4f]we have fundamentals of nursing by ramont.

1-12?! i would die at this point! i am hoping i do well. i have studied my butt off for it and found some helpful flash cards that i printed out off of quizlet.com and have read them over and over. i'll be crossing my fingers for you. i'd ask what you needed help with, but i'd be no use with anything record related right now, we aren't there just yet! i hope you have a great friday as well!

Rrwilliams · Jan 13, 2012

Hi I'm currently a RN student in one of the community colleges & I found the test extremely confusing. I studied very hard & spent hours of understanding the materials but still I struggled when it comes to the test. For you guys whose taking LPN, how is the test so far? Are the test straight forward or kind of situational. I'm planning to change my course to LPN b/coz i dont think I can handle it. Any suggestion?do u have to be good in math to pass the pharmacology? Tnks. I enjoyed reading ur post.:)

Iridescent Orchid, CNA, LPN · Jan 16, 2012

[color=#2f4f4f]hell rrwilliams, welcome to allnurses!

i am taking my first exam this tuesday. i am very nervous about it. i'm studying my butt off and doing every self-practice throughout the chapters. i am hoping it will really pay off. i am worried about the exams being confusing as well. if you're not comfortable doing your rn right now and know for sure your grades would suffer right now, by all means switch to the lpn route! i feel this is preparing me more for when i do go for my rn.

you do not have to be fantastic in math! i do not want to even state how mathematically challenged i am. i do every single practice problem ever chapter and go to learningnurse.com: [color=#2f4f4f]http://www.learningnurse.com/content/view/25/39/[color=#2f4f4f] to do all of their practices for the chapters i am having an upcoming exam over. so far, i am catching on great and getting 96%-100% on all of the practice sections and practice tests i have done. i'm not great at math, but if you take the time to practice every day, you will get it! i dedicate about 2-3 hours a day on drug cal/pharm practices. good luck and keep us updated on your decision and your progress if you decide to stay in your current rn route! we're here for any support or help you need! :)

Kaligirl02, ADN, BSN, MSN, LVN, RN, APRN, NP · Jan 16, 2012

Hi!! The Fundamental tests that I have taken so far are situational. My instructor stated from the start that all tests woud be NCLEX style. I don't find it difficult at all. In my strategies for test taking that I did as a freshman, it showed how to go about test taking. I had to throw that that mind frame out.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Jan 17, 2012

Good luck on your exam!

Iridescent Orchid, CNA, LPN · Jan 17, 2012

[color=#2f4f4f]thank you nurselove! i have been studying throughout the day in two hour intervals making sure i am confident on everything that will be on the exam. i also tried my hand at tablet, fluid, and injection dosage calculations on practices quizzes as well, considering i'm pretty sure even being the first exam, it will still be mostly situational[color=#2f4f4f]. i scored 100% on tab, 96% on fld and 100% on inj. i think i'm ready! :) i'll post tomorrow to share how exam #1 was.

i hope everyone has a lovely week of class! :)

Iridescent Orchid, CNA, LPN · Feb 8, 2012

[color=#2f4f4f]wow, the time is flying! i'm keeping my head above water so far and just wanted to update everyone on my progress and to hear from you all who would like to share your semester thoughts, rants, and everything of that sort!

i could be a little stronger in my fundamentals class, test wise, but i'm kicking butt at check offs and whatnot. i feel i am going to be one of those who scrape by in theory and really get into clinical. i test decently, but i definitely do not test all that well. i have been staying in the 80's, but they're getting higher up in the 80's.

our first check off, i did great...of course, it was hand washing of all things! the second was sterile gloving and man did that one suck...my gloves were not big enough. i needed a half size bigger, but it was too late and that's all that was left, plus i had 18 people staring at me putting them on. vital signs was today and i kicked major butt! i was so nervous all these other times, but now that i'm getting used to my instructor and not intimidated, i feel so much more confident!

i hope everyone is doing well this spring semester!

penaheather · Feb 9, 2012

I started off in an RN program and then changed to LPN. I wish I hadnt. Theblpn is hard and fast paced. good luck to all of you.