Bristol Community Collge Nursing Program Fall 2012

U.S.A. Massachusetts

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You are reading page 10 of Bristol Community Collge Nursing Program Fall 2012

redpanda

33 Posts

Hi guys, and congrats!!! So exciting, it brings me right back to how I felt. Few things (for the standard program, I don't know about online), you'll get a letter and paperwork about orientation (which I believe I went to in late April), but the book list and list of things to buy will be given at orientation. A specific reading list of what chapters to read probably wont be sent out until late July/ August. They really want you to enjoy the summer lol. Make an effort to buy as many books as possible from a place like Amazon. If you don't know already, the bookstore is so overpriced. Even with buying on Amazon (or whatever) I would guess you'll be spending at least $500.00 (and that's being generous). I'll tell you what I can remember about the items to purchase. At orientation we had to make a deposit on uniforms (I think it was $40). We had to get at least two tops, two bottoms, a lab coat, name tag, and a optional warm up. IF you're able to I would recommend a third outfit and second name tag. the name tag in case the first gets lost, and the third outfit for your car in case a patient vomits on you, you spill coffee, etc. Don't go crazy buying a $100 Littman stethoscope, the store where you'll get your uniform sells MDF stethoscopes for about $25 and they work just as well. For shoes I recommend looking at these:

Clothing, Toys, Electronics, Jewelry, Jaclyn Smith - Kmart.com

Half the price and more comfy than my first pair. you'll need a BP cuff (spend no more than 20), a gait belt (maybe 10), a watch with secondhand (15-20), a pair of protective glasses (5-10), while you're there I would pick up bandage scissors and a pen light. you'll get these in a nurse pack, but they suck. Our nurse pack cost $50 and was available in the bookstore around August. It's basically filled with practice stuff for the lab. Also expect to pay around $50 for a drug screen. check if your phone can record, if not a recorder is very useful. Also don't take CPR until at least the end of May and a little later if possible. They last for two years and need to be valid for the whole program. Some girls from my class were so excited to get started that they took CPR in Late March or April, and sure enough had to do it again before school started. Try and make friends at orientation and invite them here (or start a private facebook group) the more the better to get information. A few of us started here around Jan/Feb of last year and today we have almost the whole class on FB lol.

Whew...I think that's it for now. I'd love to answer any future questions you guys have, but if I don't get back right away it's because I'm busy. Also, I'm curious about how the online nursing works, one of you got accepted, keep us updated. Congrats again!!!

KB87

53 Posts

Thanks so much for the information Redpanda. I have been very anxious about the whole thing and you have helped out a lot.

jaytre

12 Posts

Redpanda,

Thank you for taking the time to post all that information! It was really helpful. I do have a question about Textbooks....Do you know if it's ok to use the previous edition?

Thanks again!

redpanda

33 Posts

There is a lot of reading and some test questions are taken right from the book. Plus it would be difficult to constantly have to go and search what chapters match from the old to the new book. If they use the same thing as last year they actually have the main books in a bundle that contains a text book, lab book, and dvds, youll need all of them. I would say for the main text and refernce books (dictionary, drug book, pharmacy text, lab book, and nurse diagnosis book) buy new. Plus new books sometimes come with online codes so you can access the text anywhere. If they still require a nutrition book, and dosage and calc book I would buy and old edition. And if they still require a study guide to go with the pharmacy text I would just not buy that at all. I spent thirty bucks and didnt open it once. They will probably require another set of med surg text books, buy them new too because they carry over to year two and if you buy them used they will be really old buy the second year. Tuck this away for the future: If you start lab and they still ask you guys to print off proceedure checklists (they come on the text book CD), you might want to invest $25 on a pre printed book that contains all of these. I would also recomend RN pocket notes and a pocket size nursing diagnosis handbook for when clinical starts, they arenet needed, but come in handy. I hope all of this is helpful, just keep in mind I have no idea how much they change things from year to year, this is all based on my experience.

KB87

53 Posts

Hey Redpanda,

I was wondering if you could tell us what to expect like class and schedule wise...like what day do you have lecture and lab and clinicals and things like that, are you broken up into different groups and things like that?...sorry if it's a dumb question

redpanda

33 Posts

Not a dumb question at all :) For me, the first week we went to lecture all day on Tue after Labor day from 8-2:30 and did the same on Wed. On week two we went to lecture on Mon from 8-12 (Lecture stays this way the rest of the semester) and had lab two days for six hours each day. There are 72 students who get split into three lab groups of 24. each of the three groups have different days and times. each lab group is further broken down into 3 clinical groups of 8. You'll stay with these 8 students the whole semester and go to your clinical site with them and your assigned clinical instructor, your clinical instructor will also stay the same for the whole semester. All 72 go to lecture together and the instructors take turns lecturing. Starting week three we did lecture on Mon and had one day of lab and one day of clinical six hours each. this stayed the same until about early November and then you go to clinical twice and no more lab. Once you get your assigned days they stay the same the whole semester. For example I always had lab on Tue from 8-2:30 and clinical on wed from 7-1. But all of the clinical groups had different days and times, and unfortunately we didn’t get assigned until that first week of class! But hopefully they will get it out sooner this time.

KB87

53 Posts

Wow, so it sounds like we will be very busy. Thank you for the information.

redpanda

33 Posts

Yes, you'll be busy alright. Make an effort to enjoy the summer lol

nurs2014

22 Posts

Congratulations to everyone accepted into the BCC nursing program! I'm new to this website and just found this page. I wish I had found it while I too was climbing the walls and running to the mailbox everyday! I couldn't help but laugh reading all the posts expressing the nervousness and anticipation everyone was feeling, and I thought I was the only one going through it! lol. I'm sure this site will be a great resource, now that I've found it. Again, congratulations, I hope to meet some of you in the program.

KB87

53 Posts

lol Trust me Nurs2014, you definitely were not the only person freaking out. Congratulations on your acceptance. Did you get into the fall river or new bedford one?..im kind of bummed that we didnt receive our packets this week..

cmac0531

74 Posts

Congrats nurs2014! On Friday, the office said they were going out tomorrow - we shall see!! I know they said orientation is either end of April or first week in May.

nurs2014

22 Posts

I'll be in Fall River! I'd love to get those packets, I need some concrete information. I have heard several things that I cannot find in the catalog or on the accessBCC website. Has anyone heard whether we have clinicals during the summer months (between semesters 2 & 3)? I was told by another student that clinicals run during holiday breaks (not a big deal), and also summer months. I've never heard of any nursing student doing clinicals during the summer, is that new, or is she misinformed? Also, someone told me there is a 'reading' list for the summer, but the posts I've read all say to enjoy the summer because the semester starts with a bang! I hope the packet will answer some of these questions. I'm really looking forward to starting this fall; I can't wait to register for classes and meet the people I'll be learning with for the next two years! I hope to meet a few people at orientation, so that I know some friendly faces in September! :yeah:

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