Help, How can I prepare for med-surg I

If you have your syllabus, start reading and taking notes. If not possibly talk to students who are a semester ahead of you and find out what was covered in the first few weeks. If you can get some of your reading done, you will be ahead of the game.

Pay attention to what is going on around you. Ask questions. When possible, shadow CNA or nurses because the more patient exposure you have the more you learn. If you know anything at all about your assigned patient then look up in patho book and pharmacy and lab. This will help you associate normal standards of care for specific conditions. Try to read the chart - everyone's entries, not just nursing, to learn how other team members work together.

If I could do it all over again, here is how I would better prepare:
1.Becoma a nurse tech or CNA before becoming an RN
2.Don't be so hard on myself when I make a mistake
3.Truly understand that I will be pretty darn good in about a year