Tri-C accelerated adn

The whole point of pre assignment is getting the info yourself and looking through the chart to get pertinent data about the history and physical and labs including meds that you will be passing eventually. Don't think you are going to get spoon fed. You are to do the work and look up the information. How do you expect to learn how to critically think and take care of patients? You should be able to wear your lab coat with decent clothes (nothing nasty and full of holes)

I'm proud to hear you are all planning to become nurses. Don't think it will be easier just because you have a degree. The program is difficult, testing out on skills in the lab is difficult, and applying what you learned on a real person is scarey. Especially if you have a clinical instructor who isn't nurturing. If at any time you do anything unsafe in clinical you will be at a serious risk of failing and also will be sent back to lab for remediation, time by yourself to practice, and more time one on one with a preceptor to work on pt care scenarios with multiple skills.
The tests require application of the information you learned which is very difficult at first. It will be like state boards. The strong and motivated will perservere. I believe anyone who has life experiences and families who decide to change their career are the ones who work the hardest. It shows.

Hemodynamic - Thank you for providing clarification on pre-assignment pick-up. I am not expecting to get spoon-fed and I am expecting to work hard. The way that pre-assignment was described was that we would just be going in to pick up an assignment and that is all. I was frustrated because I didn't want to have to get dressed up and drive a long distance in the snow and cold for a 5 minute errand. Knowing that pre assignment is an activity that will take time and effort makes the special wardrobe and trip to the clinical site worth it. Also, I am not thinking the program will be easier because I have a degree. I think that certain elements of the educational process will be easier because I already have a degree. I am expecting the program to be hard and I am expecting to have to work hard. Thank you for your feedback!

You will do great! Hopefully your clinical instructor will tell you specifically what is expected. What is frustrating is if you go in the night before to get your assignment (I teach evening clinical and prefer to do that the night before since it is hard to get there early the afternoon of with the kids) any way what is frustrating for everyone is making the assignment and students getting their assignment the night before, do all that work and go in the next day.....and many times the pt/pts are discharged. It depends what type of floor you are on. If you are on a rehab floor or in a skilled nursing facility your chances are better to have your patient around the days you do clinical. Keep in mind your final goal and be flexible...so many bumps in the road during this important journey. It helps to have others that you bond with and stick together as a group, especially for studying. What I like is that students like you have gone through college and have the knowledge of how tough it is to get the studying done and earn your grades. Like I said,,,,,,,,you will do great....just keep saying it over and over. The anxiety of the first day and the "not knowing" is the hardest but all the others feel as you do. Good Luck!!!!

CraftyStar - no, I have not ordered my uniforms yet. Frankly after orientation I was so sick and worried that I haven't touched my stuff since. I did get the malpractice insurance that day and my patches for the uniforms. I need to make an appt. for the physical though. My CPR training is 4/16. I have only done the first part of my hep B shots, I have to wait until the end of this month to get the second vaccination.

I too am worried about driving to my clinical site the night before clinicals for my information. I am not sure what I'll do with my children while I do this, as they will be in daycare for the entire week while I am at classes and clinicals. I read the response you got from a clinical instructor. I can see their point, but still it seems like a hoop to jump through. Which according to many nurses I know, nursing school will be full of. I hope at least that we can get our assignment for Fridays on Thursdays before we leave the clinical site. I am worried about the winter weather as well. Plus my clinical site is about 25 min. from my house.

I really didn't appreciate the response you got where it was assumed you were entering lightly into this program. Everyone I have talked to is worried about the demands and I believe we are ALL taking it very seriously. I feel like we as an accelerated group are entering it even more seriously than traditional students, given all of the prereq. we have completed to even apply. I really hope this attitude isn't shown to us during class.

Getting pre assignment is up to your clinical instructor. When you meet the first time he/she should go over what is expected. Some instructors themselves can't get to the floor until a few hrs before to make the assignment. The key point is being prepared...knowing the diagnosis, pt care info, meds (when you are passing them), and labs (when you have learned them). Please don't take what I said as an attitude. It is very difficult to come across in a post...automatically being seen as the bad guy. You will do fine....there are many who you'll see are not so nuturing and you'll find the ones who are. Gravitate towards any of them for guidance, in lab or clinical. If you have questions or concerns I am more than willing alleviate any fears.

What did you all get as far as uniforms, meaning the student kit, stethascope, hemostat, etc.... still not clear on what we really need.

I got the women's snap v-neck shirt and the men's pants. I tried on all three women's pants options and I didn't like them. The men's seemed to fit me the best.

My understanding is that we need:
Stethoscope
Hemostat
Bandage scissors
Blue and red color pens (I got one of those multi-color pens)
Penlight
Name tag

I think that is everything. I got all my stuff separate instead of in that kit. All the stuff that came with the kit seemed to be crap. I ended up going with a pretty nice stethoscope. My parents wanted to get it for me as a gift, so they picked out the nicest they could find with a bell and a diaphragm. It is the Littmann Cardiology III. Everything else I just picked up here and there. The cheapest site I found for everything is www.bpmedicalsupplies.com. They shipped pretty quickly as well.

Thank you crafty starr!!!!!!! you have answered a question i had for the longest time!!!!!!!
what we need for the nursing program....
where did you buy your scrubs and how much did they cost?
do we buy the tri-c badge seperate? (i start this fall and i just want to get a head start on everything even before orientation!!!)
Thanks bunches

Okay, I went with the women's flare pants, and one snap down shirt and one tailored shirt. They weren't bad at all. I tried everything on with a long sleeved tshirt underneath in case I'm cold in clinicals. I just ordered a stethascope, after reading everyones replies and on the tri-c msg. board. I hear that a lot of the other stuff we don't need right away or is in the tote. If I need other things, I'll get them as needed. I just need my shoes now!

Ohiostudent11 - the patches are for sale at the bookstore