Is it too much to ask?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Specializes in Trauma & Emergency.

I'm sorry I'm going to get flamed for posting this..but I just have to vent. I start my BSN program in a little over a week and we had orientation a few days ago. (yipee) Our first semester consists of A&P I, Chem, Ethics all the usual pre-reqs. We received our book list about 1 month ago.

The subject came up of who got their books already..of course I say that I did and as I look around there are 20 other students who DID NOT get their books. Now I just may be being a little bit harsh..but I just want to know if people realize that school starts in less than a week? Now I am not flaming at them if they had financial reasons for not getting their books--I know what its like to sit there and wait and wait for a loan to come through..these people had NO CLUE how to find the booklist online. Actually had the audacity to ask.."do you really think we'll need them the first day?" Somehow I find it extremely hard to beleive that any A&P teacher is going to hand you a syllabus on the first day with NOTHING to be done for the next class. Somehow I find it really hard to understand how a BSN nursing student actually asked "What's A&P?"

I was just wondering if anybody else found people in their classes to be completely clueless as to the profession that they are going into. I feel like nobody even researched..almost like they chose a profession out of a hat and decided to go with it. But, I really don't get it..not even a little. I've been flipping through my books for 3 weeks trying to get the basic concepts so that when the professor started to talk I would have a clue. Plus I would not want to be "unprepared" on my first day.

I understand if there are good reasons why you couldn't get your books, but you aren't even aware of how/where to get them. I guess I was just disappointed because I was expecting more..I wanted to be able to study with these people..I wanted us all to be on the same boat.

But they have already verbalized that they "know who to go to" when they forget to do something or don't know how to do something..and I really don't want to be that person especially for those that are lazy and are showing no desire to participate in their own learning. I mean some were so immature they were talking about how they were never going to wear white scrubs and they were going to dye them different colors. I was like..:smackingf I hope that we can grow up a little before we start clinicals next Fall.

Okay now my reason for this post MY QUESTION: did you watch classmates grow from this to professionals or did they walk out of school the same way they came in?

Specializes in Utilization Management.

Oh my, the very same thing happened with my class last week. My class requires a very lengthy pack of pages (approx. 700 pages) that has to purchased from our bookstore for about $50. Everything that is going to be covered in the program is in this pack. Not only did people not get it before classes started, one guy made it clear that he had no intention of buying it and expected the teacher to provide him with her memory stick! The memory stick contained the pages in PowerPoint format, as well as extra information, including test material. Needless to say, the teacher was furious with his request. I'm blown away by the audacity of some people.

As for your question...I've gone to school with some people who gained professionalism as they went through, but others graduated just as immature as they started. I guess it all depends on the person.

Specializes in Hospice & Palliative Care, Oncology, M/S.

I've had classes with people who never bought the books, and it showed. I've also had classes with people who bought the books as soon as humanly possible. Sometimes this made a difference, but it also depended on the student - some never even read them. I've known people who have shared their books, which usually ended a lot of blaming and disaster.

Usually I buy my books at least a week in advance because I HATE standing in crazy lines and I like to "flip through" them, like you said. This semester, I had to wait for my loan to come through, so will be buying my books the day before class starts. I still intend on going through them just to familiarize myself before classes start the next day.

Specializes in Oncology/Hematology.

I've never used any books for any class in my prerequisite courses. In fact, I stopped buying them about mid-way through finishing up my prerequisites. However, I think that depends a lot on the specific teacher and the specific student. My teachers never tested on material that wasn't covered in class. This is good since I personally don't learn anything from books - the way I learn is by audio/lecture, so I make sure to never miss a class. If I absolutely needed to read a book, I would. When I start nursing school I will go out and buy every book listed because I don't have experience in nursing school yet and don't know if I'll need books or not, but I'm thinking that maybe the people you've encountered have a past like I do where I've never needed books. I do, however, think they should go out and buy their nursing books because nursing school will be much more intense than prerequisite work! :)

Specializes in Trauma & Emergency.
I've never used any books for any class in my prerequisite courses. In fact, I stopped buying them about mid-way through finishing up my prerequisites. However, I think that depends a lot on the specific teacher and the specific student. My teachers never tested on material that wasn't covered in class. This is good since I personally don't learn anything from books - the way I learn is by audio/lecture, so I make sure to never miss a class. If I absolutely needed to read a book, I would. When I start nursing school I will go out and buy every book listed because I don't have experience in nursing school yet and don't know if I'll need books or not, but I'm thinking that maybe the people you've encountered have a past like I do where I've never needed books. I do, however, think they should go out and buy their nursing books because nursing school will be much more intense than prerequisite work! :)

I can agree with what YOU are saying about how you learn--however teachers have specifically notified us via email that all homework assignments will be completed from the text.

Specializes in Oncology/Hematology.

In that case, I would have bought the books! Absolutely, 100%. How on earth are they going to complete their homework assignments if they don't have the book?!

Specializes in Trauma & Emergency.
In that case, I would have bought the books! Absolutely, 100%. How on earth are they going to complete their homework assignments if they don't have the book?!

I think it's safe to assume that they probably don't check their email either. :chuckle:chuckle:chuckle

expensive door stops

This is part funny, part sad...but whenever I want to skip out on reading ahead/studying ahead, I always ask myself "What would Hermione Granger do?" LOL.

In defense of some of these students.......Do you know how many times I have purchased books and showed up n the first day of class only to have the instructor say that, the book store ordered the wrong book, the department wanted to use the newest (much more expesive) edition but the instructor preffered the older and would be teaching from that, two of those books are only "recommended" by the department and wouldn't be necessary for course work, etc? I have always found it better to show up on the first day without books, get a syllabus, and be prepared to go directly to the book store if getting the book immediatly was imperitive. Now, I also see your point. In a situation like this, where "the program" requires the books, and lets you know what they are and where to get them .....you should have them in advance. But, books are crazy expensive and the bookstore if OFTEN not cooperative about taking them back. So maybe people were just waiting to see if the list was correct before making the investment.

Specializes in labor and delivery.

Due to extreme financial difficulties, I never bought any books in school. I borrowed from the library, from the teacher or rented them from Chegg.com. I had excellent grades-some of the highest in the class, so it can be done. I actually skimmed some of the reading and what I found to be effective was to follow in the book during lecture. I would say 99% of tests were on power points in class. I don't advocate not buying books, but wait till the first few days of classes because requirements tend to change. Also, renting the books was great. I have never felt I needed to look up anything since I graduated over a year ago, I'd rather look up answers online which is more current anyway.

Best of luck.

I think you are over reacting.

I have not started yet ,but I will be buying my books at the very first moment that I know what they are. If someone else does not make the effort, then all the better for me, It will be easier for me to be one of the best.

Seriously, don't waste your energy worrying about it, just do everything you can do to be great.

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