Any Advice for Nursing School!!!!

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Specializes in Long Term, Psych, Dementia, Rehab.

i received my acceptance letter for the 2008 lpn program which begins august 27th of this year. believe me when i say that i am extremely excited and elated. however, i am so scared:eek: because i do not wanna mess this up. the class i have been accepted into only takes 30 students per class and they only let in 30 students per year. the class after this one will not begin until january of 2010. of course there are other private institution around which takes new applicant every semester but they charge a whopping $27-$30 thousand dollars, while the one i have been accepted to only costs $5,350.00 and thats including books uniform and everything. so i consider myself extremely lucky.

is there snyone out there that can offer me some advice on how to go through a nursing program successfully.

i need all the advice i can get. anything that worked for you please let me know

p.s.

:ancong!: to every nursing students 2 be. i hope we all succeed.

:heartbeatnina:heartbeat

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Congratulations on being accepted!

You must apply yourself 100% if you wish to succeed. We started with a class of 32. We are now entering into our 3rd week of phase 2 with 17 students. Organize your life now because once classes get started, you will find you won't have much time for anything other than studying. Even though it is hard, the satisfaction is oh so sweet. Stay positive, especially when things get rough (it is alot of information to absorb, in a short period of time). Get to know your classmates. Rely on each other for support in good times and in bad. Rest when you need it, be good to yourself. Enjoy the journey.

Best of luck to you.

C-

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Congrats on your acceptance!!!:yeah:Just concentrate on what lies ahead and not your fear. Fear will paralyze you. You'll do great. I start LPN school in Aug too.

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take initiative, read, and read . Ask questions and get to know your classmates they can be an excellent support system. We started with a class of 20 and folks are coming up missing. Keep your eye on the prize and yes get organized now, when classes start you will not have much free time.

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:cheers:Congrats to you my dear on getting started on your new journey and indeed it is a journey,But you just focus on what lies ahead.The best advise that I can give to you is to learn how to break those chapters down in your own way if your instructors use power point presentations even better because those are your key points to learn for their exams.Look at the beginning of each chapter learn the definitions and the key terms because that's what really matters on exams , use your free time very wisely I find that the best time to study is at night try to write down all your main study points on index cards or looseleaf paper so that you can stuff them in your purse and study anywhere, (bus, train, work, nail salon:D and I find that has helped me alot I am 2 months into my program still first quarter though and I have not yet scored anything under a 90 and I am a full time pharmacy tech and a full time mommy of a 4 year old girl so trust me sweetie it may seem like a long haul and it is but once you focus on that license get your life situated around school and read and intake as much as you can you should be fine.We start clinicals in august I can't wait.Please keep me posted if you need help with anything don't be afraid to ask we are nurses to be and we stick together:nurse:Now until august please just do this:onbch:lol............relax

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Specializes in Long Term, Psych, Dementia, Rehab.
:cheers:Congrats to you my dear on getting started on your new journey and indeed it is a journey,But you just focus on what lies ahead.The best advise that I can give to you is to learn how to break those chapters down in your own way if your instructors use power point presentations even better because those are your key points to learn for their exams.Look at the beginning of each chapter learn the definitions and the key terms because that's what really matters on exams , use your free time very wisely I find that the best time to study is at night try to write down all your main study points on index cards or looseleaf paper so that you can stuff them in your purse and study anywhere, (bus, train, work, nail salon:D and I find that has helped me alot I am 2 months into my program still first quarter though and I have not yet scored anything under a 90 and I am a full time pharmacy tech and a full time mommy of a 4 year old girl so trust me sweetie it may seem like a long haul and it is but once you focus on that license get your life situated around school and read and intake as much as you can you should be fine.We start clinicals in august I can't wait.Please keep me posted if you need help with anything don't be afraid to ask we are nurses to be and we stick together:nurse:Now until august please just do this:onbch:lol............relax

I am trying to relax but i cant help but to be so anxious i keep on i just cant wait. I really want to do this. but please understand where i am coming from. Everywhere i turn there is another student who failed/withdrew for one reason or another and believe you me i dont want to be in that number. I am a SINGLE MOTHER and I too have a four year old daughter thank god she is that age already. Luckily for me she is at the kindergarten age and the school i got accepted to goes by the public school system calendar, so she's on break from school so am i. and in the worst circumstances that she may be ill one day i got so many people who will be willing to watch her. All my friends who have been to nursing school keep saying that i will basically have no life for the next year and thats a sacrifice i am willing to make. The only part that is killing me right now is that i have to consider sending her away to her grandmother in jamaica so i could make this program #1 in my life right now. I have never been away from her a day in her life yet and i may have to start now. I am doing this for myself yes but mainly for her. I love nursing both the art and science aspect of it, but i also want to be able to do better for her i think i am about to go nuts:banghead:

Sorry for the long drawn out reply.

please tell me how are you doing this with a 4 year old child

I HONESTLY DO COMMEND YOU:clphnds: NycCutie

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It is time consuming but I would not consider it insanely difficult. Do you have any medical background? If so- some of it will be easy. Did you like science or biology in highschool? If so- it will be interesting to you and not so bad.

Being a single mother can work in your favor. You will be qualified for lots of assistance financially. Some girls I go to school with are able to get assistance for even gas money. So that part will be less stressful...

It will not be a walk in the park but not as bad as some have said either. I think it depends on the person and the willingness to learn. I was afraid as well and I am feeling much better now that I have gotten started. The fear of the unknown is far worse than reality.

YOU CAN DO IT!

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I am trying to relax but i cant help but to be so anxious i keep on i just cant wait. I really want to do this. but please understand where i am coming from. Everywhere i turn there is another student who failed/withdrew for one reason or another and believe you me i dont want to be in that number. I am a SINGLE MOTHER and I too have a four year old daughter thank god she is that age already. Luckily for me she is at the kindergarten age and the school i got accepted to goes by the public school system calendar, so she's on break from school so am i. and in the worst circumstances that she may be ill one day i got so many people who will be willing to watch her. All my friends who have been to nursing school keep saying that i will basically have no life for the next year and thats a sacrifice i am willing to make. The only part that is killing me right now is that i have to consider sending her away to her grandmother in jamaica so i could make this program #1 in my life right now. I have never been away from her a day in her life yet and i may have to start now. I am doing this for myself yes but mainly for her. I love nursing both the art and science aspect of it, but i also want to be able to do better for her i think i am about to go nuts:banghead:

Sorry for the long drawn out reply.

please tell me how are you doing this with a 4 year old child

I HONESTLY DO COMMEND YOU:clphnds: NycCutie

Honestly hun I don't know how I do it either:D but I don't focus on that I just get up every day and do what I have to do for her and myself and God takes us through the day>I am a single mom but I have alot of family support.But like I said try to manage your time wisely.What I try to do is on sundays I am off from work and schoolso that is my chores day(doing all the laundry, buying her snacks juices and lunch for school, cleaning up the rooms and have everything organized)My daughter wears uniform so I get 5 shirts and 5 dresses with 5 anties and 5 vests and I iron everything and put them in her dora monday-friday cubby so everything is set for the week and in the mornings I don't have to rush and search for anything,:yeah: I set up all her lunches and snacks the night before so in the mornings all I do is put it in the lunch box(I hope this is giving u some ideas) after we come in from school in the afternoon relax get a snack watch a show take our minds off the day after about an hour it is time for a bath and do her homework(get it over with early)then dinner read and get them to bed as early as you can, then that'ds your time to shower relax and hit the books.It sounds like alot but sweetie I have been doing ti everyday since school started in the beginning up april and I am tired I must say but it has to be done no matter what that license will be mine and thats what keeps me going, knowing that I will be able to give us a better life in the end motivates me to the fullest.Managing time is key at this point.stop stressing and start planning before you get swamped.:smackingf

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Specializes in geriatrics, geripsych.

congratulations!! the single most important piece of advice i can give you, is that you must take time for just you. i have even went and gotten in my car and drove around the block to have some "just me time." we have a family of 7 children and i work also. i graduate in aug from lpn school. the next peice of advice is to get three things, a small date book, a pack of at least 4 different colored high lighters and lots of index cards!! the date book will help to keep you organized. you will be able to write down when your assignments are due use it everyday!! the different colored highlighters are key to remembering what you need to. i use one certain color for those points the teacher says these things about " i would remember this, you may see this again, etc.," plus you will find that you remember things in different colors on a page instead of it all being highlighted in yellow!! index cards, can not stress this one enough! you will use them for everything you study!! you write the question, word, key point, on side and then for the back side write it so you have flip the card over like playing cards. the flipping action is gives you a "brain click" and is a trick to remembering what the answer is. just like a childs memory game!! i also take it a step further with my flash cards. my questions are always in black ink and my answers are always in blue ink. i then punch a two holes in each card and use craft metal rings to hold all them together. they are so portable and easy to use. plus when i graduate they are going to be great firestarters for the huge party i am having and they will fuel the bonfire!! choose friends wisely. you will find someone you totally click with and that is your study buddy. never buy your anatomy, drugs, nclex, etc., flash cards! you will waste your money on something that you can do yourself. this website has so many helpfull people and ideas!! lastly read read read read. make your school books your new american express card, never leave home without them! best wishes, you will have a blast.:nurse: " fear is false evidence appearing real and remember that faith and fear can not exist in the same place!" ciao~sunni

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Specializes in Long Term, Psych, Dementia, Rehab.
congratulations!! the single most important piece of advice i can give you, is that you must take time for just you. i have even went and gotten in my car and drove around the block to have some "just me time." we have a family of 7 children and i work also. i graduate in aug from lpn school. the next peice of advice is to get three things, a small date book, a pack of at least 4 different colored high lighters and lots of index cards!! the date book will help to keep you organized. you will be able to write down when your assignments are due use it everyday!! the different colored highlighters are key to remembering what you need to. i use one certain color for those points the teacher says these things about " i would remember this, you may see this again, etc.," plus you will find that you remember things in different colors on a page instead of it all being highlighted in yellow!! index cards, can not stress this one enough! you will use them for everything you study!! you write the question, word, key point, on side and then for the back side write it so you have flip the card over like playing cards. the flipping action is gives you a "brain click" and is a trick to remembering what the answer is. just like a childs memory game!! i also take it a step further with my flash cards. my questions are always in black ink and my answers are always in blue ink. i then punch a two holes in each card and use craft metal rings to hold all them together. they are so portable and easy to use. plus when i graduate they are going to be great firestarters for the huge party i am having and they will fuel the bonfire!! choose friends wisely. you will find someone you totally click with and that is your study buddy. never buy your anatomy, drugs, nclex, etc., flash cards! you will waste your money on something that you can do yourself. this website has so many helpfull people and ideas!! lastly read read read read. make your school books your new american express card, never leave home without them! best wishes, you will have a blast.:nurse: " fear is false evidence appearing real and remember that faith and fear can not exist in the same place!" ciao~sunni

i hope i meet someone like you in nursing school. you are truly a blessing:saint: to this site.

you basically hit the nail right on the head there is nothing that i can think of that i will need to do that you did not just say:yeah:

thanks a million,

:heartbeatnina:heartbeat

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

read the posts on this thread: https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/first-day-nursing-school-235170.html.

you should also become familiar with the various sticky threads and the information and weblinks that are posted on them on the nursing student assistance forum (https://allnurses.com/forums/f205/) and the general nursing student discussion forum (https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/). when you go onto those forums you will see:

sticky:
check here first--sticky threads of ongoing interest located here

listed first. click on that to get a list of the sticky threads on that forum. there is a lot of help listed on those threads. you might want to start with these:

my best wishes to you as you start the journey that all nurses must embark upon.

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Advice... Hmmm... LOL, what can I offer you? I graduate in August and some days I wonder how the heck I did it & still worked 33+ hours a week... As others have said, get to know your class mates. They will be one of your best resources. I always found study groups to be really helpful, and started one of my own early on with a friend. We use a book system called ATI which really helps to break things down for you. Wonderful & highly recommended. You'll probably find a few students that are very competitive, but remind them and yourself that you ALL have the same goal. I started out with nothing but mid to high 90's but after the second trimester started realized that was NOT going to be as easy to achieve. Remind yourself that when you are standing up there at graduation, it isn't going to matter whether you are a C student or an A student. However, with that said, remember that if you are going on for your RN, grades do matter some because programs usually have requirements. Don't work if you don't have to, buy used books if it saves you money, and wash your uniforms in detergent/bleach wash if they are white. I found that organizing units by folder was easiest for my, but others find using a HUGE binder for each tri works better for them. Ask your close friends & family for their support NOW. Explain what is expected of them to help make your life a bit easier. (And remember to thank them along the way.) If there is anything else I can think of I'll be sure to post. GOOD LUCK!

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