Binder or Notebook? Extra reference books?

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Do you suggest having a binder with dividers or a big five star notebook for courses? Also what other supplies do you think would be useful? Are there any books besides textbooks that people found useful during school?

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I got this book called Electrolytes and fluids made incredibly easy. It is a great book. Will get the Med Surg one as well. I know that probably wherever you go this is one of the main things you need to know forwards and backwards. It is a great book. Get you an nclex book too and start doing nclex every day and read the rationales on those you get wrong. Even though if you have not started yet, start from day one and when you take boards,you will be more than ready. I got the Saunders and it lets you pick body systems or fundamentals. I just pick what I am studying at that time in the beginning and just keep adding to it. You can do them online too.

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Specializes in LTC.

It comes down to preference but personally I preferred a notebook instead of a binder. I found binders to be too bulky and I was already currying a ton of bulky heavy textbooks.

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I prefer using the plastic folders with dividers in them. My material doesn't get crushed and it's not bulky.

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Thanks everyone! Are there any reference books people have found useful?

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Saunder's NCLEX review book, A&P for Dummies and if your program grants you access to ATI use all of the books & online resources. Best wishes!

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If you have access to this, what I have recently started doing is bringing a laptop to each class. I would always take written notes in a notebook but found I couldn't get the information down quickly enough. I am the type of person who likes to have novels instead of outlines though. I type all of my notes and review them later. I find I don't miss as much information, and it is easy to reference and edit later. Also... writing so fast, sometimes I can't tell what I wrote later!

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I have always preferred notebooks to binders. It seems like an unnecessary hassle to make sure everything is 3 hole punched and whatnot. I am organized enough with notebooks and binders. I even use one notebook for the entire semester, all classes. I used to buy them separately but then ended up needing to write more in some classes, and almost never in other classes. It's really a preference thing.

As for reference books. Your school will likely require a drug book, lab values book, and a care plan or diagnosis book. Make sure you get good ones you can understand or that are helpful for you. Just because your school recommends one doesn't mean there isn't a better one for you out there.

Supplemental books I've found helpful are the ATI books if your school provides them (mine does), the success! series, made incredibly easy, and NCLEX books like kaplan, saunders, exam cram, etc. On those, you are going to need to look into on your own as well for the same reasons I listed above.

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I had small binders for each subject but a notebook was fine as well.

Some books that are good for nursing school are the:

(1)incredibly Made Easy Books. They have one for each subject.

(2) Saunders Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-PN

(3) Exam Cram PN books (both regular and practice questions book)

(4) Nclex PN 3000. Here is the website it is free: http://nclex.wiregrass.edu/nclexpn3000/mainMenu.do;jsessionid=931EEB3E9039DD07364D0335A9CC56AD

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