CCBC Fall 2014 RN program

Published

Hello I just took my TEAS and scored a proficient at 75& and my GPA is 3.67. I really hope I get in. I figured I would start a thread :)

Bunnybop, what is your advice on the dosage tests? I was informed we must take one before each semester and pass these? @ Jackie yes I am on facebook :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hi Again! I apologize in advance if I am rambling or not making sense, its past my bedtime =^.^=

Nursefelly in my program there were several students who had jobs similar to yours and they did fantastic. Looking back I think I made things a lot more difficult for myself in nursing school, hopefully you guys will learn from my mistakes. Again not trying to scare anyone, just being honest.

  • Find a place to study with no distractions. I tried to study at home and was not very successful. My bed a few feet from my desk was always calling my name, or I had to get onto Facebook, or I had to watch NCIS because I hadn’t watch TV in weeks, or my Niece needed to talk to me, or my mom wanted me to check her blood pressure…. Go the Library. If you get distracted with the Internet, don’t take your computer with you.
  • It wasn’t until my last semester that I stopped stressing over my notes. I had a bit of OCD when it came to notes. I would import the ppt into Word, format the page, and add notes from class and notes from my reading. What ended up happening is I spent all night formatting my “notes”, that I didn’t do very much reading, let alone re-reading my notes. What I learned to do was print the ppt in the “note” format. (This is where there is a slide at the top of the page and half of page is blank for note taking). Use one color pen in class & another color for notes from the text book, or whatever works for you. Just don’t waste time trying to make everything look pretty. This is Nursing School! Things are Dirty! *CODE BROWN*
  • Record your lectures in class and listen to them when you can. I would listen to them on my 45 commute to work/school.
  • Take advantage of the teacher’s office hours and e-mail. Tell them you’re just not grasping whatever topic and ask for some clarification.
  • In Fundamentals you learn the basics of nursing. It’s a lot of content and they do not spend a lot of time on each topic. One of the most important things a nurse does is assess her patient. We had one lab dedicated to it and my teacher spent the entire two hours on the head. We never got to the rest of the body (lung sounds, heart sounds, edema etc.). I struggled with my assessments for two more semesters until I finally pulled my clinical instructor to the side and asked her to do one with me. Learning how to move patients in and out of bed is similar. What I recommend, if you feel like you didn’t learn everything you needed in lab, when you get to clinical talk to your instructor and ask her if she could spend a day showing you guys how to do assessments, and a day on how to safely transfer a patient. Sometimes I would ask the tech’s. We would spend half the day giving some one a bed bath and changing their linens when techs can do it in 10 minutes or less. Ask the Pro’s.
  • Try to think things through. Like I said earlier, you can’t just memorize everything. The questions you will have to answer require you to critically think. So if you can visualize how a system works, talk yourself through it, ask yourself questions… why when my blood pressure drops, does my pulse go up? It will help you answer questions better.
  • I was a loaner. I didn’t do study groups, but the ones that did, did well.
  • If you’re not grasping a topic, pick up the Prentice Hall book for that class. It’s like cliff notes and it gives you pre & post questions with rationale! And check out your ATI books, they are down and dirty with the basics and you will have to take ATI tests anyway.
  • Take your notes to clinical. Once you are comfortable with clinical and you get an idea of how your instructor is, bring your notes and study when you can. Once I started Concepts it seemed like my entire clinical group was giving out meds every day. So we spent a lot of time hovering outside a patient’s room waiting for my instructor to mosey on by so we could hand out meds. We would review our notes on our clipboard, and sometimes we could get our clinical instructor to go over topics we had a hard time with in post conference.
  • Also, clinical are 8 hours. No nurse spends 8 hours in her patient’s room; she has 6 patients to take care of. In fact some patients are a little irritated a student spends so much time in their room (some love it though). So go in, do your assessment, change those linens and give them their bath (though they have a right to refuse one *wink wink wink*, as long as you ask them).. give them their meds and then get out of that room. Help your classmates if they need help. Then find a nurse who can teach you things and follow her around. I so wish I made friends with those nurses. They can teach what it really means to be a nurse and possibly give you tips or a point of contact when you are ready to apply for a job!
  • Do not show fear during clinical. :) Some of those clinical instructors have a bit of a sadistic streak. I was terrified during my first clinical rotation and my instructor new it. She gave me an Egyptian doctor as a patient once who quizzed me every minute on why his urine was orange (because he was on Pyridium *pumps fist* I remember that from lecture). Half of my clinical group dropped out. She was one of the hardest instructors I had, but looking back she was one of the best. Just do your best! Figure out what she is looking for and give it to her. Don’t let them intimidate you, they’re trying to see if you can handle the pressure. Soldier on!

The first few weeks of nursing school will be a bit of a shock. I’ll be honest. I had no idea what a nurse truly did. I never heard of nursing diagnosis before, and I didn’t know what a care plan was. It can be really overwhelming, and it is hard, especially if you do not have a support system at home. But just remember, you worked very hard to get into the nursing program. They picked you. When things get tough, re-group, re-prioritize, think things through and remember its only two years. YOU CAN DO IT!

BUNNYHOP Girllllll you are the Bomb.com! I've copied and paste into my notepad everything you've said because I'm 1 million percent certain that's it's NEWS I WILL ABSOLUTELY USE!!! Thank you sooooooo much! Your an angel:saint:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room.
The first few weeks of nursing school will be a bit of a shock. I’ll be honest. I had no idea what a nurse truly did. I never heard of nursing diagnosis before, and I didn’t know what a care plan was. It can be really overwhelming, and it is hard, especially if you do not have a support system at home. But just remember, you worked very hard to get into the nursing program. They picked you. When things get tough, re-group, re-prioritize, think things through and remember its only two years. YOU CAN DO IT!

I just want to piggyback off this. I felt the same way after the first semester. It was such a "culture shock," if you will, because it was such a different way of thinking and the tests are like nothing you've ever taken during your pre-requisites. BUY AN NCLEX BOOK! I personally recommend Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN® Examination which is in its 6th edition now. It provides both NCLEX review questions as well as comprehensive review of everything from A&P to fundamentals to assessment to everything else. And since Bunnybop mentioned care plans- do not be afraid of care plans. Yes, they're long and tedious, but I've learned so much in addition to my lectures just from what I've experienced and seen during clinical. They really made me dig further to understand the pathophysiology of each disease as well as the mechanism of action of the meds I was passing.

I agree with Bunnybop though, you can do it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I just want to piggyback off this. I felt the same way after the first semester. It was such a "culture shock," if you will, because it was such a different way of thinking and the tests are like nothing you've ever taken during your pre-requisites. BUY AN NCLEX BOOK! I personally recommend Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN® Examination which is in its 6th edition now. It provides both NCLEX review questions as well as comprehensive review of everything from A&P to fundamentals to assessment to everything else. And since Bunnybop mentioned care plans- do not be afraid of care plans. Yes, they're long and tedious, but I've learned so much in addition to my lectures just from what I've experienced and seen during clinical. They really made me dig further to understand the pathophysiology of each disease as well as the mechanism of action of the meds I was passing.

I agree with Bunnybop though, you can do it!

Thanks sooooo Much for The Info! I'm super grateful!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Here is the link for the e/w students

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326422990844024/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Here is the link for the e/w students

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326422990844024/

Awesome!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

thank you, for all your wealth of knowledge, it is so helpful!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just requested to join the group on Facebook for Essex E/W! I'm so excited, grateful, nervous, and happy all wrapped into one! Looks like the orientation is June 5th from 5-8PM....Also, there is a "Tools for Success-Life Skills" session that is that the same day from 1-4, I didn't plan on attending that though, anyone else?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Any of the Catonsville Day students interested in a fb group? It could be helpful to have another way of communicating with one another. I don't mind creating one...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Bunnybop, you are seriously a blessing. Thank you so much for taking time to give us advice!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Anyone doing a FB group for Essex Day?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have no idea what I'm doing lol, but here is a group I made for Essex Day: https://www.facebook.com/groups/291526381009980

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion