Fall 2010 applicants for ccac

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Hello all you beautiful RN's or soon-to-be RN's.:loveya: I just wanted to begin a new thread for all CCAC students who are applying to the program for FALL 2010. It should be exciting, we will be applying in only a couple of weeks!!!

message me and good luck to ALL!!!

9 more days until Nursing School starts!! I must say, I am super excited! I'm in the North campus day program....anyone else? Quick question, do we have to wear our scrubs the 1st day of class (lecture)?? I was wondering that....they haven't done too much to prepare us for what to expect the first day of class ...........GOOD LUCK everyone!!! :)

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Specializes in ICU, Step-down, CCU.

lecture and labs are school attire, dress comfortably that is most important.

Clinical is scrubs, in addition don't bring ALL your books, for the first clinical or two a notebook is fine until you figure out what you need and what your clinical classmates will bring. Just be on time have a stethoscope, (lunch), and white shoes.

Good luck in 101!

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Specializes in Not really sure yet, maybe teaching.

dondk~

i was just rereading all your HELPFUL notes about the first few days of classes, and just had a few more questions for you..

i start clinical 1st day, August 23rd!!! im so nervous! i will find out where im assigned to on thursday, and i CANT wait! where was your first place for 101 clinical? and did you like it there? i heard really bad things about MonValley Hospital so i think id be upset if i had to go there! have you been to jefferson because everyone says they love it there...how was your first day of clinical, ?

also what kind of shoes did you buy for clinical? and im confused about how they want you to dress for class vs clinical. i guess for clinical though we ALWAYS wear our scrubs, white shoes, and name badge? right? do we always wear our lab coats to class? or leave them there? and can we wear any shoes for class?

how do you organize yourself, as far as the calendar and syllabi? and how do you keep your notes organized? do you keep them in your car? i have a really hard time with organization and always feel like im all over the place, which i REFUSE to be like that for nursing! lol im so afraid of falling behind because i know how tough its gonna be! please any advice I WOULD SO APPreciatE~!

if theres anything else you'd think id want to know please SHARE...

only about one week til i start! :) :redpinkhe

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Specializes in ICU, Step-down, CCU.
i start clinical 1st day, August 23rd!!! im so nervous! i will find out where im assigned to on thursday, and i CANT wait! where was your first place for 101 clinical? and did you like it there?
I was at golden living, your first place is LTC and you will be there for 6 weeks or so. If you have never been to a LTC facility, it will be a wake-up call. If you have been or work as an aide presently it will be comfortable to you. Just remember, what ever you "think" you know, they want you to LEARN their way. Keep an open mind and be professional. Did I like Golden Living? yes... I was sad on the last day, you will get to know more than one person in your facility during your stay. Most of the residents know that they will have nursing students, so they look forward to new faces.

i heard really bad things about MonValley Hospital so i think id be upset if i had to go there! have you been to jefferson because everyone says they love it there...how was your first day of clinical, ?
Everything is in baby steps, your clinical instructor will size you up in a week or two and assign you accordingly. Remember you are not alone, you will have classmates there as well, it is not into the fire (yet, that comes later :D ) My first day of LTC clinical was an adjustment since I had no health care experience, My first day of acute care was :eek:. Although, that soon passed. Not all facilities are wow, but they all have more to offer than you can take away.

also what kind of shoes did you buy for clinical? and im confused about how they want you to dress for class vs clinical. i guess for clinical though we ALWAYS wear our scrubs, white shoes, and name badge? right?
Shoes.. sneakers/tennis shoes white in color work, some instructor will allow a little color. White nursing shoes from a nursing store, you can do that too, but why pay $$$ for them now? Lets be honest now, you will wear these shoes once a week for the first YEAR (101/102). Uh, don't go nuts and buy the dansko's unless you have the $$$. You will be on your feet for 8-10 hours the first year of clinical, get something comfortable and affordable. Some instructors will not allow the croc's, some will, just keep in mind in LTC you may be giving showers/baths, you will get wet. Yes, you will need your name badge, when you get into the hospitals, you will need an hospital ID badge. While it is nice to have your ID badge just in case you forget your hospital ID.

Class is what you wore to A&P, micro, english.. it is class and nothing else, the same goes for skills and assessment.

Scrubs... note there will be times when you will come home and those scrubs will hit the washing machine minutes after you walk in your door. Wearing them a few times a week may not be practical, yes that means you may need more than one set.

do we always wear our lab coats to class? or leave them there? and can we wear any shoes for class?
Lab coats vary on campus... (okay, I let the cat out of the bag). If you go to the site the day PRIOR to your clinical then you need to either have your scrubs or lab coat. If you do not go to prior, you more than likely will never wear your lab coat. I have not worn my lab coat yet and I start 202 in 9 days. You do not leave ANYTHING anywhere or it will grow legs and walk. Shoes for class, whatever is comfortable. I have seen women in heels (why I don't know) to sandals to sneakers. Ideally, in lab there should be no open toe shoes, so I would keep that in mind. Comfort is key!

how do you organize yourself, as far as the calendar and syllabi? and how do you keep your notes organized? do you keep them in your car? i have a really hard time with organization and always feel like im all over the place, which i REFUSE to be like that for nursing! lol im so afraid of falling behind because i know how tough its gonna be! please any advice I WOULD SO APPreciatE~!
Wow, now this is hard. Everyone will find their own system, you need to find what works for you. Some people have one binder each for theory, skills, assessment and clinical. Some people have one binder for everything. I would suggest a few file folders, you will need them to hand in assignments. I would suggest one for the forms you will need (it is best to print/copy them and have them available (this is for clinical). You will need something for the 50+ drug cards you will be doing. Some people just a recipe box, others make them full page and put them in a binder, I but mine in a flexible pencil case. There is a LOT of paper in nursing school, I mean it too. I bought a case of paper to print the powerpoints, forms, care plans, med surg tools and so on. Do you need it? that is up to you. Some classes will provide you the powerpoints (hence the file folders), some will not. A three hole punch will help, I think almost everyone in my class has one.

It will help having the calendar and syllabus for each printed and in your binder, so you can see where you are and what is coming up. A date book or if you use outlook or a similar mail program with a calendar it will help to have it published. There is a lot of stuff that will be coming fast and furious over the first few weeks, do not get stressed about it, just try to organize it. I found most of my classmates made it as visual as possible with calendars, binders, folders being color coded. Again, that is up to your comfort level.

Clinical, ASK what your clinical instructor wants, they may only want you to have a nursing diagnosis and dictionary, others may require nothing or they may require a lot. Split the load, your clinical mates can each bring 1 book to make up the library.

If I suggest anything for the car, perhaps the items I need for clinical, because without them it will be a VERY short clinical.

Have water or snacks, some instructors can go 2 hours without a break, some break every 45-50 minutes. You don't want to be the person dying of thirst/hunger running out and missing something. Recording lectures. Some find it very helpful, you may want to check with your instructor as some prohibit it. Or... you can just find one that is not as obvious :)

Is it tough? initially it will be overwhelming, but it is short lived. After a month you will find your rhythm and fine tune each semester. Right now I focus on theory, lab, clinical, then make sure I take a day (or two) a week off for myself to stay sane. On that day, no nursing stuff at all, it is my day.

Have fun, take a deep breath, don't stress too much and don't preconceive anything, otherwise you will short change yourself. On the 23rd you are one step closer to being a nurse and each passing day you will be one step closer.

I hope this helped

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Specializes in Not really sure yet, maybe teaching.

dondk~

thank you so much for all the info! you are VERY helpful! i cant believe ill be in NURSING school in one week! :redbeathe

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Specializes in ICU, Step-down, CCU.

Anytime, good luck!

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Hi everyone - I'm going into 204/205 in the evening/weekend program at Allegheny Campus. I thought I saw someone say they were starting 101 there. I'm not on here all the time, but at least 1 or 2 times a week. I'll answer any questions you might have about the evening/weekend program or whatever in general for the Allegheny Campus.

Best of luck to all of you!!

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Hi everyone have been reading the site for a while and thought i would join up. I am starting 101 at the CCAC south campus evening program next week and am very excited. I bought my tote today and my syllabuses, if anyone knows what do we need to take to the orientation? Anything in particular?

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Hi zc727 - I think that it really varies by campus. We needed to have our "packets" from the book store for our orientation for 101 (which is typically your longest orientation). Did you get any letters from the school stating what you needed? If not, call the nursing office for your campus and they should be able to let you know.

Good Luck!

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Ok thanks sh!

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Hi everyone - I'm going into 204/205 in the evening/weekend program at Allegheny Campus. I thought I saw someone say they were starting 101 there. I'm not on here all the time, but at least 1 or 2 times a week. I'll answer any questions you might have about the evening/weekend program or whatever in general for the Allegheny Campus.

Best of luck to all of you!!

Hello! I'm hoping you still come to this site as I just started and have been going through old posts. I am hoping to start at Allegheny in Fall 2011 and am curious about the lecture/lab/clinical schedule. I currently work 8-4 M-F and cannot change hours whatsoever. I am considering CNA training over the summer to allow more flexibility. My question is with the evening/weekend program would it be feasible to continue with my current job or would it be advisable to try for the CNA? Thank you!

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Specializes in ICU, Step-down, CCU.
Hello! I'm hoping you still come to this site as I just started and have been going through old posts. I am hoping to start at Allegheny in Fall 2011 and am curious about the lecture/lab/clinical schedule. I currently work 8-4 M-F and cannot change hours whatsoever. I am considering CNA training over the summer to allow more flexibility. My question is with the evening/weekend program would it be feasible to continue with my current job or would it be advisable to try for the CNA? Thank you!

Will the evening/weekend program work? It can, there are a bunch of "things" that can work against you though. To start, E/W (weekend only) usually is clinical only and not too many seats. So, if in your class there are not too many people who need weekend clinicals, you will be fine. If there are, then it is the luck of the draw as all campuses use a pseudo lottery system. If you are called early and that option is available, then all is good.

To add to this though, lecture/lab for evening can be as early as 4pm, although it is possible to get one that starts at 5. Clinical, Friday at one campus is considered a weekend (unless you are in the program you cannot understand the logic), thus clinical can start as early as 3pm for a Friday (weekend) evening. Traditional weekend clinical (sat and sun) are 7-3pm.

Bottom line, CNA can't hurt, it can only help. Can you keep that 8-4 M-F through all 4 semesters? I would say unlikely, the last semester (204/205) is designed that you cannot hold a full time job (with ease that is). You have nothing to lose by applying and seeing what will work for you.

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