First Day of Nursing School

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I wanted to start this thread again. I've seen so many posts about first days and have lived vicariously through those posts. Now, with that first day steadily approaching, I'd like to start my own thread. I start school on the 21st of August, and I thought that I'd go ahead and start a thread so that it will be good and ready for that first day post. As of now, I have pretty much everything done except I have to have my second PPD read on Monday. I welcome comments from everyone. After all, we are all in this together!

I have had orientation already and there wasn't any mention of paying for a syllabus once the semester starts. We were just told that on the first day of classes, that is when we will receive them. I didnt find orientation to be very...useful? It was mostly a question and answer session and then filling out a bunch of paperwork.

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Good luck! My orientation is from 9am-4pm on August 12th, then the semester starts on August 19th. What are your clinical hours? As first semester students, our clinicals are done at a LTC facility, 4-7 (3 hours) twice a week. What's strange is, I've heard of students having 12-hour shift clinicals like an actual nurse would, but my cousin who graduated the same program I'm going to told me that clinical shifts never are longer than 5-6hours, even as 4th semester students.

Good luck on your orientation tomorrow! Let us know how it goes.

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Yeah, I agree. In a begrudged way I can almost understand charging a nominal fee if they are a hundred pages long front and back, but charging more than the cost to print them seems like robbery to me. I am interested to see how my school does it. No syllabus nor mention of a syllabus has been provided to us yet. Orientation is Monday the 12th so I guess we shall see.

Good luck tomorrow at orientation!

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Specializes in CVICU.
Good luck on your orientation tomorrow! Let us know how it goes.

Thanks! I will post with a full update tomorrow. My friend who is a semester ahead of me in the program basically told me that they go over the syllabus quickly, the instructors introduce themselves, and they have us stand up and tell about ourselves one by one. She told me they give us like a 30 minute lunch break and will likely let us go early. So there probably won't be much to tell but we shall see.

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Specializes in CVICU.

So I had my orientation today, which lasted from 9-3:45ish. It was pretty boring but I'll explain it.

Started with the director of nursing introducing herself and our instructors. The instructors told us about themselves, then they had us all say our names aloud. Then they took pictures of us so they could create flashcards out of them to learn our names, which I thought was cool. Then the head instructor started going through the syllabus and talking to us about the grading system, assignments, etc. We took a 10 min break. Then, two managers from a local hospital and four current/former nursing students from the school came and talked. They told us what "they think nursing means" and gave us advice for passing nursing school/how to get a job.

The managers from the hospital told us that all hospitals in the Tulsa metro area hire new grads, even into specialties such as OB/Peds/ICU. They also told us that they know new grads have like no experience, and they rely mainly on the interview to determine if an applicant would be good to hire. That made me really happy to hear.

After they all spoke, we started going over the syllabus page for page. It was painfully boring because I, like most other students I assume, had already read the syllabus page for page. After that, we went to lunch which was an hour long. After returning from lunch, we went to the computer lab and the librarian did a seminar on how to access the school's databases.. which was also boring because I had been through the same seminar like 3 times with previous classes.

After that, we went back to our classroom and signed a bunch of paperwork, like confidentiality agreements, HIPPA agreements, clinical shot record release forms, etc. We ordered our name tags, then they went over the clinical rules and uniforms. Then we were free to go. Overall very uninteresting.

Here's something that is a bit unsettling: Over the summer, the DoN resigned and several teachers quit/were hired. So teachers who were teaching 2nd or 4th semester for example, are now teaching 1st semester, so they don't have much experience/aren't used to teaching Foundations. Half of our books aren't even available in the bookstore yet, which isn't an issue for me as I have already gotten mine from Amazon, but it is pushing back some due dates. We don't know who our clinical teachers will be, and we don't even know for sure where the clinical sites will be. It's a bit chaotic.

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Well, at least you can say that the orientation is over. It sounds like you are already well-prepared, but I know waiting for the chaos to die down can create anxiety. I had what they called "orientation" months ago, but it was extremely boring since I'm not the "popular kid" and kinda stuck out like a sore thumb. It felt more like a meet-and-greet speed dating event than an orientation, so I got what I needed and split. It upset me in a sense to see all of these young kids (I'm 28 but look 17) talking about how they are only here because it's the cool job these days. I shook my head and snickered to myself, because they are in for a world of pain when reality sets in! Now my first day, which is next Wednesday, will hopefully be more interesting than our orientation. We have some homework due, so at least that gives me something to do. I've already skimmed my entire Foundations book, and I'm ready to get the party started!

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Specializes in CVICU.

Those kids are idiots. I'm 19 and have a good understanding of what nursing really is. I'm not in it for the money, because I know the money isn't really there. One of the guest speakers spoke about caring for her grandfather before he passed and how it had a profound impact on her view of nursing, and when my heart sank and I felt butterflies as she spoke, it was reaffirmed that nursing is what I want to do. I have always said this, but if I can end a shift knowing that I touched at least one patient's life for the better, then I'll be eternally happy.

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Specializes in Public Health.

Still maintaining firmly that charging for syllabi is WRONG. Paper and ink is not that expensive. Heck you can even go to the public library and print for 5 cents per page. That's if your school doesn't give you a printing credit

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Those kids are idiots. I'm 19 and have a good understanding of what nursing really is. I'm not in it for the money, because I know the money isn't really there. One of the guest speakers spoke about caring for her grandfather before he passed and how it had a profound impact on her view of nursing, and when my heart sank and I felt butterflies as she spoke, it was reaffirmed that nursing is what I want to do. I have always said this, but if I can end a shift knowing that I touched at least one patient's life for the better, then I'll be eternally happy.

Aww, you give me hope for the human race! I remember being your age and ready to conquer the world and help others in need. Shoot, I still feel that way! Never lose that gift. I do believe that patients can sense certain things and they will appreciate your compassion. I can't wait to hear about your journey over the next few weeks.

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Still maintaining firmly that charging for syllabi is WRONG. Paper and ink is not that expensive. Heck you can even go to the public library and print for 5 cents per page. That's if your school doesn't give you a printing credit

Unfortunately, it's all about the Benjamins, baby. Sorry, I just couldn't resist inserting a random song lyric at this point. But yeah, I do agree with you 100% on that one.

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At my school each semester we get a printing quota of 500 pages. The printers are defaulted to print on both sides and black and white. Color ink is equivalent to 2 pages. They incorporate the cost into student fees.

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Great to hear from everyone! I too start on the 19th... For the last two semesters I was part time. For this Fall, as a Junior 2nd semester student, I should take 15 credits, but I decided to just take 12 hours. It is stressful on me and my family, especially since I have to live on campus. Psychosocial w/ a full 8 hour clinical once a week for 16 weeks & 8 weeks each for maternity & infants/children w/ it's own 8 hour clinical. I agree w/ those who state that recording lectures, being organized, & staying in a close knit study group (those who are serious about studying) is a good plan in order to succeed. If your school offers academic development (offering tutors & additional assistance) take the help...your Professors only want you to succeed....also keep an open line of communication between you & your Professors.... As difficult as it may appear, your Professors were in your shoes at one time.

Believe me when I say that if "you really want it, you will do everything in your power to achieve it". I am 50 years old in this BSN nursing program....many days I say, "Shouldda, Couldda, Wouldda gone to nursing school when I was a younger 22 year old, but if I had done that, I would not have my wonderful husband of 21 years along w/ our 20 & 19 year old daughters.

Good luck everyone! Believe in yourself when you start thinking critically as a student nurse!!!! God bless everyone. I remain your most humble servant...

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