Well, I would like to share my first day of nursing school experience.
It all started last night when i could not go to sleep, then I woke up at 4 am, because I was so excited and anxiety had taken over! Well I got up, took a shower, took care of the dogs, and even ironed my uniform.
I ended up leaving home at 6 am, for the 1 hour commute, since I was afraid that I would be caught in the middle of traffic.
I ended up at school at 7 am, I sat in my car, had my coffee, and at 730 people started showing up. Well I found out that classes would not start until 9 on the first day, since they had people lost on the buildings, trying to find the classrooms, teachers coming back gathering loads of stuff, from a side to another, and finally classes started. It was funny to see all my peeps from pre-reqs there in addition to some other new faces!
It all started by our Pharmacology teacher (we have pharm all day long on Mondays) asking us to write a paragraph on:
- Why nursing?
- Semester goal
- 3 year goal
After we wrote that, she made us one by one, read it to the class, as an introduction! Well, I heard maybe half of the people with the CRNA goal, the other half with money/or NP goal, LOL hopefully they'll get there!
Then she started the syllabus, in which:
- 50% are tests
- 10% presentation
- 10% group work, participation
- 5% post test
- 25% finals.
Which is not bad. My first impression is that Our teacher is a nice Lady, she has been a NP for 12 years, and on still works 2 days a week on her private practice, which I thought was a plus, since she is updated on things.
Well, then lecture started, and we went over the nursing process, and then the 7 rights, and then we covered chapters 1 and 2 of the book (keep in mind 5 hour lecture LOL) the funny thing is: We have to know chapters 1-9 by next Monday!!! For our first test, she will give us multiple choices only, and will allow us to use a 4X6 flashcard, where we can write stuff on one side, and hand it to her, then she will return it to us on the first test day, keep in mind that we have 5 tests. OMG that is a lot of info, even though I had answered the questions already on the study guide...
She is really nice to us, always asking if it is all clear, anymore questions! I like her I guess! (Although you know... some people on the break room already started venting... blah)
Then she was telling us that we will have clinicals starting on the end of the month, so we can learn how to talk to our patients, practice some basic skills. (For the first 3 weeks we have Thursday and Fridays just for skills!!! 10 hours a week!).
She said that we will not do any invasive skill on ourselves, meaning no drawing each others blood, or giving any sort of injection. How the hell am I going to learn??? How did you guys learn this??? It makes me wonder, since I have no previous experience with that other than a few lovenox abdominal shots.
She said that in May we will start giving IM, IV, Sq, and all that good stuff. (But then again with no previous human attempts! She said that if we were to do it among ourselves, somewhere else... Whatever! But not in class!)
So it was exciting today, lots of information, and homework! Can't wait for tomorrow (but I am ok, anxiety level is down now).
We have fundamentals ALLLLLL day tomorrow, starting at 8-2pm
So, bottom line, so far I am very happy with everything, the nursing staff seems amazing so far (have dealt with them since pre-reqs) and all my classmates are cool (of course, there is the sleepy one, the parrot one, the repetitive one, the fancy girls, the CNA knows it all's, but they are ok so far!)
Comments are welcome!
Those who start(started) soon please post your experience here! Lets make this thread last all the way through our graduation!!!
mistyvenne
14 Posts
1st day of NS was aug 15 [now going on my 7th week!!]
on that 1st day, classes started at 8am - however, we were told that if we wanted a seat near the front of the room, we should come around 6:30am, put our books down and go eat breakfast. in a class of 102, I guess it was necessary. I have to drive an hours commute, so I didn't get to school until 7:15am - and my seat is in the VERY back of the class. The 1st day was mainly orientation for us. they split us up in groups and half of us learned about all our media requirements [have to watch videos/dvds to prepare for some classes] and the other class went into a lab that was all set up with our Uniform people and all their goodies. We tried on uniforms and bought all medical stuff that we didn't have yet. THEN, the seniors (55 of them left from their class of 120something) treated us to a pizza/chip/ big cake lunch. Once we were all done w/ our supplies, making sure they had everything in our Nursing packets [physical/SS card/Vaccinations/Identity stuff ....] we could go and start studying!!
We're taking our 3rd fundamentals test this week. It has been hard, but you get out what you put in for it. YOU are the only one that can study and complete check offs. We've already had our bed bath check off and Vital signs check offs are this week. Those are the only things we'll be able to do in clinical that starts in November.