First week down........

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Specializes in Hospice.

So finally..... another milestone.... first week of nursing school is over. My brain is mush. :dead: God save me. My first week was mass confusion for all students, mostly because of how the courses are laid out in Blackboard. There are reading assignments under EVERY TAB, in EVERY assigned book, and skills videos to watch, and reading quizzes, and lab assignments to submit online...... and that's just what we do at home. :banghead: Then there are three days of lecture, one eight hour day of lab (until we start clinicals in a couple weeks, then we are going on our regular lab rotation of two day per week, plus one eight hour day of clinical). During our labs this week we were checked off by our instructors on skills...... I am now proficient in washing my hands and tying you up (restraints) if you should be interested in that kind of thing. ;) I can also clothe myself effectively in paper gowns should it get messy. Bahaha. In addition, we were checked off on maintaining a sterile field, gloves, (you don't realize there is a sterile technique for that when you are watching "Trauma: Life in the ER") So, all in all, I was checked off on a dozen skills which I can't even recall now since my brain, as previously stated, is mush. So, in between reading and assignments this weekend, I think I have earned an ice cold corona with a lime (or two) while chillaxing on the dock.:snurse: To everyone who survived the first week, here's to us. :up:

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Specializes in NICU.

Welcome to your life until the end of the program. I wish I could say that it gets easier, but it doesn't.

We had to do a test out for foley catheter insertion and IV start. I told my girlfriend that I needed to practice at home and she had her choice which one I could practice on her. Her eyes got very wide :no:. The foleys are not sterile so I couldn't do it even if she was stupid enough to let me and we can't take home the IV supplies. I just wanted to get her reaction.

I start Med-Surg clinicals next Thursday 1pm-10 pm.

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Congratulations for surviving the first week! Throughout your journey, don't forget to celebrate the small victories. I'm a third semester student, and so often I feel overwhelmed. When I do, I try to remember to take one bite of the elephant at a time, and look back at everything I've accomplished. Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in None.

Don1984- That's funny, I always ask my family who is going to let me practice my skills on them when I get into nursing school. I still currently have no volunteers.

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I am a first semester student with zero medical/health background knowledge. I was previously a teacher for 12 yrs before being laid off when the school closed. I am super excited and eager to be taking this step toward a nursing career, however many of the students in my classes have medical/health experience either from high school programs or they are LPNs or EMTs. Therefore the instructors are just bypassing all the "basics" assuming everyone knows it. And I don't. Should I say something to the instructors or just research everything on my own? And I don't drink coffee. Am I screwing myself?!?!?! Lol

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I finished my first week as well. Ugh, I'm tired. But I have a list a mile long (exaggeration) of things I need to do for next week's labs and classes. Good luck!

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I am a first semester student with zero medical/health background knowledge. I was previously a teacher for 12 yrs before being laid off when the school closed. I am super excited and eager to be taking this step toward a nursing career, however many of the students in my classes have medical/health experience either from high school programs or they are LPNs or EMTs. Therefore the instructors are just bypassing all the "basics" assuming everyone knows it. And I don't. Should I say something to the instructors or just research everything on my own? And I don't drink coffee. Am I screwing myself?!?!?! Lol

Watch videos on youtube. Be sure you can apply the basic skills. Practice on your friends.

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Specializes in NICU.
I am a first semester student with zero medical/health background knowledge. I was previously a teacher for 12 yrs before being laid off when the school closed. I am super excited and eager to be taking this step toward a nursing career, however many of the students in my classes have medical/health experience either from high school programs or they are LPNs or EMTs. Therefore the instructors are just bypassing all the "basics" assuming everyone knows it. And I don't. Should I say something to the instructors or just research everything on my own? And I don't drink coffee. Am I screwing myself?!?!?! Lol

You should have a test-out in your Fundamentals lab on all the basic (cna) skills before they allow you into clinicals.

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Specializes in Hospice.
I am a first semester student with zero medical/health background knowledge. I was previously a teacher for 12 yrs before being laid off when the school closed. I am super excited and eager to be taking this step toward a nursing career, however many of the students in my classes have medical/health experience either from high school programs or they are LPNs or EMTs. Therefore the instructors are just bypassing all the "basics" assuming everyone knows it. And I don't. Should I say something to the instructors or just research everything on my own? And I don't drink coffee. Am I screwing myself?!?!?! Lol

Mostly you're screwing yourself by not drinking coffee.... Bahahah Just kidding. (Try V-8 V-Fusion, that stuff is da bomb! :p) I would definitely say something!!!! We have several CNAs and the instructor came right out and said, CNAs, help out when you are needed in skills lab for those who don't have previous experience. I don't mind saying, "Hold UP!!! Can we do that one more time?"

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Specializes in Hospice.
I finished my first week as well. Ugh, I'm tired. But I have a list a mile long (exaggeration) of things I need to do for next week's labs and classes. Good luck!

Exaggeration? I don't know, I totally believe you!!!! I have so much to do this weekend that I took all of Sunday and Monday on my calendar for reading and reading quizzes and lab worksheets. :facepalm:

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I am a first semester student with zero medical/health background knowledge. I was previously a teacher for 12 yrs before being laid off when the school closed. I am super excited and eager to be taking this step toward a nursing career, however many of the students in my classes have medical/health experience either from high school programs or they are LPNs or EMTs. Therefore the instructors are just bypassing all the "basics" assuming everyone knows it. And I don't. Should I say something to the instructors or just research everything on my own? And I don't drink coffee. Am I screwing myself?!?!?! Lol

Hello! I'm also a teacher (2 years) going into nursing. I'm in the first semester of an accelerated program. I too have no medical background, and many people in my cohort do. Stay positive! You are all there to learn the same things.

I YouTube videos and use apps on my iPhone to help me. Some apps I use are: Taber's (contains videos), RN mentor, Stedman's Med Term, NCLEX, and there's a lot more.

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I definitely don't think it's an exaggeration. I'm currently in the middle of reading 40pgs for one class and I have 5 other classes! I deactivated Facebook so I wouldn't be distracted when I get online and sure enough I'm on here! At least here I get positive feedback and awesome advice. Ok back to work! I promise.

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