Miami Dade College

RNintheMakin · Sep 30, 2008

Hey Conrats on getting ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jessica1024 · Sep 30, 2008

Congrats to everyone and get reayd for the ride. for CPR contact MDC. They have a program for that there and you can do it in the medical campus. Again congrats. The beggining to so exciting! I love nursing school, and I hope all of you do too. You will make good friends there.

RNintheMakin · Sep 30, 2008

Still NO letter...Once again, I didn't get accepted. *Sighs*

Jessica1024 · Sep 30, 2008

Be hopeful. There are other routes to nursing RN inthemaking.

SouthernAsh · Sep 30, 2008

Just b/c you haven't gotten the letter yet doesn't mean you didn't get in. Give it some more time. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you

SouthernAsh · Sep 30, 2008

for current mdc nursing students

i've got a question. have any of you taken your first fundamentals test yet. mine is coming up next week. the professor is being very vague and refuses to offer any hints as to what to study. the sylabbus covers 11 chapters prior to the first test. wow! alot of reading. if anyone has any insight it would be greatly appreciated!

Jessica1024 · Sep 30, 2008

I had that test today. I guided myself with the objectives from the curriculum, because my professor said to go by that and her powerpoints. I do not remember anything from the objectives being on the test. Everything that was covered on the test, was on the powerpoints. I went ahead and seriously tackled the powerpoints and zeroed in on that information in the book. I learned everything from the curricumlum objectives to the book to the powerpoints.

Prepare yourself for the critical thinking. Get the Fudamentals success book so that you are better prepared. It helped me a lot actually to know what those questions looked like before I even took the test.

I did NOT read the vast information of 11 chapters. I mean seriously I think that is quite impossible. I am not sure about your professor, but for my future lecture test I will focus on the book and the powerpoints. I will really focus on that more then anything else, and of course on the course lectures.

I found a lot of very tricky hard questions. I mean WOW. I was blown away. I am kind of sad that I did not do better on the exam, but there is little or no room for error.

I think I passed, I just do not believe I passed with an A for sure. Maybe a B or maybe a C. I am happy as long as it is above an 88.

Same thing happens to me for Math Pharm. I totally messed up on the stupid units at the end and you just have to be so specific in nursing. It takes a while to get use too, but I think in all essence it is a good thing. You must be specific when it comes to people's lives, no room for mistakes or curves, so while I may be sad that my grade is affected by this, I am happy that they are making me into a very thoughtful, and oriented nurse.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!! on that fundamentals exam. The first one is always so scary. Especially because it is a different format and everything.

Keep me posted. I love how nursing school is so hands on, and everything. We are just all over the place. I really like keeping busy busy.

RNintheMakin · Sep 30, 2008

Thanks...I'm trying to be. I'm waiting to see if I was atleast accepted into the phlebotomy progrm with MDC LoL ---> no letter there either. How is nursing school going for you?

NURSESTAR · Sep 30, 2008

too much..too little time.

****** crazy.

that all i gotta say.

you've got to want this....really bad....to pass all these crazy ass classes...

i mean...1st semester is only 10 credits...and it is 5 ********** classes..which have so much **** to do...this should be equivalent to minimum 15 credits.

you have to really want to be in nursing school..to do all the **** that is expected of you...and please keep in mind.. i am in only my first semester..and admitted with a 3.95 gpa. :eek:

al ot of dedication required...a lot...

anyways..rant over..

gluck. :)

akspudus · Oct 2, 2008

Wow...looks like you all are having fun in the first semester. Get ready...first semester is just a warm up. it only gets more challenging from there. Next semester you have med/surg...and pharmacology...and clinical. Summer semester will be a rush of specialties. Then the last semester (which I am currently enjoying), will wake you back up for the final finish in December.

However, it is possible. it takes a different kind of work. Different study habits. AS for the reading...use the curriculum and PowerPoints to guide your reading. Next, get a review book. You have the ATI books...but get focused review books for each section you are in. While you are at it...buy a new books shelf or get rid of all those novels...cuz you are going to find shelf space a premium in your home....lol.

Take the online practice tests with ATI...or what ever book you buy. Make sure you understand not only why an answer is correct....but why each other answer is incorrect. Focus your studying toward concept...not trivia.

Then...make sure you find a way to relax before an exam...especially before a didactic exam (skills lab). If you go in to those exams freaked out...you are really not doing yourself any favors...just relax. Yup, easier said than done...but important.

On the success center computers there is a program called "test Taking Strategies for Nursing Students"...GO DO THAT PROGRAM. IF fact...go redo that program at the beginning of each semester to focus your test taking skills.

It is possible to get straight A's through nursing school. With the exception of one B...I have earned A's in all of my classes. I am a father of three boys...husband....etc..etc..etc. I get full nights sleep and spend quality time with my family. How do I do it and still pull the grades that I do? I focus my energies in school and with my studying. I developed my test taking and critical thinking skills. I literally destroy each exam I take. Even if the correct answer jumps out at me...I prove it to myself by disqualifying each other answer. I take my time....and do my best.

You can do it also. I have not met a person yet that could not "do" nursing school. Sure, I know a few people that have fallen back a semester or maybe even two...but they eventually got it and carried on.

Soon, you will be in your whites at your pinning ceremony. Trust me...you will be there before you know it. Just keep your chin up....keep moving forward. Help each other out. Do group studies...and solo studies. Find what works for you.

Best of wishes...to all you future MDC alumni!!!

akspudus

Jessica1024 · Oct 2, 2008

More difficult? That sounds so scary. I agree with the idea that this should be more credits. There is just not enough credits for all the work that needs to be done. It is a lot. I know Ak got all A's, but I have to five it to him. It's hard, so when you do go into nursing go there to become a greay nurse and not for grades. I am getting B's in my classes....and I am so happy. I am also taking micro. As long as I know what to do at the end I am happy. I want to be a good nurse, later on when I do my bachelors I will try and repair my GPA.

Anyway what kills me is going to the hospital ext. I mean it is like 5 30 and I am sitting here waiting for the car pool. You have to be there at 7. I am tired and sleepy. I wish I could go back to bed. You really have to want to do this, they try to weed you out.

There was this girl who failed like two classes her lst semester, I got her in a class and she could have killed someone with the way she talked about nursing school...I try not to listen.

Best of luck to everyone! Nursing school is tough s far, but I am sort of enjoying it in a strange way. I can't wait to actually get to Med Surg. Certainly higher level, but it sounds so much more fun to study then fundamentals!

FSUMiamiBoy · Oct 2, 2008

Hi butterfly,

How'd you end up doing on that test?? Hey what fundamentals success book were you talking about? I would like to purchase it before I start in Spring. Keep me posted