For all of us who are sweating bullets waiting on acceptance/rejection letters...

Rianna1 · May 14, 2008

Just posting like friendlyghost an update. We are three weeks into NS and it is very fun and challenging (ask me again the night before a big exam). We start clinicals in two weeks and am very excited. Having two small children makes it hard, but it also makes me strive to do the best I can and makes me manage my time better. Better get back to the books as I needed a "brain break" so I went on AN...

FriendlyGhostRN · May 14, 2008

friendlyghost, i love to hear what ppl are doin in NS..i start in aug. and i definately want to know what to expect so keep on messaging

OK! I was the same way (and I still am...). It's always nice to have an idea of what we're getting ourselves into! I just finished over 100 pages of reading and a bunch of definitions that were necessary to doing tomorrow's lab over vital signs and health history in Assessment. I'll post after tomorrow when I find time. I'm sure my "free time" will drastically decrease after this week is through! haha!

Lericalpoet · May 14, 2008

Hey Guys, I was going to go out and get a math for nurses book and an NCLEX Review book. I'm I jumping the gun? I want to really be up on my med math and dosage calculations. I hear it is something you will use over and over through out your career. Any thoughts?

naide88 · May 14, 2008

I'm waiting for Fall '08 too. I won't know if I'm really accepted or not until June 25th, but hopefully I will be! My school is getting less applicants this year too - they actually had to move the deadline down a month because of this. I don't know - I've done the best I could do: I have a pretty good G.P.A (3.5), I did pretty well on the HESI pre-entrance (88% overall), and I completed all the prerequisites and even more with a general studies degree...I don't know what else I could have done.

I guess I will just have to keep my fingers crossed!

naide88 · May 14, 2008

For those of you already in your first year: What book are you using??? For some reason I can't find the book for my first Nursing Clinical Class anywhere! Usually they have it in the bookstore and online but they don't so it leaves me to assume that this class doesn't require a book. But how can an 8 credit class not require a book??????

Rianna1 · May 14, 2008

We are using Mosby's Physical Assessment book (green book) and Berman Kozier Fundamentals of Nursing (big huge white book).

LMRN10 · May 14, 2008

friendlyghost, i love to hear what ppl are doin in NS..i start in aug. and i definately want to know what to expect so keep on messaging

Well, today is my last day of first semester. I started in January and have my Final tonight.

It's a lot of work - I am sure every program is different. But our program is a lot of self-teaching. A LOT of reading on our own and time spent outside of class preparing for the following weeks material. But it is also very interesting...I enjoyed lab and clinicals the most. I'm not one for lectures, but all part of it!

The tests are a little tricky - you have to really pay attention to what they are asking. But once you get going in the program, the things you may not understand, as far as what others are talking about (i.e., care plans), it will all become so much clearer!

You will do great as long as you commit yourself to it and as long as you are serious about wanting to do this. There is a lot to learn in a small amount of time, but you'll be surprised how by the end of the semester, you actually remember it all!

Best of luck to everyone starting soon! Enjoy your free-time now! :chuckle

Lori

Looking4Nursing · May 14, 2008

I have a ton of questions regarding the entire process.

I need to apply to an evening course in NJ, and there are waiting lists for most. Does anyone know of any immediate entry programs?

I'm actually even willing to relocate to the west coast as well.

FriendlyGhostRN · May 14, 2008

For those of you already in your first year: What book are you using??? For some reason I can't find the book for my first Nursing Clinical Class anywhere! Usually they have it in the bookstore and online but they don't so it leaves me to assume that this class doesn't require a book. But how can an 8 credit class not require a book??????

Haha, which book would you like me to list?? We have over 8 books total (5 of those for my fundamentals class, alone.) The main book we use for Fundamentals is by Potter and Perry, "Fundamentals of Nursing"...let me know what book titles your interested in knowing, and I can give you more titles. We started our vital signs today and I reallllllllllly needed my stethoscope (which I ordered almost a week ago from allheart.com)...it should be getting here anytime! I can't wait. I went out and bought a sphygmomanometer....and I NEED my Littmann Master Classic II to do BP. AHH it is driving me nuts. I want to practice so bad now..haha

tullosrn2010 · May 14, 2008

Haha, which book would you like me to list?? We have over 8 books total (5 of those for my fundamentals class, alone.) The main book we use for Fundamentals is by Potter and Perry, "Fundamentals of Nursing"...let me know what book titles your interested in knowing, and I can give you more titles. We started our vital signs today and I reallllllllllly needed my stethoscope (which I ordered almost a week ago from allheart.com)...it should be getting here anytime! I can't wait. I went out and bought a sphygmomanometer....and I NEED my Littmann Master Classic II to do BP. AHH it is driving me nuts. I want to practice so bad now..haha

is that the kind of steth most everyone has?? I bought a littmann lightweight it was recommended by the owner of a nursing supply store locally. I like it. it works pretty good but i dont really have anything to compare it too

FriendlyGhostRN · May 14, 2008

is that the kind of steth most everyone has?? I bought a littmann lightweight it was recommended by the owner of a nursing supply store locally. I like it. it works pretty good but i dont really have anything to compare it too

Just about everyone in my program has or is getting one. Mostly because our Fundamentals clinical instructor told us she thinks it's the best one for the money. So I guess we all took her advice and I hope it's as great as she says it is! I almost went for the lightweight, but after looking at comparison charts, I realized that for about $20 more I could get a better sound quality (that is, according to Littmann!) I'm in desperate need of my steth....I ordered it last Wednesday night (the 7th) and had it engraved through allheart.com....and I still haven't received it. I even paid the extra to have it shipped in the 2 day shipping option. I realize that the engraving caused the delivery to be much longer than 2 days...but I mean...I didn't think getting it engraved would cause me to wait a WEEK to get it!!! I'm curious if anyone else had this issue.

LMRN10 · May 15, 2008

For those of you already in your first year: What book are you using??? For some reason I can't find the book for my first Nursing Clinical Class anywhere! Usually they have it in the bookstore and online but they don't so it leaves me to assume that this class doesn't require a book. But how can an 8 credit class not require a book??????

I agree with the other poster...we have BOOKS, not 1 book :chuckle!! I spent about $700 on books for the first semester, but for each semester after that, we will only add one or two a semester, if that.

We also use Potter & Perry, Fundamentals of Nursing. That was our main one for the semester, but there were a few others that we referenced.

I got this stethoscope for very cheap http://www.allheart.com/ahdst0500blk.html and I checked with my instructor and she said it would be fine. It works GREAT and it comes with replacement ear pieces and a few other things...I think it was a great deal! And I think I even found a coupon online, so I got it even cheaper!

Best of luck!!! Start reading early, that is my advice if your program is anything like mine!