Are recommended books necessary?

[busby's mom]

Happy 4th of July to all! I am starting my first year of nursing school this fall and was wondering whether it is wise to purchase the recommended books in addition to the required books. I have purchased one of the recommended books under the advice of the school's librarian as she indicated that the instructors take alot of information from that particular books on exams. I am currently reading "How to Survive and maybe even love Nursing School" and have come to that chapter and their are conflicting opinions to this. One person said she didn't bother with them while another said they read everything and found that on the tests the information in the recommended books was often on them. Please help! I am more than willing to do the reading, but don't want to waste money on books that aren't necessary.

Thanks so much!

[Chelley076]

I'll be in my second year of nursing school this fall. Personally, I always buy all the recommended texts as well as the required. I also agree that it depends on the intructor, some utilize the recommended texts more than others. But overall, I would say that buying the recommended texts were beneficial to me! Please let me know if I can answer any other questions or concerns you may have about beginning school! Congratulations and Good Luck!!!

Michelle Willerford

Elselvier Student Ambassador

[interleukin]

The school book industry is monumental in its greed. Always, always, check online first for books that are required, or nurse from prior year.

Schools make big money on books, they are not there to help you save money.

These days, you can find most everything online, so check.

I am most angered for the money you have to spend on foolish nursing diagnosis books...as if those from one, two, three or, for that matter, eight years ago are outdated!

[DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN]

I never buy the recommended books anymore. The only one that I use all the time is my Tabers. Also I never buy the required books from my school bookstore -- it is an utter rip off if I do. Even their second hand books are ridiculously expensive. Colleges usually have a set of the books, both required and recommended, on reserve in the library.

What is funny is that my college wasn't prepared to give anyone the ISBNs of the required books. So I just went to the college bookstore and wrote them down...came home and ordered them online. I got ALL new books for less than half the cost of new ones at my school. Just in case I even took pictures of the with my phone!

God I'm cheap.

[busby's mom]

To all who have taken the time to give me such great advice....thank you from the bottom of my heart! I am reading "How to Survive and Maybe Even Love Nursing School" and have seen where we really become family during this time and you have proven that and you don't even know me! :heartbeat

Congrats to all who have already made it through and keep up the good work to those still in the program!

Christina

aka busby's mom

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I would always purchase study guides that accompany required textbooks, but did not waste time buying suggested readings...too much money and they were never used in my classes. As mentioned earlier, if you can ask a person who previously took that particular instructor's class, you would get a better heads up.

[OhBoy123]

No! Do not waste your money! Sometimes you will barely have enough time to read the required reading!

[busby's mom]

Thanks for responding. I have heard pros and cons to buying them. I agree that there's so much to read already and actually purchased a Saunders NCLEX study guide as I heard it's a helpful study tool for tests.

Thanks again!

Christina

aka

busby's mom

[petunia2016]

to all who have taken the time to give me such great advice....thank you from the bottom of my heart! i am reading "how to survive and maybe even love nursing school" and have seen where we really become family during this time and you have proven that and you don't even know me! :heartbeat

congrats to all who have already made it through and keep up the good work to those still in the program!

christina

aka busby's mom

i read that book too! it made me feel slightly better about starting nursing school this fall. slightly.

[busby's mom]

I really like the websites she lists in there and the tips on surviving....lol! I've been scared out of my mind and excited to start all at the same time! Is that possible? Maybe I'm bi-polar...anyway, it's definitely true that misery loves company and hearing that everyone feels overwhelmed and scared helps some. I keep telling myself over and over that other people have survived and I will too...let's hope that's true!

[DA314]

I buy all the recommended study guides. I'm kind of OCD and I like to do all the practice tests in the study guides, it helps me to prepare for the exams. The only exam I failed was the one I didn't do the study guides for. I got A's on all the rest.

However, other recommended books, like "LPN Notes" and "Lippincott's Drug Guide" weren't all that helpful. The hospitals have the drug guides stocked, and you can also find them in the library and online. Waste of cash.