Experienced Student Nurses...advice?

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Hello, I am one of many new Fall 2012 nursing students who is just dying for summer to be over to begin nursing school! Anyway, I was thinking about refreshing myself on some Anatomy and Physiology over the summer to keep me busy and curb some of my anxiousness. I am just wondering if there is any area I could focus on more than others, or should I just take a look at it all? I know it's going to be one of the harder nursing classes/semesters to weed out the unsure students, so I just want to be refreshed and prepared (well, as much as I can be). Any other tips for preparation before beginning school? Thanks in advance...I'm super stoked to begin this journey!!!

0 Votes

I will also be starting in fall of 2012! Sad that I am wishing this summer away too! I'm sure I'll regret that wish soon. lol I have read through various boards on this topic and some people suggest that you review anatomy and physiology. A lot of professors will expect you to know this well. I got the book Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology for Student Nurses. The set up is simple and to the point. It is a really well organized book that allows you to review basic concepts and such. You can preview the book on google. I plan on reviewing this all summer and using the anatomy and physiology coloring books. Good luck and congrats on your acceptance!

0 Votes
Specializes in Tele.

A great area is Fluid and Electrolytes. The body has several buffer systems to maintain PH levels and it's great to know just how those work when it comes to this dreaded area of the program. Just remember to read your chapters and if your school uses ATI, then utilize it to the fullest. I'm heading to my second semester. :) Good luck!

0 Votes
Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.

Fluid and Electrolytes will haunt you all the way through NS!... Acid/Base balance as well.

0 Votes
Specializes in Emergency Room.

I'm in the same situation as cchesney and I had the same question. It's been a while since I have taken Anatomy and Physiology, that Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology for Nursing Students book sounds perfect!

0 Votes
Fluid and Electrolytes will haunt you all the way through NS!... Acid/Base balance as well.

Amen to this advice....if there is a place you should focus on let this be the place....it haunts you like a bad dream!!!! grrrr!

0 Votes

What would be good resources to study for fluid & electrolytes? Or should we just wait for nursing school to introduce the topic.

0 Votes

My Nursing Program recommended "Fluid and Electrolytes Made Incredibly Easy" and a supplemental book for the fall (my first semester yay!). Anyone have experience with this book?

0 Votes
Specializes in Neuroscience.
Hello, I am one of many new Fall 2012 nursing students who is just dying for summer to be over to begin nursing school!

You'll regret this statement come Fall.

Honestly? Leave it alone. Enjoy your summer. They will teach you what you need to know and what you can ignore come Fall. You won't have much free time in school, so enjoy it now, because you will reach a point you will long for the day you can go 24 hrs without having to hear or see something nursing related. Don't get me wrong, I definitely still want this career (would've quit by now if I didn't), but it is life-consuming. All I think about is nursing school and I can't plan real life without consulting it first. That's painful.

/extremely tired 3rd semester student

0 Votes

You should enjoy your free time.

Be with your family, clean your house, read books of your choosing, mindlessly search the internet, watch silly TV shows for hours on end...

You better do it now, because for the next 2-3 years, you WILL NOT, I repeat, WILL NOT be doing any of that if you want to be successful in nursing school. It will become your life.

0 Votes
Specializes in Family Practice, Emergency Nursing.

I just graduated May 5, 2012 from Nursing School. I could NOT wait for NS to arrive any faster the second I found out I was accepted to the program. I was so eager and excited to learn and practice what I was taught! Although you may not think it, time will fly by!

In regards to A/P...the professors are going to expect you to have a BASIC understanding once you first start NS. The further you get into your nursing courses, the professors are going to expect you to know and understand more. Your instructors should be giving you a syllabus that includes a schedule of what you'll be learning each week. This is where you need to take advantage and keep a couple steps ahead by reviewing that basic A/P. The books we used for Med-Surg and High Acuity were the same and I absolutely LOVED them! "Brunner & Suddarth's Medical-Surgical Nursing" by Lippincott. It included discs as well as an awesome website (thePoint). The website includes the book itself, NCLEX-style questions, and videos/pictures (which really helped me).

Keep a calendar and plan out when you can study. This helped me because I worked throughout NS. The calendar was convenient not only for me to see what each month looked like, but my live-in boyfriend appreciated it as well. I also enjoyed the satisfaction of putting a line through each day I completed..."one more day down, one day closer to graduating!"

Personally, I :redbeathe NS. Yes, there were days from hell, but those days made my completion worth it in the end. You have a large group of support here on AllNurses, so take advantage of it!!!

Best of luck to you my dear!!!:hug:

0 Votes
Specializes in Addictions, Adult Psych.

get your book for next semester and start reading it! also agree with fluid/electrolytes, buffer systems and acid/base! good luck!!

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment