So, I was accepted. Now what?

Nursing Students General Students

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I received my acceptance letter last night. I will be entering the nursing program in January. I have many questions, and you ladies (and gentlemen) seem to be the best people to ask! I only have a couple Q's at the moment, but I'm sure I'll be adding to this later tonight.

(1) I don't need to complete microbiology until the beginning of my third nursing semester. Do you think it's wise to take microbiology with the first semester of NS, or wait and take it later (worried about being overwhelmed + the "weeding out" process)? It's the last non-nursing class I have, so I could very well take it over the summer next year, or during my 2nd semester.

(2) I'm pretty skinny/slim with very little muscle (meek!). I was recently told by a family friend that I had better get some muscles ASAP because I'm going to be lifting 300 pounds. Is this an exaggeration? Should I really be worried about my strenght, or will it be something I will develop while getting hands-on experience?

1. Personally I am glad I took micro before being accepted to NS, but I am dang glad I am not taking it with this first semester. If I hadn't taken it yet I would probably have waited till summer, although knowing micro helps me get some of my nursing class material.

2. Today I sure wished I had done at least some strength training before my first clinical. I am not a lightweight, but my arm muscles are not what they could be. I am sure I will develope them over time, but holding an immobile patient who only weighed 120 lbs on their side today was quite a workout for me to the point my muscles started shaking from the fatigue. I am one sore cookie tonight. I do doubt however that you will be lifting a 300 lb person on your own ;)

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Congratulations!

Is there any way you can take Micro before you start the program? Some schools offer a mid-fall semester that is starting now. Only one person in my class didn't have micro and she took it in the first semester. In hindsight I'd probably be inclined to take it the first semester also because I felt the work load was less but my stress level was higher. The first semester was a lot of getting used to the politics etc that made it stressful for me. By the last semester it was a ton of work and I was dog tired but figured at that point they were pushing us through as long as they thought we could pass the NCLEX and make their percentages look good, lol, so my anxiety level was low. If you are off during the summer that might be a great time to get it done. Hopefully others will write in also because I don't think I was much help to you. Good luck, Jules

P.S. Strength is good to have but technique is more important and you should have help moving the 300 pounders.

Specializes in trauma/surg.

1. I took micro as a pre-req. Ask other students in your program when they took it. For us, the hardest nursing classes were semesters 2 and 3 out of 5. Find out when the toughest nursing classes are and AVOID micro.

2. No, you don't need strength training, there are always a bunch of people to help with transfers. I've clinicals in 4 hospitals and 2 nursing homes. Most hospitals don't want you to move pt's by yourself if they need assistance. REALLY. But, that being said, you should be able to pull your own weight (HA) in comparison to others.

Specializes in NICU.

If you can take Micro in the summer, that would probably be the easiest. I had to get it done before my second semester (I was one of very few people who hadn't taken it yet...now it's a requirement) so I took it during first semester. That worked out fine for me...I couldn't even IMAGINE doing it in second semester (which is where I'm at now)...at my school, at least, the first half of second semester is much harder than first, so it would've been hard to handle it.

Specializes in LDRP.
I received my acceptance letter last night. I will be entering the nursing program in January. I have many questions, and you ladies (and gentlemen) seem to be the best people to ask! I only have a couple Q's at the moment, but I'm sure I'll be adding to this later tonight.

(1) I don't need to complete microbiology until the beginning of my third nursing semester. Do you think it's wise to take microbiology with the first semester of NS, or wait and take it later (worried about being overwhelmed + the "weeding out" process)? It's the last non-nursing class I have, so I could very well take it over the summer next year, or during my 2nd semester.

(2) I'm pretty skinny/slim with very little muscle (meek!). I was recently told by a family friend that I had better get some muscles ASAP because I'm going to be lifting 300 pounds. Is this an exaggeration? Should I really be worried about my strenght, or will it be something I will develop while getting hands-on experience?

There is absolutely NO WAY I would take Micro, Chem, A&P--anything w/ a lab--while in nursing school. TOO much. If you can do it over summer or at another time, I would say go for it. You will thank yourself later when you see the work load you will have in nursing classes. I have had classmates try to pull it off and a.) get really low grades, B.) have to drop nursing classses or c.) flunked out. Not pretty. I don't know anyone who has done it very successfully.

GL! :)

Okay. So I'm definitely not going to be taking it with the first semester!

I will be taking Micro lecture in the summer, but not sure about lab. Would a micro lab with a nursing semester be that difficult, or should I just take lec + lab and suffer through it? :)

Okay. So I'm definitely not going to be taking it with the first semester!

I will be taking Micro lecture in the summer, but not sure about lab. Would a micro lab with a nursing semester be that difficult, or should I just take lec + lab and suffer through it? :)

Take lecture and lab in the summer and suffer through it - definitely get it out of the way. You'll be so glad that you did. 8o)

Specializes in LDRP.

Plus the lab helps you learn micro concepts-lab was EASY-it was lecture that was freakin' hard! ;)

I think I definitely need to get serious about :pumpiron: My muscle mass is NOT very good.

1. Personally I am glad I took micro before being accepted to NS, but I am dang glad I am not taking it with this first semester. If I hadn't taken it yet I would probably have waited till summer, although knowing micro helps me get some of my nursing class material.

2. Today I sure wished I had done at least some strength training before my first clinical. I am not a lightweight, but my arm muscles are not what they could be. I am sure I will develope them over time, but holding an immobile patient who only weighed 120 lbs on their side today was quite a workout for me to the point my muscles started shaking from the fatigue. I am one sore cookie tonight. I do doubt however that you will be lifting a 300 lb person on your own ;)

Specializes in ICU/PCU/Infusion.

yes, definitely take the micro during the summer! i know in our program it was quite a drama between 2nd and 3rd semester for everyone who needed to have micro to get into the class because of the students who were getting in while doing pre-reqs. some of our students had to pay lots of money to take the class at another college or university during the summer between 2nd and 3rd semester, and you don't want to get yourself into that position!

micro is a toughie, and doing it during the summer won't be easy, but it will definitely be easier than doing it together with your nursing courses.

good luck!

btw, there is micro offered online, but i haven't heard very good things about doing it that way! Personally, i enjoyed the classroom and lab settings too much to even THINK about doing them online.

Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

Enjoy your leisure time while you can! :wink2:

No way you will be lifting 300# on your own.

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