WANTED: Nursing student tidbits of advice

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hey guys,

I start this fall in my nursing program and Im extremely anxious!!! Im looking for any advice that will help me in school. Whats the thing you can NOT live w/o during nursing school? What was the best study method for you? Index cards, recorders, palm pilots? What should I take to clinicals? I know you all were anxious when u started!!!

thanks guys

p.s. ....im hoping this will end up being a HUGE thread that other anxious students can read

When I start clinicals, I'm going to try an idea I came up with recently. I tend to run hot/cold at random times, and I never quite know what to wear. So instead of wearing a longsleeved shirt under my scrub top (if you're too hot you have to leave, find a room to change in, take it off, store it, put your scrubs back on, blah blah blah), I got a pair of knee-high socks. I'm going to chop the feet off, hem the cut end, and just wear them as sleeves. Then if I get too hot, I can whip them off and just stash them in a pocket. We're supposed to wear our jackets, but if I find I'm too cold even with that, I can pop my sleeves back on and be on my merry way.

Oh, and I registered for a hooping class because unless there's a grade attached to it, I wouldn't spend any time exercising. I figure an hour a week isn't enough but it's more than I'd get otherwise.

While I admire your ingenuity, have you tried a really good quality, long sleeve, hiking undershirt? They often call them base layers. I recommend this only because I'm someone who gets warm very easily, and I find these really comfortable under my scrubs. They seem to keep me warm when I'm cold, but don't cause me to overheat. Not sure how, it's a mystery....but they work :-)

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Specializes in student; help!.
CMonkey....I applaud you for your creativity, but I'd suggest a trial run before wearing your sleeves to clinical. Make sure the tops of your sleeves doesn't "ride down" while you're working. (Maybe wear them around the house while cleaning or while doing some other vigorous activity) Nothing would be worse (or more embarrassing) than having your sleeves come down while you're assisting with a procedure....especially with your clinical instructor watching. And YIKES, I hate to imagine if they wiggled down during a poo change/clean up.

I understand exactly what you mean about hot and cold. I decided to wear a lab coat and just shed it when I got too warm. (Just had to remember where I left it usually!!) Let me know how you fare....very interesting idea!

Oh, I'm all about trial runs. I have three kids so everything that seems like a Bright Idea™ gets at least two trials before I take it out into the world. I may put elastic in the hems.

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Specializes in student; help!.
While I admire your ingenuity, have you tried a really good quality, long sleeve, hiking undershirt? They often call them base layers. I recommend this only because I'm someone who gets warm very easily, and I find these really comfortable under my scrubs. They seem to keep me warm when I'm cold, but don't cause me to overheat. Not sure how, it's a mystery....but they work :-)

I haven't. I may look into that, though. They must wick well, along with whatever fabric magic they work. We have a lot of hikers around here so I'll ask them. Thanks!

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I haven't. I may look into that, though. They must wick well, along with whatever fabric magic they work. We have a lot of hikers around here so I'll ask them. Thanks!

I like these: REI Midweight Long-Sleeve V-Neck - Women's at REI.com

although I often get the men's since I like a crew neck better than a v, under my scrubs.

They're a bit spendy, but I've used the same ones for 3 years now....no pilling, no stretching. They've been well worth the expense.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Y'all are lucky. We aren't allowed to wear long sleeves under our scrubs. Apparently they have been linked to the MRSA spread in the hospital and there is legislation now to ban them on medical personnel. Understandable, but sucks. Rumor has it that you already can't wear long sleeves for patient care in places in Europe?

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How I study- I turn my pp/lecture into answer/question format. For any given test I have between 400-600 questions I have memorized.

You know how they say that you can't "memorize information like you did for A&P" well that's not entirely true. You still need to know the information..., even more so than you did for classes like A&P, you just need to be able to take it one step further with being able to REALLY apply it and not just know simple concepts. I mean if you think about it, it means you just have to REALLLLLLY know the information so you're able to apply it.

It's not as hard as some say.

I myself have stuck to this "knowing the lecture content front to back" and have not done a single nclex review question and have done just fine.

Make one good friend.

Avoid drama.

Do not talk badly about teachers/your nursing program in public/with other students. I am ALWAYS ranting to my nursey bestie or my family, etc, but keep out of the nursing school drama. I can't believe when I walk into a classroom and hear a group of girls ******** about the teacher. Grow up and be an adult, y'know?

Clinicals are not as scary as you might think. I went into the hospital on the first day with not a single day of experience and now, after 3 semesters, I feel like I am genuinely above average in clinical performance.

I realized the OP posted this about a year ago but I know when I was entering nursing school I obsessively read these boards so maybe it'll help someone else.

Good luck to all :)

It can be done- I graduate this fall and I'm still kinda shocked about it :)

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Study hard...thats my advice :)

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This is a great thread that gave me lots of great ideas. I'm starting school in the fall and have just heard that it's different than any other kind of schooling I have experienced. All the posts here have made it a lot more clear of what to expect. Thanks, and I can't wait to read more:)

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I've been reading this post for a few days now and I'm only on page 11!!

All the advice on here has been great so far. I can't wait to read more...let's try to keep this going till school starts in the fall! :)

*has anyone purchased the mosby skills DVDs? (from basic-advanced?) someone suggested them but there a bit pricy and need to now how helpful they are before I buy.

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:) :: BUMP::

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Get a crockpot.

Learn stress and time management.

Throw out your mother-guilt right. now.

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::Bump:: 2 Months and 20 days till Nursing school starts!

SO far I have bought...

-Test success for beggining nursing students

-Fundamentals success

-Saunders comprehensive NCLEX review

-Pahthophysiology made incredibly visual

I still need/want to buy...

-livescribe pulse smartpen

-a really good planner

-req. books

-supplies

-vacation :)

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