Were you prepared

Nursing Students General Students

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Hello Nursing Students,

I'm not in aprogram yet I'm still in the pre-req phase of things but I have a question. Once you start nursing school, did you feel prepared? I mean I've taken Chem, A&P,Stats, etc. and I really don't know how this has prepared me for nursing school or what to expect. I guess I just don't feel prepared. Did anyone have this feeling of being ill-prepared? I will be appling for next fall and i'm worried.

Thanks for all the replies. I understand what you all are saying when you say that nothing can REALLY prepare you because its unlike anything I have ever done. I just kind of meant in regards to my classes i'm taking now. I don't feel prepared with my A&P classes and I am scared how this will affect me as a nursing student in the future.

If you didn't get the most out of A&P, how have you been affected as a nursing student? How have you survived?

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Specializes in Surgery, Ob/Gyn.

You may just have to study a little harder for somethings. A lot of A&P will help you to understand the patho better of disease processes. Not getting the most of A&P doesn't mean you'll be less of a critical thinker, which is important on tests.

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.
You may just have to study a little harder for somethings. A lot of A&P will help you to understand the patho better of disease processes. Not getting the most of A&P doesn't mean you'll be less of a critical thinker, which is important on tests.

:yeahthat:

I barely made it out of A&P (in fact, I still wonder if the instructors only passed me because they knew I only needed the class to get into the nursing program) and I'm doing fine now in my 3rd semester in the program. Like I said, I always have to re-learn basic the physiology of whatever system we're being tested on, but I don't spend too much time on it. And if it's a system that really overwhelms me (like Cardiac:redpinkhe ), I'll ask the instructor right in class if there will be direct question on the test about the anatomy.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.
Thanks for all the replies. I understand what you all are saying when you say that nothing can REALLY prepare you because its unlike anything I have ever done. I just kind of meant in regards to my classes i'm taking now. I don't feel prepared with my A&P classes and I am scared how this will affect me as a nursing student in the future.

If you didn't get the most out of A&P, how have you been affected as a nursing student? How have you survived?

Your going to be using your A & P knowledge a LOT in nursing school, they are going to expect you to be familiar with it. Just keep ahold of your anatomy and physio books so you can refer back to them when you need to.

I made A's in both Anatomy and Physiology but I took them a long time ago...but suprisingly most of it has come back to me. I think you will find your getting more out of your classes than you think you are, if not just go back and review! No one can remember everything.

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Specializes in Psych, substance abuse, MR-DD.

Honestly I had no idea how hard Nursingwas going to be. It's not so much the exams for me, it's clinical. I guess I just never actually knew exactly what a nurse does or how hard of a job it is.

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.

i loathe clinical. it truly scares me how much i hate going in every day:eek:. and i can't say exactly what it is...don't mind the paperwork, easily get along with most of my patients, like my instructor...i think it's just constantly feeling like an idiot! "am i doing this right?" "should i be doing this now?" constantly feeling like i'm doing the wrong thing or not enough all the time. my instructors all say i'm doing fine, but...i guess a lot of times i just feel like i'm going through the motions, you know? walk in the door, get your assignment, assess vitals, quick head to toe assessment, time for meds, clean him up, ready for bed...a lot of times i just feel like i'm a cna that gives meds.

one day i told my instructor that sometimes i just feel like all i'm doing is cna work (& nobody's allowed to get offended by that- i was a cna for years...you know what i mean) and he gave me two patients, instead of one. that helped a little.

don't worry, though, miss priss - as far as i know, i'm the only student in my program that feels this way. most students cannot wait to get to clinical!

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Specializes in Psych, substance abuse, MR-DD.

I like clinical, sometimes I even love it. (What I loathe is my job) I hate the paperwork though, it just takes so much time.

We have 3 patients now and are expected to do all of their care plus assessments, vitals, and meds. That keeps us plenty busy!

I don't really love the baths and bedmaking becuase that's what I do all day at my job, but my instructor says that if we can manage all nursing and ADL care for 3 patients, then we can manage all nursing care for 6 patients when we get into the real world. I guess it makes sense.

I know that on some floors the nurses never do any care or help with the baths, but on my floor the nurses are expected to help with a lot of the care, especially on the intermediate side.

Jessica 392- I'm sorry that you hate clinical, and I can understand why you feel like you might not be doing things right- it's because we're learning!

You say that it's a little better with 2 patients, are you choosing the most challenging ones? Can you go up to 3 before the end of this semester (are you a senior?)

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I am a nursing student as well. I am taking pre-reqs (due to start NS Summer 2007). I am taking pre-reqs at a different school from where my NS is, due to location and cost. My A&P instructor isn't the greatest. We even PICKED the questions for our final as a class. I have the instructor for A&P 2 next semester. It's not that I don't LOVE the easy class, but I'm more interested in learning and being "prepared" as much as possible for NS. I'm scared to death this class is really going to hurt me in the long run!

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=was I prepared?

heck no.

just stay on the escalator and don't get off.

:yeahthat:

I couldn't say it any better! We are nurses...we'll be learning until the day we retire!

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Yes I believe i was. I was waiting for this for so long.

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if your prereq trained you the essential discipline of studying every night and advanced read for each chapter; if you know well planned spaced studying to master 6-9 chapters within 3-4 weeks at the most, you will be on top. I really don't know how it will be in your school but mine is so.

Lucky are those who don't have domestic obligations like single and need not work, you would have all the time.

In my class, some are really good. They sometimes do not study much and yet can get an A and wonder how they got it. Maybe because they have hospital work backgrounds.

Nevertheless, prayers can work miracles for everyone.

So I would rather say God bless than good luck.

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