Getting Organized!!

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Specializes in Pain Management, RN experience was in ER.

Maybe I'm just overthinking it from all of the anxiety waiting for the first day of NS class. But I was wondering how those who have started, or others who are preparing, are planning to organize for school. I mean, how are you arranging your folders/dividing them. What supplies (from book bags to pencils) have you decided on buying?

I've bought the Ultimate Nursing Bag (bought off of allheart.com and did search for "ultimate nursing"). I have been buying all kinds of black pens, and two binders- 2" for lecture, 1-1/2" for clinicals. Everything is kind of cheap right now since all the kids are going back to school, so I'm loading up on the 30 cent paper! Also got a Palm TX WHICH I LOOOOOVE SO MUCH!-- best organizer in the world.

I LOVE to organize so I'd like to hear everyone else's ideas/suggestions.

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Specializes in rehab, dementia.

Hey Shannon...

Saw your post and I feel the same...I am a nervous wreck. Orientation for me starts the end of August. Classes begin Sept. 4. I purchases several index card packs (to make flash cards). I have highlighers, pens, mechanical pencils, crayons, notebooks. The key is ORGANIZATION....and oh, I have to purchase a dayminder..calendar to log down my assignments, my study goals etc. You and I seem to be on the right track to nursing school .....INSANITY...LOL. Good luck and thanks for your posting. Hopefully more will respond! Keep me posted of more supplies....:lol2:

Maybe I'm just overthinking it from all of the anxiety waiting for the first day of NS class. But I was wondering how those who have started, or others who are preparing, are planning to organize for school. I mean, how are you arranging your folders/dividing them. What supplies (from book bags to pencils) have you decided on buying?

I've bought the Ultimate Nursing Bag (bought off of allheart.com and did search for "ultimate nursing"). I have been buying all kinds of black pens, and two binders- 2" for lecture, 1-1/2" for clinicals. Everything is kind of cheap right now since all the kids are going back to school, so I'm loading up on the 30 cent paper! Also got a Palm TX WHICH I LOOOOOVE SO MUCH!-- best organizer in the world.

I LOVE to organize so I'd like to hear everyone else's ideas/suggestions.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.
Maybe I'm just overthinking it from all of the anxiety waiting for the first day of NS class. But I was wondering how those who have started, or others who are preparing, are planning to organize for school. I mean, how are you arranging your folders/dividing them. What supplies (from book bags to pencils) have you decided on buying?

I've bought the Ultimate Nursing Bag (bought off of allheart.com and did search for "ultimate nursing"). I have been buying all kinds of black pens, and two binders- 2" for lecture, 1-1/2" for clinicals. Everything is kind of cheap right now since all the kids are going back to school, so I'm loading up on the 30 cent paper! Also got a Palm TX WHICH I LOOOOOVE SO MUCH!-- best organizer in the world.

I LOVE to organize so I'd like to hear everyone else's ideas/suggestions.

OK your post is totally adorable. I remember being extremely excited myself!!! You look like you are in a great place to start and as you go along you will think of other things as well.

One thing that really helped me is to use different color pens and highlighters, especially when studying. I don't know, it was fun and anything to help learning is useful. I never highlighted my books, but I did my notes. You will find what works for you!!!

Good luck and keep up that excitement!!! :lol2::lol2::lol2:

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Hi! Have you looked at the thread that says something about "what are the most useful things you need fo rnursing school"? I started ns in January and took a whole list of items from there, I went out and bought just from that thread, it's great. I LOVE my Dansko shoes, very comfy. I would suggest a Littman stethoscope, just the Classic II would be great. I also bought those little neon colored post it things to tag pages, just the little bitty ones but you could still fit several words on there, like Unit 1 chapt 1,2, and 3. I can't say enough about a pen and a mechanical pencil that you like. Life is so much better when you like what you are writing with I also bought my own three hole puncher, love it. A backpack with wheels, those books are so heavy. I bought mine at Wal-mart on clearance for $7, it workes just fine. I always carry chapstick or lipgloss (just cause I'm kind of a lip junkie), gum, and try to keep hard candy like Jolly Ranchers or mints. It is nerve racking, but it will be fine. On another note, just from very recent experience, there is always a trouble maker or two in each class, stay away from yours! Your life will be much easier;) Good Luck!

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Specializes in Corrections, neurology, dialysis.

This is how I stayed organized.

Have three binders - one for fundamentals, one for lab and one for clinicals. When they dump a stack of papers on you in class, as soon as you get home, punch holes in them with a three-hole punch and put them in the binders. Divide the binders by putting the syllabus in the back, the calendar in the front, and add new forms and lectures in the middle as the accumulate.

For example.......

Our lectures were done as Power Point presenations. Each class time we were given a paper version of the presentation. I would put this is in a folder and carry it to class every day. I would make notes throughout the lecture. After we tested over that particular unit, I would take it out of the temporary folder and put it in the binder. Then I would repeat the process for the next lecture. I didn't see the need for carrying the WHOLE BINDER with all the classwork for the whole semester to every class. Some of my classmates did this but I never saw the point in doing it.

If there were any assignments that were turned in, graded and given back to us, I would put this in a Manila folder. Same for clinical logs; I kept the graded logs in a separate Manila folder.

I did this from day one and it helped me put my hands on whatever I needed at a moment's notice. Once I put off organizing things for a couple of weeks, and it was a nightmare getting it back under control.

I like it because if there is ever a question about what is required of you in, let's say, lab. You won't have to wade through stacks and stacks of paper to find that sheet of paper that spells out the lab requirements that they gave you at the beginning of the semester. You can flip open the lab binder and find it. There will be times when the instructor might forget what they told you - one day they might say you have to turn in four pages of something but you're pretty sure they originally said three. You can go to the binder and find that piece of paper and challenge your instructor.......and win!

I never bothered with highlighters, flashcards, PDAs, pens, etc. because it was just more "stuff" to keep track of. There is so much information flying at you that, to me, the information and learning is what mattered most. But then, my studying style is to take notes while I study - for some reason writing things down makes me remember things better. I never learned anything much from highlighting. I simplified my life to just picking up my folder with the Power Point, a pen and my purse and I was out the door.

There are different opinions about flashcards......some people find them useful. I found them more of a nuisance. I spent so much time making flashcards that it was cutting into my study time, so I dropped it.

As for the rest of your life.....and I promise I'll end this soon......pick a study time when you are know you are most mentally alert, and cherish it. Don't let other people's demands interfere during those times. For me, I am most alert in the morning, so that was my study time. I don't talk to anyone. I don't answer the phone. I don't do household chores. I study. Period. I know myself well enough to know that I am usually drowsy and groggy in the afternoon, so I knew it would be a waste of time to study then. I wouldn't remember a thing I read. I do chores in the afternoon because I feel okay physically, but can't concentrate.

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Specializes in Pain Management, RN experience was in ER.

Thanks for all of the GREAT replies! I also found this link to another thread just like this (I know, tisk-tisk on me for not finding it before making the SAME thread).

https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/getting-organized-173706.html

After reading that forum... I'm thinking I might need some bigger binders! All of our notes are going to be online for us to print out for the entire semester. I'm thinking that I'll use 5 tabs for lecture binder: 1-syllabus and class rules, 2-current notes and handouts, 3-all other notes for later chapters, 4-graded papers, 5-blank notebook paper. And it'll probably be something similar for lecture too. I'm going to wait until my first day of lab before deciding to buy a seperate folder for that class too... but I'm sure I'll need one!

I've already bought 800 index cards, 8 packs of paper, black pens, different colored highlighters, palm tx, littman classic II (the pink breast cancer one!!!), bp cuff for practice, a nursing student planner which is great (has tips in it as well), a few cute folders to keep it interesting, and a three ring hole puncher. Plus markers, crayons, and map pencils. :)

Anyone know what kind of lunches they'll be packing? I'm trying to plan a budget for myself but I have NO idea what I want to pack for lunches. I'm so spoiled by taking myself out to eat all the time :(

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Hospice.

I started out my first year of nursing school with a backpack in which I carried all of my books and lots of supplies, but by the end of the semester I only carried a binder and my purse.

I kept my books at home because I found that I don't really look at them during lecture. Some of my classmates who like to highlight the text did bring theirs, but it just wasn't necessary for me. I learn best by listening rather than reading, so I just reviewed the texts at home after the lecture.

In my purse I carried my black ink pens, highlighters (a multicolor pack of Sharpies), some correcting tape, and my glasses.

In the back outside cover of my binder I placed a photocopy of the calendar with all the important dates on it-test dates, clinical dates, when each subject would be covered in lecture, due dates for papers, etc. Inside the binder I placed some loose leaf paper and the power point pages for the current unit. I left the rest at home in the ultra huge work guide. I did the same with a second binder for lab.

For clinicals I added a few extras to my purse (it's a fairly large bag): a stethoscope, name badge, red pens, penlight, and bandage scissors. I carried my paperwork and drug cards in a manila envelope.

I am planning on buying a storage clip board for clinicals this year; I think I can put everything I need in it, including some change, car keys, and lip balm, so that I don't have to carry a purse and it will give me a solid surface to write on.

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Maybe I'm just overthinking it from all of the anxiety waiting for the first day of NS class. But I was wondering how those who have started, or others who are preparing, are planning to organize for school. I mean, how are you arranging your folders/dividing them. What supplies (from book bags to pencils) have you decided on buying?

I've bought the Ultimate Nursing Bag (bought off of allheart.com and did search for "ultimate nursing"). I have been buying all kinds of black pens, and two binders- 2" for lecture, 1-1/2" for clinicals. Everything is kind of cheap right now since all the kids are going back to school, so I'm loading up on the 30 cent paper! Also got a Palm TX WHICH I -LOOOOOVE SO MUCH!-- best organizer in the world.

-

I LOVE to organize so I'd like to hear everyone else's ideas/suggestions.

-I arleady purchased couple of things myself but which are:

-Blood pressure cuff and the machine for practice,

-book bag on wheels

-one black pen you can hang around your neck and carry to your clinicals

-sylabus for my first class (nursing skills) and organized in the 1.5 inch -binder, but I think I should have bought it maybe at least 3'' and use --dividers, oh well you learn as you go along.

-Also couldnt helped it and spoiled myself with buying highlighters in the shape of syringe (different color ones... they are definitely cute)

-Would love to start buying supplementar books Saunders and all but I need loan money to come through first..then off I go J/K.

Cool post

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I bought three 1" three ring binders for each course, w/ folders, dividers, plastic covers, etc. I am worried it will be a lot to lug around everyday, but I couldn't imagine having it all fit in one big binder. I know that that we will be able to print out all our notes, so I'm assumming I'll have a lot of paper to organize. Any suggestions?

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Specializes in Critical Care: Cardiac, VAD, Transplant.

I also use 3-ring binders. My hubby found the neat ones that fold back flat. Once I started using those, I don't like the others! I also religiously used paperclips. I have XX-large ones (3 1/2") as book marks or mark sections in books and I use large ones (in multiple colors) to identify papers or divide my notes into sections. Using various colors greatly helps me to remember important parts. I also carry a small stapler. Never can find one when you need it.

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HAHAHA I love this post! Waaayyy too cute. I was so there this passed January, ok im lying I got my letter in October and immediately went out and started purchasing stuff. The one thing I find waaayyy handy for clinicals is one of the clipboard/hideaway thingie with a calculator on top. You can carry your supplies (scissors, tape, stethescope pens etc) inside and a piece of paper on top for immediate info you need to write down. Also a tiny notebook you can carry in your scrub pocket for quick notes (ie nursing report info on your patient in the morning, vitals etc). And the only supply I saw that no one mentioned was your multi-colored pen. Black, red and blue. You need the black and the red on the floor at the hospital no matter where you go and thats the easiest way to always have them on hand! GOOD LUCK!

HUGS

Tisha

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I bought three 1" three ring binders for each course, w/ folders, dividers, plastic covers, etc. I am worried it will be a lot to lug around everyday, but I couldn't imagine having it all fit in one big binder. I know that that we will be able to print out all our notes, so I'm assumming I'll have a lot of paper to organize. Any suggestions?

I personally like being able to refer back to previous lectures whenever I want to, and get right to them without alot of searching through my binder. I bought write on tabs and label them with each body system as we cover it in lecture and insert the powerpoints and my notes. That way I can cross reference to a particular body system say between OB and Patho, or med surg and patho etc.

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