Gloucester County College Nursing Fall 2011 Hopefuls?

SJerseygrle · Apr 17, 2011

Im game for whatever. I don't mind being one of the dirty dozen as long as I get to shave.

dannipoint · Apr 17, 2011

Momotofore... what do you want us to bring?
To whomever was talking about transcript evaluations - they won't be added to your record until you register for classes, or at least that's what it says on my form I got in the mail. All my classes were accepted, so yeah!
I guess I'm lucky because most of the stuff Skeletor listed I've already seen at my job, but I was thinking of asking my favorite nurse to let me shadow her for a few hours, so that should take care of the rest of the list - I work on the med/surg floor so I get to see a lot, including the things no one wants to see. My favorite was a patient who came into another patient's room during a Code Blue to demand her medication and when the nurse (while performing CPR) asked her to go back to her room she screamed the nurse was racially biased because she was helping the (differently shaded) woman on the bed instead of her. Drug seekers are hilarious!
Want to hear something crazy? I have put in NG tubes, taken pulse ox and heart monitor readings, given injections to myself and others, maintained a rigorous and demanding medication schedule, performed CPR several times for people in actual need, and yet I have never taken a blood pressure manually and the few times I tried I didn't hear anything. I am so nervous I'm afraid to ask my nurse friends to help me.
Anyone else nervous about a skill?

SJerseygrle, that's great that you have experience in the field already. Unfortunately, I don't have any experience but I am excited and ready for this journey, nontheless. In all honesty..... I'm nervous period. But, I won't let my nerves get the best of me. I have a skills sheet with all the procedures on my computer, so I'm thinking I'll reference that and practice a little over the summer, so I at least know the basics and everything. :)

dannipoint · Apr 17, 2011

dannipoint I also have a fundamentals book and the med dic. I am concerned with dosage calculations. I am still debating days for my schedule. I will go through my A/P notes, after micro is done. Thanks for the info.

Sammy13, I took dosage calculations for nurses this semester at GCC and I really recommend the book "Math for Nurses" 7th edition by Boyer. It's a pocket book and relatively cheap. I learned a lot from it and you will be well prepared before starting in the fall.

dannipoint · Apr 17, 2011

So we have
dannipoint
momtofore
nurd163
ctine05
SJerseygrle
Glad
LaVidaDolce
daaz
NanaVana
Meree19
Sammy13
plus our honorary member, Skeletor!
We're the Dirty Dozen! LOL. If the class size estimate is correct, we only have another 100 to meet! It boggles my mind that there could be that many!
When you all come over my house to meet each other, would you prefer a weekday or weekend evening? I'm thinking the week after school ends for this semester. Does that sound good to everyone? By then I'll be available any evening. We could even do it one afternoon if that's what everyone would rather.

Haha... the dirty Dozen!! Now, your cracking me up! lol.

Well.... my summer classes begin may 23rd and don't end until june 9th.... then I'm going to NYC june 13th to sometime around august. However, I would be available on Fridays anytime within that time period, but whatever works for everyone else. I don't want to be a burden lol

nurd163 · Apr 17, 2011

Hi Sammy 13 and congrats on getting in!

I still have yet to meet an accepted student with less than an 'A' in their sciences....talk about the cream of the crop! :)

Momtofore.....my appointment for registration is right before yours....mine is at 10am, so maybe I can meet you when we pass in the hall! lol

I think I'm going to do T/TH LAB and Clinical....and Wed morning lab. Hopefully I can get that schedule since my appt is at 10am......

Are we supposed to get a list in the mail about supplies we should be getting? I think I'm going to wait for that until I buy anything. Plus, I want to finish up my Psych paper and my Nutrition class (Which is really easy online MomtoFore if you wanted to take it this summer and get it out of the way!). I have A&P II this summer and plan on taking Micro next summer so I can just do Nursing classes during the fall and spring.....can't wait!

dannipoint · Apr 17, 2011

nurd, i'm taking nutrition online too! Do you have O'Dea?

And yes.... they should be sending something out in the mail soon.... probably in may.

SJerseygrle · Apr 17, 2011

Danni, I have a feeling no experience or practice is going to prepare us for the real thing - somehow the real thing is always so much different than you expect or prepare for. Hopefully we'll be able to support each other through the inevitable mistakes and one day laugh at our own nervousness.

Honestly, I watch a ton of brand new and new-to-the-hospital nurses come into our unit and the best nurses are always the ones who are clearly nervous in the beginning. The ones who come in like they know everything end up being the ones who get in trouble for laziness, rudeness, etc.

One of the best things about nurses is they are always willing to help a new nurse who asks for it.

momtofore · Apr 17, 2011

Im game for whatever. I don't mind being one of the dirty dozen as long as I get to shave.

LOL! I think it is the 'A' that is the differentiator, too. With so many scores in the 80's, it must be that the 'B' is weighted much lower.

I can't wait to get our lists. Well, I can. No room in the brain to do anything about it right now anyway...

On the move to make hubby's bday party dinner. He has worked over 70 hours a week for over a month now, with only one other day off beside today. So the family will be here and we're going to turkey it up! Next week I have Easter. Cream of broccoli soup, mmmmm.....

dannipoint · Apr 17, 2011

Danni, I have a feeling no experience or practice is going to prepare us for the real thing - somehow the real thing is always so much different than you expect or prepare for. Hopefully we'll be able to support each other through the inevitable mistakes and one day laugh at our own nervousness.
Honestly, I watch a ton of brand new and new-to-the-hospital nurses come into our unit and the best nurses are always the ones who are clearly nervous in the beginning. The ones who come in like they know everything end up being the ones who get in trouble for laziness, rudeness, etc.
One of the best things about nurses is they are always willing to help a new nurse who asks for it.

Thanks for the advice. I am confident that we will all learn from each other when we make mistakes. I'm also sure that we will all be friends for life! It's possible lol.

nurd163 · Apr 17, 2011

Hi Danni!

Yes, I have O'Dea....she seems really nice! I enjoy the class and have learned so much!

Glad<3 · Apr 17, 2011

Hi Danny,

I agree with Sjerseygrle... I also have been working in the hospital for a while now, I don't think nursing is strictly based upon your skills, your passion for nursing will shine above anything else and you will be fine :) .. you still have to be able to communicate , be compassionate and patient. nursing requires you to be patient and understanding , something you don't get prepare for, it has to be in you .. I also agree that the nervous ones are the ones who end up doing better because they are humble and aware . YOU WILL BE FINE :)

dannipoint · Apr 17, 2011

Hi Danni!
Yes, I have O'Dea....she seems really nice! I enjoy the class and have learned so much!

I agree and although her tests are somewhat difficult I really am glad I took nutrition online rather than in class.