How to prepare for nursing school?

Published

I'm going into nursing for my second degree, and got accepted into a 2-year BSN program entering in the Fall (also wait listed at accelerated BSN programs).

So I moved to a new state where I know basically nobody and have no social life. It gets super depressing but I know that it will change when I start the program. Therefore, I have a lot of time to prepare for nursing school this summer and really want to get a head start. For those who have already gone through the program, how would you suggest a pre-nursing student to prepare? How would you have liked to have prepared?

I already completed all the prereqs, including A&P, chem, stats, etc. I'm not 100% on which school I'll go to, because of being wait listed, so I can't get the books yet.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would look up normal lab values and memorize those, and start ahead with your textbook reading as soon as you get your syllabus and books. Our class didn't start with chapter 1, so we couldn't read ahead properly until we got that syllabus sent over, and the reading was intense, so being able to get ahead was a huge help.

Other than that, honestly, I'd relax. Watch TV, read books, spend time with your family and friends, because your time to do those things once school starts will be limited. Not gone, but limited. Get your living areas clean, figure out easy foods to make for meals and snacks. Plan ahead for having very limited time other than studying and reading, and see what you can get squared away before the semester starts.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SNF, LTAC.

As the previous poster stated LEARN THOSE LAB VALUES! I would also jump right in to practicing dosage calculations and learning different pharm families to get a head start on those as well

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just for fun, go to Amazon and get a copy of the NANDA-I 2015-2017. Nursing diagnosis is HUGE, as you may have noted looking through the Nursing Student Assistance forum. You will absolutely shine if you get it now and read the FAQs aimed at students in the opening chapters. Really. I mean it.

Welcome to nursing!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.
Just for fun, go to Amazon and get a copy of the NANDA-I 2015-2017. Nursing diagnosis is HUGE, as you may have noted looking through the Nursing Student Assistance forum. You will absolutely shine if you get it now and read the FAQs aimed at students in the opening chapters. Really. I mean it.

Welcome to nursing!

Oh, GrnTea, you do make me chuckle. "Just for fun"!

OP, enjoy a good and relaxing break before you start your nursing program. You'll be stretched thin after school starts, and you'll regret not taking a little "me time" before diving in.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well I know nothing about lab values or calculations, so I just Googled what they are. I found this

site, Nursing Central | Normal Values of Common Laboratory Tests

Is this what we would need to memorize?

Also.. I would buy that book recommended but am trying to save up before nursing school. I probably will check out the library though and see what nursing books they have.

And I'm all for relaxing during the summer break, but I want to be prepared as can be for nursing school, & want to use the time productively. Plus it gets lonely here since it's hard to make any friends & meet people until I start college, and I start to get discouraged sometimes. So I'm also doing this to motivate myself!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.

OP: "what should I do to prepare for school?"

Nurses (who have finished school): "do xyz."

OP: "No, I don't want to do those things."

*sigh*

Good luck, OP.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice.

Buy drug dosage calculations for dummies. I love that book. And if someone can teach you dimensional analysis you won't have to ever fear a dosage calculation exam. And lab values...... other than that, not much you can do really to prepare other than get organized. Best of luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

ixchel: That isn't what I said and I don't appreciate your attitude. You basically told me to do nothing to prepare, and I said that I want to be productive. If you are going to be snarky, then save it.

Thanks for those who have made useful suggestions so far, I will look into the dosage & lab value calculations. I'm also going to review my prerequisite course material before starting the program.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in hospice.
ixchel: That isn't what I said and I don't appreciate your attitude. You basically told me to do nothing to prepare, and I said that I want to be productive. If you are going to be snarky, then save it.

One of the things you'll learn in nursing school is that rest is absolutely critical to productivity, healing, effective body functioning, mental health, etc. So there's that.

One of the things you'll learn from this board is that when noobs come in with raging attitudes and start telling off established members.....they have a bad time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.
ixchel: That isn't what I said and I don't appreciate your attitude. You basically told me to do nothing to prepare, and I said that I want to be productive. If you are going to be snarky, then save it.

Thanks for those who have made useful suggestions so far, I will look into the dosage & lab value calculations. I'm also going to review my prerequisite course material before starting the program.

I understand you think I'm being snarky. The thing is, you have come to a board of nurses who obviously have been to nursing school and know what suggestions are actually useful. You've dismissed them outright. You said you will choose to not get the nursing diagnosis book. Do you know that this book will likely be required for your program anyway? If it isn't, it will 1,000,000% chance be a saving grace to you for AT LEAST one class every semester you are in the program. GrnTea is one of our most valuable members here on allnurses, and dismissing advice from this member is dismissing wisdom that will save your butt. I get needing to save every penny, but this investment will be worth it, if not required.

And my suggestion? To get rest? If you don't heed this suggestion, you WILL regret it. It won't hurt my feelings any longer than the time it takes me to type this if you want to ignore me, but perhaps you can give me the benefit of the doubt. One thing nursing school is set up to do is to teach you how to prioritize under the pressure of seemingly impossible time constraints. The point of that? To give you an ability to do it on the job. If you don't put yourself into the priorities, you will fail. Maybe not in the "failing out of nursing school because my grades were too low" way, but in the stressing out, I hate everything (especially myself) and I don't want to be a nurse anymore, way. Ignore my advice if you want. It won't hurt me a bit.

When I said good luck, I meant it. Adjust your mind to the idea that your thinking can expand to include ideas you hadn't considered before. This actually is a skill you need to be a good nurse. See, look, there's another way to prepare. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
When I said good luck, I meant it. Adjust your mind to the idea that your thinking can expand to include ideas you hadn't considered before. This actually is a skill you need to be a good nurse. See, look, there's another way to prepar

To which I would like to add that just because a great book isn't on the list your faculty sends to the bookstore doesn't mean you shouldn't get it. I've been out of school for mumblemumble years and I still buy a few new books (or now, e-reader downloads) every year. Of course, now sometimes I get free copies, because I help write them. :)

Do what you want. It won't hurt my feelings if you don't want to take my advice on a good way to get ahead. Somebody reading this thread ... will.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion