I MADE IT!!

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Specializes in Med-surg, Cardiac ICU, Maternity.

I'm officially a senior nursing student! I just finished my maternity, pediatric and geriatric rotations. My geriatric instructor was what everyone warns about with nursing instructors, we had to know a lot about the meds (labs, use, interactions) when she asked about them, she gave me a clinical warning on the first day of our rotation for forgetting one med, and told me she was concerned about my nursing ability (on the first day!) I was scared out of my wits, literally, and by the end of the rotation she was impressed by my ability to turn it around, and I even used her as a reference for an LNA position, and she went to the floor personally at the hospital! For everyone who has a scary instructor, kill them with kindness and really show them you want this. You'll get through it if you can just prove you have confidence and competence.

I was just wondering if anyone had any tips/advice about the med-surg/psych rotations. Any kind of book that really helped or things that you kept in mind to get you through? Anything for lecture that really helped you? Anything will help!

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Congratulations! You are close to finishing this endurance test.

Tips on med/surg would be to have study partner. Make a rule that love life and pizza are off base so you don't waste time.

Tips on psych: it is like learning a new language. You will wonder why in the world you should even cover this stuff. Then, once you begin working you realize every nurse is a psych nurse and therapeutic communication will benefit you for many years.

Last tip: try to make your med/surg care plans include a psychosocial issue. Everyone has them, if nothing more than worrying about their condition or how to pay for care. Instructors like to see you are getting the big picture and you get to practice more wholistic nursing. GOOD LUCK in your new career

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Specializes in Neuro, Neuro ICU.

Congrats!

Psych IS different, there is no other way to describe it. We lost 1/3 of our class in our psych rotation (which i think was mostly due to the teacher) I somehow did good, but I think the reason why, is that I didn't "overthink" the questions, I just kinda went with my gut. I did have a study guide book that accompanied my text book that I used for practice questions.

Med/Surg to me was easy for some reason and I ended up getting my first A in the program in it. My advice is know your meds, signs/symptoms, and nursing interventions for the diseases and you'll do great in lecture.

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Congratulations!

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Congrats

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