I took A&P in 2013 ONLINE .. bad idea. Now applying for 2016 spring nursing program. Help?

[xmilkncookiesx]

Hi all,

I got my associates in liberal arts back in fall 2013 since that was my last semester of my associates.

I picked up an A&P class ONLINE. & I don't remember anything! Nada!

Then, last fall, I picked up Physiology since it was required from my school although I already took A&P. Well, this Physiology class was a blended course. Lectures on ground & quizzes/exams/hw online.

Bad idea! I got so frustrated at times that I ended up just looking the answers up online by googling them.

I feel horrible, because I don't remember anything from actually studying back in fall 2013 and NOT studying as much in fall 2014.

I just applied to the nursing program at my school for spring 2016.

My first time taking the TEAS was this January 2015. I got a 46.1%!! Horrible! But I did it without studying-my fault.

Second time I bought a TEAS manual book & studied that. Took the TEAS again in February & got a 50.1%!! Wth!!

Thirdddd time, I JUST took it on 08/31/15 & got a 56%! I studied my ass off for this one! The schools passing score is to be 54%+ & I didn't knownit was ny last attempt until ATI testing showed "3 out of 3" on my score sheet.

Idk what to be .. happy because I improved on my scores or sad/disappointed because it's def not good enough? Since it's only 2% over the required passing score ..

Currently, I am taking a CNA class & that's sometimes hard, its 8 weeks. We'll be done in October.

So I have 2 subjects to talk about. 1. CNA 2. Nursing program

CNA: how hard is it? As in working & knowing everything? It seems pretty common sense but it still gets to me ..

What things should I most importantly know while doing CNA? What are some advices, tricks, & tips you'd recommend me?

NURSING: how hard is it? Is it true you will most likely give up your social life the next 2 years?

Since I did bad in A&P & Physiology alone, will they ever review those during nursing? I got a B in both classes btw.

I'm really nervous that I will go in & never be able to come out. I'm soooo disappointed in how I took advantage of the online & blended course. A&P I studied much majority of the time but was just too much for me.

I know physiology is the main thing to know in nursing. It's hard for me. I'm TERRIBLE at science! But I do try to understand it. I know more about chem (I have a love/hate relationship with chem, but I understand somewhat of it) than anything!

My GPA is at a 2.9, all As & Bs but majority are Bs. My school looks at GPA & TEAD score

What are somr advice you can give me?

Anyone graduating or graduated from Kansas City Kansas Community College? This is the program I am going into, or maybe UMKC but not sure how things will play out.

But if you've graduated from the nursing program from either school, can you tell me in great detail about each class & how hard it was?

What you learned?

What I should know?

Who was the best professor to go to for whatever class?

If you can pleaseeeee answer anything & everything ! I'm so stressed out. I've cry sometimes of how much I'm disappointed in where I'm at in life

If nursing doesn't work out .. idk what to do. I've thought about computer engineering or computer science. I love technology & everything today about it. That might be my "back up" plan but idk yet if I want it.

I really wanna try nursing ..

[OBigdog26, MSN, RN, NP]

Try to understand the concepts instead of memorization.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses. Pardon for any misspelled words, I blame it on auto-correct.

[Valcorie34, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hey you passed the TEAS. That is the main thing. Its done and you passed. BREATH! LOL

The CNA isn't so hard. Just know that if you work as a CNA you are not expected to know everything right out of class. There is SO MUCH not covered. There is an on the job learning period. Just remember to think about your patients and assess situations as you go. Constantly ask...is this safe?

Check care plans every time you walk into a room- make it a habit. (ours our posted in the residents closet) IF not check it at the beginning of each shift. Don't ask other CNA's for info that you can find on the care plan. They might not be right, and then your butts on the line. During my clinicals I asked a CNA I was assigned to if a resident was a 2 person. He said no I do it myself all the time go ahead. WRONG! I learned a big lesson (everyone was OK)

I think the other best advice I can give is figure out how to develop a relationship with your residents/patients. If you take the time to make a connection they have more trust they are less likely to complain, and your day and theirs goes smoother. Be confident, reassure them, and talk to them as you do things.

As far as A&P goes, I would crack your book now, and go over things a little at a time as a refresher for yourself. Just pick a body system a month and try to read up a bit and learn one new thing a day. No reason to cram, just pace yourself and relax.

[xmilkncookiesx, RN]

Hey you passed the TEAS. That is the main thing. Its done and you passed. BREATH! LOL

The CNA isn't so hard. Just know that if you work as a CNA you are not expected to know everything right out of class. There is SO MUCH not covered. There is an on the job learning period. Just remember to think about your patients and assess situations as you go. Constantly ask...is this safe?

Check care plans every time you walk into a room- make it a habit. (ours our posted in the residents closet) IF not check it at the beginning of each shift. Don't ask other CNA's for info that you can find on the care plan. They might not be right, and then your butts on the line. During my clinicals I asked a CNA I was assigned to if a resident was a 2 person. He said no I do it myself all the time go ahead. WRONG! I learned a big lesson (everyone was OK)

I think the other best advice I can give is figure out how to develop a relationship with your residents/patients. If you take the time to make a connection they have more trust they are less likely to complain, and your day and theirs goes smoother. Be confident, reassure them, and talk to them as you do things.

As far as A&P goes, I would crack your book now, and go over things a little at a time as a refresher for yourself. Just pick a body system a month and try to read up a bit and learn one new thing a day. No reason to cram, just pace yourself and relax.

Thank you so much!! I kind of like your comment the best lol. I have a whole semester to catch up with A&P, so idk why everyone else was being so harsh when it's literally a semester long at colleges

As far as CNA .. we just discussed 1 person, 2 person, 3 person transferring like you mentioned.

Can you explain that to me? I totally got confused. We did lab yesterday on bed transfer to wheelchair.

What is a 1 person? Is that used for changing and occupied bed? Or is that for transferring a person from bed to wheelchair? Because we did bed to wheelchair by ourselves.

I'd just like to know what a 1 person is and when it is used, same goes for 2 person and etc.

[littlepeopleRNICU]

Even though medical terminology and your other class are reviewing A&P, they will not come close to touching what you learned in the actual class. I would retake the class. Not only would it possibly boost your GPA to make you more competitive, but it shows initiative to the admissions committee, and (most importantly) will help you in the long run in further nursing classes and actually practicing as a nurse to have a better understanding. If you do not remember much now, it's going to be a very long and hard road trying to re-learn it all along the way AND learn whatever you're being taught in present classes. It'll be so much easier for you and everything will make much more sense.

Good job on making above the minimum required on the TEAS test! It isn't a competitive score paired with GPA, but it was considered "passing", at least.

[littlepeopleRNICU]

I also feel like I should address the second half of your post...you mentioned, that even in the first round, A&P was too much for you sometimes. That's just a (very) small glimpse of what nursing school can be like. There are much harder times in most nursing programs than A&P. As far as how hard nursing school is overall, that is different for each student, but I have never met a single nurse who said they didn't have a lot of studying to do in school. There are reasons why many who start nursing school don't finish, in nearly every program I've ever heard of.