I Want To Be An Over-Achiever

[Generallyspeaking]

Hello, I'm a new member here. I love college so far. I've finished all my pre-reqs and I'm usually one of the best students in class. I'm a young mother and my son is keeping me motivated. I'm happy I found a field I love.

I start clinicals and nursing classes this spring. I've mastered taking blood pressure manually, and my son is my guinea pig every time I want to try out my new stethoscope, what other skills or topics should I brush up on before I start? What concepts or subjects took you a while to grasp or memorize? Any advice for those wild residents at the nursing home? I'm so eager and excited to start clinicals! Someone tell me what to learn! Haha.

[BBboy]

I think taking everything with a grain of salt and trying to make the best of every situation are the most important things to remember. Often we'll get so down on ourselves about our studies or a difficult patient here and there that we often forget why we are doing what we do. Another thing that seems to be a staple is humor. We definitely see crazy things daily especially in the hospitals, SNFs, etc but being able to laugh here and there will do loads to lighten an otherwise dark and trying situation.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

In all honesty, I wouldn't worry too much. I would maybe ask for a syllabus early on and start reading. You could youtube abnormal breath sounds or heart sounds. Maybe play around with skillstat for EKGs for fun.

[aeris99]

The only thing I wish I had started on earlier was memorizing normal lab values. They still trip me up on tests.

[3peas]

Enjoy your son. I wouldn't even memorize lab values early, because your school will have their own values. I mean all ranges are about the same, but when it comes to an exam know YOUR professors or YOUR text's values. Enjoy being a mom!!! Freeze some meals.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

Yeah. Lab values differ among facilities even. Some of them are just decimal values different but others a normal range may be two or three values different. Given how crazy nursing instructors can be, it'll be better to get official paperwork.