Just got accepted in nursing at Baker College of Owosso. any tips?

Thenomad13 · Dec 24, 2013

Congrats on getting into the program. I am just about to start my second term there. To be honest with you, my biggest advice is to work hard, save some money, and spend time with family and friends. They will give you at orientation a list of pre term assignments to accomplish before school starts for the quarter, do them. Use that to try to remain a week ahead. There was a week that we had seven papers due in addition to the normal tests and quizzes. I found it very helpful to remain ahead. For pharmacology, she will give you a list if drugs to do drug cards on every week, I know it's gonna suck, but type out very single one of those drug cards. It will help you later on in the course and also save you time when it comes to clinicals and later term assignments. People will tell you that you only need to do the drug classes and the drug classes are better than nothing, bit I felt it was so much easier to print off a drug card for clinical.

Make sure you take time to study. I don't know if you have kids or not. Fortunately for me, I do not have any kids, so I am at the library every day with a small group of girls studying. I cannot tell you how much it helped me to stay on track. The classes themselves are not too hard, so long as you put the work into it. Fundamentals was very nice because we had a test every week. Health assessment is more challenging, there is a lot of material to cover. Make sure that when you study for that class that you look at all of the charts and tables. Those are not something you would want to overlook. Pharmacology is tough, but it is only a 2 credit class. Like I said, do the drug cards. It will take you 5-7 hours a week to do, but it will make your life a lot easier. The instructors are all amazing and they will do anything to help you succeed. Don't be afraid to approach them with any questions you may have. Also, us upperclassmen have been through this before, we will do our best to help you.

Nursing school isn't the end, and it really isn't horrible. I love the program at Baker. I finished my first term with all A's, and I feel like my classmates are my new family. Lots to be happy about!!

coffee247 · Dec 26, 2013

Oh my goodness thank you so much for replying to me! I am so excited I can hardly contain myself. I'm sure you remember the anxiousness you felt before starting the program :) Thank you for the advice. I have heard that the program is extremely difficult and basically consumes your life so it is important to spend time with family before you start. I am married and we have three children, so it will be hard on them and myself, but it will be worth it. Congrats to you also for getting into the program :) I have another question. Do you know if the instructors would allow a recorder for lectures? I am thinking about getting a live scribe pen to record lectures while I take notes so I can later upload them to my computer. I feel like it would be helpful for me especially since I drive to Owosso from grand rapids. Re-listening to lectures would be a good use of that time I think.

Thenomad13 · Dec 26, 2013

Not a problem. I just got done with my first term there in the program. The feelings are very fresh. The biggest piece of advice I can also give to you is to always remember, it is what it is. They are going to pile homework on you and make you panic, just remember to remain calm and accept that the load of homework is what it is. Remember why you started the program and hold on to it. I know when I was discouraged I thought of every reason I wanted to be a nurse and it pushed me through. Try your hardest to keep all test scores above the 84. I felt burnt out at the end and didn't perform as well on the exams (88-93%) but since I had done pretty well in the classes in the beginning, I managed to get good grades. Also, avoid getting less than an 84% in any class after week 5. I had one person in my class get the action plan email and it discouraged them and troubled them to the point where they did fail the class.

The pharm teacher for sure is okay with recording so long as you ask her first. The fundamentals teacher would probably allow it, but she didn't seem to keen on the idea. I think the health assessment teacher doesn't mind. We had one girl in our class try to record the lectures and she have up after the first day, so I'm not so sure on it. For studying, I would study 6-12 hours a day 4-5 days a week. I would read the chapter the week in advance and I would study all the power points starting three days before the test. Fundamentals has a disc that comes with the book with practice questions, make sure to use it at least once before every test. Health assessment and pharm have questions on the website, but I didn't find them useful when studying. With kids I know that you probably don't have the time I do to study so make sure you do the drug cards (start them as early as possible to save you some hassle), read each chapter once (at least, I did well only reading the chapters once. They're like 50+ pages each!!), do the fundamentals disc, and read through your power points. If you do that, you will be successful.

coffee247 · Dec 28, 2013

Thanks again for replying. I am so excited I can hardly stand it, and reading experiences of others and advice helps my excitement. :) I love this website. I have started a word document with various tips and advice I have found though out this site, and some of the advice you gave will definitely be going on there. Thank you so much for preparing me for some of the first term classes. 7 papers in one week sounds crazy!!!! I'm not sure how I will be able to manage everything, but I am determined. I already have a great group of friends that got into the program with me and I know they will have my back. Can't wait until I get to the end of this journey :)

Thenomad13 · Dec 28, 2013

Not a problem. :) good luck with your classes. Having friends in the program will help you immensely. Your class will become another family to you. I cannot wait to be done with the program myself. 39 weeks of class left!!

cw91 · Jan 1, 2014

I am also starting nursing school at Baker of Owosso in the spring. I'm so very excited to finally start! Luckily, I was able to come across this thread. Thank you for sharing so much wonderful info! It will definitely come in handy.

coffee247 · Jan 2, 2014

I love this website! There are so many awesome/helpful posts and articles on here. I love it. I am very excited and I can't wait to go to orientation! I also can't wait to get my acceptance form in the mail. I've been obsessively checking my mailbox like a crazy person lol.