Last semester! Advice needed, please!

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jan 5, 2015

This will be the most time-consuming semester, due to the HUGE amount of information and work that is needed to pass your courses. My instructor emailed us a case study to do a month before the semester started to give us an idea on how and what to study...it was a huge curve, but I survived it, and you can too!

A few tips:

If you have not done so, try to find out what would be your recommended reading and review those supplemental readings along with your required reading; some of the concepts that were a part of the recommended reading was very helpful and complimented the required reads.

Start EARLY on your capstone, if possible.

Make sure you seek out your instructor early if you need assistance.

That's the main things I can thing of right now. :)

jarielle22 · Jan 5, 2015

This will be the most time-consuming semester, due to the HUGE amount of information and work that is needed to pass your courses. My instructor emailed us a case study to do a month before the semester started to give us an idea on how and what to study...it was a huge curve, but I survived it, and you can too!
A few tips:
If you have not done so, try to find out what would be your recommended reading and review those supplemental readings along with your required reading; some of the concepts that were a part of the recommended reading was very helpful and complimented the required reads.
Start EARLY on your capstone, if possible.
Make sure you seek out your instructor early if you need assistance.
That's the main things I can thing of right now. :)

Thank you for the advice! I will be sure to use my books that I have for reference reading, which were quite reliable in the past. Capstone is my worry! How did you succeed in your capstone?

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jan 5, 2015

My capstone instructions were to select a patient that I did a care plan on in the previous semesters, then build a case study around the pt, and provide EBP based on the condition; I expanded on a pt where I did a previous case study about during clincials and was able to expand on that, so I just followed the rubric and went from there.

scaredsilly, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2015

Wow! Nursing schools are definitely different! My last semester was my practicum and that's all I had to worry about. We did write one paper, which we got instructions for 8 weeks before it was due, so there was no problem getting it done. I had 40 hours of clinical a week for 5 or 6 weeks and class met twice, once in the beginning to give us the assignment of the paper and once in the end to turn in the paper and debrief. NO EXAMS, and our school did not do exit exams. We had to do a final ati exam, and if we failed we had unlimited attempts to retake it at home. We completed the capstone and everything else in the next to last semester, so our last semester was the easiest semester any of us ever I had.

That said, I don't think I can be a lot of help, but LadyFree's advice of speaking to your instructor any time you have questions sounds like the best advise there is, as well as not waiting til last minute to get assignments done.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Jan 5, 2015

No point in worrying ahead of time. Could be the load is within your ability and not as bad as you anticipate. Good luck

melc0305 · Jan 5, 2015

It sounds like you've done well so far so keep doing what you've been doing. I'm about to start my last semester too, graduating in May. I have Critical Care with clinical and Professional Development 3, then Role Transition clinicals. My motto is "finish strong". I just keep reminding myself how much time and effort I've put in so far.

Not sure what your Critical Care textbook is, but a lot of my fellow students have recommended getting "Critical Care Made Incredibly Easy" as a supplement. Good luck! You got this!

strawberryluv, BSN, RN · Jan 6, 2015

I'm going into my last semester too but I'm not going to post the names of the courses for fear of someone finding out what my college's name is. But, I think it will be hard but not TOO hard because it is your last semester. And I'm sure the faculty is not scheming to make it hard since they know we've reached the final stretch until the end.

northmississippi · Jan 6, 2015

my final semester of Rn was hectic, we had to do preceptorship for a few days on top of going to class, we also have to do 8 hours of community service. Get all you can out of the way at the start of school, such as community service so you can have more time to focus on preceptorship. If you work, don't work more than 3 days a week or you will probably fail. record your lectures if you can and listen to them to/from school. study for the nclex/hesi now. nclex books usually go along with school content so it will be bonus material. If your sememster now has neuro, study it NOW, same goes for respiratory. Be good at your clinicals and care plans as well, have a game plan for the cinical day. good luck.

jarielle22 · Jan 6, 2015

That's a good idea. Thank you for the advice!

jarielle22 · Jan 8, 2015

Thank you all for you advice and encouragement!!!! I plan to get the critical care made easy book. I hope we all finish strong and graduate! Good luck to all of you!!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2015

I wouldn't diss anything the faculty gives you as "busywork." Believe me, they know full well that some of your classmates will, indeed, flunk out in their last semester, and for some it them will be because they thought something was "busywork" and didn't give it their full attention. Do not be that person. There's a reason for everything in your curriculum, even if it isn't apparent to the students. Forget that at your peril.

Good luck!