Lpn clinicals and lecture content

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I will be starting an LPN program in the beginning of August and I am looking for a bit of advice on what to expect as far as clinical experiences and lecture materials. I heard from some other students that basic CNA skills are covered in the first couple weeks and then you transition to other skills. I'm not sure what to really expect. Also how are the dosage calculation quizzes? Are they difficult to get thru? Any feedback or advice would be greatly appreciated. Also has anyone experimented with the Cornell note taking method? Does it work pretty well?

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Specializes in LTC.

All courses are different. I did most of my clinicals, two 10 hour days a week, in a hospital setting, with outside rations to skilled, dialysis, peds, health clinics, wound centers, basically think of a place we can work and we went. Our theory was 2 8 hour days, and covered EVERYTHING very very quickly. We had no homework, just reading and 2 tests most weeks.

I found dosage calculations to be, by far, some of the easiest part of my program, but the most dreaded by classmates. It's not as bad as you think. It's a few very easy to memorize set-ups. For notes, I'm not a Cornell girl. I do live by one principal which is revise and rewrite notes within 24 hours. It really helps. I recorded my lectures, then put them on while reading the chapter again for key points and revising my notes. That process helped me graduate in the top 5 of my class. But I didn't work, so I generally had the time.

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That's excellent advice. I was planning on recording my lectures as well. I've done it in the process of finishing my Associates degree. I'm pretty nervous about it, but I feel as though I'm ready for it. I do feel like I'm freaking out about dosage calculations though, so hopefully I'll do well in that. How is pharmacology? Is that difficult to get thru?

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I want to chime in and ask what is cornell note taking? I think I should know this, maybe it has slipped my mind.

I am starting an ADN program in August, and I bought Math & Meds for Nurses second edition. I have been studying this book and doing practice questions on a site called dosagehelp.com. I don't miss any of those problems. I am sure once we start the program the problems will get tougher, but I think that is a good starting place.

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Great advice... I'll be sure to check that site out. Cornell note taking is just a different system of organizing your notes that should make them easier to read and understand. Google it if ur interested, it does help

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Great advice... I'll be sure to check that site out. Cornell note taking is just a different system of organizing your notes that should make them easier to read and understand. Google it if ur interested, it does help

Will do, thanks!

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Specializes in LTC.
That's excellent advice. I was planning on recording my lectures as well. I've done it in the process of finishing my Associates degree. I'm pretty nervous about it, but I feel as though I'm ready for it. I do feel like I'm freaking out about dosage calculations though, so hopefully I'll do well in that. How is pharmacology? Is that difficult to get thru?

I loved pharmacology, it was, by far, my favorite subject. I found that if I understood what a drug (or drug class) did, and why, I understood it's side effects much better. I also found that if the multiple choice question included dig, grapefruit juice, or Steven Johnson syndrome, that was the answer lol.

Seriously though, you got into your program on merit. Don't forget that. You got in because they believed through whatever process they use, that you were ready. So you are ready. You got this. Really.

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Thank you so much... I'm going to embrace those journey, because I know it's what I want and deserve. I just have to put the nerves to the side.

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I'm currently an LPN student about to graduate at the end of next month. I still have 3 more weeks of clinicals, and 2 weeks of preceptorship left, so I feel my advice will be the freshest to you.

One of the things I've learned is that all the LPN programs in the country are learning the same things for the most part. Subtle differences by state but 99% the same.

As far as lecture, the instructors can only say so much. You have to take great notes, and READ the chapters on your own as well. Forget about sleep for the next year or so because you will need supreme focus to make it through an LPN program. My instructors are all RN's and have told me it took 4 years to learn what they had to teach us in one.

Clinicals are hands on experience. You will learn how things work for nurses in the real world. Sometimes you will get a chance to participate, other times you will only be observing. I've done everything from school nurse, med surge, ER, ICU, Surgery, Nursing home, Home health ect.

Dosage calculation is easy once you get the hang of it. There are many YouTube videos on it that break it down into simple terms if it doesn't make sense from your instructor(s)

Finally, my advice to you is to keep grinding and stay focused every time it gets hard. It will require a lot of sacrifice and compromise from you and your family, but keep your eyes on the prize and good luck. Sorry this response was so long

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I graduated from an Lvn program back in April and at our school we had the first 5 weeks of skills and clinical going over all the basic cna stuff before we went out into clinical, so that people without experience got more comfortable. As for med math, we got taught it for a day and it wasn't to bad! I thought it was pretty easy but it really depends on the person taking it.. Some have a lot of steps others are easier... We had a test on med math in 1st and 2nd semester and randomly on our weekly tests so i never really forgot how to do them! The more u practice and do med math the easier it is for u... Like anything else!

You will do just fine! And good luck! :)

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Thank you for the advice. I don't mind the length, I'm actually glad it was long. It gave me very good insight on things. I must admit that I am nervous about it, but I'm willing to do the work. All of my clinical experience will be in a nursing home, so I'm hoping that I get to do things hands on, but I'm also good at observing as well. What I've also heard from some other students is for the first couple of clinical rotations you will be doing CNA skills, how true is this? Are care plans a big part of the program? I'm super excited to get the process started, but terrified as well.

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@amgibson0512 thank you for your advice, I'm looking forward to the journey I'm about to take and I'm praying I'm successful. Nursing has been my passion since forever any I'd be devastated if I couldn't get thru it. But I have faith that I'll be just fine 😊

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