1) I was going back and forth between nursing and graphic designing. Everyone told me to make a career at what I'm good at and while I agree, I'd prefer not to struggle after graduating academia. My parents surprisingly didn't tell me to become one; instead, they just let me choose what I wanted to do. Both of my parents are nurses! So as a kid, I would hang out at their respective units after school throughout their entire shift. I chose to be a nurse because I looked up to my parents as superheroes. Plus, I think there is a sense of honor among nurses where they do good without expecting any sort of recognition. It's a humbling experience when a patient takes the time to thank you.
2) I'm 21 years old.
3) Unfortunately, I got dismissed from nursing school last semester. It sucks, yes, but I'm not giving up. Fortunately, my GPA didn't get hit hard. I also volunteer at a L&D unit for the summer so I can retain my basic nursing skills. I got my EKG Tech certification in a week (program is accredited ) as well and I'll be applying for positions in telemetry and ICU step down as a monitor tech. If I get a job, I'll work and gain experience while attending classes at my university towards a two year entry-level HIM/HIT masters program. Next summer, I'll go to dialysis technician school for three months.
Hopefully, I'll be in an ADN program in Fall 2014 and finish Spring 2016. After that, make the transition back into a BSN program and kick its a** throughout the year I'm in it. This is basically my plan for me to mature and improve myself. If I'm unable to return to nursing school, I would already be pursuing HIM/HIT and have healthcare experience under my belt. After that, I can use the masters degree to bring me back into nursing if I want to.
Depending on my path, I'll be 24 or 25!
I'd definitely want to be in a cardiac unit and renal dialysis center so I can utilize my prior knowledge. Maybe even work with children so I can draw my patients as superheroes! Once I'm finally settled, I'll go back to school for a degree in graphic design/digital illustration.
My main priority is to have a career, so I guess my health is fine (??).. I don't have medical insurance anymore so I stopped going once all the bills added up to over 7,000 also in collection. Lol
I'm starting to get more and more excited. I paid the $545 deposit fee and now I'm just waiting for my orientation (May 23rd).
I'm sure my parents are happy for me but I think they are also worry I might not do as well as other people. I get compared a lot to other people.
Other than that they are lovely people.
I already have dreams of me doing rounds and the doctors are talking jibberish and I have no idea how to respond. I think that's one of my concern. Not understanding the doctors or nurses. Because as a patient I remember they would always use "doctor language" and I always felt stupid saying.. Idk what that word means Lol..
Have you ever had those moments when it seems like the Staff is talking in a different language?
I believe you can do it and I'm pretty sure the AN community does as well. I hope to see a graduation thread from you two years from now!
I get compared to other people too, but mainly with my childhood best friend. She's also in nursing school. You are only you and no one else, lol.
I've had several moments like that and I usually have to ask the clinician what they mean. Once you start learning your med-surg, pharm, patho, and health assessment, you'll be able to understand what it is the doctors and the nurses are telling you. Even better, you'll communicate with your caregivers easily.
Clinicians may tend to speak using abbreviations like MI for myocardial infarction, which is known as a heart attack. It speeds things up since there is not enough time to say entire words.
For the 1st time in my life something good finally happened to me. MCC is a 2 yr program & I see this as a HUGE stepping stone.
I'm so excited to the point I am telling my family. I just want support from them because they don't think my body is capable. I disagree. I get how it works because I've seen it with my own eyes.
So I HATE it when they try to bring me down & psych me out. So in order to prove them wrong I want to work 4x harder. But idk reading these threads kinda skyrocketed my anxiety even more.
How is the nursing experience going with you guys?
How are you doing now health wise? Doing well?
How are they trying to psych you out?
It seems that you are sure of yourself and you really want it! That's good! Bring that enthusiasm with you wherever you go. All of the nurses here will tell you that nursing school is no joke because it is hard and will require most of your time. It'll be worth it though.
My nursing experience was interesting! I came into the program thinking that I could do what I did before academically since I had pretty good grades, but nursing school is a whole different beast. Like I said before, you will be committing all of your time studying, working on your clinical skills, and writing care plans. You are required to adjust to a new lifestyle as well as thinking. The new nursing student has to learn how to think critically rather than get by just memorizing facts. If you need help, don't hesitate to go to your fellow students and faculty for assistance. Immediately ask for help! Nurses look out for each other.
I loved going to the hospital and working on the SNF floor. Once you start applying what you've learned, you will really start feeling like the nurse you aspire to be. I would say that I'm pretty confident in my clinical skills despite the first semester being similar to the CNA role. What sealed the deal for me in this career is when I built rapport with an elderly couple. I gained their trust. They thanked me, told me their life story, the wife held my hand and gave me several kisses on the forehead, and the husband shook my hand. All this happened before I clocked out for the day. It was great. You will have many experiences like this and it will be what keeps you going.
Hi Snow! You are totally awesome for overcoming these obstacles and getting accepted into nursing school! I think Middlesex County College is a two-year college, right? I believe my dad went there, or maybe it was Essex CC. Either way, my dad graduated with his ADN in NJ and eventually got his BSN and MSN. I have no doubt in my mind that your college will prepare you to be a great nurse. You will take similar courses as the BSN students in your state, but you will be more prepared clinically as ADNs are entry-level nurses and are designed to get you immediately into the workforce. The BSN degree is unique in that it emphasizes leadership, management, public health, cultural diversity, global perspectives in healthcare, ethics, and societal issues. Nowadays, the BSN degree is (slowly) becoming preferable in most hospitals due to an oversaturation of nurses, but mainly, the broad knowledge the BSN brings. You will notice in your stay here that there are TONS of ADN vs. BSN threads! You will see people arguing about which one is better, but truthfully, it is neither. In the end, it is what kind of nurse you become and how you get there. Your patient won't remember you for having an ADN/BSN/MSN/etc.; he/she will remember the love, care, and expertise you provided. The nurses who saved your life may even come from different degree levels, but that doesn't matter because you are here today.
You will always be learning so don't stop with the ADN and further your education into your BSN. Times are hard even for nurses. The job market is tight in NY and NJ, but don't let that stop you!
Edit: As far as books go, I used Saunder's NCLEX-RN and kept it with me.
1) The first few things you'll learn once you get in there is the importance of vital signs (bp, pulse, temp, O2 sats, respirations, and pain), how to take them, and their normal values. Familiarize yourself with the stethoscope and learn to get the radial pulse. I consider this my basic skills, which will then lead to your assessment skills and most importantly, critical thinking.
You can skim into the med-surg, patho, and pharm aspects, but don't study them extensively because you won't know how your nursing program will be. Over your 2 1/2 years in nursing--not including the 2 years of pre-reqs--you'll realize that everything runs together and must stick with you throughout your career or even your entire being. Lol.
2) Go on Youtube and watch videos about the nursing field and vlogs made by nursing students. Look up nursing on Tumblr and you'll find a plethora of journal entries, pictures, and helpful tips. This step helped me get excited for nursing as well as understand what I'll be getting into.
Do what I said above and your first month in nursing will be fine!! A majority of the time you should be having fun with your family and friends!
However, the real experience of being a nursing student won't happen obviously until your Fall, Spring, or Summer terms. It'll come as a shock to you, you may even question yourself, maybe you'll fail your first exam, some people will drop out, you might fail out your first semester, etc. Know for sure that nursing is what you want to do and remember to never give up. If you fall hard, find a way, come back harder, and kick nursing school in the ***. There are plenty of working single parents who are able to do it. There are people who start from the bottom and came up top. There are nurses who failed the first time and became very successful the second time. You do what you need to do and it'll be worth it!!
Peter Petrelli from Heroes is a hospice nurse and switched to being a paramedic later on. It's pretty cool since this character is one of the main super powered protagonists in the show. There are tons of nurses in Supernatural, but they are usually clinically unsafe since they are possessed by ghosts. Lol.
Hey Bruno, I think going the RPN route will be a better choice for you. From what I've read, you've written more pros for the two year route. Nursing school is pretty tough so having familiar teachers and classmates should make it easier.
Hey, I also didn't do so well in nursing school. There are plenty of nurses who were in our situation and were able to become successful! If you still want to become a nurse, do not give up and do what you need to do. However, going back to another nursing program is the difficult part. There are a lot of ADN programs out there so apply to as many as you can. I am in the process of applying to five schools; one which I already finished. When you're looking for schools, make sure that you can meet the admission requirements with all the college credits and test scores (TEAS V) you already have. Don't forget to check the school's NCLEX ratings too. You can also do the LPN route like LadyFree28 did and cross the bridges towards your BSN.
Also have a plan B just in case. Is there another major you are interested in? Maybe there is a different healthcare career you'd like to do (Health Administration, Health Informatics, Dialysis Tech, EMT, Respiratory Therapy, etc.)? You'll get points from most schools for carrying a degree prior to admission or having previous healthcare experience.
No matter how long it takes, we can do this Kitchen!
I got lucky and didn't fail any checks offs, but had to start from the very beginning. I almost failed medication administration if I hadn't immediately remembered to document time, location, dose, and medication given and signed it off. I did the worst with maintaining a sterile field. It made me rage as I had to start over nearly 10x before I was able to do it perfectly. The little details get you, haha.
If you have the opportunity to practice more with your clinical skills instructor, do it! Good luck! You got this!
Since this method worked for you on the first test, keep doing it! I think the only difficult part is accommodating for when you have more information to learn than before. Keeping the momentum going is important as well. You got it!
I just recently passed a dosage calculations test. It was really easy, but it was just basic and didn't factor in different units aside from liters and grams, flow rate, body weight, body surface, etc. Rather than take it for a grade, My Med Surg Practicum class used it as an indicator of our progress through out the semester. What they do to prepare us is by having us work problems on the board in front of the class while the professor explains each step and what to look out for. After that, they assign us pages to practice on and then we'll have a quiz a week later. The real test won't be until the end of the semester and I believe we have to make a 100% passing rate. However, I feel that the instructors are preparing us well.
I think it's important to do well because in a situation where we mistake 0.8 mL as 8 mL, we'll be in huge trouble! The way you write, look at a measurement, or place a decimal point is just as important as getting the correct dosage calculation.
1) I was going back and forth between nursing and graphic designing. Everyone told me to make a career at what I'm good at and while I agree, I'd prefer not to struggle after graduating academia. My parents surprisingly didn't tell me to become one; instead, they just let me choose what I wanted to do. Both of my parents are nurses! So as a kid, I would hang out at their respective units after school throughout their entire shift. I chose to be a nurse because I looked up to my parents as superheroes. Plus, I think there is a sense of honor among nurses where they do good without expecting any sort of recognition. It's a humbling experience when a patient takes the time to thank you.
) as well and I'll be applying for positions in telemetry and ICU step down as a monitor tech. If I get a job, I'll work and gain experience while attending classes at my university towards a two year entry-level HIM/HIT masters program. Next summer, I'll go to dialysis technician school for three months.
2) I'm 21 years old.
3) Unfortunately, I got dismissed from nursing school last semester. It sucks, yes, but I'm not giving up. Fortunately, my GPA didn't get hit hard. I also volunteer at a L&D unit for the summer so I can retain my basic nursing skills. I got my EKG Tech certification in a week (program is accredited
Hopefully, I'll be in an ADN program in Fall 2014 and finish Spring 2016. After that, make the transition back into a BSN program and kick its a** throughout the year I'm in it. This is basically my plan for me to mature and improve myself. If I'm unable to return to nursing school, I would already be pursuing HIM/HIT and have healthcare experience under my belt. After that, I can use the masters degree to bring me back into nursing if I want to.
Depending on my path, I'll be 24 or 25!
I'd definitely want to be in a cardiac unit and renal dialysis center so I can utilize my prior knowledge. Maybe even work with children so I can draw my patients as superheroes! Once I'm finally settled, I'll go back to school for a degree in graphic design/digital illustration.
I get compared to other people too, but mainly with my childhood best friend. She's also in nursing school. You are only you and no one else, lol.
I've had several moments like that and I usually have to ask the clinician what they mean. Once you start learning your med-surg, pharm, patho, and health assessment, you'll be able to understand what it is the doctors and the nurses are telling you. Even better, you'll communicate with your caregivers easily.
Clinicians may tend to speak using abbreviations like MI for myocardial infarction, which is known as a heart attack. It speeds things up since there is not enough time to say entire words.
How are they trying to psych you out?
It seems that you are sure of yourself and you really want it! That's good! Bring that enthusiasm with you wherever you go. All of the nurses here will tell you that nursing school is no joke because it is hard and will require most of your time. It'll be worth it though.
My nursing experience was interesting! I came into the program thinking that I could do what I did before academically since I had pretty good grades, but nursing school is a whole different beast. Like I said before, you will be committing all of your time studying, working on your clinical skills, and writing care plans. You are required to adjust to a new lifestyle as well as thinking. The new nursing student has to learn how to think critically rather than get by just memorizing facts. If you need help, don't hesitate to go to your fellow students and faculty for assistance. Immediately ask for help! Nurses look out for each other.
I loved going to the hospital and working on the SNF floor. Once you start applying what you've learned, you will really start feeling like the nurse you aspire to be. I would say that I'm pretty confident in my clinical skills despite the first semester being similar to the CNA role. What sealed the deal for me in this career is when I built rapport with an elderly couple. I gained their trust. They thanked me, told me their life story, the wife held my hand and gave me several kisses on the forehead, and the husband shook my hand. All this happened before I clocked out for the day. It was great. You will have many experiences like this and it will be what keeps you going.
Hi Snow! You are totally awesome for overcoming these obstacles and getting accepted into nursing school! I think Middlesex County College is a two-year college, right? I believe my dad went there, or maybe it was Essex CC. Either way, my dad graduated with his ADN in NJ and eventually got his BSN and MSN. I have no doubt in my mind that your college will prepare you to be a great nurse. You will take similar courses as the BSN students in your state, but you will be more prepared clinically as ADNs are entry-level nurses and are designed to get you immediately into the workforce. The BSN degree is unique in that it emphasizes leadership, management, public health, cultural diversity, global perspectives in healthcare, ethics, and societal issues. Nowadays, the BSN degree is (slowly) becoming preferable in most hospitals due to an oversaturation of nurses, but mainly, the broad knowledge the BSN brings. You will notice in your stay here that there are TONS of ADN vs. BSN threads! You will see people arguing about which one is better, but truthfully, it is neither. In the end, it is what kind of nurse you become and how you get there. Your patient won't remember you for having an ADN/BSN/MSN/etc.; he/she will remember the love, care, and expertise you provided. The nurses who saved your life may even come from different degree levels, but that doesn't matter because you are here today.
You will always be learning so don't stop with the ADN and further your education into your BSN. Times are hard even for nurses. The job market is tight in NY and NJ, but don't let that stop you!
Edit: As far as books go, I used Saunder's NCLEX-RN and kept it with me.
A majority of the time you should be having fun with your family and friends!
1) The first few things you'll learn once you get in there is the importance of vital signs (bp, pulse, temp, O2 sats, respirations, and pain), how to take them, and their normal values. Familiarize yourself with the stethoscope and learn to get the radial pulse. I consider this my basic skills, which will then lead to your assessment skills and most importantly, critical thinking.
You can skim into the med-surg, patho, and pharm aspects, but don't study them extensively because you won't know how your nursing program will be. Over your 2 1/2 years in nursing--not including the 2 years of pre-reqs--you'll realize that everything runs together and must stick with you throughout your career or even your entire being. Lol.
2) Go on Youtube and watch videos about the nursing field and vlogs made by nursing students. Look up nursing on Tumblr and you'll find a plethora of journal entries, pictures, and helpful tips. This step helped me get excited for nursing as well as understand what I'll be getting into.
Do what I said above and your first month in nursing will be fine!!
However, the real experience of being a nursing student won't happen obviously until your Fall, Spring, or Summer terms. It'll come as a shock to you, you may even question yourself, maybe you'll fail your first exam, some people will drop out, you might fail out your first semester, etc. Know for sure that nursing is what you want to do and remember to never give up. If you fall hard, find a way, come back harder, and kick nursing school in the ***. There are plenty of working single parents who are able to do it. There are people who start from the bottom and came up top. There are nurses who failed the first time and became very successful the second time. You do what you need to do and it'll be worth it!!
Peter Petrelli from Heroes is a hospice nurse and switched to being a paramedic later on. It's pretty cool since this character is one of the main super powered protagonists in the show. There are tons of nurses in Supernatural, but they are usually clinically unsafe since they are possessed by ghosts. Lol.
Hey Bruno, I think going the RPN route will be a better choice for you. From what I've read, you've written more pros for the two year route. Nursing school is pretty tough so having familiar teachers and classmates should make it easier.
Hey, I also didn't do so well in nursing school. There are plenty of nurses who were in our situation and were able to become successful! If you still want to become a nurse, do not give up and do what you need to do. However, going back to another nursing program is the difficult part. There are a lot of ADN programs out there so apply to as many as you can. I am in the process of applying to five schools; one which I already finished. When you're looking for schools, make sure that you can meet the admission requirements with all the college credits and test scores (TEAS V) you already have. Don't forget to check the school's NCLEX ratings too. You can also do the LPN route like LadyFree28 did and cross the bridges towards your BSN.
Also have a plan B just in case. Is there another major you are interested in? Maybe there is a different healthcare career you'd like to do (Health Administration, Health Informatics, Dialysis Tech, EMT, Respiratory Therapy, etc.)? You'll get points from most schools for carrying a degree prior to admission or having previous healthcare experience.
No matter how long it takes, we can do this Kitchen!
I got lucky and didn't fail any checks offs, but had to start from the very beginning. I almost failed medication administration if I hadn't immediately remembered to document time, location, dose, and medication given and signed it off. I did the worst with maintaining a sterile field. It made me rage as I had to start over nearly 10x before I was able to do it perfectly. The little details get you, haha.
If you have the opportunity to practice more with your clinical skills instructor, do it! Good luck! You got this!
Hi! Have you considered Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia?
Since this method worked for you on the first test, keep doing it! I think the only difficult part is accommodating for when you have more information to learn than before. Keeping the momentum going is important as well. You got it!
I just recently passed a dosage calculations test. It was really easy, but it was just basic and didn't factor in different units aside from liters and grams, flow rate, body weight, body surface, etc. Rather than take it for a grade, My Med Surg Practicum class used it as an indicator of our progress through out the semester. What they do to prepare us is by having us work problems on the board in front of the class while the professor explains each step and what to look out for. After that, they assign us pages to practice on and then we'll have a quiz a week later. The real test won't be until the end of the semester and I believe we have to make a 100% passing rate. However, I feel that the instructors are preparing us well.
I think it's important to do well because in a situation where we mistake 0.8 mL as 8 mL, we'll be in huge trouble! The way you write, look at a measurement, or place a decimal point is just as important as getting the correct dosage calculation.