Money for Books

[KareBear0609]

I have been awarded $300 for books for the summer semester. It's use it or lose it. I don't need to buy any books so I was thinking about buying some NCLEX books. I am not in nursing school yet and certainly won't be taking the NCLEX anytime soon, but I was thinking since I have "free money" I could use it to buy books that will help me down the road.

What do you think? Will the books be too old and outdated by the time I get to nursing school (next year)? Do I always need the newest edition NCLEX or do the critical thinking questions pretty much stay the same?

Any input/advice would be appreciated.

[Nurse Kyles, BSN, RN]

I would buy NCLEX books. They are forever helpful. Usually in the front of the book it gives detailed explanations about how to read and determine what NCLEX questions are asking. This would be something that would be really helpful to you in preparing for nursing school, as most people struggle with the NCLEX question style.

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

You don't need the newest editions. While some practices do change occasionally, the great majority of the information will be 100% accurate. Priority interventions, medication side effects, complications of disease processes, procedures, etc-those don't change.

I also suggest buying a medical dictionary, nursing care plan book, and a drug guide.

Saunders and Kaplan are both good NCLEX review books.