MUSC Spring 2020 ABSN

Published

The application for MUSC's Spring 2020 ABSN program doesn't open until July 1st, but I am putting some feelers out there to see who is applying and hoping to start the thread for this semesters admissions process.

Let me know! Happy applying ya'll!

Omg wow thank you so much for your info! That was so helpful. I’m honestly most nervous for clinicals. Do you feel like you have a lot of support for clinical?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency / Disaster.

98% of clinical instructors are great. I havent had any bad experiences, but that isnt the case for a couple of my friends - I also wasnt there and Im not fussy so I may have thought it was fine. You actually spend the majority of time with your nurse for the day and these nurses dont sign up to have us follow them (their managers do it). Dont leave your nurse, offer to do things and if she isnt busy find a tech and help them (just let your nurse know where to find you). If she/he knows you want to learn they will find you when they do cool stuff. Last semester one particular nurse that everyone else hated looked out for me. I was always there when she needed me and she made sure I got to go to a barium swallow, spinal tap, mri, took out every foley and IV she could find, took out a JP drain and assisted with sterile dressing changes. I also got to watch a PICC line get put in from about 2 feet away - super cool. Oh - she also let me give all her meds but made me tell her about them first so she even helped me pass my pharm ATI!! The other thing I would do for her... if my nurse was busy and needed something done, Id get my clinical instructor to go with me to do it.
Im always a little nervous on the first day because you have to learn where things are. Figure out how to get into the nourishment room and where the supplies are kept - that way you can easily go get things.

Clinical is great... clinical paperwork - not so much. It has a purpose. Its also important to learn to paper chart because I was in clinical when the system went down and we had to rely on paper charts. That sucks - but it was an experience that I now have if it happens when Im the nurse.

Also - Nursing school burn out is a real thing. This program is hard and fast. Your first real break will be at Christmas next year. The most time you get off is about 2 weeks between semesters. Get mentally prepared for that... I failed there so I dont have suggestions!!

sorry for typos and missing punctuation... on my phone!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

@bitter_betsy what type of stethoscope do they give us? Is it good or would you recommend something else?

also is it common to use an iPad/tablet for books/notes? Do you recommend a certain version?

thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency / Disaster.

So.... stethoscope. They give us a decent quality MDF - its blue. I would try it first. I literally just told someone today "I wish that youtube had lung sounds over heart sounds because I have no idea what I'm listening to". I was taking someone's blood pressure and it would just randomly skip - no noise and then start again. I thought I was crazy. I took it again in the other arm - same thing. Long story short - I have a Littmann Classic III - its only as good as I am. I can identify heart sounds when there are no lung sounds or vice versa - but it is SO much harder on humans - heart sounds are faint when you have a noisy mouth breather. Side note - listen to every older adult human you can - your healthy cohort friends are not the best place to find abnormal heart/lung sounds . Try the MDF until you know what you are listening to and for. I would say at least half of our class uses theirs (I have mine because it was a gift). I would acquire a piece of bling to identify your scope from the other 94 in the cohort and use it for school, then when you have identified where you want to go, maybe buy one more tailored for your specialty. I would also put them in your ears before buying them to see how it feels because each manufacturer has different ear pieces and you will hear differently.

I know you have this strong desire to have a cool scope for school - but comfortable ugly white shoes are so much more important than a stethoscope! Although - keep your scope in your bag - never go anywhere without it. Also - don't take your badge in your house - leave it in your car. I have a ponytail holder attached to my air vent and I clip it on there everyday.

I also keep an extra set of scrubs in my car - never know when someone will puke on you. Gross.

Ipad... Ipad...Ipad and an ipencil - but I am an apple girl. I have an iMac, macbook air, an iPad, an iPad mini (and a super old ipad mini) and an iPhone. 99% of the time I just take my ipad and pencil with me to class. I do have a paper notebook - just in case. We were required to have a laptop to take ATI tests on, but ya'll will be doing HESI and I don't know what will be required. I literally take my laptop on days we have ATI tests and that's it (one ATI per course per semester so like 12 times in all the semesters combined). If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have my macbook air. Our paperwork specifically told us that we could not use an ipad or tablet for ATI and needed a "real" laptop.

I download the powerpoints, save them, write on them with my ipencil and study from them. All my books are electronic so I always have everything with me - all the time. The exceptions are NANDA which is useful to have an electronic so you don't have to lug it to class but a paper to use in first semester doing all your clinical paperwork just because its easier. Drug guide - same thing. For these 2 things its just easier to have your clinical stuff laid out, the paperwork you are trying to type into in front of you and the books you can look stuff up in.

Everything else is electronic for me. I use icloud and save ALL my files on icloud so no matter where I am - I can get to whatever I need. This has saved me SO many times.

Oh - my ipad case has an integrated keyboard so its more like a laptop than an ipad but I can write/draw on those notes and not having all that paper around to get lost is so much easier for me. Plus if necessary - I can print them out after I write on them (I never have but its an option).

What do I recommend?? What you already own. If you don't have anything - then an ipad and pencil but thats because I'm comfortable taking notes and studying from them that way. We have people that print out the powerpoints and write notes and study from paper copies all the way to people that don't take notes at all. Don't try to come up with a new system. Learning to study for these tests is going to be hard enough.

When I started I thought that I needed all the pinterest crap because it would make me a better student. I haven't used a single highlighter on a notecard yet. My planner has been the most important thing to me in order to keep me straight. Now THAT has all the colors in it because all my classes are color coded!!

What you may need - is one of those battery things to charge your laptop. Our classrooms only have plugs alongside the walls and not always where you can plug in during class. You need a battery that you can plug in to charge your laptop if it won't hold up to 8 solid hours of use. I'd have one anyway... I am in a habit that when I come home I plug in all my devices to charge so hopefully they are charged and repacked in my bag before I go to bed. I even charge my apple watch at night while I'm studying so that its on my arm when I wake up (plus it does help to get me out of bed when I ignore my alarm). But I have a bag with all the adapters and cords I need to charge any of my devices that I could potentially carry. It has helped a friend or two in need also.

I'd also buy a small lock for Sim Lab. Sim lab is moving so you may not actually need one, but currently we have lockers in the waiting area and we can't always take our things into lab with us. I keep a small lock attached to my backpack and the key on my badge reel so that if I need to lock up my bag in a locker - I can. I've also used it for clinical, but that was first semester and we haven't been lucky enough to have lockers available since. I just don't take anything to the floor that I am afraid will get stolen.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
2 hours ago, bitter_betsy said:

So.... stethoscope. They give us a decent quality MDF - its blue. I would try it first. I literally just told someone today "I wish that youtube had lung sounds over heart sounds because I have no idea what I'm listening to". I was taking someone's blood pressure and it would just randomly skip - no noise and then start again. I thought I was crazy. I took it again in the other arm - same thing. Long story short - I have a Littmann Classic III - its only as good as I am. I can identify heart sounds when there are no lung sounds or vice versa - but it is SO much harder on humans - heart sounds are faint when you have a noisy mouth breather. Side note - listen to every older adult human you can - your healthy cohort friends are not the best place to find abnormal heart/lung sounds . Try the MDF until you know what you are listening to and for. I would say at least half of our class uses theirs (I have mine because it was a gift). I would acquire a piece of bling to identify your scope from the other 94 in the cohort and use it for school, then when you have identified where you want to go, maybe buy one more tailored for your specialty. I would also put them in your ears before buying them to see how it feels because each manufacturer has different ear pieces and you will hear differently.

I know you have this strong desire to have a cool scope for school - but comfortable ugly white shoes are so much more important than a stethoscope! Although - keep your scope in your bag - never go anywhere without it. Also - don't take your badge in your house - leave it in your car. I have a ponytail holder attached to my air vent and I clip it on there everyday.

I also keep an extra set of scrubs in my car - never know when someone will puke on you. Gross.

Ipad... Ipad...Ipad and an ipencil - but I am an apple girl. I have an iMac, macbook air, an iPad, an iPad mini (and a super old ipad mini) and an iPhone. 99% of the time I just take my ipad and pencil with me to class. I do have a paper notebook - just in case. We were required to have a laptop to take ATI tests on, but ya'll will be doing HESI and I don't know what will be required. I literally take my laptop on days we have ATI tests and that's it (one ATI per course per semester so like 12 times in all the semesters combined). If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have my macbook air. Our paperwork specifically told us that we could not use an ipad or tablet for ATI and needed a "real" laptop.

I download the powerpoints, save them, write on them with my ipencil and study from them. All my books are electronic so I always have everything with me - all the time. The exceptions are NANDA which is useful to have an electronic so you don't have to lug it to class but a paper to use in first semester doing all your clinical paperwork just because its easier. Drug guide - same thing. For these 2 things its just easier to have your clinical stuff laid out, the paperwork you are trying to type into in front of you and the books you can look stuff up in.

Everything else is electronic for me. I use icloud and save ALL my files on icloud so no matter where I am - I can get to whatever I need. This has saved me SO many times.

Oh - my ipad case has an integrated keyboard so its more like a laptop than an ipad but I can write/draw on those notes and not having all that paper around to get lost is so much easier for me. Plus if necessary - I can print them out after I write on them (I never have but its an option).

What do I recommend?? What you already own. If you don't have anything - then an ipad and pencil but thats because I'm comfortable taking notes and studying from them that way. We have people that print out the powerpoints and write notes and study from paper copies all the way to people that don't take notes at all. Don't try to come up with a new system. Learning to study for these tests is going to be hard enough.

When I started I thought that I needed all the pinterest crap because it would make me a better student. I haven't used a single highlighter on a notecard yet. My planner has been the most important thing to me in order to keep me straight. Now THAT has all the colors in it because all my classes are color coded!!

What you may need - is one of those battery things to charge your laptop. Our classrooms only have plugs alongside the walls and not always where you can plug in during class. You need a battery that you can plug in to charge your laptop if it won't hold up to 8 solid hours of use. I'd have one anyway... I am in a habit that when I come home I plug in all my devices to charge so hopefully they are charged and repacked in my bag before I go to bed. I even charge my apple watch at night while I'm studying so that its on my arm when I wake up (plus it does help to get me out of bed when I ignore my alarm). But I have a bag with all the adapters and cords I need to charge any of my devices that I could potentially carry. It has helped a friend or two in need also.

I'd also buy a small lock for Sim Lab. Sim lab is moving so you may not actually need one, but currently we have lockers in the waiting area and we can't always take our things into lab with us. I keep a small lock attached to my backpack and the key on my badge reel so that if I need to lock up my bag in a locker - I can. I've also used it for clinical, but that was first semester and we haven't been lucky enough to have lockers available since. I just don't take anything to the floor that I am afraid will get stolen.

What shoes do you recommend? And do they care about material or it just has to be all white and doesn’t matter if they are like adidas?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency / Disaster.

For us it didn't matter - the handbook said all white. As long as they are literally all white - they are good. Whatever you get, make sure that you at least partially break them in before your first clinical. Wear them around your house for a couple days so that if you hate them, you can return them!! Also blisters on your first day of clinical suck because they don't totally heal before you bust them open at clinical again the following week ?

Two of us in my group wear clogs, the rest wear sneakers of various sorts. Sketchers seem to be a favorite but I felt like I broke them down too fast.

White compression socks are a good thing!! Buy at least 2 pair so you can have them for 3rd semester. You'll want them when you are doing 12 hour clinicals for sure.

Also - buy a white long sleeve shirt and pack it in your clinical bag to wear under your scrubs. Its easier to wear a long sleeve shirt than your clinical coat and in the "winter" it can sometimes get cold on the floors. Actually a couple weeks ago we were in a hospital and the ac got "stuck on". It was like 85 outside and 60 on the floor - everyone was freezing but because my shirt just happened to be in my bag, I wasn't quite as cold. "Gowning up" for contact precautions over top of your clinical jacket because you are cold - is a pain - and it seems like every patient is on contact precautions first semester. A long sleeve shirt is just easier to move around in. It doesn't have to come from a uniform store - my favorite is a lightweight thinner one that I probably got from walmart or target. I usually take my jacket to clinical, I just try not to wear it. Its hard to roll up the sleeves and its just always in the way. The extra pockets are nice though.

Again - all white is key.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

@bitter_betsy do we have to buy the scrub bottoms from meridy's or can they be ordered from elsewhere as long as they're white? Could I, for example, get jogger scrub bottoms from Figs etc?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
4 minutes ago, Drakesghostwriter said:

@bitter_betsy do we have to buy the scrub bottoms from meridy's or can they be ordered from elsewhere as long as they're white? Could I, for example, get jogger scrub bottoms from Figs etc?

I was wondering the same I love figs lol!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency / Disaster.

Any white is fine. The tops need to be embroidered and they can take a little time to do so but you can drop them off on campus (at least I could). You wont need them right away but the sooner you can get them here to be embroidered the better. Jackets are needed for the stethoscope ceremony and they have to be embroidered as well. We had a problem with ours being available in time.

Any white scrubs, white shoes - make sure you are as comfortable as possible!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Anyone know if we can use an Apple Watch?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency / Disaster.

For most things you may use an apple watch. Many of us have them. There may be a few clinical instances where you need to be bare below the elbow. You will need to be able to make your watch stay on for 1 minute intervals without futzing with it more than a couple seconds - so practice that and know how to do it quickly. I always carry a backup watch in my backpack for "just in case" moments. I honestly haven't needed it, but a friend did and it kept her from getting sent home from Sim Lab.

Also - when testing you are required to remove any smart watches and put it in your bag with everything else.

This is assuming that another cohort didn't do something and now they are banned. No one has told me I had to quit wearing mine yet so we should be good to go.

Its getting close ya'll!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

@bitter_betsy wait so we don’t have to order from Meridys?? We can get whatever white scrubs/coat as long as we get it embroidered by the school? ?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion