Must haves for grad school

Published

Specializes in neuro, ccu, med/surg icu, ER.

Hey everyone!!

I will be starting a FNP/ENP program this fall and am curious....what did you need the most during grad school? Bought a new laptop, looking into getting an IPAD (mostly because of want not need). Anything that really helped during your graduate program: types of phone, books, iapplications, etc.

Thanks for the info!:yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Clinical Applications for Iphone/blackberry-

epocrates- a pharmacopedia to look up drugs and it is free (Tarscon's is a popular hard copy pharmacopedia and is not free)

Diagnosaurus for differentials is free

Johns Hopkins Antibiotic guide- I think it is downloadable for a fee, or free if accessing online. There is also a hard copy available but I am not sure if that is just for in-house use at hopkins. This IMHO is much, much better than sanford (see below).

Pocket Books (these may be a bit over your head especially before clinical training):

MGH pocket medicine or Washington manual

Sanford's guide to antimicrobials

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, Trauma, Anesthesia, Education, etc..

I made up a list of necessary items on the Amazon website. It's under Listmania and includes, imho, what you need to get through the program. Good Luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sleep!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

Sweatpants.....so you can be comfy in your classes, and to hide the extra pounds you gain when you no longer have time to exercise...LOL....hopefully, that won't happen to you!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

Other free apps I like are Insulin DM2 (for initiating and adjusting insulin), MD ez labs, Instant ECG, AHRQ ePSS (which gives preventative care guidelines based on age, sex, and lifestyle factors). FYI-I just looked up diagnosaurus and it is now 99 cents at iTunes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would be hesitant about the iPad unless you buy a separate keyboard. At first you will be writing sooooooooooooooooooooo many papers. If you have a laptop, you need a docking station and a proper desk and adjustable chair. Otherwise your neck will be hurting incredibly bad.

Some system to manage your notes and subjects so the material is accessible and somewhat portable. I saw fellow students lugging around huge notebooks and didn't think that would be very reasonable. I used a pocket folder system and I still use my notes now that I am working. At the beginning of each semester, i bought about 20 pocket folders with brads in the middle and pockets on the side. If the class was, say, Pharmacology and the drugs from one lecture were diuretics and anti-hypertensives then I would create two folders and write the subject on the front in bold marker. After class, my notes went in the brads and then any flash cards I made would go in the pockets. Let me tell you, this was amazing when reviewing for boards because I could go through my crate of folders, pick out a few and briefly review the notes and I already had instant accessible flashcards. You will end up needing a few crates or file cabinets for these folders.

When advanced assessment starts and they tell you that you at least need your own otoscope....LISTEN! I hate the wall mounted ones and borrowing one from my preceptor each time got old. Get a good one because you will be using it for years to come.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency, MCCU, Surgical/ENT, Hep Trans.

go ahead w/the ipad. i wish i had one in grad school, now i do. i take it to work with me (my own pc, no sharing) we have wi-fi. some apps are not quite there yet, but the iphone apps have the data i'm looking for.

i would be hesitant about the ipad unless you buy a separate keyboard. at first you will be writing sooooooooooooooooooooo many papers

carachel2 is correct, in a sense, unless you already have or plan to purchase a bluetooth keyboard. last night i found a rather nifty small one for about $40, would fit nicely in your back-pack and you can't go wrong with the apple one, sweeeeeet, for a few more bucks.

now, here's my $.02 on the ipad for typing. lap-top at campus, in the sunny, dog-playing yard, best time 3hrs, ipad w/bluetooth, brighter screen, 9+ hrs. see my point? you'll never need to plug the pad in at school and laugh at your friends literally fight for a plug (saw this daily in grad school, did it myself!) :lol2:

another must have: http://www.flashmybrain.com/iphone.php forget paper, but if you must, mead makes 1/2 size, color coded cards that are cheap. i made thousands.

oh, and i might add, get a light, quality back back, i went thru three cheap ones. best of luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in neuro, ccu, med/surg icu, ER.

Great responses! Thank you everyone! I am excited to read all the ipad responses. I hope to get one soon...with a keyboard!! :)

And Dixiecup...I will definitely need sleep between studying..I will be really pushing it working nightshift full-time and school part-time while caring for my kids: 19m and 3yo (looking into daycare). Thankfully, I have a very helpful husband and 9yo daughter!

Now, hope my finances for school come through all the way!

Thank you again for all the advice!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Im starting NP school and went to amazon.com and typed in Listmania and I wasnt seeing anything related to NP school? Do i need to type in something certain? Thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I made up a list of necessary items on the Amazon website. It's under Listmania and includes, imho, what you need to get through the program. Good Luck!

Do I need to type anything else on amazon.com? I dont see the list you are refering too. Any help would be great!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ACNP-BC, CCRN-CMC (critical care).

Hi all,

I just graduated from ACNP school in June, so I have VIVID memories of school and all things related. These are the things that were most important for me during school:

1. coffee.

2. highlighters. lots of highlighters.

3. the ability to recognize when (time of day, days of week, etc.) when I could get the most

and the best studying done and learning to take FULL advantage of those times.

4. coffee.

5. calendar - you will need one to keep track of when your millions of assignments are due.

6. love for your classmates. PLEASE don't compete - help each other and recognize that you

can ALL learn something from one another.

7. coffee.

8. equipment-wise, the school will tell you what they "require." Go with the flow on this in

general; it's probably safe to wait until your first adv. assessment class/lab and talk to the

profs about big ticket items like oto/opthalmoscopes.

9. A good physical assessment partner or a very good friend who will frequently strip half

naked for you and let you examine them. PRACTICE over and over and over was the best

way for me to avoid getting flustered and forgetting steps on the physical exam checkout.

10. COFFEE.

:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion