My first semester

LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN · May 6, 2014

I also wanted to prepare last summer before I started, but there is really not a whole lot you can do. Reading ahead in your textbooks doesn't help because once you get your syllabus you will see that your instructor jumps all over the place. If there is any advice I could give you now that my first year is over, I would say make sure you have dimensional analysis down for figuring dosage calculations. Also, since nursing school is about concepts and application and not necessarily memorization, there isn't really any self teaching to do in preparation except lab values. Those you DO have to commit to memory. So memorize common lab values and brush up on DA and you should be good. And get your study area organized. Then relax and enjoy your summer!

guest07/14/15 · May 6, 2014

I will be starting in the Fall 2014 and would love to know how to prepare, for nursing school. What supplies do I really need, what studying skills should I develop, etc.

Kuriin, BSN, RN · May 6, 2014

Honestly, looking at normal values and looking at common drugs that are used (easily found via Google) will put you so far ahead.

blueberry13 · May 6, 2014

Honestly, I wouldn't start anything. Don't read ahead because you don't know exactly what you're covering without your syllabus so you might be learning things you don't even need to know. I would just spend as much time relaxing and spending time with family and friends and getting everything done (eg. Dentist appts) before school starts. You won't have much free time when it does. If you really wanted to practice something I would start studying dosage calc.

nursinglove15 · May 7, 2014

Spend the summer RELAXING. You will not have nearly enough time for this when school starts.

There really isn't a lot you can do ahead of time for first semester. Until you know how your specific program works and what is expected of you, you won't be able to prepare.

I would just suggest that you buy all of your books ahead of time along with any other supplies you may need. Doing this early will prevent added stress when the semester starts!

NuGuyNurse2b · May 7, 2014

Agree re: relax. You don't want to waste precious brain cells learning things the program might not cover - cause you're going to need all of those brain cells, trust me. The amount of information I wouldn't call overwhelming, but definitely not the cram-the-night-before-&-pray-for-a-C that the pre-req classes were. I learned that the hard way in Med Surg, unfortunately, killed my class avg and I had to work harder to dig myself out.

Mommy_RN1211 · May 7, 2014

I see these posts a lot and try to remember back to my break before school started. I just finished up my first semester and the best advice I can give is relax! There will be so much time to read once you get started but not a lot of time for you. Take it easy and mentally prepare yourself for school mode.

About the studying, everyone is different. There is no way to answer this question really. It depends on how you study and retain information. Personally for me, I studied about 20 hours a week while at work, never studied at home, and usually would study once a week in the evenings from 7-9pm with my study group (maybe a few extra sessions before a test, although I would find we would really rant and talk about school more than studying). I am a mom to a 18 month old so I made my son a priority before anything else which meant to studying on the weekends or at home. This was a personal choice and I managed to pass. Could I have done better? Probably. But it was a personal choice I made. It is all up to you once you start and find a good rhythem that works for you.

Good luck!