My Goodness

[Nscorpiored]

hey everyone this is my first thread ever here in the student section and it has been very helpful i have been accepted to fairleigh dickinson university henry p. becton school of nursing for their 2 year absn program that begins on august 29. i received my acceptance letter back in february (had a moment where i didn't want to go to) and decided to send my money for my intent to enroll back in may. finally, last month i received the orientation packet and was completely overwhelmed. i felt like a weight was thrown at and on me and i haven't even started attending the school yet.

these are the classes i am expected to sign up for during the fall semester

nurs 2003 fundamentals of nursing i

nurs 2005 professional communication skills, individual, family and groups

nurs 2007 pharmacotherapeutics

nurs 2008 health assessment

what should i expect to encouter in the classes? i am most worried about the pharmacotherapeutics

in addition, they want me to spend $70 on a medical terminology certificate (which i consider a waste since i have taken it already) because it's mandatory. not to mention, we have to buy malpractice insurance (already found one for $24/year) and do our background check (another $40), but it doesn't end there. i damn near fell out of my chair when i saw how much i had to pay for uniform pants, jacket, shirts, pin and engraving (i work on tight budget literally). slowly but surely everything is adding up and stressing me out and i haven't brought anything

here is a list of what they want me to get (from dove apparel) and i wanted to know if all of this was needed. in the deluxe student nursing kit (which is $45) i get only the following

stethoscope, utility scissors, blood pressure cuff, pen light, and 3 color chart pens

they have also included a hopkins fdu nursing kit order list (some of which of course i can get from the local nursing uniform store)

disposable penlight with pupil guide (package of 6)

taylor pressure hammer

tape measure - 72" fiberglass

sterile gloves (pair) (2 pairs)

clipboard with calculator

tuning fork - 256cps

tote bag

digital thermometer and box of 100 probe covers (not sure if it is for the mouth or ear)

foley cath set 14fr

straight cath set

sterile dressing change (2 pairs)

cleansing enema bag

4" r.e.b ace (single bandage)

sterile barrier (non-fenestrated)

sphygomomanometer

stethoscope, littman classic

water resistant watch (white)

2.5v standard diagnostic set (this one in particular i was not sure what this is and what i could possibly need it for if someone would elaborate please)

based off this list what do you think i should really focus on getting and save for later on? if i buy everything now it could be a waste of money? my mother is willing to pay for some stuff. in the end i will be paying close to $400 for everything (i am including tax with that)

thanks for the feedback

[Nscorpiored, BSN]

Like the others have said, I don't know what you're going to do with 6 pen lights, a pressure hammer, a tape measure, and a tuning fork. In my nursing program, we practiced performing full physical assessments on each other in the lab with all the old school supplies like pressure hammers and tuning forks, but you will hardly ever find those in the hospital. I understand the necessity of having a tape measure on hand to measure wounds, but the hospital should have tape measures that you can use. You really don't want to be using your same personal tape measure to measure wounds on several different patients - can you imagine what you would be transmitting from patient to patient, not to mention to yourself?

And why would you need your own set of sterile gloves and dressing changes, cath kits, and enema bag??? That must be for lab practice? In the hospital, you will always use their supplies. But definitely buy the sphyg, stethoscope, and waterproof watch!

Nursing school is NOT cheap! You will definitely have a lot of fees at the beginning because you have to buy your supplies and your uniform, but *don't forget* that you will have a lot of fees at the end too - NCLEX application fee, fingerprinting fee, NCLEX preparation class (which can cost up to $500 or more), fees for sending out transcripts, and your school might have a graduation fee, etc. etc.! So if you're on a tight budget, you'll want to be aware of the other fees that you will have coming up even after you buy all of your necessary supplies.

It's expensive, but it'll all be worth it in the end! Good luck!

Thanks for pointing this out about the fees I had no idea that would be coming up seeing as thought this is my first time going into the field. My mother (who is a nurse) also said herself she didn't understand why I needed all these things either. My plan was to just go to the local nursing uniform store and buy what I could off the list. I will stored order the Nursing Training Kit, but the rest I still couldn't figure out why I needed to bring it since they are teaching me.

What is the purpose of the fingerprinting fee? That is new to me. Has then been done before in nursing school?

As for the graduation fee, that is to be expected. When I graduated previously from my Pre Physical Therapy program we paid for everything out of pocket. Cap and gown, pictures, and diploma were all included in what I had to pay. If I am not mistaken I paid a little less than $300

[BellsRNBSN]

Thanks for pointing this out about the fees I had no idea that would be coming up seeing as thought this is my first time going into the field. My mother (who is a nurse) also said herself she didn't understand why I needed all these things either. My plan was to just go to the local nursing uniform store and buy what I could off the list. I will stored order the Nursing Training Kit, but the rest I still couldn't figure out why I needed to bring it since they are teaching me.

What is the purpose of the fingerprinting fee? That is new to me. Has then been done before in nursing school?

As for the graduation fee, that is to be expected. When I graduated previously from my Pre Physical Therapy program we paid for everything out of pocket. Cap and gown, pictures, and diploma were all included in what I had to pay. If I am not mistaken I paid a little less than $300

You have to pay a fingerprinting fee to get your fingerprints documented somewhere where there is a notary so they can run a criminal history record check on you. As far as I know, this is required for all nurses in all states before you take the NCLEX.

[Nscorpiored, BSN]

Wouldn't that be covered though when I do my background check to enter the program? It just seems redundant to do it again wouldn't it, but I do understand thanks for the explanation

[BellsRNBSN]

Wouldn't that be covered though when I do my background check to enter the program? It just seems redundant to do it again wouldn't it, but I do understand thanks for the explanation

For me, the background check I paid for just to enter the nursing program didn't take my fingerprints, so yes, I will have to pay to get my fingerprints done before I take the NCLEX. I have also heard that even if you have had your fingerprints taken for something else in the past, you still have to get them done again specifically to take the NCLEX, but I'm not sure how true that is. In any case, you should check with the BRN.

[princsheather]

My school gives us a clinical tote with sterile gloves, dressing changes, cath kits, and enema bag for clinical labs - its included in the price of our books rather then paying for it out of pocket; they also give us our hemostat, bandage scissors, pen lite etc.

It sounds like your school requires you to get it for lab practice too, although I'm quite surprised they don't just provide it for you. And some of the additional supplies sounds like things you would need for medical school rather then nursing school!

[MammaNurse2Be]

I have spent an absolute fortune already. I haven't even bought the books! Money is flying out of my pocket. We even had to order our $180 lab kit before we took the teas and if we didn't pass teas we didn't have a spot. I spent a lot on my steth but I wanted a really god one. Only bought 2 pen lights and a bunch of other stuff, scrubs, lab coat, scissors, bp cuff, badge clip, watch, shoes, etc etc! It is crazy! I am excited to start using it all though!

[Nscorpiored, BSN]

I have spent an absolute fortune already. I haven't even bought the books! Money is flying out of my pocket. We even had to order our $180 lab kit before we took the teas and if we didn't pass teas we didn't have a spot. I spent a lot on my steth but I wanted a really god one. Only bought 2 pen lights and a bunch of other stuff, scrubs, lab coat, scissors, bp cuff, badge clip, watch, shoes, etc etc! It is crazy! I am excited to start using it all though!

Wow well congratulations because I haven't brought a thing...I got good news yesterday that my mother is going to try to get most of my stuff for the lab kit from her hospital before they shut down...I plan on getting most of my things nearer to the deadline...I still have to take my medical terminology certificate and do my background check next month....the rest I can hold off on because it isn't due until much later...my nursing kit that they want me to order (only $45) has a lot of the basic items you listed...did your school

...and why in the world is your lab kit $180 what class was this for...darn eveything is so expensive for no reason...I am hoping some of my grants and scholarship applications come through....God please let them come through because this is going to eat a whole in my pocket

[Rob72, ASN, RN]

Ms Bryant,

If you have any way of doing so, get in touch with a 3rd or 4th semester student, and see what they actually used in the lab kit.

Regionally, it may differ, but we were initially told to buy the sphygo, etc., but in practice the facilities we went to used disposable cuffs with automated units, for infection control purposes. Absolutely, you should practice your manual pressures, but you can save $30-60, if you don't need one for clins. A cheapie $15 dollar stethoscope is fine, unless you have extraordinarily acute hearing.

We never used out IV bags, either...

[queenjulie, RN]

Tape Measure - 72" Fiberglass

What on earth are you going to do with a six-foot-long tape measure? Good Lord! I spent almost $2000 before starting nursing school on all the books, uniforms, and other stuff, and we didn't have to buy a tenth of the equipment you listed! Books and uniforms aside, all we needed was a stethoscope, bandage scissors, clipboard, and penlight. Crazy!

[Nscorpiored, BSN]

What on earth are you going to do with a six-foot-long tape measure? Good Lord! I spent almost $2000 before starting nursing school on all the books, uniforms, and other stuff, and we didn't have to buy a tenth of the equipment you listed! Books and uniforms aside, all we needed was a stethoscope, bandage scissors, clipboard, and penlight. Crazy!

Well that is the list they gave me I have a feeling we will be using all of this at some point...to be honest I am not getting it all now and I am sticking with the Student Nursing Training Kit they want me to get...that makes more sense...what my mother can get from the hospital she will get...the rest I am on my own

[SaltRN]

They surely make you spend money on crap you will never use... foley catheter? I never got to use it on a live patient. The rubber patients didn't catch bacteria infections.... the only good thing I got out of that kit was the stethoscope.... good luck

[Nscorpiored, BSN]

They surely make you spend money on crap you will never use... foley catheter? I never got to use it on a live patient. The rubber patients didn't catch bacteria infections.... the only good thing I got out of that kit was the stethoscope.... good luck

True and I haven't used most of it at all..the thermometer is the only one I plan on using for myself the rest still in the nursing kit and haven't been to7uched