New here! First semester of nursing school advice

krisiepoo · Jan 7, 2014

welcome to All Nurses!! I've learned so much being here and I hope you will to

there are a TON of threads where this has already been covered, a couple articles were written to I believe. Try searching and see what you can come up with, start developing those critical thinking skills ;-)

Good luck!

EdenK · Jan 7, 2014

Welcome. My advice is to keep an open mind and make sure you do not fall behind in your studying because that will be reflected in your grades. Practice lots of question on the topics you are learning in class. Personally what has helped me the most is using NCLEX books like Saunders . They explain the topics in a simpler way and have practice questions for you to do. I am in my last semester of Nursing school and have been doing well all along.

Dollface4k6 · Jan 11, 2014

Welcome to Allnurses...and nursing!! Working as a PCA will defintley help you in the long run, in my experience and opinion, those who had worked as LPN/CNA/PCT/PCAs were more comfortable interacting with patients and had an advantage over those of us who did not work in the field before hand. So trust me, it will help more than you think! The first day of clinical for me, I had never walked into a patients room who wasn't My family member, I was like a deer in headlights! Having that advantage would have been great! :geek:

Read...a lot! That is my advice lol It can only help you to read before or after class, and I wish I had figured that out before I started my classes! Hahaha would have saved a lot of stress! Reading before you start will only be confusing (I open my textbook before fundamentals started and let me tell you....shell shocked!) so wait for orientation and your professors will tell you what you need to do to prepare!

When I first started clinicals, I was terrified. Now I look at it as a chance to laugh and learn! I have had my share of unpleasant, crude and nasty patients, but I have also had sweet, caring, funny patients whose families were sad to see me go at the end of the day and beg me to come back the next day. My clinical professor last semester (who I will be with again next semester) is the most wonderful person I have ever met in my life and I love being with her and having the chance to learn from her. Don't get me wrong, there are days where I wake up and think "Ughhh I don't have it in me to go to clinical today!" but within an hour of being on the unit, the feelings fade, you get into a rhythm. If you have a positive attitude about it and look at it as a great learning exeperience, then you will succeed.

Good luck and congrats!!!!

unbalanced · Jan 13, 2014

Hello!!!

I am in my last semester of school and also work as a PCT! You will be so happy you did. You have so much more experience already that you don't even realize!!!

My best advice would be to get organized. During your first week, take a step back, collect all of the information thrown at you and organize it. Another piece of advice would be to not get too hung up on one thing. Sometimes when I study or have work to do I try to focus on one thing until it gets done, even if it takes hours! I found that taking breaks helps a lot. Instead of working on care plans for three hours straight I would take 15 minute breaks to study meds. If you are doing something you are not wasting time :). One last thing would be to get in a good study group. Find people who you mesh with. Don't be afraid to ask people if you can study with them. You might find that you work better with a different group of people. I know some people who did extremely well studying solo.

Maybe the biggest piece of advice I can give is that when it comes to tests focus on bedside care. What would you do if you were the nurse at the bedside? Lots of people failed because they were so used to focusing on the physiology of things rather than decision making.

I wish you nothing but the best! I am excited for you!!!! You will do great!

codeblue222 · Jan 13, 2014

Thank you so much for this advice! I start tomorrow ... I'm so nervous/excited I can't sleep =P.

BanannaFish · Jan 13, 2014

Welcome! :) I'm new here too, but here is what I believed to be helpful:

-Form a study group with people who are academically motivated.

-Utilize the labs, practice times.

-Make outlines!

-If you are not sure if you need to know it, your best bet is to take the extra 5 min to learn it!

-Be positive.

Personally, I suggest meeting with your first clinical instructor before clinical starts to sit down and ask her what she expects of you, so that you can excel in clinical. I usually do this with my instructors (except for my last one, she didn't have an office and weren't given her email until the first day). I think it shows that you are a motivated, conscientious student. :)

** Also! I saved everything on a USB as well (Careplans, PP's, assignments, syllubus, etc..). Some of my friends just saved all of their documents on their computer, but I was afraid that my computer may break or something.. I always saved on both, just to be safe.

JNcCole15 · Jan 14, 2014

Thank you everyone for the FANTASTIC advice! I'm so glad I am a tech right now. If anything it has taught me how to talk and interact with patients. I don't start clinicals until the summer but I am already excited for them.

VAgirl247 · Jan 14, 2014

I think I read somewhere on allnurses to just focus on the objectives and the review comments at the end of the book. Both practically say the same thing, but the review is just answering the objectives pretty much (from what I got at least). I will focus on the notes from class other wise and practice nclex questions. Also focus on tables/charts/pictures. I'll glance over the terms briefly. But waiting to focus on more what my professor says at the lectures.