I just want to reach out to see if anyone one is is willing to give advice for a new NP student. Im in my first quarter of NP school and I work full time (don't worry I'll be working part time next quarter!). It has been a big adjustment for me to come back to school especially time management, the higher stress level, get used having assignments and taking online tests.
I have been really discourage since it's been hard meeting people in class because of my classmates went to the same undergrad program and have already formed friends and study groups. I even took the initiative to email my group members to ask if they want to form a study group for a particular class, and they didn't even bother replying back. This is after having a lecture of nursing professionalism!! I feel very discouraged and isolated since I feel so overwhelmed with going back to school. It's not easy starting school and not having anybody to share my concerns:(
It doesn't help that the NP program is very disorganized. Some of my professors (God bless them!) either do not know how to teach or do not have time to cover all the materials in class, so I end up having to teach myself.
Advice I am seeking is:
1. Time management
2. Stress Management
3. Networking among students (who are not very open at all) and professors
Specializes in ICU, Telemetry, Cardiac/Renal, Ortho,FNP.
Well, I'd say get your board exam books now and start studying them. All that information you will need during your program and there is waayyy too much information to have to wade through afterwards for boards. If you are required to get your own clinical locations/preceptors DO IT NOW! HAVE BACKUPS! HAVE BACKUPS TO BACKUPS! That has been the most frustrating thing for me...preceptors bailing out, flaking out, freaking out and just being plain weird. Multiple times I've been ready to start and they quit their jobs, over promised without checking with the bosses or were not that good to begin with. On the other hand I've had some great ones take their place so I'm grateful for that. But it IS hard to get preceptors so if you have that wrapped up, you're halfway there. I would not say the didactic part is so "over the top" difficult. Just don't be a procrastinator, like me, and you should do fine all the way through. I've heard some get in study groups but I didn't and that's fine with me. There are some facebook groups that are helpful...nurse practitioner binder group...posts fantastic helpful stuff you can use in clinicals. Also, 5 minute clinical exam book. Anyway, good luck.
P.S. Get some good pharm/exam apps for your smartphone. Every doc I've been around has them ready and uses them. It's not all memory.
That's seriously good advice all around. Get your clinicals set up! Have backups. Get all the apps. Study for boards from day one. Best practical advice around!!
I certainly agree with you on the effect the organization of the program has on my own confidence. While my sites are picked by my school, I find the instructors hardly on par and interested in my education. I go to a brick and mortar school meanwhile 3 of my 4 classes are online which means its all up to me to study which is fine except some of the professors do not actually have a clue about how much time their assignments actually take. One of my professors finally got a clue and withdrew some assignments from the syllabus ( I think he was having a hard time staying on top of grading them too). The one didactic class was my only hope for some real experience with a professor. Instead, the lady just reads right off the power points which are endless and she never has time to finish them. They only good lecture I got all semester was a guest instructor who went through case studies which was very informative. I study on my own and am not part of a group study which tends to be competitive and kind of weird but I have yet to see or hear an inspirational lecture that is both interesting and informative. It is what it is, I'm hoping to get some good preceptors who will help me understand how all this nonsense is actually applied.
chiromed0
216 Posts
Well, I'd say get your board exam books now and start studying them. All that information you will need during your program and there is waayyy too much information to have to wade through afterwards for boards. If you are required to get your own clinical locations/preceptors DO IT NOW! HAVE BACKUPS! HAVE BACKUPS TO BACKUPS! That has been the most frustrating thing for me...preceptors bailing out, flaking out, freaking out and just being plain weird. Multiple times I've been ready to start and they quit their jobs, over promised without checking with the bosses or were not that good to begin with. On the other hand I've had some great ones take their place so I'm grateful for that. But it IS hard to get preceptors so if you have that wrapped up, you're halfway there. I would not say the didactic part is so "over the top" difficult. Just don't be a procrastinator, like me, and you should do fine all the way through. I've heard some get in study groups but I didn't and that's fine with me. There are some facebook groups that are helpful...nurse practitioner binder group...posts fantastic helpful stuff you can use in clinicals. Also, 5 minute clinical exam book. Anyway, good luck.
P.S. Get some good pharm/exam apps for your smartphone. Every doc I've been around has them ready and uses them. It's not all memory.