New nursing1 student in jan- any advice/ suggestions?

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I'm starting nursing I in jan, any tips, advice or suggestions you wish you would have known before starting?

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No advice -- I'm starting NUR 101 in January, too!

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I start in January also

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Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.

There are pages of tips and info here. :D

Time management- think of school like a job, you need to be there X amount of hours and then there's overtime (homework, studying), it's non-negotiable you must do it all

Realize you are GOING to miss things with family or friends, Not everyone misses everything but everyone misses something.

Let go of the things at home that you don't HAVE to do, let your support system help you

Stay organized! I am hyper organized, I color code my notes so they are easy to find (each unit is a different color)

Do your readings but know that you don't literally end up reading every word of every assignment, you'll learn what is important (all those darn boxes in the books are important!)

Breathe! It is stressful, crazy, exhausting, exciting and so much fun!

Good luck!

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For those starting in January, what schools? I start in January too! YAY:up:

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Congratulations!!

1-Stay organized.. Doesn't matter how, just that you do it. Your planner should be your bible. Professors in nursing school will not remind you of due dates, and it is up to you to have everything done on time.

2- Keep up with your reading. You don't need to read every word, but it's very helpful to have at the very least skimmed before the lecture so you have an idea of what the topic is about. And yes, the boxes in the books ARE important.

3-Record the lecture. Believe me, it helps if you let it. Sometimes a professor will mention something in class that is not in the book and then that thing shows up on the test. Listening to the lectures helps not to forget those little things. It also reinforces the material, and you can study while doing something else.. like the dishes (or while playing games).

4-Look at everything you do as an opportunity to learn something. Even if it's watching ECG (you can tell hyper/hypokalemia by looking at ECG) tracings at the nurses station, or helping a nurse with turning a patient, to the more exciting things like passing meds and giving injections.

5-Don't be afraid to ask questions.

6-HAVE FUN!!!

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Thank you all for your great suggestions...any specific suggestions? Like....do I need to buy a $100 stethoscope? Or what books do u use most in class, how best to keep notes, etc? Thx for your input.

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Thank you all for your great suggestions...any specific suggestions? Like....do I need to buy a $100 stethoscope? Or what books do u use most in class, how best to keep notes, etc? Thx for your input.

No, you don't need a $100 stethoscope. You don't want the cheapest one out there either, but the basic Littman ones are more than adequate. As for books, that varies from program to program but you want to bring the one where the majority of your readings come from. A lot of programs utilize Powerpoints. I print those out or they provide them in class for us, and I take notes on that. Saves paper.

Hope that helps

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Congrats to everyone starting their program next yr!!! Enjoy yr break before the adventure starts!!!

Sent from my iPad using allnurses.com

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Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.

I purchased a Littman II Classic (about $70) and it is well worth it IMO. The Littman Lightweight is around $45 and very good as well. Anyone who we knew that bought something cheaper than the Lightweight has replaced it already.

Only one person in my class has a really expensive one (the Littman 3100 electronic) but he has upper register hearing loss from the military. It's a really slick steth and we've all used it and can definitely hear better than ours but it's not necessary for 99% of people.

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Treat your clinicals like a job audition because it really can and will help you get a coveted new grad job. Show up early / on time. Look clean and neat. Be prepared and well rested. Be enthusiastic, ask questions, take advantage of any and all opportunities and seek them out. Have a good attitude. Try your best. Be humble. Smile. Laugh at yourself.

Nursing is about helping others, but you can often benefit just as much as your patients. Put yourself in your patient's shoes. It's not fun to be in the hospital and they're not trying to be difficult or annoying (they're usually scared and lonely and don't handle it well). The easiest way to make your day is to make someone else's. It's impossible not to smile or feel good after helping someone else smile or feel better.

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Awesome advice smilinjen!!

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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