New Student - What do I need?

U.S.A. Texas

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I am starting nursing school in August. Can you guys give me some advice on what I will need and what to expect as a new student. Stuff like laptop, study materials, etc. Thanks in advance for any advice.

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The following link is a link to a sticky thread that has a ton of information:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/what-item-s-111796.html

I don't know about your specific program, but here are the things I bought:

Stethoscope (I got a Littman Classic II S.E.)

Manual blood pressure cuff

Pen light

Surgical scissors

Lab bag (for hauling all of my lab gear)

Watch w/ a second hand (The stainless steel kind with a stretchy band is great! You can pull it up your arm while doing hand hygiene.)

Lab coat

White shoes

Books (lots and lots of books!)

:redbeathe

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i have never seen a stretchy stainless steel watch! cool, what brand is it?

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

I get cheapie watches from Target that do military time and are digital..as long as they do seconds. You definitely don't need a laptop or a PDA.

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Specializes in NICU.

I loved my digital recorder. I could do things or drive and listen to lectures through my iPod at the same time. I had a PDA in school - it's really, really not a necessity - unless you have a ton of money to burn through.

The Straight A's guides were great for studying for subjects - as are those comprehensive manuals for specific areas.

Cheapie watches from Target are super awesome. I got mine probably for a different reason than neonursetx...I tend to lose things easily. I leave watches and pens all over work, so I've learned to not sink a ton of money into things that can easily walk away...or if you're more focused on work than where you set stuff down, haha. I hope the people who found my stuff are enjoying it tho!

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

I'm probably that pen thief! I don't know where most of mine come from but once I get a pen, I rarely lose them (odd...). Yeah I like the cheapie watches because of all the soaps that get on them and baby cooties.

Something to splurge on.. a good stethoscope! You use it ALLLL the time and the cheapie versions really don't work.

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i have never seen a stretchy stainless steel watch! cool, what brand is it?

Maybe "stretchy" wasn't the best way to describe it. =) It's the kind that has an adjustable band instead of a clasp. I'm not sure what brand it is, but I got it at Walmart for $10.

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o ok, thanks!

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Thank you all for your replies. I am trying to make lists, but there just seems to be so much that I may need. The link to the other thread was helpful also.

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I taped all my lectures and it really helped.I would recommend a good pair of nursing shoes too!!!

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If you're starting the liberal arts portion of your studies, the usual stuff for school. If you're starting the clinical areas:

be sure to protect your feet and legs. I mean like wearing good shoes with good inserts, support hose, etc. Have about three pairs of shoes to rotate so that the bones in your feet remain flexible, the inserts help with arch support and the support hose help support the muscles, veins, bones, ligaments etc in your legs. Nursing is a lot of walking and worse, sometimes a lot of standing. You'll need and want your legs and feet to be useful for years to come.

If you're not absolutely great at math, look into Dimensional Analysis for medication administration; calculating IV drip rates etc. Calculating medication in the form of pills and/or injectables is pretty straight forward. IV infusion rates, X amount of fluid per kg/day at what ever rate with the piggybacks, etc., can get a little sticky and DA can come in very handy. Your clinical facility will probably have pumps, etc., but if they are scarce...Dimensional Analysis.

A recorder for lectures, I would say that a laptop would be quite useful for research anywhere but probably not essential, same with a PDA - I happen to work a bit better with both. Mechanical pencils with good erasers. Organizational stuff like index cards.

A flu shot as soon as available.

A really good grip on the policies of your school and the facilities in which you'll be training. It pays to know where you are.

It's a really exciting time in your life. I'm excited for you. Enjoy learning to be a wonderful nurse.

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May I suggest that you need good health habits and a thick skin. I was too sensitive to the snarky remarks of my competitive fellow students "She thinks she's so smart coming in early to make notes on her patients." And I still remember them many years later. Also "You have such healthy lunches."

After being a mom, I would just tell them to get over it and accept me for who I am: a keener and a health nut.

Be yourself to the best of your abilities and shrug off the inappropriate comments.

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