NHCTC Manchester

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Anyone waiting to hear from NHCTC-Manch for fall 08???

Thanks Jilly

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Hey antbody whos still left on this website from two years ago...i was accepted to Manchester for this fall, i was hoping someone out there graduating this year would be interested in selling there books to me :). if anyone is out there let me know! Thanks!

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Congratulations on getting accepted! I would be interested in selling you my books after graduation. (May 19th), but I will recommend that you get a copy of the required texts so that we can compare and see if they are still the same. If I remember correctly, we got a copy during our orientation....

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Sounds fantastic! I have orientation april 30th. Congrats on almost graduating! How was it? I am so beyond excited, and don't think i can keep myself busy till september. Any advice? Thanks again!

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It was ok for me. Just a few more weeks left and so ready to graduate. I honestly don't think it was too bad...as long as you make the time to try and do all the readings (I admit, I didn't always do the readings because sometimes they give sooo much), do NCLEX questions, and try and keep what they teach you fresh in your mind, you will be ok. I almost had a panic attack at orientation because I felt so overwhelmed with all the tasks we had to do (books, CPR certification, immunizations, uniforms)...it really seems like a lot coming at you, but remember, you still have months before the programs starts and plenty of time to get what you need done.

They say the first and third semester are the hardest...the first because you are just getting used to the whole nursing thing and finding out what to look and what's the most important. The third....because it was heavy on physiology type stuff, but I prepared myself and made sure I studied well before each test and was my best semester. I had absolutely no experience in the medical field so it was all new to me, but I am doing well.

Don't ever get discouraged if you don't do well on a test. There were people that were not doing so well the first semester but who are now scoring in the 80's and 90's on tests. I know it can be discouraging if you don't get a good grade...and stressful...but just study until you understand what the instructors were wanting you to know. I've had friend's who got a 70 on one test, and the next test a 94! Don't give up.

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Thank you that was evry helpful. How do you pick what lab day you get or what clinical site...are they assigned or fist come first serve? When it comes to books, do you get books for each semester and use them the whole time or do you get new books each semester?

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IF I remember correctly, they had us pick a lab at orientation. They gave us forms to register for the actual nursing class, then Charlene sat and signed off on all of them. If they are doing it the same way, I would recommend sitting in front of the class and making sure to be the first in line so you can get that signed off and run to the registrar's office to turn it in. Otherwise, if you want a lab and lots of other people want that time slot, you have a better chance of getting it.

As far as clinical sites...you don't get to pick. You can be at the VA hospital, CMC, the Elliot...and in my case, I was in Nashua for my first clinical assignment...at Greenbriar. They will try and work with you if you have a preference as to the time. I can't do evenings because my kids are in daycare and my husband sometimes travels out of town, so each semester, I wrote them a request for days. But now they have you fill out a form with your preference and reasons for a certain time.

Are you in the medical field right now?

After the first semester, you can get an LNA certification (or license..whatever it is), and if you complete the third semester, you can take the exam for LPN. I didn't know this until the second semester of nursing school.

There were a few people we lost this semester and they decided they were just going to get their LPN and come back next year.

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I got my Lna a few years ago but it has since expired, I took the phlebotomy class hoping i could get a per diem job doing that while im in school. I have two young kids, so i know this is going to be tough but its all I have ever wanted to do. Everything you said has been very helpful and i thank you again...any other little tricks you can think please send my way hahaha :)

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Specializes in neuro/ortho med surge 4.
I got my Lna a few years ago but it has since expired, I took the phlebotomy class hoping i could get a per diem job doing that while im in school. I have two young kids, so i know this is going to be tough but its all I have ever wanted to do. Everything you said has been very helpful and i thank you again...any other little tricks you can think please send my way hahaha :)

Hi Dcoffill,

I gradusted in 2008 from manchester community college. The best advice I can give you is to just persevere. The workload is overwhelming because there is so much "busy work". That is what I called it. I remember my first semester and trying to figure out how to get all of that reading done. I don't know of anyone who ever read all of the reading. It would not have been bad it all you had to do was the reading but their is a tremendous amount of clinical paperwork that is also due.

My advice on the reading is to do as much of it as you can but do not panic if you cannot get all of it done. You will get powerpoints in class so take very detailed notes on those. Most of the stuf the teachers feel is important is the stuff they lecture on. Also, get Nclex study books and use those. I knew of an instructor who took her questions straight from an NCLEX book verbatim. Our top student hardley ever read from her medsurge books but used the NSNA (national student nursing assosciation) book to study from as they gave outlined synopsis of diseases etc. I would also read the parts in the books labeled nursing considerations or what would the nurse do. On tests Maslows heirarchy is also a good way to answer questions.

Always be prepared for clinical. ALWAYS know your meds. If you do not know make it a point to tell the instructor you will look it up. I cannnot emphasize that enough. Giving a med you do not know can be grounds for clinical failure. All in all the teachers want you to succeed. You can always go to them for help.

you will make some good friends in school. Stay close to them because sometimes they can be your anchor. While I was in school almost all of my classmates had a mini breakdown of one sort or another. I had several breakdowns myself. Believe me when I tell you that only another nurse or a nursing student will realize just how hard you worked to get that RN after your name. My non nursing buddies could never understand why I was always studying. I have a bachelors degree in Finance and that was a cakewalk compared to nursing school.

Good luck and e-mail me if you need advice

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Thank you so much! That was amazing advice. I am so very excited to get started. I know this is going to be hard, I also have 2 children under 4. Orientation is April 30th and Im under the impression we will get our book list so hopefull I can start buying them and getting a feel for the terminology. I understand what you say about only "nursing" friends understanding, my friends and husband just assume this was a program you just walk in and sign up for so I ended up finding friends here who understood how tough the wait was. I'm excited to make like minded friends. So how are you, were you able to get a job easily? Do you enjoy it? Well, if you don't mind I will hang on to your screen name and throw questions your way when they hit me :) Thanks again!! Hope all is well.

Danielle

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Specializes in neuro/ortho med surge 4.
Thank you so much! That was amazing advice. I am so very excited to get started. I know this is going to be hard, I also have 2 children under 4. Orientation is April 30th and Im under the impression we will get our book list so hopefull I can start buying them and getting a feel for the terminology. I understand what you say about only "nursing" friends understanding, my friends and husband just assume this was a program you just walk in and sign up for so I ended up finding friends here who understood how tough the wait was. I'm excited to make like minded friends. So how are you, were you able to get a job easily? Do you enjoy it? Well, if you don't mind I will hang on to your screen name and throw questions your way when they hit me :) Thanks again!! Hope all is well.

Danielle

Hi Danielle,

I passed the NCLEX on July 31 2008. A day that will live in infamy for me. My first job was in a LTC facility in Nashua called Greenbriar. I started there in September passing meds to 25 little old ladies and gents. I stayed there till I got hired at St Joseph Hospital in Nashua. I have been there a year now. I got hired for 16 hrs a week at the hospital even though I worked full time hours. I just took whatever job I could get in the hospital as I had a hard time as a new grad getting a hospital job. This first year of nursing has been extremely tough snd I have cried quite a few times at work due to feeling overwhelmed. That is my personality though. I have been told I am high strung. I now have benefits at my job and work with a great group of nurses.

I worked as an LNA while in school at CMC but quit in my last semester due to school. I probably could have got hired there as a nurse if I had stayed till I graduated. If you can swing an aide job or a phlebotomy job while in school I would do it. Even if it is just one day a week as you will have a foot in the door of a hospital. I am hoping the job market looks up in 2 years but you never know. I know a lot of baby boomers will be retiring so ther will be eventual openings. A lot of the people I graduated with got a job at the Elliot in Manchester. Manchester Community Tech has a good reputation so I have been told. Pardon my spelling as I am not a good typist. Also, Make sure you have good day care because the instructors do not like you to be late to clinical. Usually had to be there at 6:45 AM. Some of the clinicals are in the evening depending on who is teaching the clinical. I always like the evening clinicals better as I always hated getting up early and the units are less hectic during the evening.

E-mail me any time.

Heather

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Congrats on the big pass!! I know the economy is so tight right now and everyone always says there a nurse shortage but I know that is no longer the case. I hope things get better in two years, not worse! I worked at St. joseph's hospital as an xray aide/film librarian in 2002 to 2004. Debbie who works over there in the lab is my most favorite person in the world :) I left there to go away to college in Chicago but moved back home 2 years later. I then got my LNA and worked at fairview in Derry. i didnt stay very long as I only work overnight weekends and had a infant...and couldnt see straight :) After some home care I let my lisence go. Now i went through the phlebotomy job with the same hopes you had, to work there till the end to better my chances of landing a job...but I havent been able to find one to begin with! I have applied till im blue in the face and no one wants me.:( Was it hard to get an LNA job in a hospital?

Im lucky to have an amazing support system. My husband is great and we live across the street from my inlaws who are very helpful. My best friend since childhood works at her moms daycare, which is where my kids will go. My friend can just take them home from daycare if i run late and my father in law works from home with the ability to take them any time i need help. I feel very lucky, I cant imagine how hard it must be for someone who doest have back up.

Does it matter what type of stethescope I buy? What about scrubs is thier some wiggle room with the style? Thanks again!

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