Nursing School Must Haves??

ranidays · Feb 24, 2010

A planner, preferably a giant one because you'll take up lots of space:lol2:

I personally LOOOOOOOOVE sticky notes. I'm obsessed. If it's not on a sticky note somewhere visible, I'll forget. I'm so unorganized so this really helps.

Last, but not least, your sanity. I know that every nursing student on this board is laughing hysterically at this statement, buuuuut if you don't take a little time for yourself, including SLEEP, it will affect you!

Good luck!

Tarabara · Feb 24, 2010

I def agree with the above, a planner is a must have. Also, I dont know about everyone else's schools but at my school we get a million handouts and papers so my binder was already full by like the 3rd week. So i went out and bought a folder for each class to put the handouts that i didn't necessarily need in class with me but that i didn't want to throw away, and left those folders at home. That has helped me so that my binder isn't bulging and it makes me think about which things are important. Good luck to you!

bananimal · Feb 24, 2010

Index cards (the big ones) -- I rewrite all my lecture notes onto them ( the important stuff ) so I can bring them wherever I go. I will also write out my "to do" lists on them to easily bring with me everywhere, or slip into a book like a book mark to remember the chapters I need to read.

Post-it Flags (http://www.3m.com/us/office/postit/products/prod_ft_ss.html) -- for every topic we go over (for example, Hypertension), I will go through all of my nursing books and flag the chapters that go over hypertension. So, I would flag our required reading chapters, the study guide chapters, my med-surg "made incredibly easy" book, and my NCLEX comprehensive review books on the particular topic. I put those flags down the sides of the books, and then as I'm reading if there is a table or something I want to go back and look at I put a tag sticking out the top of the book.

Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX Review and Prentice Hall's Comprehensive Review for NECLEX. Both of these books include AMAZING reviews-- an outline of key points on every topic-- in addition to a set of practice NCLEX questions in each topic. They also have rationales for every answer-- which are wonderful (I highly recommend reading ALL rationales even if you get the answer right, because they sometimes explain how the others are wrong, and again, its another review of the material).

Skyscape software on my Blackberry-- Our school got a grant that got us all smartphones and the skyscape software for them. This has been an INVALUABLE tool. Labs, English/Spanish phrases, IV meds, Med-Surg Nursing, NCLEX questions, Drugs, Taber's Dictionary, Nursing Skills, and tons of other information right at my finger tips. If I need to look something up in clinical, it's right there! And it gets rid of the need of bringing a bunch of books with you to clinicals. We also have the same software installed on our computers. It is pretty expensive if you are getting it on your own; but if money is no object to you, I would spring for it (:

I use a million other things every day, but those are my main MUST HAVES. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. And as for organization; I have a ton of binders. I keep one big one for each completed semester, and I have each topic tabbed for easy access. I poke holes in my index cards and keep them on a ring (I forgot to mention that earlier) and put the first card as "Semester 1, Exam 1", and so on. As far as planning goes, our school gives us a printed calendar with all of our lecture topics, lab times, and clinical times already on it. I copy that information onto a desk calendar and add my own stuff in from there. As far as carrying around a planner.. I don't do that.

And good luck getting into nursing school!

jules720 · Feb 24, 2010

I have a little recorder that I use for all lectures. I have found it extremely helpful! Also, if you don't already have a PDA you may consider getting one. I was able to purchase my Davis Drug Guide, Mosby, and other applications directly to the PDA. This is handy in your clinical rotations when you need to quick reference something (a lab value, a drug etc.). Good Luck!!

Servingshots · Feb 25, 2010

What books would u guys recommend for me to read before the nursing program??

bananimal · Feb 25, 2010

I skimmed through a nursing test success book during the summer, but that was it and I am doing really well. Enjoy your time before nursing school starts because after that you may not have any free time.

Coriander, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2010

Coffeemaker, enormous dayplanner, and a really strong bookcase.

The big thing is to make sure you have a little time for yourself every day.

Material-wise, I also have a recorder and a bag-on-wheels to haul my binders and books around.

lactnet · Feb 25, 2010

Medications calculations book- know your conversions now. we have an exam every semester on med calc.

also tabers- can't live with out it. Davis drug guide,

nursing pocket guide

HTH :-)

barleynhopsBSN · Feb 25, 2010

Get a good nursing diagnosis book, it will save you a lot of time on papers.

Saunders NCLEX review. Skyscape for your PDA, a laptop with Mircosoft Word or Apple's Pages. Once you get accepted to a school see if there are any other classes you can take at a community college so you won't need to need to take them while in nursing school and can do other electives.

Before school starts I would read fun books because it's hard to read for fun once schools starts. Oh ya, cancel your Facebook and All Nurses accounts so you don't waste time when you should be studying!

Servingshots · Feb 25, 2010

Get a good nursing diagnosis book, it will save you a lot of time on papers.
Saunders NCLEX review. Skyscape for your PDA, a laptop with Mircosoft Word or Apple's Pages. Once you get accepted to a school see if there are any other classes you can take at a community college so you won't need to need to take them while in nursing school and can do other electives.
Before school starts I would read fun books because it's hard to read for fun once schools starts. Oh ya, cancel your Facebook and All Nurses accounts so you don't waste time when you should be studying!

I def. will cancel my account, im on it waay too much...how much was syscape (i have an iphone)?

barleynhopsBSN · Feb 25, 2010

I just googled Skyscape, its $89 right now from $200+, I bet they are coming out with a new edition. My school had a deal where I think it was like $150 or so. Epocrates is a good free app if you don't get skyscape. As far as organizational apps: Iprocrastinate and Ical.