Nursing School Orientation Day

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I have been trying to buy some school supplies now and I just needed some advice. What really happens during orientation? Does the school provide us with some supplies like a planner, pens, etc.? What has anyone's experience with orientation been? I will be attending Nova Southeastern University in the fall but will like to know information from any school.

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Specializes in Neuroscience.

Oh my goodness. I don't know anything about the school you are attending, but I can almost assure you that the school will not provide you with physical materials/supplies. They will provide you with information and knowledge about what to expect during nursing school.

Free supplies...that's a good one.

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My first orientation consisted of us picking our first semester schedule, vaccine requirements, an overview of the uniform requirements, some general rules of lecture, lab and clinical, an introduction to our first semester classes and a speech from someone who just finished their first semester. They also had people from the uniform store selling uniforms as well as other people selling stethoscopes. Our second orientation consisted of an introduction to our online learning system and an ATI critical thinking entrance exam. The only things they gave us was our paperwork. After the orientations, we had an advisor meeting to turn in all of our paperwork.

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Specializes in ICU/ Surgery/ Nursing Education.

I had a similar experience as the previous posters but there was no one there selling stethoscopes or uniforms. This is where you will get all the information on the next few years of nursing school. The class ahead of you will give you pointers about studying and making it with your sanity intact. The school may help you log into the nursing related software that you have not seen previously. Introductions, tours of the nursing facilities, and discussion about the student nurses association. You may not see all of this, but expect something like it.

You should only have to bring a pen and maybe small notebook to take down a few notes. Enjoy it!

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I wouldn't expect to get any supplies. Orientation is mostly about outlining expectations for the program, telling you how clinicals will work, giving you some tips on how to succeed, and maybe a tour of the skills lab. At mine we had the company that does the uniforms for our school (the jackets are embroidered and they give student discounts on scrubs) come in so we could try things on and order our uniforms if we wanted to.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

On our orientation day we were given all of our books for the program. It was a private school in which our "tuition" included $1500 worth of books. So we had to bring suitcases/crates to carry out our books. Other than that, a notebook would be good so you can take notes on info given that day.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

We were given lists of mandatory. & suggested books, supplies, tools, uniforms and other items as well as places we could purchase them. We were also given the list of required medical clearance, vaccines & titers and information about required malpractice.

We received a tentative school calendar and the main rules were reviewed

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We haven't even had an orientation! Nor does our program director know when it will be. So aggravating!

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Specializes in Medical-Surgial, Cardiac, Pediatrics.

My first semester orientation they gave us a folder with a checklist for vaccine requirements, a book list, an overall tuition expectation, and a financial aid discussion. We also had some discussions about what to expect overall in the program, uniform requirements, grades, clinical hours, etc. Our student government gave us a few freebies, but that didn't come from the nursing program itself. I bought a planner, paper, pens, all that. Though we had to buy our uniforms, stethoscopes and everything else on our own time in town. Our school was too small to have all that right there.

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Great pointers everyone. I thought that the schools gave out planners as a welcome.

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Some schools have planners available if you go to admissions and ask for one. My orientation they gave us lots of lists and sold some used uniforms-which by the way, snatch up! They are usually less than half what the bookstore asks for them. You need all your basic supplies-pens,pencils, notebooks, laptop or tablet, LOTS of post-its lol!

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Haaaaahaha, free stuff? Like other commenters, that didn't happen. :no: They didn't even have extra pens for those who forgot theirs.

Basically we filled out a million pages of paperwork (after we'd previously sent in a whole packet of paperwork), got told that we should plan to not have any semblance of a life outside of nursing school and that it would be 'a terrible idea' to even have a job, and that, Oh! The classes you thought you were signed up for? The times and days have changed so your entire class schedule is now re-arranged. THAT is why they say not to have a job, because they change things on you literally the first week of class and will continue to do so throughout the program.

Fortunately, I've still managed to work full-time, eat healthy, exercise plenty, and have a good relationship with my husband and our dog while getting a 4.0. Orientation day can/will be very stressful because of all the stuff they throw at you, but you'll soon realize that that is what nursing school is. The faster you can calm yourself down, the happier you'll be! It's an exciting time because you get to meet all your classmates (my program is only 30 people, so not too many people to meet), you finally get to wear scrubs, and you get to carry around a stethoscope and pretend like you're official!! Good luck. :up:

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