? for nursing students

The best thing you can learn is dosage calculations. At the nursing school in Ohio they offer dosage calc as a strongly reccomended extra. YOU NEED IT! They go into it in class right away, but do not spend near the time going over it. It's not hard exactly, just lot's of memorizing. If you want to start practicing now it would be to your advantage

Also a phlebotomy class wouldn't hurt either. It really teaches you to find veins!

Hmm...lots more work on dosage calcs. I still have to review before each semester. Also, I wish I would have bought some of the NCLEX type books before classes started so I could really do well on those exams. I still get A's, but I always feel unprepared as soon as the exam starts. Just the way questions are worded can throw you off even when you know the right answer. :)

MED CALC. We got tested on it the first day of class. We were expected to know it going in.

Also, you could email your instructors and ask for the reading assignments to get started on - there is SO much reading.

Good luck!

For me, having some nurses aid experience would of been a big plus! (Lpn's) We started our test outs on some skills the first month and those who were aides had a huge advantage over the rest of us... even all thru out the year they had the upper hand.. And yes the dosage calculations...I constantly do them to keep fresh on them... All your bones, .... there are many little things that would help... not sure what experience you have going into the program.... Good luck!:)

All of the above, as well as know the format your papers have to be in--AND know it! ie APA or MLA. Ours had to be all APA, and we have some profs who are REALLY sticky about the format. It is sooooo anoying to lose marks for such stupid things. Also, grammar, the same reason.

On the same topic, get to know two or three other (good) students and proof read each other's papers, and study together. I cannot tell you how much this has helped me the past three years.

All the best to you!!!

My main question is where do I find these dosage calculations and things so that I can learn them. Our books for school aren't in the bookstore yet so I dont know what they are. Can you post websites or just list some on here.

Thanks in advance,

Mary Ann

1. have a firm understanding of A&P

2. learn HOW to study (what works for you, reading, flashcards, etc.)

3. have GREAT study habits!!!

good luck to you and try to have fun in nursing school. it only last a short time, but it is a big part of your life! don't get all bent out of shape and scared about nursing school. take it seriously and study hard and you will be fine. some people need to study more than others, but only you know how much you need to study. take a mental break every now and then, it will actually help you to learn more!

best of luck,

jay

here is the book that we will be using (classes start tomorrow)! calculation of drug dosages, 7th edition(illustrated) sheila j. ogden

i got it on-line through amazon.com.

1. have a firm understanding of A&P

2. learn HOW to study (what works for you, reading, flashcards, etc.)

3. have GREAT study habits!!!

best of luck,

jay

Jay has it down pat. If you really understand your anatomy and physiology, all of the nursing stuff falls into place. Med math is very basic algebra. Don't let it freak you out. I didn't find most of the material difficult. It's just the volume of the material that makes school difficult. Odds are you won't have time to read everything, so knowing how to study is very important. Don't let yourself fall behind.

Our school has a mentor program where students from the previous year are assigned to the incoming class on a one-to-one basis at orientation. It is so helpful at allaying first year jitters. If your program doesn't offer this, ask your instructors or Dean about starting a program.

I agree...wish I had gotten my A&P down better. It has been a struggle for me these past 4 semesters. Also get some NCLEX review books. I have found the one I like the best is the one the SNA puts out. Also some other books I reccomend are the straight A's in serious, the prentice hall real nursing skills CD's and we used dimensional analysis for our drug calculations. Pharmacology has been difficult for me too, but we do not have a pharmacology class...it is all thrown in with our other classes depending on what disease process we are studying. ohhh yeah and the basic lab valuses like sodium, potassium, digoxin, ABG's....Good luck!!!!!

Here is a great resource for dosage calculations.

http://home.sc.rr.com/nurdosagecal/