NVCC First yr students, How goes the battle?

[Flames9_RN]

Howdy. Is it as bad as you thought? lol I hope not. I heard you guys had to give actual bed baths in lab, sweet,lol The course gets better when you start ur clinicals, then you get to make up your nursing plans, joy joy!! There are books in the library that can help you with them. Or check out half.com or ur book stores. Half.com would be cheaper, and havaing a book totally up to date isnt that important. I have "Nursing care care plans 6th ed) ISBN 9780323039543 Its a good book. if your short for cash, it is not a MUST have! check ur local libraries as well. Check ebay and search for "nursing care plans" some older books for like $5!!

As well for ur drug passage exam that you take in LAB, you will get a list of drugs you need drug cards for! Think there was a list of about 30. One can either make them up on ur own, OR buy drug cards! MEC bookstore has them or Borders! if you sign up for a Borders reward card (its free) u get weekly coupons emailed to ya, and quite often they are for 20% off!! And they have the Mosby ones and Med-Deck. i ahve the Med Deeck and i think it was only mssing one of the drugs that we had to know. During the drug passage exam, ur allowed to look at ur med cards if u forget, just like you would on the floor! At least that was the case last yr, things are always changing! Cheers

[Bpeaceful2All]

ok, I feel a little better. We have a practice test and then an actual test for dosage calculations (I have to get clarification on that) sometime in November. Has anyone had clinical rotations or worked at the Goodwin House a long tern care center. IF so, what is it like?

[Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I knew of a few students that had Goodwin House last yr, i think they had a great experience. their clinical prof was Mrs Phillips who is top notch! She is awesome. if you can get into a lecture or clinical with her, you will learn a lot and she is very supportive of her students. haven't heard anyone say a bad thing about Mrs P. When working at a LTC know how to do check the vital signs and knwo how to do AM care. As well go over Body assessments--as ur doing ur bed bath, always observing!! I respect the LTC nurses, can be a bit of a depressing place to work, bu the residents are soo sweet for the most part,they really appreciate your time.

[Cilantrophobe]

Is it true that once you are accepted into the program that you can test out of medical terminology for the credit rather than take the course? Sort of like a Clep? AND I sold my HESI study guide after I took the test, do I need that for nursing school? A friend emailed me her NUR 111 syllabus and it says "HESI Critical Thinking" for week 1.

[Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Each semester you will do at least 1 HESI exam on whatever topic is being taught. Since it is on the material being taught, that's ur study material!! For us, inthe first year, the HESI exams didnt count for anything. But this year, inthe 3rd semester, the one hesi exams counts for a bit, not much though.

No clue if u can test out of HLT 141--easiest course in the world,lol

[Bowling Thunder]

Is it true that once you are accepted into the program that you can test out of medical terminology for the credit rather than take the course? Sort of like a Clep? AND I sold my HESI study guide after I took the test, do I need that for nursing school? A friend emailed me her NUR 111 syllabus and it says "HESI Critical Thinking" for week 1.

Hi, a student in my NAS 161 class (2 semesters ago) is now in the LPN transition program. She was able to test out of medical terminology. hope this helps.

[Bowling Thunder]

I've not been in this forum much. I'm in my 1st year of Nursing at NOVA and there is much information to learn. I'm in the traditional program and it seems fast paced to me. The nursing dept seems very unorganized? Are they always this way or just this year because of new changes? I need some advice, I'm very overwhelmed. Thanks for any input/advice. I still don't get the role of the Grade Kepper.

[Cilantrophobe]

I've not been in this forum much. I'm in my 1st year of Nursing at NOVA and there is much information to learn. I'm in the traditional program and it seems fast paced to me. The nursing dept seems very unorganized? Are they always this way or just this year because of new changes? I need some advice, I'm very overwhelmed. Thanks for any input/advice. I still don't get the role of the Grade Kepper.

I am not even in the program yet and I have already gotten that impression.

[Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I've not been in this forum much. I'm in my 1st year of Nursing at NOVA and there is much information to learn. I'm in the traditional program and it seems fast paced to me. The nursing dept seems very unorganized? Are they always this way or just this year because of new changes? I need some advice, I'm very overwhelmed. Thanks for any input/advice. I still don't get the role of the Grade Keeper.

Im not sure what is going on with the first years, as I belive there have been changes. Do you guys go over your exams in class? Last year we had a CLS class--I dont believe you have that now or do u? Inthat CLS class we looked at the exams --MIND you we didnt do it on CLS class time, we ddi it after,lol

This yr (seniors) no longer have CLS. So if we want to see our test results, have to set up an appt with our grade keeper. Which for most (but not all) is also your advisor!

There is always going to be some chaos, thats life. And yes it can be fast paced, lots of reading, and one has to stick to a plan! As time goes on, you will know what type of questions thay ask and know what areas to concentrate on! The reading only gets worse. Thats why I like to find thsoe study work books that go along with the text books! They tend to concentrate onth eimportant stuff! As wel lensure you are doing the questions at the end of each chapter and the question son the books CD. The review and Rationales series are great as well, piles of different ones for each subject. As well the Saunders NCLEX book is nice! Oh ya, pay attention to material that is in 'boxes" ot "tables" in your books! That usually keys into the meat of what theyare trying to get across!

[Bowling Thunder]

We had our first test on Monday. It takes a week before the grades are posted on Bb. We won't get the test back, and if want to see our test, we have to make an appt with our gate keeper, at least that's what was said on Monday. I guess that too can change by next week. Our lecture is taught by a different person each Monday. It's really confusing when you have 6 different instructors giving you their own take on what's in the book. I bought the study guides, I saw your suggestion from another thread thank you. My grade keeper is a different person from my student advisor. So far I have had 3 different instructors for lab. I don't have enough space to complain about my lab component, lol. I hope things get better. I have my first clinical Thursday.

[Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Ok, so you first yrs no longer have CLS. Was a waste of a class! We were told the intent of the CLS class was so we could ask questions on the nur 111/118 lectures. But nope, it was usually just spent going over the homework assigned for the class, no time for questions!

Once you start ur clinicals, i believe ur lab time is cut in half, which is nice,lol For us second years, lab is only half a semester, I test out on Monday and then no more lab!!

Yes you wil lhave different lectures, but that can be good, its better to have someone that has worked in the field before. That wasnt the case last year! We would get someone who had never worked in that area, so could not answer our questions! Midn you its not that persons fault, I'm pretty sure they didnt assign themselves to that topic,lol Esnure u look over the boxes and tables in the chapters!!!

[mama2_3]

I've not been in this forum much. I'm in my 1st year of Nursing at NOVA and there is much information to learn. I'm in the traditional program and it seems fast paced to me. The nursing dept seems very unorganized? Are they always this way or just this year because of new changes? I need some advice, I'm very overwhelmed. Thanks for any input/advice. I still don't get the role of the Grade Kepper.

I am first year traditional too! Yea, I feel your pain. It is very different than prerequisites. I wish we were more informed. I feel like I am on my own. I just watch other people and do what they do. I don't know where they get the info. I do not like surprises, but I am unpleasantly surprised all the time about things I missed. However, I love all of my instructors so far. That is making it all better. Have fun at your clinical! Mine is on Friday.:)

[NursingGeek]

Your posts are giving me flashbacks. We are the first online class, so our first semester was hellish in that way where no one had any clue about what we were supposed to be doing, where to go, etc.

It does get better, I think that in your case (like ours) the situation is just as frustrating for the faculty as for the students - when you introduce major changes to the program. They kept telling us that, and we didn't believe them, but I think in retrospect it's probably true.