Obsess with Nursing

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Do you think it is unhealthy for me to read so much in preparation for nursing school ?

I tend to read A&P, Microbio, Nursing books. I also research nursing careers as if I already have a degree in nursing. I do think it is important to look ahead and plan for the future, but am I setting myself up for disappointment.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I think it is better to prepare, see what options may be available for you and there is nothing wrong with reading a bit in advance. I would do light reading, however...try familiarize, not necessarily memorize. If you haven't taken any pre-requisites just yet, then, this is the best route, I believe; because most RN programs are very competitive...taking the highest GPAs. I hear of lottery systems, etc, but, most times, at least in the metropolitan area in New York go by GPA. Good luck!

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

I think it is perfectly normal to be excited and passionate about something. It will make you a great nurse!

Tait

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

While it is normal to be very curious ... and smart to think ahead and prepare ... if you are actually obsessing, that is not healthy. Make sure you have other interests in your life and continue to develop as a well-rounded person who will be able to keep the stressful aspects of nursing school and nursing in perspective.

Yes, you might be setting yourself for failure and dissapointment. If reality doesn't match your fantasies about nursing, you could crash down to earth and get hurt. It's often the students with the strongest committments to their fantasies that suffer the most from Reality Shock. Try to keep an open mind about what nursing be like and the types of nursing careers that might appeal to you. Let your nursing career happen in its own time ... and in its own way.

In other words ... "Moderation in all things," is usually the best approach in matters such as this one. A little bit is fine, but don't go overboard. It's not healthy.

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Thanks you all. I feel much better because my friends think I consume myself with nursing. However, I act this way whenever I am trying to achieve something. Once I put my mind to something there is nothing that can stop me. On average I read three chapters a week. I feel this is necessary to prepare for my first semester of nursing ( Jan2010 ADN program ). However, even with my current nursing school acceptance, I still feel behind. I just have so many fears, but I will try to relax.

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I appreciate that llg. I need to put everything in perspective so that can balance the anticipation and the stress ahead.

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icydudekerry....

what kind of books are you reading? i was looking to get a book to read before i start nursing school but havnt found one yet.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Acute Rehab.
Do you think it is unhealthy for me to read so much in preparation for nursing school ?

I tend to read A&P, Microbio, Nursing books. I also research nursing careers as if I already have a degree in nursing. I do think it is important to look ahead and plan for the future, but am I setting myself up for disappointment.

ICUDude...with all the junk out there that's available for reading, I think you are making fantastic choices that will pay off in the future! Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I can say that I can agree with many of the things that llg mentioned. There is a chance for disappointment in nursing with the state of affairs today. In fact, OP, a good book to read is Nursing Against All Odds (forgot the author). It can illustrate what challenges nurses have today.

On the other hand, because nursing is so competitive, it is a great idea to get a jump on things in order to increase your chances in being accepted into a nursing program. And, it may not be as disappointing for you.

It is good to balance out your life, though, because you will need that in nursing school as well as your career. Each person has to find their (healthy) distraction. Temper your passion with hobbies, friends, family, etc... This will make you a more balanced and flexible person.

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Do you think it is unhealthy for me to read so much in preparation for nursing school ?

I tend to read A&P, Microbio, Nursing books. I also research nursing careers as if I already have a degree in nursing. I do think it is important to look ahead and plan for the future, but am I setting myself up for disappointment.

Read anything you want - read War and Peace if it turns you on. You will probably find it won't help you all that much in nursing school.

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I can say that I can agree with many of the things that llg mentioned. There is a chance for disappointment in nursing with the state of affairs today. In fact, OP, a good book to read is Nursing Against All Odds (forgot the author). It can illustrate what challenges nurses have today.

You mean, "Nursing Against The Odds: How Health Care Cost Cutting, Media Stereotypes, and Medical Hubris Undermine Nurses and Patient Care" by Suzanne Gordon. Gotta love the cover - a nurse in scrubs, stethoscope around her neck, mask hanging down, pen in hand squatting down against a wall covering her face. Not exactly a recruiting poster!

I only know this because I am reading it now; fantastic book! It has some great stuff on the history of the profession, recent changes, public perceptions of nurses, and how nurses themselves are responsible for many of the challenges they face.

Every profession has challenges and issues and Nursing is no different. I look at the book as containing great information on what to look out for and for ideas regarding improving the profession. I certainly cannot change the issues presented in this fine book by myself, but I can decide to learn from the mistakes of people who went before me.

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nursingstudent221 i have been reading the following books:

fundamentals of success, applying critical thinking to test taking

pharmacology a nursing approach-- i have mastered dimensional analysis and ratio/proportion methods in preparation for nursing school, which is needed to solve different drug calculations. co-book -- a work text calculation of drug dosages by shelia ogden

nursing diagnosis handbook a guide to care plans by ackley, ladwig

fundamentals of nursing 8edition by kozier & erb's

i just started reading one of early x-mas gift, icu book by mark hammerschmidt

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