Ohio RN to BSN starting August 2013

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Specializes in MICU.

I am starting this program in August. I am a busy father/husband and was looking for advice to get ahead. Can anyone tell me any reading or anything I can start now so I don't fall behind once class starts? I have just received my acceptance letter and am yet to register for classes. I'm excited to be getting started. After 4 years of ICU nursing I'm ready to advance my career.

I am also curious if anyone on here will be starting with me.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing: Margaret A. Burkhardt, Alvita Nathaniel: 9781418042745: Amazon.com: Books

Pick up that book and start reading it. That's the main textbook for 4510 and you end up almost the entire book over the 5 week course. You'll also want to familiarize yourself with APA format pretty everything in the program is done in the APA writing style.

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Welcome to the board. You will probably be pulling your hair out in a few weeks, but that 's OK we all have at times.

I second the getting started reading the book. And review APA on the OWL ( its a Perdue U thing). This program is super into APA for everything. If you google APA format, I am sure the Purdue site will come up.

I also know a lot of people have bought the PEERLA software ( I don't have it, but I hear it helps alot) for APA formatting. I also use the website, citationmachine.net.

I actually liked 4510, but it is a lot of work. You will need to set a schedule for study and do it every day. Don't get behind or you will be screwed. Get really organized with folders, a calendar to mark due dates. A printer at home isn't essential, but is helpful.

Good luck on you BSN journey. OH and don't hesitate to ask for help here. Everyone is so willing to help and it does make a difference.

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Specializes in ICU,ER, Radiology, Online education.

I took 4510 in Feb. Buy PERRLA which will help format your APA papers. A godsend in my mind. Courses are fast pace because it is 15 weeks crammed into 5. Lots of work! I am also on the face book page for Ohio online BSN. Also a godsend and lots of good information. Everyone on both sites have been more than helpful. People also sell used books on the face book page which can save you $$$$$. Never be afraid to ask for help, everyone has been more than helpful. Good luck! Make sure you look at your DARS to see all the courses you need. Many of us have taken other pre req's at other colleges.

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Specializes in MICU.

Thanks for the suggestions. I just ordered the book and plan to get an early start on the reading. I'll refresh on APA and will probably end up getting the software as well. Do you know if it is compatible with MAC?

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Specializes in ICU,ER, Radiology, Online education.

I think it is compatible if you have word 2011. It is not compatible with older word. Check out the PERRLA website

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Specializes in Endoscopy, PACU, Emergency Department.

I started 1 year ago in August. Only have 3 more nursing classes to go! I just purchased PERRLA since I have had the same tough T.A. 3 classes in a row. My content is A, my APA always gets points taken out. I tended to submit before carefully reviewing my citations which takes more time than writing the paper. So my advice is ... get APA down pat from the get go. I agree with cincinursemary. Stay ahead of the game. Don't submit early since I have had classes where they changed the rubric midweek and had to redo assignments. Good Luck with your classes!

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Specializes in Pediatric Hem/Onc.

For anyone using a Mac, save yourself the aggravation and buy a copy of Word for Mac. Even if your program is Word compatible (which Pages, the word processing portion of iWorks, is!) it will change your formatting when you convert to a Word document. I didn't realize this until 3 papers in and my instructor didn't really care lol She said we were warned we needed Word compatible programs and that one didn't count. Thankfully I still passed the course but it still ticks me off that I didn't get the points back.

It's expensive, but you don't want the annoyance of saving, opening up on a PC, and then redoing all your formatting. Just a tip from one disgruntled Mac user :sarcastic:

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Specializes in Hospice Nursing.

Thanks for the info! I start in August and bought the Word for Mac 2011 and also downloaded PERRLA. Need all the help I can get....graduated from nsg school in'86!!!

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Specializes in ICU,ER, Radiology, Online education.

annrn64 I graduated in 1982 so have a couple of years on you! allnurses has been a godsend as the FB page for BSN student's. The FB page has been a wonderful wealth of info and everyone here and there has been more than helpful to newbies!

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Specializes in Hospice Nursing.

Thanks woodsyny! I am on the FB page also and I can tell it will come in handy soon. I think once I get his first course under my belt, I will be ok.

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I am hoping to start fall 2. I am so confused about how to access my catmail and how to read the dars and look up classes. I can access my dars but as far as I can tell they haven't applied any of my transfer credits. I go to catmail and type in my ID and the temporary password they gave me and it says it is incorrect. I just got admitted a week ago. Is it just still too early to access these things ?

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