Older students experiences,discussions..

Rage, RN · Oct 20, 2007

Hey Deerpark, I'm 52 and a senior in a ABSN program and a guy to boot. 1 more semester and I'm outta here............yeaaaa. On 11/11, I will be inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau honor society for Nursing. Here is your strategy for success. On your pre-req's make as high of a score as you can.........Pull A's if at all possible. The reason is that when you get into the nursing program your scores will come down but your pre-req's will keep your GPA high (I pulled A's in pre-reqs and am pulling B's in NS for a GPA of 3.6 overall).

1) Get a good scanner/printer. I have a HP 2610 which was reasonable in cost and how I use it is like this..........Take your class notes and type them into a word processor with the page setup as a 4" X 6" card.........load up the printer with 4X6 index cards and print them out as study flash cards. When you get to NS you will get clinical handout forms. They hardly ever have enough that allows you to mess up.. so..............use the scanner that has a good OCR (Optical character reader) program. The 2610 has it already. Scan in your forms and the OCR will output it as a word document. Now you can just fill in the spaces by typing and save the originial (Professor's lose stuff all the time). By typing out the forms it looks much more professional, and is easier for the professor's to read.

2) Get a good lecture recorder. I use a Sony ICD-SX57 with dragon speak 9 included. The reason is this......many professors will include stuff on the test that may not be in the book, but just related to the material lectured about. By recording the lecture you can re-listen to the lecture several times before the test (Lectures are usually 3 hours long). If the professor speaks clearly then dragon speak can transcribe the lecture for you, but don't count on it. Our professor use power point slides that they send out to us after the lectures. The power point follow the book pretty close so............during the lecture I highlight the areas in my books (I keep all of my books) that the professor is lecturing on. So while studying with the power points printed out as 4X6 index cards, I listen to the lecture with the cards, the lecture and the book going at the same time........on the index cards I fill in any areas that the book doesn't have that the professor spoke about. I re-enforce the information from the professor by reading along in the book again.

3) Repeat, repeat, repeat.............go over your study material at least 3 times.........listen to it, read it, and write it............in that order. Each one re-enforces the other......you get only about 10% of what you hear, 40% of what you read, 80% of what you participate in. Remember that what you think you know, isn't what you actually know.......what I mean is that if you think you know the material well enough to NOT study it then that should be a red flag for you, you may know the basics but they don't ask you about the basics.........example: Vasopressin when used for hepatic portal HTN has what side effect? You may know that the drug is a vasoconstrictor and that it lowers blood pressure to the liver but what the professor is looking for is what it does to everything else. And that was not what you were concerned about when your just reading about portal hypertension. Listening to the lectures will bring that information back to you while your taking the test.

4) Is it tough?...............yup, think about it. Your in a class with the average age group of about 30 years old. They think it's a ball buster and here you are with another 20 years of learning, thinking, family experiences, and work experiences all crowding in that brain of yours. But by applying a little planning and organization you can do as well as they do............considering I'm in the honor society (5 people made it out of 35) I'm proof that its doable.

My motto is don't look behind you, you can't do anything about that, look ahead thats where your going and looking ahead keeps you from running into stuff.

Enjoy and good luck

BTW: I'm the oldest person in NS.............pffffft

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2007

No way you're too old.

Wondergirl0905 · Oct 20, 2007

I'm only 31, but many of the other students are in their early 20s. It's an accelarated 2nd degree program and the biggest difference for me from the first time I went to school is that I get tired more easily and can't stay up much past midnight. Older students are generally more mature, have a lot of life experience and make great nurses - good luck.

Oh - in resaponse to first post and lecture recording - not permitted at all in my program. I was able to use of for prereqs and it made a big difference. I had a half-hour commute each way, so I would listen to the recordings in my car.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Oct 20, 2007

I'm 51 and in my 3rd semester of an ADN program. Not the brightest bulb in the bunch, but am one of the few who was not in danger of flunking at the end of each semester. Probably with all my previous credits will also graduate NS with 3.6+ GPA.

It's not easy and it requires prioritization and willingness to set some free time aside. This semester has been the toughest yet.

There are some excellent suggestions above. I didn't use my recorder much the first semester and a half, but have found it pretty invaluable for reinforcement the past semester or so. While I don't have the patience to do what Rage mentions above, it is great to have the recordings to listen to while commuting; I'm sure I pick up little tidbits here and there.

Best wishes!!

Rage, RN · Oct 20, 2007

No way you're too old.

Yeah I hear that all the time from the kids............but strangely never from the Professors, experienced nurses, or patients..........hmmmmm wonder whose opinion I should respect.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Oct 20, 2007

I think what was meant was:

No way that you're too old!!

It can read both ways, huh?

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2007

I think what was meant was:
No way that you're too old!!
It can read both ways, huh?

:yeahthat:

Sorry!

I'm 54. Went back at 52.

vashtee, RN · Oct 20, 2007

I am 41, and about half way through. To be honest, I have so far found my age to be an advantage. Nurses in the hospital that have been nasty to the young girls have not done so with me, and my clinical instructors have told me they generally (not always) find the older students to be organized and skilled at multi-tasking, skills probably learned when raising our children. Many of us also don't have the distractions of pursuing a romantic life.

As for advice, I suggest you schedule regular study periods to stay on top of your reading. The amount of material you will cover is vast, but most of it (so far) has not really been too difficult.

calidudlebug · Oct 20, 2007

My advice, study hard and get very good grades. Those in the BSN program that I attend who do well are limiting their work hours to less than 20 hours a week, and devote the rest of their time to study. As stated before you will need the highest GPA on your pre-rec's as possible to even be considered. When I applied for one of the 80 spots at my school there were almost 300 qualified applications, I got in because my GPA was 3.91. Next, I heard if you pull A's in pre-req's you will get B's in nursing school and so on. Well my GPA has gone down to a 3.65 because I am pulling B+ or A- in lecture but getting A in clinical. So be prepared for the reality of how much work it is and how hard it can be on you physically, mentally, and spiriturally. Just like anything else, set priorities and make goals for yourself, and don't forget to add in a little time for family/friends so that you can keep your sanity. (I am 39 have a husband and 4 kids and am in my 2nd year the program, doing L&D right now)

Rage, RN · Oct 20, 2007

I am wayyyyyy to literal of a person....................lol

but I have heard it from some of the younger classmates.........or did, they flunked out :specs:

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2007

but I have heard it from some of the younger classmates.........or did, they flunked out