optional textbooks

ImKosher · Jul 2, 2012

I would wait until your first day of class. There are some books that you will get a sense of what you will want or not. Also, try to talk to the second year students to see what they used or just sat in the plastic wrap. Get your required text though! I would also get the reference guides. Also use your discretion in which you could buy as previous edition. Huge money saver!

shay&lynn, ASN, RN · Jul 3, 2012

I would wait until your first day of class. There are some books that you will get a sense of what you will want or not. Also, try to talk to the second year students to see what they used or just sat in the plastic wrap. Get your required text though! I would also get the reference guides. Also use your discretion in which you could buy as previous edition. Huge money saver!

Agree! Wait till the first day...our instructors are pretty upfront with us as to whether we really need the optional books or not.

skulskcc01 · Jul 3, 2012

None. The optional books were in my opinion a waste of money. Books are expensive enough and I didn't feel it was a necessity to purchase "How to survive nursing school and even love it".

shay&lynn, ASN, RN · Jul 3, 2012

None. The optional books were in my opinion a waste of money. Books are expensive enough and I didn't feel it was a necessity to purchase "How to survive nursing school and even love it".

Lol-that was an optional book?! Lord...

Most of our optional books are References or Study Guides.

QuarterLife88, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 3, 2012

IA with those that say wait. Usually if they are optional, you can pass on them and be fine; they just want to milk you for all you're worth. I was very overzealous my first year(!) and bought everything. The only optional book I used was a lab and diagnostics book, because you do need some source for your labs, but I could have just as easily passed on it, and looked up labs and procedures on medscape for FREE like the rest of my classmates.

skulskcc01 · Jul 3, 2012

Lol-that was an optional book?! Lord...
Most of our optional books are References or Study Guides.

Haha. Yes it was. The study guides that went with our books were required along with reference books etc..

shay&lynn, ASN, RN · Jul 3, 2012

Lord! I barely had enough time to keep up with all the chapters I had to read in my 4 classes!

mssjez · Jul 3, 2012

I say if you can talk to a student who is finished with the year you're going into, they'll give you a better perspective. A few senior nursing students were at our orientation and highly recommended the two optional books listed. These books were "Fluid and Electrolytes Made Incredibly Easy" and "Fundamentals Success". The senior students said these helped them tremendously! The only other books I got were a Saunders NCLEX Review Book and a Nursing Care Plan book. If you can't get ahold of another nursing student to ask, I agree that you should wait until class starts and ask the instructors. Good luck!

♑ Capricorn ♑ · Jul 3, 2012

They are definitely worth buying if in any doubt you will forsee any academic issues. I like to be prepared. I like having everything I need to do what is needed right in front of me. If that means buying more books, then so be it. If it is going to help me with my studying, then I'll purchase them. I'd rather have them ahead of time and sitting there for me to read, than waiting and wishing I would've purchased them sooner.

aachavez · Jul 3, 2012

What optional books are listed? Im curious...

Definetly get a NCLEX review, and start preparing for boards right away, don't wait til right before you graduate to start practicing NCLEX style questions. Saunders is fantastic.

I've used a few of the Incredibly Easy books, I love them, tho I found I didnt use them nearly as often as I thought I would.

FORTHELOVEOF!!!! · Jul 4, 2012

I would get an adult and pediatric drug book, laboratory tests book, and medication calculations book (if you struggle in math). Those are the only ones I have found helpful either to myself or peers.