How about a relevant, informative thread for once!!

HealthyRN · Sep 19, 2007

Thanks for starting this thread, Steve! I know exactly what you mean about the threads all being similar and nothing to really engage a student who is already in a program.

It is my first year in an FNP program. I am taking NP classes part-time (6 credits this semester). I am working full-time at a 40-hr/wk, 9-5 job, so it is really difficult to find time to study. I am taking vacation time for the hours that I have to go to class. My weekends and evenings are spent reading. It's about all I do anymore! I am looking for a part-time job, because I don't actually need to work full-time and I would like to focus more on my classes.

JALEXSHOE · Sep 19, 2007

Are you stressed?

I know I am. I am studying harder than I have ever studied in my life. For the first time, I am actually reading the books. I can, no longer, walk in, smile, and get an A on the exam. I BETTER know my stuff, or others will leave me spinning in my dust. I know why my school has a good reputation. You work. But, I figure what is worth having, is worth working for. So it is all good with me.

I am in a FNP program, and I have found that in my patho class, the information is vast, and the depth of the tests are mind blowing. I also work full time, have a bunch of ankle biters, and some other issues that one in polite society is inclined not to discuss if raised right.

Three hundred pages of very detailed information cannot possibly be all retained in 2 weeks time of a few scattered evenings. At least, not by mere mortals. So, I have studied the vast study tips out there for people without a clue like me, and come up with some alternatives to my current poor study habits.

What I have found that helps me most, when I have so much reading to do for so many chapters, is to write. I find that if I write, I retain more than I read. I note the highlighted terms, and whatever objectives or study questions given. I don't summarize, though I may reword a little. I find everything I can on every study question or objective, and I write. When I am done, I write again. Over a period of two weeks, I will generally have time to do this at least 3 times. By the third time of writing the same information, it is being retained. I can actually regurgitate and explain in terms similar to the text.

I tried just reading, and it did not work for me. I tend to catch myself skimming, and this hurts on grad school level exams.

I take my next exam tomorrow, but I feel much better about this one, than I did the last.

Also, eat well, rest well. Take time, sometimes, to do something frivolous, like read a book, watch a movie, or just take a nap. You got to take breaks. If trouble with a concept, ask someone. Whether it is on here, or in your class. Use your resources.

Ultimately, remember, many have trod these steps prior to you, and they passed. I am sure you have all the gifts and skills, and will do famously.

I do not know if this is what you meant, but if so, I hope this is helpful. I try to help when I can, whether it is school related or information seeking. We are all here to help methinks, and I am appreciative for everyone that has helped me. We all get a chance to pay it forward it a little, I think.

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Sep 20, 2007

May I ask what type of MSN you're doing?

I'm currently in a part-time MSN Neonatal NP program. Right now I have 7 credits worth of classes on Tuesdays only from 8a-8p. This also requires a 1.5hr commute each way. Next semester, the two classes I'm taking are on 2 separate days, which will be more of a challenge. After that I begin clinicals, of which I have 15 (12hr) clinical shifts to do per semester. So I'll hopefully finish in the fall of '09. I have to work full time, unfortunately, in order to maintain health insurance, not to mention the $10000/yr my employer is putting toward my education each year. I may have to change to per diem if I don't get to come to day shift before clinicals.

I just started a new job in July, so I'm not eligible for anything but sick time until January. So I'll try to stick it out. The biggest challenge for me is going from my BSN program (which was great, don't get me wrong) to my current Ivy League grad program.... I used to be the one who could study the night before the test and get a B+ or an A, and now I'm surrounded with incredibly intelligent, articulate people that I feel I need to compete with. I don't think I've ever been this concerned (or obsessed) with my school performance. I am able to maintain some semblance of a social life for now, which allows me to decompress between my stressful job orientation and papers/projects/reading. It does help, however to have met several RN's and NNPs on my unit that are/were in the same program I'm in.... they've been able to give a lot of good advice.

Thanks for all the replies! They've been very helpful....

Stephen

amberfnp · Sep 20, 2007

I think all most of the information I have found on this site, and this thread has been useful, whether it be asking about different schools...or how one mangages to get it all done. It seems a bit confusing though that the term "graduate nurse/graduate student" could be misterpreted by some as a new graduate of nursing school versus someone going to grad school.

To me, grad school is a scary endeavor to take on, especially if one is looking into a program several states away and primarily online, as I am. So seeing others questions about schools has been very helpful. I actually found out about schools that I am very interested in by reading such posts. Schools and programs that I didn't even know existed!

Like many others out there, I too work FT (Mon-Fri) and need to work FT. In addition, I work PT 2-3 night/week, have issues as JALEXSHOE mentions is most polite left unmentioned, and on top of that I'm a newlywed and we are thinking of babies! I work in the ED PT so I really don't want to give that up as I feel the experience there will have an impact on my future goals.

Now, I am a very independent, strong willed person and will find a way to make all of this work. I started my RN diploma program when my son was 4 months old and kept plugging along from there to get my BSN. I want to get started with school before having more kids because I figure I will be more motivated to finish if I find that I need to take time off for any reason. The one change I have noticed is that I have a hard time staying up late to get things done like I used to. So I wonder how that is going to affect things.

Well, I'm not really sure what I meant to say here except maybe if you want it bad enough, it will come to fruition one way or another.

So...thanks to all of you for your insights and opionions! I have enjoyed reading your posts!

Trauma Columnist · Sep 20, 2007

I also wanted to add that I used my PTO time for clinicals (575 hours). That elped too.

Sunflower3 · Sep 20, 2007

TraumaRUs,

This is the most informative posting I've read yet on this entire forum! Thanks so much for 'getting to the meat and potatoes' of how to pull off grad school as a working adult! This is the kind of information I've been seeking in making my final decision about entering FNP school. Outstanding!

UnitRN01

Trauma Columnist · Sep 20, 2007

You are so welcome - glad to help.

Good luck everyone!

buster4 · Sep 21, 2007

Again, great posts guys, I am not in school yet, but in process of applying and all the info I can muster is soooo helpful!!!!

Again these have been very!!!!!! helpful posts actually about studying habits, etc..

Thanks:)

allnurses Guide · Sep 21, 2007

I only do one class a semester, so my plan was to take 5 years, summers off. Had to take one summer class as its only offered then, but for the rest, it has worked out. Getting a little old by now, starting my 4th year, but the slow pace lets me concentrate on the class.

I work nights, widowed mom rasing 3 kids (got one off to college), homeschoolers, am a Girl Scout leader, Asst. Scoutmaster for my son, and just took on being a clinical instructor for the local cc (that starts next week, waiting to see what happens!).

It isn't necessary to read every word of every chapter. Start doing your paper early in the semester (all of my classes have had at least one major one), gather your research early, so if stuff comes up in class that is useful or gives you a new direction you are able to take advantage of it.

My classes are online, so I am able to study only when I want to, like 2 AM, lol. Do something every day you can, so nothing gets left until the last minute. And of course, take breaks and go online into Allnurses for a mental change of pace! :lol2:

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Sep 23, 2007

Another question I have is this:

Do you find that you are changing your current practice as an RN as you're learning new ways of patient management while you're in MSN school? Or do you just tuck away that knowledge and continue practicing as you always have?

allnurses Guide · Sep 29, 2007

Well, a lot of what I am running across is not that much to do with bedside nursing as it is policy, legal aspects, etc. It has improved my teaching I think, which is good as I am in the education track! It is easier to look up data about stuff, and get more background on some diseases, but actual hands on? No.

I have written several of my papers on aspects of EMTALA, since I work in an ED. We can usually choose our paper topics around our specialties (for instance, in a public policy class I choose the EMTALA policies, others choose policies to do with midwifery, etc.). That opened my eyes a bit, but since we were already EMTALA compliant not a lot changed other than my expanded understanding.

Trauma Columnist · Sep 29, 2007

While I was in school, I seemed to be more aware of some things that I previously had ignored. For instance, I was always one of the nurses that came in, did my job to the best of my ability and then went home, end of story.

Don't mean to sound grandiose here, but if you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem. I came to realize that mid-level managers (unit managers for instance) are just simply caught in the middle. It is not easy being pulled from above and below at the same time. It is a constant balancing act. I appreciate mid-level managers and started joining in more unit and hospital activities and committees.