Preparing for 1st Semester of Nursing School

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I was hoping current nursing students, former nursing students, and future nursing students could all contribute to this thread. I wanted to have everyone write lists of the top 10 items you need for school. I know everyone has their own personal things to help them succeed. If everyone can contribute hopefully we can all benefit and better prepare ourselves for school.

I know I am very nervous for school to start in August. I would like to be prepared and feel very lost right now. I am going to start reviewing my anatomy and pharmacology books. I know there is more....

Thanks ahead of time everyone!!!

Specializes in Neuroscience.

Everytime I see a thread like this I am so tempted to say: a good psychiatrist. lol :p

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A rolling backpack will be your best friend! Its definitely a lifesaver. Also, if you are taking pharm, there is a little note card book with medications, that will really help!

What is the name of this little notecard book with medications? lol

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Yes... Please let us joke the name of this little notecard book! : )

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Get as many NCLEX review books as you can afford. I think I had about 6 or so when I went through nursing school. They help tremendously preparing you for the style of questions you will be seeing. I did approx 300 questions related to the section we were being test on before each and every test (after the first semester of nursing school.) Not only does it help with your grades, you will be prepared for the ultimate final - the NCLEX!. I passed it with 75 questions.

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Get as many NCLEX review books as you can afford. I think I had about 6 or so when I went through nursing school. They help tremendously preparing you for the style of questions you will be seeing. I did approx 300 questions related to the section we were being test on before each and every test (after the first semester of nursing school.) Not only does it help with your grades, you will be prepared for the ultimate final - the NCLEX!. I passed it with 75 questions.

Yep, I plan on getting these too and some other supplemental books on amazon. Reviews & Rationales series, I forget the author. I have the Fundamentals one so far and I want to get the pharmacology, electrolytes/acid-base balances, and med-surg. Whatever helps, right? :)

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Specializes in NICU.

Did you just get different brands of review books for variety or did you get a review book specifically for each clinical area you covered?

Get as many NCLEX review books as you can afford. I think I had about 6 or so when I went through nursing school. They help tremendously preparing you for the style of questions you will be seeing. I did approx 300 questions related to the section we were being test on before each and every test (after the first semester of nursing school.) Not only does it help with your grades, you will be prepared for the ultimate final - the NCLEX!. I passed it with 75 questions.
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Specializes in NICU.

I'm not in nursing school yet, and I too start in the fall like so many of you. I have been reading/researching these types of threads for about the last month and here's some things I found that I definitely want to adopt:

1. A planner that works for me. I went to Office Depot and looked through every type of planner (big, small, etc.) to find one that will be perfect for putting my entire life in for the next 3 years.

2. Start an exercise regime. NOW. Everywhere I've looked, I've been told the benefits of exercising during school (even if it's broken up into 3x 10min intervals a day) for stress, sleep, health, handling the stamina of clinicals at the hospital, etc.

3. The motto: Take It One Day At A Time. Nursing school is overwhelming by nature so remembering to take it slowly and breathe will probably do wonders.

4. Read before class as much as possible. For me I know this will help really understand lectures.

5. Invest in a great pair of shoes. Being on your feet for long periods of time during clinicals puts a lot of stress on your feet and can effect other parts of your body like your lower back. It's important to do everything you can to take care of your body.

6. Show respect to everyone, even if you can't stand them.

7. Learn to manage your time wisely now and stop the bad habit of procrastination-it will only add unnecessary stress and risk your grade.

8. Invest in Starbucks or invest in a coffee pot/espresso maker you love. Caffeine will most likely be one of your new best friends.

9. Learn to read critically now so it will do wonders when you are stuck with 10 million chapters of reading every week in the future. ;)

10. Sleep and take breaks from nursing school to recharge and to prevent getting burnt out.

Those were the top ones I read. One I do like that I never thought about was getting your house in order while you have time: organize, purge, deep clean, etc. Oh and practicing cooking simple meals quickly and freezing large batches for crazy nights!

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Specializes in NICU.

Btw, if anyone is down, it'd be fun to start a new thread later regarding everyone's first day, experiences, etc since many of us are starting this fall.

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4. Read before class as much as possible. For me I know this will help really understand lectures.

Keeping in mind that for a lot of people, "as much as possible" may mean not at all or only very quick skimming of lecture slides before the lecture. I'm guessing that more than 50% of accelerated 2nd degree program students that I've spoken with do almost no reading (I actually think the number is much higher than that -- more like 80 or 90 percent). That's not to say that never read, but it's often in response to lecture materials that need clarification, not in preparation for lectures, as there simply isn't enough time when doing everything double speed. (I'm not really sure how much this applies to traditional students.)

I know that for my pre-reqs, if I was given a choice between pre-reading and spending more time learning the material pretty much just as soon as lecture was done, I always chose learning the material. If something from lecture was unclear, I would clarify just that section by reading. Some of my pre-reqs moved at a pace that it was impossible for my classmates who were readers to keep up and their grades suffered because they spent too much time reading (without enough time for learning/memorizing).

Everybody's situation is different, from what type of program you're in to the specifics of your personal life, so I'm not sharing my experience to be contradictory to the people who stress the importance of reading before class. For those who CAN do all of the reading AND have enough time to learn all the material, I'm jealous! But if you're pressed for time whatever the circumstances, I'd recommend making reading a secondary goal to learning the material as you go.

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1. An organizer...first and foremost. Long nights of studying + early clinical mornings = lack of sleep which makes you forgetful.

2. Decent stethoscope....dont buy the $300 one, someone may run off with it. But buy a decent brand (ie Littman), who has reasonably priced ones.

3. Nursing kit....includes pen light and scissors

4. RN Notes Clinical Pocket guide - Amazon.com: RNotes®: Nurse's Clinical Pocket Guide (9780803623132): Ehren Myers: Books

5. Mosby's Pharmacology Note Cards (even if you arent taking pharm first semester, review the drugs your patients are getting during first semester, it will help you put things together) - Amazon.com: Mosby's Pharmacology Memory NoteCards: Visual, Mnemonic, and Memory Aids for Nurses, 3e (9780323078009): JoAnn Zerwekh MSN EdD RN, Jo Carol Claborn MS RN, Tom Gaglione MSN RN: Books

6. Good pens (watch the inky pens....my white uniform got demolished this semester by one of those damn things)

7. Some people recommend a small note pad or clip board for clinicals but I honestly I worked the same way the nurses on the floor I was on did. Took a blank sheet of paper each day, folded it into four and had one patient on each fold. Its light and easy to keep in your pocket.

8. Willingness. Nothing is more important to the nurses you will be working with than the willingness of the student to work and jump in. Be engaging and ask to do things, don't just shadow. You only learn by doing, so be active and get in there. I know some can be intimidating, but remember they were you at one point.

9. Good attitude. Nursing school will be the hardest thing you ever do and the only sure fire way to get through it is a good attitude, towards your patients, your teachers, and especially your class mates.

10. A good support system. Aside from your loved ones remember that your classmates are pretty much going to be your family for the next two to three years. Make use of them, be there for each other, help each other, and utilize your resources.

Good luck! I laughed and cried my way through the last six months of my life (my 1st semester).

And one more thing......remember to give yourself a break. Go out once in a while, see a movie, have a nice dinner. Keep your sanity!

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1. LOTS of time. Your first semester of nursing school will likely be overwhelming due to you not being used to the time requirements. Tell your families, boyfriends, community service groups, etc. to be prepared to be ignored for a while. That being said, make sure you do take time for yourself every once in a while.

2. TED's. I think someone already said this, but TED hose to wear under your socks at clinicals work wonders.

3. Stethoscope. In many schools' nursing kits, there is a crappy double lumen stethoscope that you can't hear jack through. In my opinion, go on Amazon and buy a lightweight Littman for like 50 bucks. They're wonderful.

4. Penlight. Be prepared to be scolded by your teachers when you need to do neuro checks and you don't have your penlight.

5. Scissors. Again, scolded by teachers.

6. Good shoes. When you are running your butt off for 8-12 hours in clinicals, good shoes can be the difference between a good and bad day.

7. BLACK pens. These are the only writing utensils that are allowed legally. You will SERIOUSLY be in trouble if you don't have one of these or if you try writing in a chart with blue pens.

8. a good backpack. Books are HEAVY in nursing school. Don't skimp on the backpack.

9. A concept map book. Concept maps are soul sucking assignments and having one off these books is a tremendous help.

10. Clipboard. Small and something you can carry into patient rooms to write things doen on. Some have a built in calculator (I would reccommend this).

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9. A concept map book. Concept maps are soul sucking assignments and having one off these books is a tremendous help.

Some friends in other nursing programs don't have to do concept maps, just regular ol' care plans, so check to see what your particular school does before you get a concept mapping book. (My instructor recommended Schuster's but most people in the cohorts ahead of me said they didn't find it helpful. We'll see what I think this fall when I have to start doing them.)

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