StraightOuttaNursingSchool

Hello everyone, I hope everyone is staying staff during this pandemic! I am graduating in 39 days (YAY) our classes have all online and we finished our clinicals. Therefore, I have time to study for my NCLEX, which I am hoping to take the first week of June if everything goes according to plan. Our university has utilized EVERY part of ATI imaginable from ATI exams, to ATI Live Review, and the comprehensive predictor along with the green light program. Our instructors told us that ATI alone should prepare us to pass the NCLEX and that we shouldn't have to purchase another program. However, I have heard people say "ATI sucks, it's nothing like the NCLEX, buy UWorld instead." I have noticed that every one that insists I don't just use ATI did not do too well with it in school or did not like the rationales that ATI gave. I have been told UWorld has more "in-depth rationales". UWorld however is another 200$-300$. So, my question is did anyone who liked ATI use ONLY ATI to study for NCLEX and pass? If it helps I understand ATI very well and I like the program. I would rather not purchase another program unless I have to. I have made mostly level 3s with a few level 2s on ATI proctored exams, and have an overall 99% chance of passing NCLEX according to my pulse. I got an 86 on my first comprehensive predictor (99% chance of passing NCLEX), and a 84 my second go around (98% chance of passing NCLEX).

You are right- I believe the professor realized this as he gave MAJOR points back to the class. Our high ended up being a 90, the average a 77.2, and the low a 58. I ended up with a 77, so that was extremely helpful! That was the first time we have been given points back on an exam, he also did a review in class to cover the topics once again. Thank you!

I'm a senior nursing student and our clinical were cut short last week. Our classes are still being held on campus, but the hospitals where we were doing our clinical both decided to suspend student clinicals for the nursing students, physical therapy students, and pharmacy students as far as I am aware. I have not been told what we will do to make up those clinical hours as of yet.

Okay, so I just failed my first exam EVER in nursing school! I am in my last semester in nursing school and it finally happened... I made a 68! It was terrible. It was my second test in the class, so with my first test grade (a 90), my test average is a 79. Our program requires a test average of 78% in order to pass the class. So, good news is I'm still passing. I just haven't failed yet and it was a huge shock!! The class high was a 79.5, the low was a 46.2, and the average was a 66. What did you do when you failed your first test? I feel like I'm losing confidence. I do not get test anxiety and always do relatively well (A's/ high B's) on exams, so this was just weird for me.

I’m sorry I forgot to mention that I can not move closer. I think I have decided on the med surg position as it offers a residency program too and it’s only 7 minutes away from my house. The reason I can’t move is my husband and I are already invested in this community and want to raise our kids here. The more I think about it the more I realize the logical decision is to stay local- I don’t think I could drive an hour to work and an hour back for too long... thank you all for your input!

Wow, I can't believe how close graduation is- only 12 weeks from now. The amount of recruiting that is happening at this point is insane. I am having a hard time figuring out what to do. I've been a CNA for 6 years on a medical-surgical floor, a phlebotomist for 2 years, and a medication aide for 1 year now. I have had nurses tell me its imperative that I start with a year or two of med-surg experience to really get a good foundation. On the other hand I have had other nurses tell me to go straight into the specialty I want to work in. My favorite clinical experience thus far has been medical ICU. I love the critical care and have a great experience each time I am in that setting. My job (where I work as a medical-surgical CNA/ phlebotomist) has offered me a position on the med-surg floor. I would like to take it to stay comfortable (I know everyone, I know the charting system, I know where everything is located= smooth system), but I have also been offered a residency position about 1 hour away from where I live in the ICU. I am very torn on what to do. It is a one year residency program with full benefits and classes to go along with it. Did anyone go straight into ICU after graduating? How was it? Do you recommend that new grads get medical surgical experience first? Thank you in advance!

Thank you so much for your help. I am feeling much better about my student loans and I plan to take the necessary steps to tackle them as soon as possible.

Hi everyone! I will be graduating in May 2020 with my BSN (4 months and 3 weeks left, but who's counting right?). I am a first generation student and have had to take out student loans to supply my college education. Being a first generation student I do not have anyone that has been through this process before. I do not like debt, so I have stayed on top of my loans from the start. I have made payments on my loans from the start, therefore I owe only the principal and have accrued 0$ in interest. I attended a 4- year private university...I chose this university, because I received many scholarships and also because it was close to home which would save me a lot of money in terms of housing as I commute. Anyway, my total student loans are 30,731$. Is this a normal amount? What is your experience with student loans? I have already contacted my servicer and gotten the information I need, I think that the 10 year standard repayment plan is what I am going to go with. Just extra information to help you form some advice...I already have a job, I've worked at the same hospital for 6 years and they are excited for me to graduate! Therefore, I will have a job within 6 months of graduating. Any advice for a first generation student who is not sure what to expect would be great- thanks! ?

Anyways, sorry this is so long! But, here's an update.. In August we started our senior year with a new director! They were not able to staff our program the way it should be (go figure), so our director taught us our Mental Health Course. And an OB instructor taught us our Pediatrics course. It was another semester of having to teach ourselves. Our PEDs instructor would constantly state in class that she was uncomfortable with the placement and this wasn't her specialty. She made it very known that she did not know the material. Our lectures consisted of her reading out of the textbook, word-for-word, to us for over an hour (I could have done that myself at home). But, we have a very smart class and we have learned to help each other out (study groups, practice questions), and I think we will be okay. It's just frustrating paying for an education when you're just teaching yourself. but....hey, I graduate in May!! let the countdown begin lol

Thank you everyone for your advice! It helps to feel heard. I left quite a bit of details out as I was in the middle of finals when I wrote this a few months ago. I will provide details below about the nursing program. I was mainly worried, because a. This nursing program lost accreditation a year before I was set to enter. We found out a week before classes that their accreditation was reinstated and we were accepted to begin the following week. YAY. b. The new staff that helped the program gain accreditation informed us in May (right before finals) that they were leaving. To find out that you are losing the director, and 3 professors all at once is pretty scary news especially with the program's history of losing accreditation and what not. So, basically at this point we did not have any professors to teach our classes the following semester. We are a small private university, and our program literally only had 5 professors and our director, so it looked grim for them to find replacements by August for our next set of classes. c. I am the class president for my class, thus I was receiving all the questions and fears from my classmates. They came to vent to me and dumped their worries on me. However, I cannot indulge in this venting with them and must instead put on a brave face and tell them its fine and we will work it out. If I vent with them or share my fears with them it can become a pretty scary situation in the context that everyone starts panicking. So, I have learned to keep them calm, find out any information I can, relay this information to them, and set up appointments with anyone I need to in order to get answers for my classmates and I. But, I found this to be a place where I could vent. Which feels good, because I am not making anyone panic and can openly express what I feel ?

Hi everyone, after reading a lot of the other helpful articles and their replies I have decided to post a topic. Does anyone else feel like their nursing program is horrible? I understand nursing is a difficult field and the classes are hard, but I am doing relatively well. What causes me the most stress is the program I am enrolled in. I am scheduled to graduate in May 2020, so one more year! However, last week we found out that all of our faculty is either retiring, quitting, or getting fired. Yes, it has been confirmed by the dean. So, as of now we only have TWO professors for next year. We lost the entire nursing faculty including our director. It's causing me a lot of stress, because of the unknown of what is to happen next year. I am trying to stay postive by telling myself "I passed this year with crappy teachers I'll just teach myself again next year too". Has anyone else had a bad experience with their nursing program/faculty? I just don't know if this is undue stress at this sole nursing program or if every program has its downfalls. Thanks.