Phoenix94

Hi everyone, I graduated from nursing school 2 months ago and recently got my Nurse license. I am applying to different New Grad programs, but the cohort start dates tend to be around 6 months away. I'm concerned as my finances cannot hold off until the start date, and I'm not sure if hospitals are willing to train me with my clinical experience alone as my nursing experience. Are there any considerations I should account for, and what advice would you give to someone in my scenario? Thank you in advance!

Hello Hppy, I see. We do not have those labs, but discussing scenarios with my cohort sounds like a good idea. Some colleagues feel the same as I do, and I can give this idea a try with them. I will also propose this idea to the director as well and see if they can create something similar to what you had. Thank you again!

Okay, I will try what you have done. I joined a group a little while back. Hopefully I'll get someone to help or at least a lead. Thank you!

Hello Honyebee, Thank you for replying. Quick question: what would my director of the program be able to do to help with critical thinking? Unless you mean to say that I should speak to the director to create an open communication between the professor and I.

I want to get a gauge on how students develop their critical thinking. Although I do my readings, take practice tests using multiple systems and websites to understand the material and prepare for exams, I still get poor marks. The professors do not wish to go over exam questions nor do they allow students to meet with professors for further inquiries. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get around this? Frankly, I don't want to feel like I'm an idiot. However, without a feedback system, I feel as if I cannot develop the proper critical thinking skills to become a good nurse and the feeling of inferiority is too hard to ignore. The normal response I get is "read the material again" but the book material is vague and does not go over mechanics as in-depth as I need to visualize the topics. Any tips are appreciated. Many thanks in advance.

Hi! I'll be honest, you're describing exactly how I'm feeling. What's more is that it's hard to gauge how the entire class is feeling without anyone talking, let alone disclosing their true feelings and performance. Our perceptions of what it seems like versus reality do not always align. However, I would like to propose a shift to your thinking. First, gauging with peers can be helpful to encourage ourselves to do better, but if it starts to illicit fear, anxiety and other negative thoughts, that's the time to step back. (This thinking helps but I have to admit some days are harder than others, but I think with extra practice will make this behavior natural). Compare yourself to motivate you to keep studying. Talk to your peers about what they do to study. This is a daunting and intimidating task but as the saying goes, fortune favors the brave. So far my performance has been considerable better thanks to this. Second, look at how you are studying and the tools you are using to study and compare your practice questions to those the professor asks. Try to figure out where the gap is. It can be the vocabulary, a refresher on the pathophysiology, and so on. Third, space out studying. This includes skimming readings before lecture, taking mini notes and then adding more information on top of what you already saw. It seems tedious but it helps in the long term and allows one to focus on doing many practice questions instead of rereading notes. Research active recall for better assistance. Fourth and equally important, give yourself some grace. As someone who is a perfectionist and an overthinker, it is important to take breaks to allow the mind to calm down and remind yourself that you are doing your best. Some days some things will stick while others not so much. Nursing school is more challenging and requires constant adaptability. Not all classes are learned and understood in the same way. As such, the study method is not always consistent. By the same token, study methods are not the same for everyone and everyone has to adapt to the new changes. There is a high chance others feel overwhelmed and frustrated as you do. Once we reach out to others, we begin to realize we do not feel alone. In fact, you are seeing that just now with your thread alone. Also, no worries. This isn't ranting. It's called "catharsis". Good luck! I have faith you will pull through. Persistence, resilience and discipline are key.

Thank you for answering back. How did you introduce yourself to the nurse? I'm not in a facebook group or anything of the nature. Would going to hospitals in-person be worth a shot?

Hello! I am a nursing student who is assigned to ask questions to a registered nurse, but I am not sure how to introduce myself. I don't know anyone personally nor do I work in a clinical environment. Does anyone have any tips? Any advice and assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hello! I am a nursing student who has an assignment to ask a Nurse Practitioner for an interview and ask them a few questions about their job and the current work environment. Neither I nor my colleagues know any NPs personally. As someone who does not know anyone, how do I begin searching for nurse practitioners and ask for a brief interview? I was thinking of going to the clinics and hospitals where they work and personally reach out to them for an interview. Is it too strange for a student to suddenly stroll in to an office and ask for a brief interview? There is also the issue of meeting given the pandemic. I'm not sure if anyone has about 15 minutes to spare as I've seen hospitals filled with patients, but my professor said email and Zoom interviews are okay as well if the person cannot physically meet. Any advice would help a lot. Thank you!

Just like most of the good colleagues here, I do a reward system for myself. For example, for my finals, I studied for about 2 hours and got to have a 30 minute break to do an activity (ex. walk around the block, make myself some tea and watch funny videos, read or draw). If I got too tired, I would go straight to bed. Staying up ends up hurting me more than helping by the time I'm close to the end. If I wanted to go to sleep faster, I drink coffee a few minutes before bed. (I wouldn't recommend this bit to everyone since this doesn't work often for sleeping purposes.)

Hello! Current nursing student here. In addition to the advice previously mentioned by our colleagues, there comes a delicate balance of letting students learn independently and how much information to give. From experience, I appreciated the teachers who can cut to the chase and give the information needed at the moment instead of giving a lecture meant for 3 weeks to cram into 1 day and expect us to read about 20 chapters on our own before the next week. I might sound stand-offish or selfish here, but considering this happened in the first week rather than in the middle of the semester, not throw nursing students into panic mode at the first chance given would help ease anxiety and improve performance overall. Professors tend to be very passionate of their work, and rightfully so, but there's only so much to remember between the lessons and experiences shared from the professor's field. Although the advanced information can be useful later on, for students just barely getting into the swing of the field, it can be overwhelming. Do share your experiences, but don't make it the lecture when it's not necessary. Also, please let students ask their questions. Taking the time to answer questions will show the students that their curiosity and inquiries matter. The fact that you asked this question here already tells me that you're going to be a great professor. Best of luck and we wish you the best for your teaching endeavors!

I see. I was under the impression the conversation was strictly referring to social media and other virtual communication outside work given that the first sentence said something along the lines of negativity being "here and there". Since we're online outside of work, I assumed that was the scope. Thank you for the clarification. However, since we're in the conversation of what is acceptable or otherwise... The facts you brought to this thread hold true for mainly to older generation and some new blood that was most likely raised in those values. However, for the newer generation, emojis are a little more acceptable. Borrowing from your source: "50% find a colleague to be more fun, 43% see him or her as more approachable, and 35% deem the colleague to be kinder if they use emojis. With only 17% of young adults considering its use unprofessional, using emojis with young colleagues may be worth it. " Emphasis of the may in there. Of course, where you work and the degree of public relations will help one determine whether emojis and GIFs are beneficial or otherwise. However, there is one thing we can all agree on: no one likes those users that have strings of emojis and GIFs when the text conveys their message just fine. As you implied before, the dose makes the poison. Take care!

Hello Davey! First, thank you for bringing up this post. You just found the million dollar question of communication in an era and place where people from different places, backgrounds and experiences all meet up to express their opinions and findings. To get a "as-close-as-possible" answer, we have to ask ourselves the following: 1. What's the tone of this text? 2. What is the context behind the text or the question that made said text appear on the screen? 3. Are there areas where misinterpretation might occur? 4. "What counts as offensive/brash/blunt?" It is something we personally don't agree with or is it something our friends, family, culture, society, etc. don't agree with and we went along with it? The answer: depends on who you ask. As a part 2 of this question, we can also as the opposite. 5. "WHY do I think this is offensive/brash/blunt?" This varies based on a person's attitude, personality, how they were raised, how society taught them, etc. You can also ask the opposite here: Why is this text NOT offensive/brash/rude/etc? 6. How much does the information a person receive affect their attitudes, beliefs, etc? Depends on who you ask. Some are content knowing about the stuff going on with their neighbors while others care about everything. Age also plays a factor into this. Ex. kids are curious, teens are testing the extent of their influence while trying to find their niche, young adults still trying to find their niche along with their self realization, etc. The TL;Dr: Influence of information = age + curiosity + topic discussed + stuff people value + society's influence via media, education, politics, etc. + where are you at? (This list could really go on forever depending on how specific you want to go) 7. How do I react to this text? Do I go with my first instinct or read it again and think it through? Let's be honest though, not everyone has time to do the latter, whether we actually have it or not. One thing I've learned when I first started going to social media is that you don't need to answer right away. Although tempting and a first instinct deal, if you want a better outcome, walk away for a bit. If you need time to think stuff through, do it. If you don't wanna deal with the person anymore, leave them alone. No need to waste time out of spite. 8. Am I okay with someone having a different opinion, whether it be a smidge different or extremely different? Part 2: can I accept the fact that people don't always live in the same hemisphere/country/state/city/ etc. with the same ideals and don't place certain things with a high value or consideration? I'm sure there's many more questions to ask, but these are the ones that come to my mind right off the bat. However, in spite of the chaotic variables that barely sit for more than a few minutes and can make some users here more than just uncomfortable, social media has created some solutions: emojis and GIFs. Emojis and GIFs can come in handy and shine in this department quite well. In many social media outlets like Instagram and facebook, they are used frequently to add some fun and decrease ambiguity. I use emojis where I think sentences look iffy without extra context. Hopefully, there will be more ways to come. Until then, this is the real question to ask: Should I feel a subjectively negative emotion initiated by a text I read to the point of being too afraid/too angry to be in a place I like because someone sent said text, whether it be factually true or otherwise? Have a wonderful day/night, everyone! ?

To my knowledge, the amount of applications have increased. Not by a lot, though.

If you want to go the cost effective route, go RN-to-MSN if you can. You'll save a lot of money and you usually get a BSN along the way. Researching for 100% online schools will be a good place to start. Haven't heard of any, personally but to be fair, I wanted a hybrid school. I'm sure, given our current times, that those online schools are popping up much more than before. However, to give yourself more time to reflect on what master's degree you want, go for the RN-to-BSN. Good luck!

From what I know, there are a couple of ways to get an MSN. There's the direct course of going purely on nursing throughout or deviating a bit and then going back to nursing. There are ADN to BSN accelerated programs if you're thinking of going to school right after you finish getting your ADN degree. From there, you can go apply for a MSN the traditional way. Alternatively, if you decide to get a bachelor's in something else, there are ELM programs, which allow students who have a bachelor's in another degree other than nursing to take the prerequisite classes and get their MSN right after. Best of luck!

Thank you for showing me my near future, LOL! Best of luck to all you nursing students out there, whether you're new or returning to school for another semester!

Although I'm not in an LPN program, I can relate to where you're coming from. I'm in an RN program, but also don't have any medical background/experience/work and often forget my anatomy and physiology. In addition to the suggestions already given, I would give Dr. Mike and Dr. Matt a try. (https://www.Youtube.com/results?search_query=Dr+mike+and+Dr+matt) They helped me refresh on my anatomy and physiology with enough details to make things click. I would also suggest Crash Course for a quick refresher while also making the material entertaining. (I watch these to help me get back into studying when I'm not as motivated.) Osmosis is another channel I use to get a quick overview of certain medical conditions. Not sure if you're meant to learn them but just in case (https://www.Youtube.com/channel/UCNI0qOojpkhsUtaQ4_2NUhQ) Getting familiar with prefixes and suffixes also come in handy when you're not familiar with a word. (ex. prefix dys = pain, suffix -itis = inflammation, and so forth.) Although it can be challenging to study off of a medical terminology book at the moment, getting familiar with common prefixes and suffixes you come across will help a lot. If your school offers free tutoring, look around there for extra help or asking some of your classmates if you are comfortable doing so. The keys here are to focus on yourself and use the tools that are going to best serve YOU at the stage you're in. Keep your head up, take it one section at a time and you'll start to see the hard work pay off! Before closing, a good buddy of mine is a single dad who has a business degree, took physiology about 2 years prior to the program and is currently attending an RN program. He is doing quite well in his class and has picked up tips that the top students try to learn from him. He has shown me and other students that we don't always need a full health background to do well. Let your determination and resilience push you through! You got this! I'm rooting for you~

Hello and thank you for your wisdom and warm welcome! Your 3x5 card idea is really neat! I'll be able to remember how to do the specific assessments while learning and getting a better understanding of what I'm looking for if something goes wrong. The last 3 questions via your bullet points are definitely going into my list of questions for myself and to ask the nurse. I think my school was on to something since we're not allowed to have clipboards during clinicals. Only notebooks that can fit in the palm of our hand and a few pens are allowed. DING DING! You just hit the million dollar question regarding the "asking good questions" department! If I see something for the first time, I make a note to go home and research the types of tests, scans, medication, etc. and process what they all mean and why one of my patients got it. That way, in the off chance that I see the same test or medication again, I'll have a better idea of what I'm supposed to look for or be cautious of. It never ceases to amaze me when nurses can ask follow-up questions with one another about doing test A instead of test B or giving medication A versus medication B. With some extra studying and attentiveness, I'll be able to ask those great questions and blow another nursing students mind. Hehehe. Again, thank you for your advice and I wish you good health!

Hello! I'm not familiar with specific schools that fall under looking at TEAS more than GPA. However, most if not all schools take your entire application into consideration. If you have okay grades and a great TEAS score and a great essay, you might have a chance getting into the school you want. However, I would recommend getting an "A" in anatomy, physiology and biology to put you in a better position to get in since those classes tend to be focused on the most. Asking the admissions directly can give you an idea of what to focus on, too. Personally, I didn't do too good in science or have a good GPA either. I took extra classes to boost my undergrad GPA and try to average out my low science GPA with a higher one. It took me longer than I wanted, but looking back, it was worth it. I also know some classmates who graduated and worked as an LVN or CNA first and then came to school for their RN license. Where you want to go and how long you can and are willing to wait will be up to you. Good luck!

Okay! That's good to know. Thank you!

First, thank you for your wisdom! I didn't know we could go inside rooms with call lights on. This is super helpful! As someone who has never been in the medical field, I practice making beds, checking vitals on a routine and keeping patients comfortable as much as I can. It becomes second nature once I do it enough times. Your 5th tip is awesome! I'll definitely make a note of that! You're absolutely right on the last one. My colleague told me that having an extra patient to help is an extra opportunity to learn. Thank you again and many blessings and good health to you!

Thank you for the tips! For my school, we can touch medications this semester (we couldn't do it last semester) so I will keep these in mind. I noticed that mixing certain medications can be tricky since some can't be crushed and mixed with either a puree or a liquid. For tip #2, my report is due at the end of the day, but I make notes of what I want to ask and what I can research in my books and online when I get home. The third has been my bread and butter, but I have a challenge of writing all the information without getting too bogged down by the details. I should be able to administer medications this semester (last semester we weren't allowed to do so), and I'll keep your words in mind. I'm very lucky to not have encountered a mean nurse, but I'll read your article to be bettered prepared. Thank you for your nuggets of wisdom! Many blessings and good health to you.

Thank you for the helpful tips! There are many things to learn, and sometimes, I don't know if I'm asking the right questions. One moment, I'm asking about medications and their purposes but when I turn in my report to my clinical instructor, they come up with questions like, "What makes this medication better than ____ or _____?" or " Would it be better for this patient to have scan A or scan B?" and I would have never thought of those questions. Do asking these more in-depth questions come from experience or is this kind of thinking expected from the get-go? Thank you in advance!

Hello everyone! I'm starting clinicals in about 2 weeks. I have a general understanding of how clinicals work but how can I can use my time more wisely? I want to know what are the best things to do to get the most out the experience. Thank you in advance.