Daria88

I took it this past summer ('09). I chose the online course, but there were several offerings of the online sections. I lucked out and had a professor who did not require "class participation" with posts and comments. Homework assignments, a paper, and tests were the only requirements. I actually took a weekend and did every assignment and the paper to get them out of the way. I guess its the luck of the draw though, one of my friends also took online and had several weekly participation requirements. Either way though, its quick and easy and if you are going to advance your degree, you're gonna need it.

Ok, so I finally purged the books. I sold what I could back to the bookstore, auctioned a few on ebay, and am giving the rest away! I would prefer to give them all to one person and have them use them/pass them on as applicable. I have: 1. 2008 edition PDR Nurse's Drug Handbook by Thomson-Delmar this is an actual book, but comes with CD-ROM and downloads to your PDR with updates. 2. 2 Kaplan RN Course-books for Nclex Prep. One is 2008-2009, and the other is the one I just bought in May when I took the Kaplan review. Neither comes with CD-ROM 3. Med Surg Nursing text book and Critical Thinking Study Guide 5th Edition--No CD-ROM 4. Nclex Review and Nclex Questions and Answers Made Incredibly Easy--3rd Edition--no CD-ROM 5. Nclex RN for Dummies-no cd rom 6. Lippincott's Review for Ncelx-RN Examination --8th edition--no cd-rom 7. Lippincott Nclex RN 250 New Format Questions --2nd edition 8. McGraw Hill--Medical Surgical Nursing DeMystified a Self Teaching Guide 9. Medical Surgical Nursing Reviews and Rationales-2nd edition--no cd-rom All of these NClex review books are centered around the updated adaptive format, they are a huge resource of practice questions. The best way to study for NCLEX is to do 100's of practice questions per week. These books expand your question bank exponentially. Again, I would prefer is one person takes them all and passes them on to classmates. I will be out running errands today in the anne arundel county/glen burnie area and will have the books in my car, so call my cell and we can meet up. 443-867-8524---

Traditionally, it has been true that according to the MBON, a licensed/registered nurse can not work outside of that practice. However, recently, due to budget cuts at local hospitals, modifications have been made to that rule. I know that at BWMC, many new grads (RNs) were given jobs within the hospital as PCTs with the understanding that when the hospital budget opens up, they will transition into the RN role. I think that it is a general rule that can be modified if a particular institution applies to the MBON.

NCLEX was a definite experience. No matter how much you think you have prepared, you walk out feeling as if you just wasted your life in nursing school. The upside is that I passed with 75 questions. I have been working as an RN since June 21. So tell me who is interested in NCLEX books, and reviews and rationales books? I am so ready to clear out my office space. Daria

Hello All, I just couldn't help throwing my 2 cents into the discussion. Before I secured my admission to any college or university for nursing, I would be sure to go to www.mbon.org and check their accredidation status. Be sure to research any former names that that college or university may have used in the past. To me, the stability of their accredidation practices is a deal-breaker. Regardless of whether you feel that you are strong and can pass NCLEX, you honestly would be cheating yourself out of a stabile, competent nursing degree. I have worked with several graduates of Stevenson, formerly Villa Julie, and while none complained of receiving a bad education, once they were in the workplace, their heads were spinning. They were able to pass NCLEX, knew meds and theory like the back of their hand, but when it came to clinical skills....they were weak, and unprepared. ADN programs across the state of Maryland require 4 times more clinical hours than a lot of BSN programs. As other posters have said before, it is easy to pick up your BSN and let your employer pay once you have your RN. With your background, and degree, you will be able to opt out of a lot of the classes within the BSN sequence. Daria

Unfortunately, because the books that you purchase now are used the entire 2 years, they now require the newest edition (mine are out of date for you). I do however have probably 35 NCLEX question books, and the reviews and rationales books, that I will pass on once I take the NCLEX next Thursday! I will keep you posted on the giveaways. Daria

Congratulations to all who are starting Nursing School in the Fall! I just graduated from AACC in May, and really am thankful that I chose that program. Employers all over the state value AACC grads, and will hire us before grads of other programs. My advice: Enjoy your summer. While it is great to want to get a jump start on reading, its difficult to absorb any of the information until it is put into perspective by the accompanying lectures. When you go to orientation, you will get a list of necessary books. Start searching online for used book prices. I use www.gettextbooks.com. I saved a ton of money by not buying bookstore items. Just watch your ISBN numbers and make sure associated discs are included. Invest in the "Reviews and Rationales" books. They are great both for course content and for NCLEX review. On day one, you will be given ATI books...a lot of them. Don't put them in a pile and forget about them. These books are fantastic resources. They give important information in 2 pages versus 100 pages from the text book. Even if you are not traditionally a person who likes to study in a group, start entertaining that idea. Choose people who are motivated and have like-minded goals. You will find that in the first semester your study group will change; don't be afraid to ask certain individuals to leave your study group if they are disruptive or too social. With studying, don't kill yourself. Allow time for yourself and for your family. If you are stressed and unhappy, you will not retain the information you are studying anyway. Use the multimedia approach to studying, find what works for you. Coloring, teaching, singing, dancing, mnemonics, rhymes, songs, tactile activities, games, etc...incorporate all of your senses into course content, and it will be etched into your memory. Involve your kids, your spouse, your pets...they will enjoy the attention, you will be spending quality time, and most importantly, the information will sink into your brain. Review anatomy and physiology material...it is imperative to know how things are supposed to work. If you can recognize when a system isn't doing what it is meant to do, you have already won half of the battle. Pay close attention to the clues that the instructors give during lecture. They are very good at highlighting the important information. Notice subtle coughs, underlining, warnings of, "you will see this again..", they go out of their way to point you in the right direction. Volumes of text books have been written about renal failure, but there is no way for you to memorize all of that information, and it is unnecessary. Isolate the important stuff and focus on that. Streamline the process. Remember that the professors are not the enemy. It is not you against them. Every single one of them is dedicated to helping you succeed. If you need help, ask. I did not encounter one instructor who was unwilling to go the extra mile for a student. This summer, focus on getting the health records, background check, etc....don't buy much until you get more information. You won't need scrubs until halfway through the first semester, so don't run out and buy a ton now. With scrubs, make sure they have ample pockets, are comfortable, and that they meet the specifications given. Relax. Breathe. You are getting ready to embark on a life-changing process. It is what you make it. You will have classmates who freak out, who lock themselves away to study, and who are unhappy for 2 solid years. You have the ability to choose your attitude and approach. If you need any information, just let me know. Daria

In my experience, a lot of area hospitals are not posting new grad jobs. That doesn't mean that they don't exist, you need to contact the nurse recruiters personally and express interest in interviewing, having a share day, etc. I know for a fact that Planned Parenthood of MD, JHH, Kennedy Kreiger, UMMS, Harbor, WHC, and Union Memorial are hiring. Also, the Anne Arundel County School system is hiring for RNs. Good luck!