CaringBella

Well I'm assuming the "stuff" you heard was about my summer semester and that's why you're scared. It was the most horrendous semester of my life...it was just too much to do in such a short semester. I should have been graduating this March but b/c of that semester I am now graduating a semester later in Aug. The reason why it was so bad other than the semester being shorter than reg. spring or fall was pharmacology. It was horribly organized, we had numerous assignments and discussion postings that just took up time (that we didn't have) and took away from the little time we had to study. And studying for exams is much more important than doing those stupid assignments. The exams are so incredibly hard...you must REALLY UNDERSTAND the material not memorize it and we just didn't have the time to do so. We also had clinical, A&C Illness, Maternal health... a lot of challenging material. The pharm. professor was pretty impossible too :angryfire My summer semester unfortunately we got screwed, literally...we got held back which pushed graduation farther out, added thousands of dollars to our debt (for an additional 5 mos. of school) and really brought down our spirit. But, don't be scared. We were like the guinea pigs. We were only the 2nd cohort ever (since the program was still new) and we were the first cohort to take those classes in the shorter summer semester. 12 students failed and some dropped out of the program. But as a result of what happened to us the modules were restructred for pharm to make the material a bit more tolerable and most of the tedious misc. assignments were taken away. It's still a hard course but it's doable. Just focus, learn the material (don't memorize!) and do not slack off at all and you'll do fine. BEST OF LUCK!!!

:clphnds::clphnds::clphnds::clphnds:CONGRATS!!!:nmbrn: You took the test last thursday and you found out today!? That's pretty kick! Is that how long it usually takes? I graduate in May so just wondering what to expect :nuke: Now you go CELEBRATE!!!*wine

So true! I would much rather be studying for my psych nursing exam that's next Tuesday instead of trying to find research studies to support my PICO question! Those of you that didn't know what a PICO question is, you're lucky because that means you weren't tortured with having to do an evidence based research paper!

Congrats on finishing your paper! Evidence based research is killer! I'm looking through CINHAL now and think I'm on my way to developing my PICO question. Thanks for the idea!

I'm ready to hit my head against the wall! I know the components of a PICO question, have formulated one in the past but today my brain is not functioning. I've spent the last 3hrs. searching Medline and CINHAL, basic topics (ie restraints, patient sitters, falls etc) to see if I can then come up with my question...but nothing. I have to find two articles on my PICO question and I think I'm just at a block. Any topic suggestions? It would be greatly appreciated!

I was on here looking for some help on research and I saw your posting and just had to respond because my heart felt for you. That is devastating news to get at a time when you're already at a high level of stress. I'm sure you must be feeling a million different things right now...but don't let them overcome you. This will likely be a defining moment in your life when you look back on it. Find the strength inside of you to focus and do your best in your last weeks of school. This is all about you and your accomplishment...don't let him ruin that. Don't speak to him, text/call or have any contact with him until after school is over. You ARE strong enough and you WILL get through this! Early congrats on your graduation! Best of luck!!!

I know exercise is the first thing I went back to. I work out first thing in the morning and it gives me more energy for the day. It's at night that I'm having the problems...I just can't seem to shut myself down. I wish there was a way to recharge our batteries without sleeping, like plugging into an outlet!

I've always been a skeptic about hypnotists too but I guess when other options don't work you have to keep an open mind...thanks for sharing!

:wtosts:I know there are other stress threads on here but the ones I've read are mostly working nurses and what they do to relax and not think about work. I would like to hear from fellow student nurses on how you deal with stress when we have so little time for anything other than studying, clinicals etc. I am in an accelerated program (2nd semester) and am having trouble falling asleep b/c my mine is thinking about all I have to do or worrying about an exam. I've also begun to have stress stomach aches routinely. SO...any tips on how you wind down or calm your mind/body down that doesn't require a lot of time or expenses???? :plsebeg:Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...don't want to resort to anti-anxiety meds! Thanks!

We have a 3 week break between spring and summer semester but we have a course to complete during that time (I've been working on that for the past two weeks!) As far as reading, there's so much I have no idea how many pages...it varies per week per class but it's A LOT. Hope you're ready, June 2nd is just around the corner! Best of luck! :nuke:

There are some great ones on here! Who knew we all had the same frustrations! As for me... Stop asking me how I get such high grades on my care plans and then ask me to borrow my book! If you purchased a book and used it you too would do well!!! :smackingf Also, don't show up to pre-clinical conference late EVERY week with a new excuse when you have a starbucks or jamba juice in your hand! Everyone knows why you were late! Last, just because you procrastinated doesn't mean that I have to help you! I did my assigments on time...why should I be punished?!

Thanks and Congrats to you! June 2nd will be here before you know it! Clinical shifts are from 7am-3pm or 3pm-11pm and are on all different days of the week (including weekends) depending on what group you're in. You do have to get there early before your shift and stay after to meet with your clinical instructor each time for conference, so it is a bit longer than 8hrs. (also depends on your instructor). You can switch as long as you find someone in another group that wants to swap with you.

The online portion consists of power point presentations, submitting assigments and taking quizzes. The clinical portion is one 8hr. shift at the hospital but you have to go in the day before to pick your patient and get all of the info. on them. Class is two days a week (2hrs. each) sometimes once a week (4hrs.) and all exams are taken at school (Sharp Cabrillo) in the computer lab. I had to take 3 prereqs before getting in but I did it and so did many others. As for their admissions criteria I wouldn't know anymore than what they told us. Meet all of the requirements and they take as many as they can. Now that we are going on the 3rd cohort of new students coming in and many more people know about the program, I'm sure it will be more competitive and they will be more picky about who they want. I don't know how they decide that. Best of luck! We do have mothers in the program, we even had a pregnant student who gave birth 2 weeks before finals...she took finals and finished the semester! It will be challenging if you decide to do it but it will be worth it!:nuke:

i kept my job in the er but as per diem not part time. i worked maybe once or twice each month of this first semester. it is pretty difficult to work any more than that because you always have something due (it is never ending) and reading takes a lot of your time. i know that there are other people that also worked (more than i did) and they were able to manage but were a lot more stressed that i was. personally, i decided that nursing school is stressful enough i don't need to add to it. so i picked up shifts if i could otherwise, i've lived off of my student loan!

I had my last final today and it feels so good to be done with the first semester! It has been wonderful! I would do it all over again in a heart beat because I truly want to be a nurse and if this program hadn't come along then I'd still be on a 2+ year waiting list! The program itself is challenging because it is constant...no breaks or down time. You go from basic skills in health assessment to beginning clinicals and learning how to care for wounds, maintaining IVs and giving meds! I can't believe how much I know now compared to when I started 4 months ago! The online portion requires self-discipline. You have read and manage your time so that you finish all of the reading and leave time to take the quizzes on-line before the time deadlines. It is stressful and frustrating at times but As for people dropping I think that everyone that dropped did so before we started the semester because I never heard of anyone dropping once we started and there are 65 or so of us. Hope this helps your curiosity! :nuke: