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Seriously... anybody?! It's crunch time and I'm dedicating my entire three day weekend to study so ANY tips will be SO appreciated!

I just started block 1 at PVCC and would be happy to answer any questions I can (I'm still a newbie... but any info is good info I suppose). I waited on the lottery for apx. 1 1/2 years and was called last minute; about mid December to start classes January 19th. So far so good. :)

Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday! Our very FIRST Exam of NS! ... and MAN do I need the points!!! 50 questions total - 1/2 Theory, 1/2 Pharm (w/ a little ratio math thrown in) plus a sprinkle of lab procedure questions. I'm taking a NUR104 study class that has helped in understand NCLEX type questions, but the instructors did mention that there will be material covered that was not spoken of in class... I obviously need to review the reading material thus far, but I have a bunch of catch up reading to do too! Plus I need to keep up with my current reading assignments! YIKES! I don't currently have an NCLEX review book, but I plan on ordering one today from Amazon. Is there any advice you guys can offer to a newbie student like me - about to take their very first nursing school exam. I've got ants in my pants and butterflys in my stomach and you guys are my exterminators! Much love and luck to everyone in advance! Can't wait to hear what you guys come up with!

I understand you completely with this one. On orientation, I caught myself kind of sinking back into the shadows so I immediately caught this and turned to the girl standing next to me and asked her how long she had waited to get in. We ended up having a lot in common and we've been 'class-buddies' since. :) ALSO! A good piece of advice that's helped me cope with meeting new people (especially in school settings..) PLACATE ANOTHER MORE EXPERIENCED STUDENT'S EGO! :bow:Everyone loves having their ego stroked, and if you approach them in this manner you're sure to gain brownie points and get your foot in the door. "Hey.. I noticed that you're like a master of BP! If you have a minute, would you mind practicing with me? I bet you could show me a good trick or two." THIS WORKS! Most of the time, people are struggling with their own insecurities too (hence the cliques - they grab and latch... it's human). So when you come to them humbly and ask for their "expert advice" it flips the "I like you" switch and you can go from there. This is exactly how I made my second NS buddy. She's an OR tech and FULL of tips and tricks. As soon as I asked for her help, you should have seen her light up! She's been a wonderful asset too! Try it out and let us all know how things go as the semester progresses. :)

Ahhh yes, the weeding process. I didn't think of that either. This makes sense when you look at the scheduled reading/assignments for the first four weeks compared to the fifth week forward. There is a significant drop off after the fifth week. So far as I can guage, there doesn't seem to be anyone in the frame of mind to drop out... but you never know what's going on in some people's heads. Very good point though! I need to look at this as a challenge. I'm on "Survivor - Nursing School Island!"

Thank you both so much for taking the time to read and respond to my rant. You got the worst kind too... a fresh rant. Since writing this I came up with a plan of attack for this weekend which inculdes a complete revision of my "organization" or lack thereof. lol I'm also going to keep in mind the fact that "everyone has to learn these skills at some point." Thank you for that ... it's an important point to keep in mind when I feel intimidated and left behind. Kudos to you both for your kind words and encouragement :hug:I hope I can repay the favors soon. :lvan:

@SAHM - I am chilled. Thank you. You heard the worst kind of rant.. a fresh one. You made a wonderful point about adjusting to life situations. I've already worn many hats, and I guess I need to realize that nursing is going to be the toughest mental shift yet. I worked out a plan of attack this weekend including a better, easier organization of material. I think this will help the battle. I think I'll also try a bit more aggressive stance on getting one on one instructor time in labs, or use the resources of experienced students. Thank you my friend for the helpful advice. @SeasonedHopeful - I'm glad to know that tears are common in this journey! and I've taped "FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION" on the wall in my study corner. :) Thank you for sharing your experiences and tips! @TiffanyLeigh - Wonderful advice! Thank you for that! I think I'll implement your idea of multiple binders and a home filing system for the unneeded stuff that accumulates. You're awesome! Kudos to you all! Thank you for taking the time to read my rants and respond. You all offered wonderful advice and tips. :hug: :lvan:

i feel your pain as well. i too (semi)failed my first check off on vitals. everything was smooth sailing till the bp check. my partner switched arms on me at the last second becuase she didn't want the ace bandages that covered her tattoos on the arm i was used to practicing on to effect my reading for the check off. that... and i was (am) battling a head cold that has my ears plugged up. the 2nd attempt i made i nailed the bp but the instructor decided to tell me after i was finished to redo it because she couldn't read the guage due to a light glare! i had to be reassessed that afternoon on a different student/partner and i finally got it (much ear popping was done to prepare). when i asked my instructor at the end of the day what my score was... she informed me it was a 5/10. i cried the entire way home. this was my first crack at earning points and it felt like everything that could go wrong did. there will many more chances to rack up those points, and every failure can be used to your advantage. now you know your weak points. try and use real classmates to practice on as much as possible! " discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success." ~ dale carnegie

hello fellow students ~ i have a story that you probably haven't heard... and on this board you hear a lot. :) i'm in block 1... three weeks in to be exact. i have no kids or hubby/bf to juggle. i have no employer to please. i have no rent to pay. i acknowledge these wonderful advantages that allow me the opportunity to focus 110% on nursing school thanks to my family. i am a lucky woman and beyond all sorts of grateful for this opportunity. i was called for school and put in my 2-week notice at the desk job the following day and began preparations for the two-year journey towards the nclex. did you catch that last little bit critical thinkers? a desk job. i have no acronyms after my name like ¾ of the student body i attend classes with. i am not an na, lvn, abc or xyz. i'm a drop out art student from the san francisco bay who saw a call for nursing and paid my dues. completed my pre-reqs, co-reqs with high marks, and have enough humanities under my belt to give away to the needy. the maricopa county nursing programs generally consist of 30 students (so i understand), and my particular school has placed 40 of us due to rio's dropping the program. i've already put in many 'up till 3am' nights reading, lab module studying and so on and i just can't seem to get into the groove of this. this is like no other class i've taken (duh ). i can't even wrap my head around how to organize for this class. my lab partner asked me to pull out a print-out and i had to flip through all ten of my binder tabs thinking "okay, ... i would have put that under review material.. but then again, maybe it fit better under lecture printouts" i'm a mess. i've met a handful of very nice, very supportive people, two of which are or techs (they are the best for advice and love the opportunity to help, teach and tell gruesome stories:lol2:). with 40 semi to advanced students crammed into a lab trying to learn dressing changes and sterile field setup, it's a bit hard (and discouraging) to have to brave the stampede of people fighting for faculty guidance. the faculty seems unorganized and only responsive to the people who already have a grasp on this stuff to begin with. i don't want to slow the program down and luckily i have a great partner who, like me, has zero experience in the medical field. she and i are learning together, however we're both a bit intimidated :chair: , frustrated and overwhelmed . :pntrghi: bonus material: today was our first check off. vital signs. i practiced it up, down, left, right and standing on my head rehearsing. it was our first opportunity to earn points. i passed, but barely. due to a nasty cold i can't shake, my ears are plugged up and i had to retake the bp four times! i explained i wasn't making excuses, but it was very difficult for me to hear the diastolic. the one time i did nail it.. the instructor said "sorry, you'll have to redo it because i couldn't see the gauge because of glare from the lights." i walked away today with 5 points instead of 10. i cried on the way home. this is all the teachers know of me now. you know my story now and i apologize for the length of it, but i need some advice and encouragement here. how do i deal with the organizing? :dzed: the huge crowds? :hpygrp: the fact that (i'm pretty sure) i'm the only person of forty who basically failed my first check offs? :chair: how do i continue on knowing that i can't cut it despite all my advantages to succeed? thanks to anybody who can throw in their

hello fellow students ~ i have a story that you probably haven't heard... and on this board you hear a lot. :) i'm in block 1... three weeks in to be exact. i have no kids or hubby/bf to juggle. i have no employer to please. i have no rent to pay. i acknowledge these wonderful advantages that allow me the opportunity to focus 110% on nursing school thanks to my family. i am a lucky woman and beyond all sorts of grateful for this opportunity. i was called for school and put in my 2-week notice at the desk job the following day and began preparations for the two-year journey towards the nclex. did you catch that last little bit critical thinkers? a desk job. i have no acronyms after my name like ¾ of the student body i attend classes with. i am not an na, lvn, abc or xyz. i'm a drop out art student from the san francisco bay who saw a call for nursing and paid my dues. completed my pre-reqs, co-reqs with high marks, and have enough humanities under my belt to give away to the needy. the maricopa county nursing programs generally consist of 30 students (so i understand), and my particular school has placed 40 of us due to rio's dropping the program. i've already put in many 'up till 3am' nights reading, lab module studying and so on and i just can't seem to get into the groove of this. this is like no other class i've taken (duh ). i can't even wrap my head around how to organize for this class. my lab partner asked me to pull out a print-out and i had to flip through all ten of my binder tabs thinking "okay, ... i would have put that under review material.. but then again, maybe it fit better under lecture printouts" i'm a mess. i've met a handful of very nice, very supportive people, two of which are or techs (they are the best for advice and love the opportunity to help, teach and tell gruesome stories:lol2:). with 40 semi to advanced students crammed into a lab trying to learn dressing changes and sterile field setup, it's a bit hard (and discouraging) to have to brave the stampede of people fighting for faculty guidance. the faculty seems unorganized and only responsive to the people who already have a grasp on this stuff to begin with. i don't want to slow the program down and luckily i have a great partner who, like me, has zero experience in the medical field. she and i are learning together, however we're both a bit intimidated :chair: , frustrated and overwhelmed . :pntrghi: bonus material: today was our first check off. vital signs. i practiced it up, down, left, right and standing on my head rehearsing. it was our first opportunity to earn points. i passed, but barely. due to a nasty cold i can't shake, my ears are plugged up and i had to retake the bp four times! i explained i wasn't making excuses, but it was very difficult for me to hear the diastolic. the one time i did nail it.. the instructor said "sorry, you'll have to redo it because i couldn't see the gauge because of glare from the lights." i walked away today with 5 points instead of 10. i cried on the way home. this is all the teachers know of me now. you know my story now and i apologize for the length of it, but i need some advice and encouragement here. how do i deal with the organizing? :dzed: the huge crowds? :hpygrp: the fact that (i'm pretty sure) i'm the only person of forty who basically failed my first check offs? :chair: how do i continue on knowing that i can't cut it despite all my advantages to succeed? thanks to anybody who can throw in their

Thanks you guys! I love it... about an hour after I started this thread, I found (well... rediscovered) the main Maricopa site with all the info I need and then recieved the info packet the next day! LOL Let me tell you.. I slept GREAT that night! My last day at my desk job is Wednesday and then (que 'Eye of the Tiger') I BEGIN! Thank you again my friends!

Hi everybody! I'm new to the board but have been reading through it for a year now getting myself prepared with your wonderful stories and shared experiences. Such an awesome resource! Here's my dilema: I was placed (yay!) just one week ago into the PVCC/JCL program for Spring '10. Not sure why I wasn't called in August with everyone else... assuming somebody had to decline. Anywho... I basically had to give my 2 weeks notice at my job the very next day which was also the last day before winter break for PVCC. I was told that I was being sent an information packet with all the info I'd need in it so I could get started checking things off my list (TB test, physical, CPR Certification etc. etc. etc.).... well that was a week ago and nobody is at the school to contact for questions! Winter break ends the 4th of January... my last day of work is the 6th, and in between is the ONE day off I have while still covered under med ins. through my job. I have the day off with a dr.'s appt. scheduled in hopes I'll have the info I need to have him sign whatever it is he needs to sign and get any labwork done before my last day... all that and a root canal scheduled in the morning. I'm praying I can find CPR training this weekend... the packet will mysteriously appear in the mail and my acid reflux takes a day off. Is there ANY info anyone can provide as far as what is required before classes start. The day PVCC staff is back, is also the day before I fly out to California for six days to visit family while I can. I return the day before orientation. I feel like I'm flying blind here. :bowingpurThanks for any info you guys can provide and :redbeathe HAPPY NEW YEARS! :redbeathe

So I've just got a question.... I'm about to go take my NET test, and after reading many threads on the subject, I'm feeling much less stressed. Anyway, I know that once you complete the test and recieve your results, you list the schools you intend to apply to right? It would seem to make more sense that you physically apply to the schools instead of stating your 'intended' application after passing the NET test. I'm trying to wrap my head around this timeline here. 1. Pass the NET :typing 2. State intended schools 3. Apply to the schools you 'requested' after passing the NET. Am I making sense? Why do you have to state which schools you intend to apply to right after this test? What's the point if you have to physically apply anyway? Any info is greatly appreciated!

I also took BIO156 through Rio and had a great experience. Although I didn't opt for the 8 week option (God help you! :sstrs:). It was hard enough to complete the reading and assignments at a regular pace. I think your having such a flexible job where you can study will be the key to your success. I suggest using that time wisely. At the time I was also enrolled in CHM130 (online - UGH!), and attending GCCN taking Intermediate Algebra and PSY101 so I had a pretty full plate. Not sure if this is your first class at Rio Salado or not. If so, don't underestimate the midterms and finals. The difficulty of the exams make up for the fact that the entire preceeding class time was open book. I'm more proud to say that I've passed these classes online as opposed to in-class On that note, start taking and studying notes as you go... don't leave out the little details if possible. You're only given one week essentially to study for the mid-term and final and it's too much info to scan back over w/out notes! Everytime I took these classes I didn't leave enough time at the end of each lesson to take detailed notes and I always kicked myself in the butt for this! The very best of luck to you!

hi everyone! - i'm new to the board and after looking through many threads i didn't come across this topic. i just got off the phone with one of the advisors at rio salado (where i took the majority of my pre-reqs for the nursing program with great success :typing). i called in regards to their placement policies since i'm about to take my net test and (fingers crossed) start applying to schools. based on everything i've read both here and on the main maricopa nursing program site, the time date stamp enters you into the maricopa nursing database from which you can track your application status to the colleges you've applied and that it is still a random lottery system. this advisor informed me that rio salado's policy is 'first come first serve' and their current wait time is 1 1/2 to 2 years! cripes! she did say that that is only their policy. isn't it done the same way with all cc's in maricopa county since it's a countywide program? my hope was that if i got my net test results by july 31st (the end of this current application/time-date stamp time frame), i could apply and possibly be considered for next semester. * *yeah.... i realize this is wishful thinking, but i figured i could maybe do some ritual chant or :bowingpursacrifice something on that off chance i might get in.