kayty2339

I just graduated nursing school and have been working as a PCT since march. I work on a very busy tele/medsurg floor. It seems like every nurse is miserable and burnt out. I sometimes get floated to other floors and find it's the same on other floors too. I'm starting to wonder if I've made the right choice. But then other people tell me I need to start out on a floor like this because I will learn so much. But I dont want to be miserable like them. I'm hoping that it will be different for me, but I am not feeling very encouraged. I have wanted to be a nurse for a long time and have been very passionate about pursuing this. I hope there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

As a pct you will need a bp cuff and stethoscope to learn how to take vital signs. And the scissors will probably be of use at times as well.

I think because things were so good for the nursing profession for so long, nurses getting jobs as soon as they graduate, that we all got spoiled at the idea of how easy it would be to get a job. But in reality how many new grads in any profession get jobs right away? Many college grads in other fields don't get jobs for months to years in the profession that they went to school for. Some never use the degree that they earned. So it may take a little while to finally land a job, you WILL get one eventually and that's better than many college grads can say unfortunately. But you don't hear a bunch of people telling other college students not to go for their degree of choice because it may take 6 months to a year to get a job. Go for it and forget what other people say.

Why? Are you being serious?

Yes, I would get "Test Success: Test taking techniques for beginning nursing students" By Nugent. This is a good one to read through before starting school. It gives you great tips on how to take the NCLEX style tests. I don't know how JD is, but PJC starts off with the NCLEX style tests. Nothing is knowledge based, all critical thinking. You have to learn how to focus on the material that they will test you on, start looking at the info you are studying as if it was a question or a situation you will be in. The only way to really understand that and get good at it is by practice/experience with the tests. Everyone is different and you will find what works for you best. But here's what I do incase it may help: I make sure I read up on the subject matter before the lecture, this way you understand what the teacher is talking about and you stay ahead. When reading, I try not to read every single thing in the chapter. This was hard at first, until I got used to the tests and started to know what to look for. But mainly, I focus on a little of the patho of the disease/condition just to understand what it is, then focus your main attention on what the nurse will do. The assessment, signs/symptoms/manifestations, priority interventions, the drugs for the condition, tests that will be done etc. It is good to know what the doctors will do but remember that we are not learning to be doctors. The main thing we need to learn is what we as nurses are going to be doing and what our role is. Some people get so hung up on learning every little detail about a disease that they miss the stuff that we need to know to be nurses and this reflects poorly on the tests. Mainly, just stay focused and don't fall behind, make yourself a schedule for studying and stick to it. BUT don't burn yourself out. Take some time for your self each week to relax. You have to in order to stay sane and continue doing well. I was totally burned out at the end of 1st semester. I learned to take time to relax, do something fun, spend time with family, etc and don't feel guilty about it! Also get the book "Fundamentals Success" (Davis series),This one is more usefull once you start. Practicing questions on the topics you are tested on is the best way to get used to the tests and helps you learn and apply the information. Unfortunately in Fundamentals, most of the NCLEX books are more geared for med/surg so it's hard to get that. This book is great! Practice questions before each test and make sure to read all the rationales! Anyways, sorry for writing so much. Enjoy your holidays and good luck in school!

I'm not sure how many actually get in. But I know I was picked as an alternate once when I scored 138 and didn't get in, then I was accepted when I scored in the 160's...however I was one that did turn it down and go to PJC, so it is possible that your sister may still get in. There are other reasons why people don't go too, so you never know. Have you called the school to see if maybe they have any info on how many alternates usually get in?

Personally I wouldn't take any other courses that aren't required. Especially if you are going to work to. You have to have time to study and sleep too! Even if you have always been an excellent student nursing school is hard to get accustomed to. I just wouldn't do that to yourself if you don't have to.

Also recommend the test success book the previous poster recommended. Definitely read through that before starting. Also a good book is "fundamentals success" by Davis. This one is great for practicing nclex style questions for each test. Practicing as many questions as you can before each test along with your reading/ learning the subject matter is the best way to get used to the style of questioning and succeed on the tests.

In my program micro could be taken during the second semester of the program along with adults1. Most people take any and all co reqs before though. What classes are you wanting to take while in the program? Required courses or something different?

Please pardon my spelling errors, I'm typing on the iPod tonight! :/

Yes I'm still in the program. The summer was tough, but this fall semester(in what's supposed to be the hardest one yet, adults 2) has been much easier (to me) than adults 1 over the summer. Easy is probably not a good word to use though, because it's definitely still very demanding in my time, but I think I'm finally starting to get accustomed to nursing school life. My class that started spring 2010 has not seen failed rates like the previous classes did. The tests are still just as hard but I think they have added in other ways to make points in the classes other than just the tests, quizzes and case studies for example. That has helped a lot. They also have changed the re-entry process as well for people who do fail. It used to take a year or longer to get back into a class, bit now it's much quicker. I now say with full confidence that pjc is a good school. Nursing school is tough period whether you are at pjc or jdcc. It's all about what you are willing to put in to succeed.

I didn't get in as an alternate. I actually ended up going to pjc in Jan 2010 and am set to graduate in may. I can now say from first hand experience that pjc is a good school and they have made many changes to better the program. Im not sure how many alternates jdcc picks. I was finally accepted to jd after I finished micro but I had already been accepted to pjc by that time.

deleted...decided not to go any furthur with this. Good night! :)

I got a really good one from Ross. It's actually a rolling briefcase, with room for my laptop and about 3 large books and my binder. It's wonderful. I suggest checking out Ross if you have one in your area or maybe any place like it. Maybe even TJ Maxx. That way you can get good quality, name brand, but much cheaper!

I know people that have gone that route. But I know I won't go there. It's stessfull yes, but to me it isn't worth becoming dependent on a drug. I think we as a society have become too accustomed to a quick fix and that's why so many of us are now dependent on some kind of drug to keep us going. There are plenty of other ways to reduce anxiety(exercise, creative outlets, just allowing yourself time to relax and have fun). I know this is libel to offend others out there who may be taking an anxiolytic, but I'm not meaning for it to. I realize everyone is different and some may truly need these meds. I am just very cautious about them because I have seen people I love become addicted to prescription pills and I have seen how it can tear people and families apart. I have a friend in nursing school who started taking them and I have seen her personality change and now she is not doing well on tests when she was always an A student in all other nursing classes. Anyways this is just my opinion.

I'm not saying those principles and knowing the information you are talking about is useless. The thing is, in my program atleast, we get that information in the core nursing classes and it's presented in a format that makes more sense/looking at it from the nurses perspective. My Microbiology class was general and broad. Yes it went into much depth, but it didn't stick with me and/or make sense to me the way it does now, when it is included with each unit/body system/disease, etc we are going over at the moment in the nursing program. This is why I say the Microbiology class is useless. Because we get what we need to be good and successfull nurses from the core nursing classes. (atleast at my school we do, I don't know about all of yours).

Wow, better than A&P2? Sounds like you had a good Micro class. A&P is where I learned the most and what prepared me the most for nursing. That's where you learn how the body works, which to me is much more important. I already knew how the immune system worked before I took Micro and I learned that in A&P. The diseases we need to know about and the s/s of them are taught to us in the core nursing classes and they are tought to us in the way that we as nurses need to understand them. This is why I felt like Micro was useless.

To those of you saying you are using every single bit of micro....are you in a BSN program? I'm in an AD program and we don't have to take pathophysiology or pharmacology. It's all worked into the core courses, but not anywhere near the depth that you are talking.

Just like others said, a nurse initiated intervention is an intervention that a nurse can do without a doctors order. If it needs an order it's usually considered a "collaborative intervention" (atleast that's what they are teaching us at my school). Even if it's a situation of a standing order/protocol, it is still not an independent nursing intervention because you still need the standing order to be able to do it, if the standing order wasn't there, you wouldn't be able to do it.

Maybe you should talk to your dr about it. The shortness of breath is what concerns me. That is not normal. Being fatigued after a long clinical day is definitely normal and feet hurting is definitely normal, but walking around your house shouldn't make you short of breath. I guess it could be anxiety, but maybe you do need to get your blood sugar checked??

Honestly, I felt like it was just another useless class to get me towards my goal. I don't remember any of it and it hasn't hurt me at all.

I think it depends on your school. For my school, we had to read before the first class and the first day we jumped straight into the subject matter. Depends on your bookstore too, our bookstore is always running low on books. The students who wait till the last minute (meaning even a week before class starts) usually end up without a book for weeks unless they get it from somewhere else.

I'm not in NY, my school starts with 110 students each semester and about 60 actually make it to the end to graduation, take the exit exam, and then take the NCLEX. All of those people don't just flunk out because of the exit exam, but usually flunk out before they even get that far. Either way, you've already talked yourself out of nursing. Go into radiology if that's better for you. I don't know why this is even worth talking about anymore. You've already made up your mind.

The wait list at my CC is about a year. There's another CC about an hour away from us that doesn't have a wait list at all, you get in based on a scoring system. There are a lot of options for schools to choose from. You may think it's wrong for them to have an exit exam, but so much so that you will keep one exam from deciding your whole future?? If you didn't want to be a nurse, then fine, but you say it's something you really want! I think your excuses are just rediculous. If you want something bad enough, you will go out and get it, no matter what. What do you think the NCLEX is if it isn't just one hell of an exit exam. Even if you graduate, you are not a nurse unless you pass the NCLEX, same concept as an exit exam right?

I guess I don't really understand what's wrong with the exit exam. I wouldn't let that keep you out of nursing school if that's truly where your heart is. Why change your whole major and career choice from something you really want to do just because a school has an exit exam or an unprofessional attitude? If it's what you want, you shouldn't let any obstacle stand in the way. My school has the HESI, we take one each semester as our final and then we have the Exit Exam HESI at the end of the program that you have to pass. From what I understand, most people don't have a problem with it once they have gotten that far.