SnowRain7489

I agree w/ LifelongDream. You'll be fine, don't worry seriously. I think highschool really just serves the foundation of your education. When you get into your nursing prerequisites u might not remember ALOT of the small little details of what you learned, but that doesn't mean that you won't do well in your nursing courses. As long as you have an idea of what they are talking about that works because you can remember that you've learned about that before and that is a basic knowledge of the material. If you need to look back to your previous work...it's ok. After each semester of college goes by u will build onto that basic knowledge (in your science courses & non-science courses).

I agree w/ everything everyone above said. They practically took the words right out of my mouth

Best advice received as a student: "2 heads work better than 1" "knowledge is power" Worst advice received as a student: "You have to memorize on the outline" "Do not read your book" - A tutor told me all of this.

Trust me on this one I know that these books are expensive, but they are helpful in developing good critical thinking skills (which you will need alot of) and great test success in your nursing courses Read "Test Success: Test-Taking Techniques for Beginning Nursing Students" and "Saunders for Success for the NCLEX-RN Examination" They both provide information on how to study nursing material and exams. I recommend reading these the summer before your nursing program starts. I would however not start studying for your NCLEX until you start your nursing courses.

Another MAJOR factor to take into consideration especially for those that are afraid of gaining weight in nursing school is meal portion & snack portion. You really don't need to consume alot for a snack. I learned this from my personal trainer. I don't know the exact calorie/protein/carbohydrates intake that matches what a snack should be, but do research it. I used to bring snack items all the time to HighSchool. These would consist of healthy snacks like apple slices, saltless pretzels, carrots, celery, cherrios, etc. and I would snack alot. The point is that don't just focus on snacks as your meal/something that will hold you over until you get a good meal. Just sharin my story is all .

Well & if the guy (that i'm w/, but we broke up & still talking) get together in the future I'll feel sort of complelled to work alot because he does. He has to work 7days/week. His father & mother work together at this same place, so he sees his parents working 7days/week because they have to&so he will to. I know that it's different and I shouldn't compete w/ him and I'm not trying to. He just inspires me to work for what I want.

vashteei agree w/u on the bordem part. i can't stand being bored at any job, i need to be on my feet working. to answer the poll questions i would say moderately discouraging & slightly discouraging - for all the expense and effort it takes to become a nurse, you could go into some other field and end up with far better results. i like that you put in the "better results" part because that is so general & could mean so many things. better pay/better working conditions/better feeling about yourself (like if someone went into nursing not knowing that it was going to be "like this" (fill in the blank w/ like this) that they would think being at xxx job (non-nursing job) would be better because it's what they enjoy. i'm torn between the moderate&slight. i would be the 1st person in my entire family to get a bachelors degree. i would be the 2nd person in entire family to become a nurse. my niece & 2 little cousins are going to nursing school - but only for the pay. my aunt said, "well she'll be earning alot of $$$, i know some nurses who earn $50/hour in wisconsin." it's like yea that's great, but will she like what she does. i told my exboyfriend once, "i'm not in it for the profit," this was when he was pushing me to go to graduate school, annoying! i believe that anyone who is going to go to college should do research in their intended major regarding the curriculum, job outlook, salary, expectations (on the job & in school), job role, responsibilities, etc. so basically they should know what it takes to become a nurse, businessman/woman, educator, accountant, teacher, artist, personal trainer, etc. the list goes on.

I agree w/ WishfulThinker:bowingpur. I would also suggest protein bars. Be sure though to spend some time comparing the ingredient list between the protein items in the grocery store - consider Fat, Sat.Fat, Sodium, Protein, etc. Shop at Wal-Mart or Target, those have the best prices. I don't remember what the names of the items that I buy, but I have bought SpecialK and they are the most cheap&high in protein. I don't like their protein water, too much sugar. I also don't like to eat the same things over and over for snacks so I shop around for other great foods in the "high protein" aisle. I like to switch things up a little w/ some of the items that WishfulThink described above.

Developing critical thinking skills. Learning the thought process behind nursing material. The other comments about stress, other students, time-management, careplans, etc. are all doable. You just need to practice to be organized, it's a habit to develop. Yes, all those things played into nursing being difficult, I'm not saying they don't. But what was most difficult for me was having to develop critical thinking skills to answer those nursing exam questions. I am still working on it, and it's been a challenge and a 1/2.

Wow talk about being very honest & upfront, a little too harsh though. You know there are countless of threads posted w/ people going off topic.

Did you moms read your textbook? I'm not a mom, but this one mom in my class said, "I don't have time to read the big book, I just look over the notes and that's it." She said it in such a tiring, exhausting, fed up type of voice. This mom also gets really good grades. I was just curious.

I read the procedure, write it in my own words on a separate sheet of paper to condense it, circle key words, then practice it on mannequins. Sometimes if I don't want to walk all the way over to the lab I pretend like I have a mannequin on my bed or in my chair & I "perform" the skills and talk to them. Yes I talk out loud to myself, yes it's goofy, but if I master the skill and get an A...it's worth it. I talk to the "mannequin" and mannequin because this reduces any level of anxiety that you may have. Hey, you're not being tested on when you're practicing it right, so you can start over and over and over and over again until you get it right - and you should do this. Just don't practice it for 1 day and be done w/ it, spread it out over a period of days. You can also have a classmate next to you ask them to pretend to be the teacher and quiz you or critique you and be harsh on what you are doing. This may not sound so nice I know, but when I'm studying w/ others (which is rare) I ask them difficult questions to push them to know the right answer and challenge them and I expect them to do the same to me so that I'm well prepared too.

The "Saunders Strategies for Success for the NCLEX-RN examination" is not a regular NCLEX book. Have you ever seen those books at the library about 'college success' & 'how to study in college' type of books well this book is like that...sort of. Some of the chapter titles are: Client Needs, Integrated Processes, Types of Questions on the Examination, Nonacademic Preparation: Your Path to Success, How to Avoid "reading into the question", True/False Response Questions, Questions That Require Prioritizing, Leadership Delegating and Assignment-Making Questions, Communication Questions, Pharmacology Questions Each chapter breaks down into developing critical thinking skills. It tells u what u should be thinking of when presented w/ XXX (list above) type of questions. At the end of each chapter there are 3 NCLEX type questions & a "test-taking strategy" paragrah. I'm on chapter 11-Comm. questions. I take alot of NCLEX practice questions & have lately been trying to apply what I've learned thusfar in this book to answer those questions. I'm more focusing on how to answer the question like what my thinking process is as opposed to wanting to get the answer right & its helping. So I think that when studying for nursing exams maybe u can think of possible questions (from the material you're studying) that could come up on an exam & mostly what your thinking process is going to be at that time. Sorry if I'm blogging alot on your thread. I've just learned alot in the past semester about nursing exams & will share it with anyone who needs help.

Nope I did not have to submit any letters of recommendation. I am going to a private 4-year liberal arts institution.

I bought this book called, "Saunders Strategies for Success for the NCLEX-RN examination" It's really good in learning how one should think about when answering a test question in nursing. Definitely worth reading.