alw09

Not at my school that is what the manequins are for. we did however check-off on skills like vitals on a partner, BP, respirations, pulses with a double headed steth so our instructors could count as well. Nothing is performed on a live person for check-off, so your first time is in the hospital actually. You do however have to ascultate under a shirt.

Oh Honey you sound like you could be going to school with me, You are not alone. My second semester we didn't have enough instructors and we had (Pedi, L&D, Med-Surg, Postpartum,) rotations so we were with a different instructor every week or everyother week. We could never figure out what they wanted. There is no way around it you just have to tell yourself I took care of my patients, and I did nothing wrong. Let it all roll off your back take their advice and make yourself an even better nurse. We also have issues with one instructor saying one thing and another saying something else. SOOOOOOOO confusing I know. I have made it to my last semester with all this too so I am sure you can get through it as well. All that matters is that you have cared for your patients to the best of your ability, and they feel you really do care. Good Luck!

:nurse:Congratulations!!! I am etering my final semester in nursing school and Have plenty of advice. 1) Do as much of the reading as you can. All of it tends to be impossible but it really does help. 2) Take breaks during your study sessions even if it is to fold some clothes while watching your fav 30 min show. 3) Notecards are great especially in your first semester. 4) Get a good recorder, you may miss something during the lecture. (or you can prove to your instructor they said the opposite in their lecture and that is why you missed the question +points ) 5) Get in a good study group, hearing others helps things stick, or for some teaching others helps. 6) Practice vitals (blood pressure, respirations, pulses,....) on your family. You won't have a perfect assessment in the beginning. 7) Finally you will probably shed some tears, or feel like you can't do it. YOU CAN DO IT! It will all be worth it in the end. I suggest writing that down and posting it on a mirror, at your desk, on your clipboard. Tell your friends and loved ones you are going to be a little crazy for a few years, but you don't mean anything you say and that you may need some encouragement along the way. I know this may seem scary but you have chosen a great career and it will all be worth it.

My school (McLennan Community College) has Co- reqs as well and for the most part you have to finish those first before you get in.That may be the case for you as well. I took all of those as well as all the courses I would need for my BSN before applying. You should schedule a meeting with a nursing advisor and ask them what you can do to increase your chances of getting in. I don't know about your school but if the staff sees you around the nursing building often and recognizes your name when the application comes across the desk, it doesn't hurt. :nurse:Well I am entering my final semester, Woohoo,! Good Luck don't give up, you have chosen a great career!

Great but where do you find the time to do this.

I don't know about California but I'm in a Texas community college ADN program which is 4 full semesters and one summer semester. LVNs canbridge into our 3rd semester cutting it down a year. Also I am the traditional student starting the RN program and once we have taken 2 semsters and the summer class plus a very small and easy class we can take our LVN boards. We do this as backup if we don't pass boards on the first try and want to make more money than a nurse tech while we wait. I suggest you look to see if you can find something like that.

Oh honey I understand your issue. I am lucky in that I get to wear royal blue but that still won't hide things very well. I have and instructor who preaches, "Say no to crack" our scrubs ride really low. So I bought shorts to go under my bottoms, sort of like Under Armour material found in sporting stores. I know it's not so in style but I do use the thinnest pad I can possibly find just in case. I've been lucky and have had no issues yet but I'm sure I won't be having any embarrassment with all that. Well good luck in school.