stdntnurse

I spent about $1000 CDN at the bookstore first year but a couple of the books carry through for the four years. I do still have to spend an additional $400/yr (roughly) which is pricey

Purchasing Microsoft Student is a great investment.. The Word document has the option to record voice (i.e. lectures) as you type and saves it along with document so they're together. Some other advice: - don't get caught up with people who are super competitive about marks and such; a lot of the time they'll try and psych you out especially during exam period, clinicals, etc. (in my experience anyway). you'll get to know who these people are with time and for your sanity, they are best avoided :) - find a good study partner, preferably someone (or a group of people) that study the same way as you do. personally, I found it helpful to study on my own first and absorb all the material and then one or two days before the exam, verbally go through all the material with a classmate and ask each other questions - get organized from day one! a small filing drawer is great for keeping all your course notes, handouts, journal photocopies, etc accessible and in one place - invest in good underware! haha.. this may sound weird but my nursing school uniform consists of white scrubs so this was a big issue.. sports bras are great for clinical - get sleep when you can; naps have become essential to me during the semester - get help from your profs early if you find you are not grasping the course content; don't leave it until the exam! can't think of anything else really.. good luck!

While yes, it is her opinion, it is based on her observations of your work during clinical; she can't pass you if she doesn't feel you're ready. As many have mentioned above, re-evaluating your career now is a good option - and you have all summer to think about it and decide what your next step will be. Maybe looking into careers outside the nursing field that are more involved in what your interests are would be more rewarding and motivating for you. While many have argued that you don't have to be passionate to be a good nurse, I know for myself personally that as a student nurse I would not have the motivation to complete my bachelors in nursing and then continue on in the profession if I did not have a passion for it. In the end, you're the one that has to decide for yourself what you want to do, don't let others make that final decision for you because ultimately it is going to be your career. Good Luck!

I am also a nursing student and while yes, there were (and will be many more) times when I was overwhelmed and stressed and to the point of tears, I truly do love nursing school as much as school can be loved. Because I am passionate about what I'm learning and the profession awaiting me at the the other end of my program, I am motivated and driven to endure the 'bad' stuff. While there will be times when you'll see more of your fellow nursing students then your friends and family as someone posted earlier, in many ways I see this as a blessing. Why? because they are the one's in my experience who can truly understand what you are going through and you can support one another during the rough times. If you are committed to nursing and a hard worker, the positive aspects of your school years will far outweigh the negative ones! Good luck :)

I have noticed that many people have been posting about med calculations, reviewing anatomy and physiology, etc. While going over these types of things may give you some preparation and maybe even an advantage, the reality is you won't really know what will be most beneficial for YOU in terms of preparation until you are actually in the classes themselves. The purpose of these classes is to give you a foundation and knowledge base and while the professors will expect you to have a basic working knowledge (obtained from your pre-requisite courses), they do not expect you to come in knowing everything so don't worry yourself over cramming a ton of review. What is KEY, however, is to prepare yourself that probably won't be taught to you in Nursing School, such as... 1) Organize yourself. In my experience first year, we had a lot of journal printouts, photocopies of readings, assignments, etc. and I wish I had set up a filing system of some sorts to keep everything in one place that was divided and organized (I would get a two-drawer filing cabinet system if I were to do it again). 2) Find out what the textbooks are that are being used at the Nursing School you will be attending and which you'll have to purchase first year. The cost can rack up fast so planning ahead, trying to find used books/buying them off other students and spreading out your purchases will save you money and stress. Plus having the books in advance gives you time to look over them and learn to use them properly (i.e. what is covered, if there are chapter summaries at the end, etc.). 3) Look into other program pre-requisites. My nursing school requires all incoming students to have a Level C CPR & First Aid certificate and be completely up-to-date on vaccinations and have TB testing. Make sure this is all done in the months before you start so you won't have to worry about missing deadlines. 4) Good reading and writing skills. Getting used to reading efficiently and taking notes while you read will help a lot as you will be required to do many readings in a short time frame and will need notes in order to prepare for the exam. Good writing skills are also essential, there are so many people who cannot string a sentence together and being able to do so is essential for care plans, assessments and papers you'll be required to do. 5) A positive attitude and a sense of humor - these will keep you sane through the rough times.

My best advice for you would be to go for it, you seem very passionate and dedicated - which is exactly what you'll need to get you through! Although I am not in your situation in terms of starting nursing school as a second career, with a family, etc. I know a few people in my nursing program who are and I admire them greatly. I sometimes struggle to have assignments completed, manage my time and balance my life and I only have myself to worry about! There will be times when it's overwhelming, when there aren't enough hours in a day and when it will seem as if you will never grasp a concept but at the end of your first year you will look back (as I am doing now) and realize that you can make it through. If this is really what you want and you have the drive, take a chance and make it happen. The time in school flies so you'll be done before you know it! Best of luck to you and hopefully this helps :)