NursingStudent1013

Regarding shoes: TOTALLY WHITE. And white sox too. Eventually you can slack on the uniform but the first couple of weeks they are nazi's about them. Your first going to start Core before you start term 1. They have made it completly online so your not really going to be in class that much for the first couple of weeks. In Core your going to have a "basic" math test. I don't know if math is your strong point, but if it isnt. I would suggest studying up on how to make a fraction into a decimal, decimal into a fraction, learn military time, long division with decimals, and know all your roman numerals. And practice without a calculator, because your not going to have one. And don't freak out to much about clinicals in term 1, you only have about 4 or 5 and you dont even start going to thoes until december. That definitly changes once you reach the other terms.

LoL, Sorry! Well good news, the instructors LOVE having males in their class so you have a little bit of an edge... I made the mistake of taking a back pack to school the first couple of weeks and I had no back left. About 90% of the people that go there use the rolling back packs. I had the hardest time trying to find them and then I reallized they sell them in the book store at school. And bring all your clinical stuff too, like your stethescope and BP cuff and pen light etc...I know its a lot to fit into the rolling backpack but alot of people bring suitcases too if you want to do that instead. And speaking of book store, make sure you purchase a watch that has numbers 1-12 on it. They want a whole number face for some reason. They sell a great one in the bookstore that also has military time on it. Which is extreamly benificial because we only use military time in nuring and at school. Keep throwing questions at me if you have them. I know how scared and nervous I was before I started. So Im happy to help put your nerves at ease.

I brought everything with me. Although you really dont need to. I would bring everything just in case. And be in full uniform. No hair touching your collar, no crazy hair color, no jewlery except for small black, white, or silver studs in your ears and your wedding ring. And no crazy make up, they will say something to you. They are really anal about the uniforms.

I attend Atlantic and am graduating in October. It's a really great school. There are 5 terms and they are about 9 to 10 weeks long. In my opinion, Term 1 was the most difficult due to the fact that there were so many tests and I wasn't used to studying at all. After that, the rest of the terms got easier because I was used to studying and dealing with the heavy workload. The teachers are all pretty nice and very well educated. Clinicals in term 1 were terrible because we had no idea what we were doing and they sent us to some of the worst nursing homes ever. We were happy to get a break from the nursing home in term 2 because you went to the hospital only. Term 3 clinicals were at the hospital and the nursing home, but by term 3 clinicals arent scary anymore and you are a lot more confident. The nursing homes dont even bother you anymore. Term 4 clinicals are in the hospital and split between OB and Peds, you will not be on a med surge floor in term 4. Term 4 clinicals to me, were pretty fun because you get to see delivires and play with young kids. And I cant help you out with term 5 yet, Ill find that out on monday ; ) And On the arrest thing, There are a couple of people in my class who have been arrested and convicted of crimes that were borderline pretty bad, and they made it through on the background check. Its just more of pain in the butt because they send you all over town trying to get all the documents that you need. I dont think you have anything to worry about

OMG. Thank you so much for replying. I really thought I was the only one feeling this way. Thanx for lifting a ton of bricks off of me. You are giving me hope for the future. And congratulations on graduating!

Hello, So I am a practical nursing student graduating very soon. First off, I never thought I would make it this far and the fact that I have is incredible to me. This is the only thing ive started and actually come close to finishing. But now that the end is nearing, reality is starting to set in and Im absolutly terrified of being out there in the real world. With real nurses and real patients. I totally feel like im not competant enough to hold a real job without my instructor looking over my shoulder all the time. If there are any graduates out there, can you please tell me how you felt as it was all coming to end and what its really like being out there in the real world? Thanx, Quinn