jcolli01

Hey, nope they don't even demonstrate anything for us! They take roll call and then we are on our own for the whole class period! They don't even come in the back (Lab room) to help us or make sure we are doing things right... I'm learning more at clinicals from the Nurses and Nursing Aids then I am from my lab instructors...

Hey Everyone! My first semester of Nursing school is going amazing! I've been in clinicals for two weeks now and I only have 3 weeks left of my first semester after this week is over... I have not had time for anything but reading, studying and homework since starting Nursing school. I'm usually reading from the time I get up till the time I go to sleep, when I'm not in class... I've been so exhausted that I've been going to sleep at like 7ish... How is everyone else doing? I have a quick question. I'm doing a group project on inserting a Nasogastric tube and I can't find any information anywhere on what to educate the patient on (What patient education do you do when you have to insert a NG tube?) ... None of the instructors will help us or even show us the proper procedure for anything that we need to know how to do... We have to teach ourselves the procedures we need to know for our finals... And our final case won't be decided until we walk in the door on the last day... We'll either have to do a NG tube insertion, Ostomy, Enema, Enteral feeding tube insertion, wound change, or there is another one... Does anyone know where I can find a step by step for those procedures? Any info will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Hello Everyone, I'm a first semester nursing student. I started in Jan. and my first week of Clinicals started this week on Thursday. Every week I'll have classes Mon-Wed all day and then on Thursday and Friday I'll have clinicals. Does anyone have any tips/pointers for first semester (Fundamentals) clinicals? I'm one of the youngest people in my classes and I feel like I'm at a disadvantage because I do not have as much life experience as most of my classmates have. What can I do to make me more comfortable just walking into a client's room? Also, I feel like the Nurses on the floor we're on do not want anything to do with us nursing students. After 11:00am none of the Nurses want/need us to do anything. Today, I asked every Nurse/CNA that I passed if there was anything that I could do to help them and no one wanted/needed any help with anything. Most of my classmates and myself ended up having to just walk the floor and answer call lights... I'm feeling really discouraged because no one wants any help from us... Any tips or any advice anyone can give me will be greatly appreciated!

Honestly, the only way you'd be able to continue working fulltime is if you worked at night... Or Friday night, all Saturday and Sunday... But, you might have clinical on the weekend...So then that wouldn't work. I wouldn't say anything to them about you having to work fulltime to keep insurance because they will tell you that they don't care... I'm not being mean here, so don't think that I am... I'm on my parent's insurance still (I'm only 19)... But, they are going to tell you to make it in the program you won't be able to work... Seriously, last week was our first full week of the program at we had 50 hours of homework, with all the reading && everything else... I don't know how you'd work full-time, Go to class && all the other things we have to attend, and have time to get everything done... You have to be really flexible in the program because things change last minute... && you have to show up, so you'd have to miss work if something changed last minute... People with children are having a hard time... I know a few that are promising their children trips to Disney Land after the 18 months of the program, if the children help out and understand that mom/dad won't have a lot of time to be with them... For the insurance thing, if you had to stop working... There is insurance that you could put your children under it's through the state... I don't remember what it's called right now though... I'll find out for you, just in case that is something that you'd have to think about... All of us are at a hospital this semester... We go between Genesys, McLaren, the McLaren in Lapeer, and Hurley... I'm going to be at McLaren this semester... You need insurance to be able to go to clinicals... So, there might be something thru the state you could get because you're a college student... You might want to think about checking into that... =/

I'm not sure what the new test they are using is. I haven't heard yet. No, you do not get a say in your schedule at all... Your schedule is determined by what clincial group number you get put into... My schedule this semester is: Monday 8-10, 10:30-12:30 && on the 25th I have a lab starting with those two classes... Tuesday 12-4... Wednesday 10-12... && then my clinicals will be on Thursdays and Fridays... But the schedule is even busier then that because there are other things you have to attend besides class... There are all these different orientations you have to attend && computer trainings for the hospitals... Honestly, we all do about 40-60 hours of homework a week... Our first week was last week and from the time we get up until the time we go to bed (When we're not in class) we are studying, doing the reading, and doing homework... We've have people alreadying wanting to give up, freaking out and crying all time time... It's very stressful... But people get through it all the time...

Baker-Flint is a really competitive program. I graduated in 08 and started Baker in the fall after I graduated. I finished all my prereqs over the Summer, with a 4.0GPA, and I applied for Winter and was accepted my first time applying. My full first week of classes in the nursing program was last week. Baker does not have a waiting list. They use a point system... You lose points if you transfer credits in to Baker from another college, if you withdraw from a class... Your GPA also plays a big role in the point system. There is also an exam that you take, it was the HESI when I took it, that helps determine the amount of points you have. Baker is not using the HESI test anymore tho... I'm not sure how the Baker sites determine acceptance... It might be the same, but I'm not sure. Good Luck to you!

My first day of Nursing School was on the 8th and so far there is a lot of reading, homework, and studying to be done. I don't mind it, but it is time consumig. You should expect to be doing nothing but homework/reading/studying from the time you get up from the time you go to back to sleep, when you're not in class. My first semester is all about the fundamentals of nursing... Vital Signs, Health Assessment, care plans... How to do things like transfer clients from the bed to a wheelchair, use PPE, ect. The basics, I guess you could say... My school is different from other Nursing schools though, instead of 16 week semesters, we have 10 week semesters, so all the info that other colleges learn in 16 weeks we squeeze into 10 weeks... The best advice I can give you is to stay out of the drama and not listen to what others are saying. Also, don't give up just keep your eye on the prize (Graduation and becoming an RN). You'll get through it... I'd also form study groups and make friends that are in NS with you, because the people that are in with you are going to be the ones you laugh and cry with throughout nursing school... Good Luck to you!

Daytonite, Thank you for all your help! The instructions for the assignment were not very clear because my instructor did not give any instructions and did not talk about anything during class that related to the assignment. None of the other nursing students in my class understood the assignment either, that was our first class of nursing school. I appreciate all the input you gave me!

Thank You all very much! The assignment was for my FIRST day of Nursing School in the only class I had on that day, and we did not go over anything about the assignment or anything having to do with the assignment, that is why I was confused. I came up with some diagnosis on my own, but I wasn't sure if it was okay to list more then one. I appreciate all the input everyone gave!

Thank You!

I'm looking for a nursing diagnosis... The instructor did not really talk at all about the assignment because she handed it out last minute...

Hey Everyone, I had my first class of Nursing school this morning... It was Fundamentals lab, I'm a little confused on the homework that was assigned and any help would be greatly appreciated! The homework is a pain assessment patient scenario and here is what the scenario is: "A.R. is a 45 year old mother of 3 children, one whom still lives at home. She is divorced and works as a bank teller Mon-Fri. She was admitted today to your floor with dehydration, progressive weight loss, and uncontrolled back pain. Upon further assessment, you lean she has been living with chronic back pain for 2 years and recently learned she has degenerative disk that will require surgery. Her pain is primarily in her lower lumbar region but will radiate with "sharp shooting" pains into the thoracic region as well. She describes the pain in her lower back as constant, throbbing, and sharp. She rates it an 8 right now and says it often reaches a 10 especially with movement. She is on complete bed rest today, and is reluctant to move in bed. She tells you the pain has been so bad in the past few weeks that she has been unable to eat or drink much, and that all she wants to do is sleep because it "takes my mind off the pain." She has a prescription for Darvocet 500mg q6hprn, but says she many times cannot wait 6 hours and will even double up on the medicine because of inadequate pain relief. She also takes extra strength Tylenol that she says does nothing. She says she has tried alternatives to medication, such as music therapy and guided imagery, but has found no relief with either. She does like a hot bath with a quiet room and says she experiences slight relief with that. She expresses difficulty falling asleep and only sleeps a few hours before being awaken with pain. Prior to bed rest, her gait was unsteady and required a one person assist. She is depressed, worried about her children, occasionally weepy and anxious. She just wants the pain to ease so she can go on with her daily activities"... That is the homework I got on my FIRST day of Nursing school! What I can't figure out is what the diagnosis would be... At first I thought the diagnosis would be "chronic back pain in lumbar region related to degenerative disk." But then, I reread it and in the beginning it says she was admitted to the floor with dehydration, progressive weight loss, and uncontrolled back pain, so I thought the diagnosis would be something having to do with Imbalanced nutrition... I'm so confused... Does anyone help me? Am I even close? I'm also having trouble coming up with what provokes whats going on in the scenario... In the scenario it says something about movement, so would movement be what is provoking? Again, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Can anyone come up with any more diagnosis for the scenario? Thanks

Hey Everyone, I had my first class of Nursing school this morning... It was Fundamentals lab, I'm a little confused on the homework that was assigned and any help would be greatly appreciated! The homework is a pain assessment patient scenario and here is what the scenario is: "A.R. is a 45 year old mother of 3 children, one whom still lives at home. She is divorced and works as a bank teller Mon-Fri. She was admitted today to your floor with dehydration, progressive weight loss, and uncontrolled back pain. Upon further assessment, you lean she has been living with chronic back pain for 2 years and recently learned she has degenerative disk that will require surgery. Her pain is primarily in her lower lumbar region but will radiate with "sharp shooting" pains into the thoracic region as well. She describes the pain in her lower back as constant, throbbing, and sharp. She rates it an 8 right now and says it often reaches a 10 especially with movement. She is on complete bed rest today, and is reluctant to move in bed. She tells you the pain has been so bad in the past few weeks that she has been unable to eat or drink much, and that all she wants to do is sleep because it "takes my mind off the pain." She has a prescription for Darvocet 500mg q6hprn, but says she many times cannot wait 6 hours and will even double up on the medicine because of inadequate pain relief. She also takes extra strength Tylenol that she says does nothing. She says she has tried alternatives to medication, such as music therapy and guided imagery, but has found no relief with either. She does like a hot bath with a quiet room and says she experiences slight relief with that. She expresses difficulty falling asleep and only sleeps a few hours before being awaken with pain. Prior to bed rest, her gait was unsteady and required a one person assist. She is depressed, worried about her children, occasionally weepy and anxious. She just wants the pain to ease so she can go on with her daily activities"... That is the homework I got on my FIRST day of Nursing school! What I can't figure out is what the diagnosis would be... At first I thought the diagnosis would be "chronic back pain in lumbar region related to degenerative disk." But then, I reread it and in the beginning it says she was admitted to the floor with dehydration, progressive weight loss, and uncontrolled back pain, so I thought the diagnosis would be something having to do with Imbalanced nutrition... I'm so confused... Does anyone know what the diagnosis would be? Am I even close? I'm also having trouble coming up with what provokes whats going on in the scenario... In the scenario it says something about movement, so would movement be what is provoking? Again, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Thank you!

Hey Everyone, I had my first class of Nursing school this morning... It was Fundamentals lab, I'm a little confused on the homework that was assigned and any help would be greatly appreciated! The homework is a pain assessment patient scenario and here is what the scenario is: "A.R. is a 45 year old mother of 3 children, one whom still lives at home. She is divorced and works as a bank teller Mon-Fri. She was admitted today to your floor with dehydration, progressive weight loss, and uncontrolled back pain. Upon further assessment, you lean she has been living with chronic back pain for 2 years and recently learned she has degenerative disk that will require surgery. Her pain is primarily in her lower lumbar region but will radiate with "sharp shooting" pains into the thoracic region as well. She describes the pain in her lower back as constant, throbbing, and sharp. She rates it an 8 right now and says it often reaches a 10 especially with movement. She is on complete bed rest today, and is reluctant to move in bed. She tells you the pain has been so bad in the past few weeks that she has been unable to eat or drink much, and that all she wants to do is sleep because it "takes my mind off the pain." She has a prescription for Darvocet 500mg q6hprn, but says she many times cannot wait 6 hours and will even double up on the medicine because of inadequate pain relief. She also takes extra strength Tylenol that she says does nothing. She says she has tried alternatives to medication, such as music therapy and guided imagery, but has found no relief with either. She does like a hot bath with a quiet room and says she experiences slight relief with that. She expresses difficulty falling asleep and only sleeps a few hours before being awaken with pain. Prior to bed rest, her gait was unsteady and required a one person assist. She is depressed, worried about her children, occasionally weepy and anxious. She just wants the pain to ease so she can go on with her daily activities"... That is the homework I got on my FIRST day of Nursing school! What I can't figure out is what the diagnosis would be... At first I thought the diagnosis would be "chronic back pain in lumbar region related to degenerative disk." But then, I reread it and in the beginning it says she was admitted to the floor with dehydration, progressive weight loss, and uncontrolled back pain, so I thought the diagnosis would be something having to do with Imbalanced nutrition... I'm so confused... Does anyone know what the diagnosis would be? Am I even close? I'm also having trouble coming up with what provokes whats going on in the scenario... In the scenario it says something about movement, so would movement be what is provoking? Again, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hey Everyone! I had orientation today for the program from 8am-4pm! I'm so excited! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed because we went over a ton of information! Classes start on Friday! I can't wait! When does everyone else have orientation?

My school requires them to be sewn on the left side. Good Luck!

My classes start on the 7th. I know what you mean about feeling behind on your household chores... lol... For the last month I've been getting everything organized and ready for the start of the Program... Today I've been doing laundry all day because I don't know when the next time I'll have time to do it will be. lol. I'm feeling a little nervous about starting the program too. Good Luck to everyone! Let me know how your orientation and first day of class goes

Hello Everyone! My orientation for the Nursing Program is exactly a week from today (Jan 5th)! I am sooo excited! Who else is starting in January? Happy Holidays!

Baker College in Michigan does not have a waiting list, but only 40 students that apply get in in the fall and another 40 in the Winter... Acceptance is based on GPA, Points, and the enterance test score... If you transfer credits into the college you lose points, depending on how many get transfered in, and you lose points for withdrawling for classes. It's a 2-3 year program, the program itself is 5 semesters but the pre-reqs take a full year... Fall-Summer... If you do not take classes in the Summer then you'll be put back a year... I was accepted my first time applying, I have a 4.0gpa and I did not transfer any credits into the college and I did not withdrawl for any classes. I was in the top 5-10 to be accepted.

kim2010: thank you for the tip! i've already been working hard and reading and rereading things (i have to read chapters at least twice for everything to stick anyways. the first time i read a chapter, only certain things stick.) what hospitals have you been at for clinicals? did you end up getting sent to a hospital far from where you live? what has been your favorite clinical rotation so far? i'm glad that the majority of the nurses are wonderful! i've read horror stories on here about clinical instructors and the nurses on the floors being rude and degrading to nursing students. it's awesome to hear that you become really close with the other nursing students! none of my friends were accepted with me, so i was nervous about who was going to be my support system throughout the program. i'm not nervous anymore though, thank you! i'm glad that you become friends and like family with the people that you're with. do you have a myspace or facebook, or an e-mail that i could e-mail you at if i have any questions? it'd be nice to get to know someone that is already in the program. *jordie

destiny4nursing: It's a combination of things. GPA, HESI score, Points (Have you transfered any credits into Baker? Have you withdrew from a class?). I had someone call my house from Baker && leave a message saying that out of everyone who applied for Winter semester, I was the only person that had a 4.0 and has never missed a class. Maybe they look at your attendance too, I'm not sure... It's not in the list of things that getting in is based on, but maybe they do look at it. Good Luck to you!

Thank you! I'm really excited that I got in! I have a 4.0GPA, but I know people who applied with me && had a 4.0 that did not get accepted into the program. Yes, I was accepted my 1st time applying. I graduated high school in 2008. As for taking classes at another campus, I never had to. Just go into the Academic Office and see an advisor at the Flint campus and they can register you for classes at another campus. KIM2010: We got our letters in the mail the beginning of November! We were just registered for our first semester of classes the other day. I'm going up to the college tomorrow to pick up my books. I'm glad that you replied because now I have a nursing student at Baker that I can ask a question... lol... Are we suppose to wear our uniforms to the orientation? Do you have any tips or pointers? How are the Nurses we get paired with at Clinicals? I've been reading a lot on here about Clinical Instructors being really mean to the students... Thanks!

Hello, I was just accepted into the Nursing Program starting Winter semester at Baker of Flint! Yes, you can take a prereq class at another Baker campus. You just can't apply to the Nursing Program at any other campus except the one where you made Nursing your Major... Good Luck!