Cristel

You are off to a good start if you are already at "allnurses.com". Other possible helps: 1)find someone in your class that knows a lot already from experience and try to make friends(sincerly). 2)Projects that teachers give early in order to allow time to finish. Check it out: start the project and see how much actual time it takes you to get through each task. Plan from there. 3) In clinicals, get to know the staff. These are the actual people that can give you a good reference in the future for jobs. They can give you unlimited clinical knowledge for the site you are actually working at. Be polite, respectful, and listen carefully when they give advise. Work well with the staff and you will have a good learning experience as well as future opportunities.

Lizzy 88, You have obviously been through a number of intense college courses and feel that these tips are just common sense to most. I am happy for you that they are so obvious. There are still a lot of people that are not "professional students" and have need for these tips. Please do not belittle those of us that still find assisting other beginners, or just people that appreciate that little extra help we need to understand, as underlings. What you accept as common knowledge may be the key to someone else passing or failing a course.

Thank you so much for your kind words and support.

:) Thank You!! I am a first semester student and I always feel like I'm the only one that doesn't get it. What I mean is, everyone else in my class seems to find information faster, get papers done more professionally and with more ease than I do. I struggle! My classmates all seem to either know someone that is a nurse, or someone that has already been through the program, and they get help from them. I personally haven't recieved much, if any, HELP . Even my instructors seem to be preoccuppied with chating with the students that already "know everything" and are just asking questions to fine tune their skills. I appreciate this information sooo much, I'm almost going to cry. I have been so frustrated!!!!! I will pass on a few tips myself for the next incoming Nursing students: #1) If you have never worked in healthcare - Use your CNA license and work at least 6 months in the field before deciding to go on into a Nursing Program. You will be amazed at what kind of insight it will give you and basic essential skills. You may even find that Nursing is not what you thought it was at all. It's not like on TV (unless you read the discussion "sex in the work place...really?"). #2) Do your drug cards as soon as you get a list for pharmacology. Doing the cards and really seeing the common connections in effects, side-effects, drug - drug interactions and precautions may help you pass Pharm. And follow the steps that are given in the "Eight Steps" you'll be off to a good start. Thank You Again, and please keep posting!

In regards to how much study it takes to get through LPN school, I think it depends on how much experience you have prior to entering Nursing School. I believe I would have been less stressed about studies if I had worked as a CNA for at least 6 months before entering into the LPN Program. Most of my fellow students have had prior experience in one form or another working in a hospital or nursing home setting. They all seem to have much more confidence in what they are doing. I, on the other hand, am one of the people that study but, I still am missing something in general concept. I have always been a honors student. I usually get things on the first pass but, nursing classes want more than mere memorization. Nursing school wants you to use "critical thinking" and "problem solving". You can be great at memorizing but, you may have three different subjects in a day and they may each cover at least two chapters, then take that times a week and add in other things you should be doing, papers, drug cards, computer assignments, study guide and end of chapter questions....etc...it can be challenging!