joshdwarhawks

Here's a simple list of things to consider. Most are common-sense, but ya never know! 1. CALENDAR - Get either a datebook or wall-calendar that you can write down assignment due-dates/clinical times/test-dates/etc. Your calendar just may become your lifeline. I know mine did. 2. READ AHEAD - It doesn't help if you're JUST learning the material when the teacher is only skimming through a powerpoint. 3. ASK QUESTIONS - If you don't understand something, don't be afraid to clarify. 4. COFFEE - If I didn't have my coffee, I'd probably fall asleep midway through putting a catheter in...How about THAT for violation of sterile technique? 5. PARTNERS - If in your first level you get lucky enough to have a partner for some of clinical, DO NOT do all the work/let them depend on you to do all the work. Which leads me to number 6. 6. OPPORTUNITIES - If your clinical teacher asks "Who wants to do a catheter?!," JUMP ON THE OPPORTUNITY! I was lucky enough to do my first catheter the first day of my hospital clinical rotation. Won't go into specifics, but I had practiced MORE THAN enough in the lab to be comfortable. 7. CONFIDENCE - ALWAYS, ALWAYS maintain an appearance of confidence for your patient-even if you feel like a nervous wreck on the inside. It also may help in case your clinical teacher comes behind you and asks your patient to evaluate you! 8. STUDY TIME - DO NOT wait until 2 or 3 days before a Theory or Health Assessment or whatever test to start studying your material. Nursing school isn't like the pre-req's. You can't wait until the last minute to *absorb* the information. You have to actually understand what the content is, and realize its importance in your care of the patient. YOU WILL BE LOST and WILL MORE THAN LIKELY NOT DO WELL on your test! Learned that one the hard way. 9. ALCOHOL PREP PADS or RED HOTS - I thought I had smelled the worst thing humanly possible until I helped clean a stoma for an ostomy bag. Let's just say I was wrong. Either swab the inside of your nose with the prep pad or chew a red hot or two before you start doing the not-so-pleasant duties that come with semester 1 (and beyond!). 10. LEARN ALL YOU CAN - What you learn in one semester will only be added to later on. All the little tidbits of information that floor nurse gives you during your clinical rotation? REMEMBER THEM! Ask questions, ask questions, and ask questions. You'll find that a lot of the nurses at your clinical site will be more than happy to share their knowledge with you. Watch out for the grumpy ones though... 11. SLEEP - Wait, forget that one. You'll forget what that is. 12. ALARM CLOCK - For the times you had to stay up until 2, 3, 4, or 5AM studying or doing papers and you have to be at your clinical site before 7. :) --and finally-- 13. JUST BECAUSE IT'S ONE WAY IN THE LAB, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S HOW IT'LL BE IN REAL LIFE - Case in point...I'll be as PC as I can here...no one has a perfect (OR PREDICTABLE) anatomy. This goes for bed baths and CATHETERS as well! (Again, trying to be PC here)...I'll just say that the models in the lab are MUCH easier to deal with. I won't go further than that. Anyways, those are just a few tips I have. Take them for what you may. Hope you do well in your classes!

I'll just say this coming from someone who has a part0time job with flexible hours. It would be impossible for me to get my studying done and assignments finished without such a flexible schedule. But there are those who can juggle 20/30/40 hours a week and can still pull it off. You just have to find what your balance is. And as far as the 5hrs of studying per night goes, prepare to spend more than that. Even in my first semester, I was getting out of class at 3-5 PM and not going to bed until 2 AM. But you have to find what YOU can tolerate!

DO NOT go to a non-accredited nursing school. You'll have a very difficult time trying to find any good-paying job. Most any job opening requirements call for graduates of an accredited nursing program. Most hospitals are even switching to giving priority to BSN over ASN too, fyi.

I was accepted and start our BSN program on the 17th. I'm full of emotions right now - joy, fear, anxiety, restlessless, and relief (relief because I actually got in). I've ordered my scrubs and supplies. I will go get my books tomorrow and start reading on theory and health assessment to get a head start. At this point, I think my overall feelings are that of relief because of the limited number of spots available. I overloaded myself and took 14 hours this past summer to make up for a major-change; now I know all that hard work was worth it. I'm also attempting to get into the Army Nurse Candidate Program while in school, so that's been a source of stress as well. I'm 1 for 2...so hopefully this works out. I know I just have to take one day at a time and keep my head up. Good luck to all the other Level 1's out there.

For those of you who have read my earlier posts, I've been in the process of applying for the Army Nurse Candidate Program. Just an update (also a question). I visited Ft. Sam Houston on Monday for a PE. Everything went well; blood results still pending, but no worries there. What concerns me is that I will still need a waiver due to past surgeries to repair spontaneous pneumothoraces (LT and RT lungs); but at the same time, I'm thinking that it won't be a problem because all of my medical records had to be reviewed before I even got my trip planned to Ft. Sam Houston. Just wondering if any of you have advice (or have had experience in getting medical waivers for the Military.

-Just a bump and an update- Will be flying to Fort Sam Houston for a physical / tour in two weeks. Assuming I pass the physical, I will later attend MEPS to take the ASVAB and enlist as an E-3; will be an 09N. Thanks for all the advice you guys have given me. I just hate the wait!

I'm not a Military nurse yet, but I'm in the process of enrolling in the Nurse Candidate Program for the Army (hopefully will start Nursing school next semester). If you're really interested in Military Nursing, regardless of the branch, go for the Nurse Candidate Program (NCP) if possible. To my knowledge, it's the only sure-fire way of becoming an Officer directly after graduating (commissioning with a B.S. without the NCP is difficult because of the lack of experience you'd have; you will get that experience with the NCP). NCP will give you $5,000 sign-on / $5,000 graduation bonuses plus $1,000 a month for school (up to 24 months, only counting school months). If you're interested in Army nursing, call the closest AMEDD (Army Medical Department) recruiting office; the normal recruiting offices won't be able to give you the information you need about the program. I've been working on this for about a month and a half (flying to Fort Sam Houston for a physical due to past lung problems). The more quickly you do the paperwork, the faster you'll get into the program. In my case, they wanted my medical records, college transcript, and a resume (thus far). They're more than willing to work with you. Just make sure to write down any and all questions you have about Military nursing.

Question: if I'm not going to MEPS, when (around) and how will I enlist?

Another update (and a good one at that). Turns out I'll be headed to Fort Sam Houston in a month! Now, I do have a question that I didn't think to ask the sgt. I was told that, instead of going to MEPS, I'll just be going straight to the hospital for my physical. How does this coincide with enlistment...?

Just an update (and a bump ). I'm headed to the AMEDD recruiting office tomorrow with my medical records. I spoke with the sgt who's over the ANCP and set up an appointment. They're going to send out my records for review, and (IF and only IF my records don't show any significant problem - but I haven't had any complications, so I'm supposed to be good on that end) I'll fly to MEPS in Texas in a few weeks I believe. SO EXCITED! (Also, summer sessions are finally over... I passed everything. Made A's in labs and B's and a C elsewhere. We'll see what kind of effect that has on my GPA)

Just once in each lung. Had a pleurodesis after each time (1 for each lung). Left lung was Oct 2009; right lung was Nov 2010. Apparently, there's a waiver for after one year; just as long as it doesn't happen again. The left lung held up through-and-after a half marathon, so I'm not worried much about it. I still run and all, and it doesn't give me problems. I was told that, assuming everything goes well with the medical evaluation, I could "enroll" in November of this year - that way I'd be able to start with the program right when the two-year window hits. I will most likely still pay for everything through federal students loans. That way, in the unfortunate event that something DOES happen to DQ me, I'll just be able to pay everything back because I've saved it all up.

No history of asthma. Have had two lung surgeries to correct spontaneous pneumothorax. But I haven't had any trouble since.

UPDATE I spoke with an AMEDD recruiter yesterday (over the phone). We exchanged information (they requested my resume, medical history, transcript, etc.), and I will be seeing them in person in just a couple of weeks! I have to take a pulmonary function test (?) and a few other tests to prove that I'm medically sound (lol). Just thought I'd give an update though. Much thanks to everyone who's replied and given advice/thoughts.

I see. The closest Army medical recruiter is over 2 hours away from me. Hopefully this coming month I'll go speak with them. I'm wondering how far ahead I need to talk with them because I've heard of the delays in being accepted into the program (long wordy sentence, I know). And I'm assuming after BOLC I'd go to OCS?

How long ago was this? That would be awesome if I were able to get into that program. Also, what would I have to do as far as military-type training in between?