edatri

LOL, I'm 43 going back to school since 1988, so I'm laughing with you . As long as you pass your skill check on the second (or third, or whatever your school gives you), you're good. Don't stress over it too much. Just keep practicing and you'll gain more confidence.

I was just curious, esp. since I think new nursing students should be aware that they might need to add X amount of hours to their week for lab practice. I was wondering how widely the X amount of hours varies. It's sort of like when people ask how much time to spend studying for tests.

We don't really have a lot of time to practice during our scheduled nursing lab class, so I feel like I'm living in the nursing lab. I'm going in for three hours this afternoon - just to practice passing meds. I'm already in there 3 - 6 extra hours a week. And we haven't really done anything complicated like NG tubes and Foley catheters yet! (we don't get to touch needles until next semester) I guess it's paying off since I haven't had to retake a skills check. How much extra time do you (or did you) spend in the nursing lab?

I don't think of anything in nursing school as "busywork". I actually enjoy doing those care plans (OK, I'm only in my 4th week of clinicals, so it's still new to me, lol), and spend a lot of time thinking about those nursing diagnoses and what interventions would work best for my patient -- NOT just looking up stuff in the NANDA book and copying interventions that go with the diagnosis I picked. I like the challenge of solving a problem.

I know that in our program that if you are dropped for medical reasons you can reapply. This happened to a great student who had to have surgery halfway through the semester. Is that an option? Can she talk to an admission person in another program and explain her situation?

Is this a hypothetical patient? I would guess in real life that it would depend on the individual. For self-care deficit, for what ADL? I had a patient with a self-care deficit (feeding) and my interventions were to provide the patient with modified utensils, plates, cups in order to gain more independence. Are you only looking at Activity-Exercise type NANDA diagnoses? I was thinking more along the lines of family coping diagnosis in your case.

I would definitely try non-pharmeceutical methods of relieving anxiety first. I have a Xanax script, but only used it when I had to take Public Speaking. Anti-anxiety meds also affect your cognition and memory, so I consider it a last resort if you truly can't function. If it's skills that make you nervous, practice, practice, practice until you are confident. I spend hours in open Nursing Lab. Then just do some deep breathing and visualization to calm down in the actual situation. I always feel disorganized when I'm skill tested in clinical. So I try to make sure I have everything I need. Sometimes you still mess up. That's OK, it will come with practice. That's what I write on the clinical experience paper when it asks what do I think I need to work on. On my last skills test which was simply vital signs, my glasses kept falling off when I bent down (the facility was HOT), I couldn't get the blood pressure cuff on, and I didn't realize I was reading the portable pulse oximeter upside down! But I expressed confidence in my experience paper that even though I felt disorganized, I'd do better with more practice.

Speak with your instructor to see what he/she thinks you need help on - if it's a matter of test taking strategies or basic understanding of the material. Know why each question you got wrong is wrong and why the correct answer is the correct answer. Are the tests NCLEX style multiple choice? Underline or circle all key words in the questions and answers. Jot down next to each answer WHY you think it is wrong or right.

I thought the McGraw-Hill 5 TEAS tests book was really helpful. It pretty accurately predicted what I ended up with on my actual test.

Yep, I showed all my work, wrote out my constant conversions and even showed the dimensional analysis even though it was easy enough to do in my head. But it wasn't the answer on the answer key. I passed the calculations competency test so I didn't argue it, but it was really bugging me.

I'm annoyed at this question I got wrong on my clinical calculations test. Calculate the intake in milliliters: 6 oz water 1/2 pint ice cream 4 oz coffee So, I figure 1 oz = 30 mL: 6 oz water = 180 mL 1/2 pint ice cream = 8 oz = 240 mL 4 oz coffee = 120 mL Therefore, total intake would be 540 mL right? Apparently not, because the correct conversion is 1 pint = 500 mL so 1/2 pint is 250 mL and the correct answer is 550 total mL. So what makes one conversion more accurate than the other?

I love nursing school! The critical thinking, the hands on stuff, working with the clients.

Today was the 4th week of clinicals and I'm really surprised at how much I enjoy it. Especially because we are in long-term care and since I never had much experience with older adults, I thought I would hate it. But I found out I really love working with this population. The resident I had for the past couple of days actually cried when I had to leave, which then had me all teary-eyed at post-conference. I suppose that is why you get so many experiences in clinicals. Keep an open mind, you'll be amazed at what your strengths are. Next week is our last week in long-term care and then we are off to med-surg. I'm really going to miss the residents, but looking forward to what new adventures await in med-surg.

Sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff). It wasn't on our required supply list, but I found having my own really helpful so I could practice at home.

I am having the worst time with hearing lung sounds. I make sure I'm not placing my stethoscope over bone, but the only place I can seem to hear even normal lung sounds is on the mid-back. Everywhere else I just hear the heart or don't hear anything. Is this something I just need to keep practicing?

I'm also in an ADN program and we started the 3rd week of school. We didn't know anything and weren't allowed to do anything except wash our hands and use therapeutic comminication, though.

If your instructor is doing NCLEX style exams, then what worked for me was less in the studying (although you do need to know the material backwards and forwards) but more in the way I took the test. During the test I underlined or circled all the important information in the question and the answers. Missing one key word can totally change the answer. Then, although the test was multiple choice, I scribbled next to each choice WHY it was wrong or right. This helped me visualize the "best" answer. I ended up with a 98% on my first exam, so it must have worked. :)

crepitus, since I finally know the name of that sound when I walk up the stairs, lol

I pretty much just reviewed the Powerpoints EVERY DAY. I have kids with special needs, so I never know when something out of the ordinary is going to happen, so last minute cramming is not for me. Although talking with other students, I think it was more just being very careful while taking the test. Since it was NCLEX style test, I underlined or circled key words in the question and in the answers. Even though it was multiple choice, I'd scribble why each answer was wrong or right next to each choice. It helped me visualize what would be the best answer.

It's funny, at my house my husband has much higher standards than I do. The house looks SO much better than when I was a stay-at-home mom!

My first clinical is Thursday. We're in long term care. Since the only skills we've been tested on has been hand washing, I'm expecting to do a lot of interviewing and bed-making. I've been practicing making beds all week (the CNA's in my nursing lab were giving me a hard time since I can get A's on the tests and quizzes but can't make a bed). My family is shocked, since we are such a busy family beds generally just don't get made, lol.

Take a public speaking class. Seriously! I've had social anxiety disorder most of my life and taking public speaking really helped. It gives you practice in a non-threatening environment to learn to speak to communicate. Oddly enough, I love public speaking now, and I'm always very vocal in class.

I was thrilled I got a 98% on my first nursing exam! The one question I missed out of the 50, was the one "select all" question. I even treated it like a T/F question, but still missed it. Argh.

I think you need to sit down and have a talk about what is expected from each of you so there is no misunderstanding or resentment. You really need a supporting family, especially husband, to succeed. My husband knows the hours I have to put in, not just in scheduled classes and clinicals, but also extra time in nursing lab and all that reading. Emphasize that the end goal of nursing school will benefit the whole family. My husband cooks (packs my lunch every day, too), cleans, and watches the kids. I give him an hour or two break when I get home and clean up the dinner dishes then I'm studying (usually while riding my exercise bike, trying to multitask!) until bedtime. Sure, he does vent from time to time, especially since I have a 9-2:30 class on Saturdays so the kids are not in school. That's when I pull out those therapeutic communication techniques and just listen. Don't forget to ask him how his day was to show that you care and appreciate what he is doing.

I suppose cultural diversity includes those who don't practice it. Being brown skinned, I'd probably just stick with the catch-all "I'm sorry you feel that way" and keep going with the assessment.