Trenata

I have always been an introverted person and I definitely feel shy at party's or in big groups. As I get older, the more I mature, the less shy I have become. However, I also have to say that becoming competent and skilled in a subject matter also helps me to to feel more confident. When I know what I am talking about and what I am doing, I feel more confident. So, I think if you study hard and really learn all that you need to know to become a nurse, then you will feel more confident. Also, as nurses, I think we do work more one on one with patients - of course you do deal with the family a lot and the other medical professionals taking care of the patient. I am not a nurse yet, so I cannot say for sure. Anyway, I like the idea of the acting class too as horrifying as it may sound to a shy person! I have been thinking about doing it if I can find the time.

That would have made me angry too! However, it says more about those people than it does you and you handled it well! They acted like jerks!

I am not sure if I am going to have time to read everything I am suppose to for my micro class. Our teacher has a great system that she set up in masterinmicrobiology.com where we have to complete A LOT of assignments. This is good because our entire grade is not dependent on the exams and we earn a lot of points doing assignments, pre-labs, quizzes and a practice exam while learning at the same time. This isn't going to allow as much time to read. The professor also gives us learning objectives. I really do like that the professor has provided so much material to help us learn and is really proactive at helping the students do well. She did say it is important to read too. I haven't taken the first exam yet, so I am not sure how important reading will be or if all this other learning material will be enough. I do have a study guide that I could read which really sums it up! What do you all do?

Auditing sounds like a good plan!

I think if you want to know for sure if you want to be a nurse is to find a hospital or volunteer position where you can either shadow a nurse (if it is possible) or be a volunteer and expose yourself to the environment. Also, I would look into other nursing programs and apply to more than one.

All your other science classes will build on chemistry - so it is important. You have to read the material and follow it up with other ways of learning, e.g. videos (youtube), visual learning, etc. What other classes are you taking? Do you have too heavy a load this semester? I took all my classes until this semester online, so it is possible to do well in a class and teach yourself. You just have to use a variety of tools to do it. It is fun to see it all coming together now that I am in microbiology.

I too feel that I put a lot more than the "recommended" amount of time for science courses in particular. I think it will pay off in the long run. I am older too, almost 37, so maybe age has affected my ability to learn as quickly - I don't know...sometimes when someone says "oh I only studied 2-3 a week for microbiology" and now that I am taking it, I wonder how it is even possible to study that little.

Learn to teach yourself and you will be successful! I took online courses for years, and teaching yourself is an extremely valuable tool. Read the book, lecture notes and utilize online videos, youtube, Mastering Biology or whatever study tool goes along with your text book. Discover and understand your style of learning (visual, auditory, or Kinesthetic) and use that too to figure out the best way for you to study.

Honestly, I think you do need to snack more while studying - brain needs glucose - you use more while studying. Just choose a healthy snack option!

I am not in the program yet, but when is the class start date? I am just curious if it follows the same schedule as the the other NCTC classes...I hope so, because the current NCTC calendar matches my son's school calendar wonderfully! Good luck everyone~

Do you all start class this Tuesday, August 20th or are you all going to orientation?

Grammar and spelling errors in a medical/professional environment can result in harm to your patient and also give others an understanding of your level of education and/or seriousness and maturity! I took online classes recently where the only communication was via email or forums. The instructor clearly stated that if you do not take the time to clearly communicate and double check your spelling, that she would not respond because it simply didn't matter to you.

I agree not eating enough will cause weight gain on top of the stress. Then adding the constant (high fructose corn syrup) coke is all a recipe for weight gain. Eating is very important to keep those stress hormones balanced, and eating a balanced diet is even more important. Why not replace the coke with iced tea? As you get older and experience more stress, you simply cannot do the sames things you did growing up. Metabolism changes and with that comes the need to make lifestyle changes.

Chlorophyll taken regularly or Chlorella, it is an internal deodorizer and very healthy and detoxifying. If you aren't flossing regularly, bacteria gets stuck between the teeth and smell bad. If you haven't flossed in a while, try flossing and then smelling it it and see how nasty it smells. I use something called Earth Paste that does a great job of keeping me fresh. It isn't your typical toothpaste, it is basically bentonite clay which will help detox and alkalize the mouth. Also, I have a feeling that popping gum, mints, and candy is probably at the root of the problem. Try eating some parsley a sprig. It will naturally freshen breath! Drinking water, and keeping a moist mouth will help too.

I am a stay at home mom and found that planning isn't enough. There are many times when kids have to stay home from school sick or we get sick, or someone has to go to the doctor, dentist, etc. I started studying ahead of time to help compensate for the times when I might get behind. I was able to download the syllabus a week or two prior to class and start reading. This helped me at least get ahead in my reading so when my son was home sick from school for a week, I didn't fall behind...then I got sick too. So, work ahead as much as you can to help compensate for those times that you may fall behind due to life circumstances. That is what worked for me last year when I was taking accelerated courses.

Just get your A&P I book and study the chapter's on cell biology and chemistry and you will know. That is all you will need.

Wow, that seems like a lot less time. I am glad I chose a regular semester this time...I was getting burned out on the accelerated classes after 2 semesters.

Last semester I took all accelerated 8 week classes at UTA including sociology, biology and A&P I. I wish I had known about NCTC sooner, because I feel I basically wasted my time. Anyway, when I took the accelerated biology and A&P I, I would say it was full time. I studied at least 30 hours a week - there was no actual class and it was all online. I am currently signed up for micro and dev psych at NCTC for a traditional semester. It has been 15 years since I took traditional classes. About how many hours per week did you all devote to a science course like micro at NCTC?

It sounds like you are on the right path by going through the program at your high school! Good luck!

I hope to apply for nursing school in the fall of 2014. If for some reason I do not get accepted, then I would like to find another skilled degree where I can apply recent college credits. There are only 2 nursing programs in my area that are suitable for my personal situation, unless I consider a hugely expensive private university. I have an associate's degree in liberal arts, so basically I am taking science courses now. I am turning 37 soon and feeling pressured for time. What are some other skilled bachelor's degrees I could pursue if nursing school doesn't work out? I thought about dietetics since there is program nearby, but it really isn't where my heart is even though it may be the best option. I have struggled with my weight for years despite all the nutrition knowledge gained after studying to become a nutrition consultant and regular exercise, I am still overweight (mostly due to stress and hypothyroidism). I feel that even if I pursued dietetics, I wouldn't be taken seriously. Don't get me wrong, I love nutrition and it has always been a passion, however I feel weight would an issue. So, what are some other options that won't take me another 4 years of school if I don't get accepted into a nursing program? I need to get a job and be able to support myself and my son in the next few years. Also, dietetics would require 3 more years of college along with a 1 year internship.

If you haven't had any science is a long while, then I would recommend you take only one science course. I think it would be doable to take A&P I and nutrition together. However, I think it would be tough to take 2 major science (e.g. A&P I and micro) courses together, unless you are really great at science and have a lot of time to study.

When I went to the information session recently, the nursing director said that they have the scrubs available for purchase during orientation. I don't know about the other needed items, but I bet if you call the nursing dept they will be able to tell you! :-)

I took statistics about 10 years ago. I did well, (made a B) but I really don't remember anything about it and math is a weak subject for me. How do you use it in nursing school and would it benefit me to take it again? My school accepts my old stats. I only have one class to take next spring and was trying to decide if I wanted to take another class again or just use that time to study for my pre-entrance exam along with my final pre-req class.

If you haven't taken any sciences, I would start with one and make sure you can handle more than one. They are a heavy load to begin with but with 3 hard sciences classes and kids, it could be too much. For instance, my microbiology instructor says that the class requires about 20 hours of study time outside of the classroom per week.

Thanks jlg311! I am glad you put this information out there. I searched AllNurses for info about the Kaplan Exam, and there wasn't too much available. So this will definitely be very helpful to all future Kaplan exam takers. I received my Kaplan Exam study book today. The math in this study guide covers more than the basic functions, fractions and percentages. Do you think it is a waste of time to review all the non-related math? Do you think this book or the Kaplan dosage calculations book prepared you more for the actual exam? I plan to work through these tw0 books over the next year a few times as math is a really weak subject for me. Thanks again!