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I'm almost 25 years old and I reread the Gossip girls books all the time...

Another vote for scrubs. They were mandatory for lab.

I love Saunders!

The mannikin we learned wound care on was Seymore Butts. He had a pressure ulcer on his coccyx.

My accelerated program pretty much told us on the first day that if we tried to work we would fail out. Plenty of people in my program work part time and manage to make it work. Just get really good at time management and don't bite off more than you can chew!

We aren't allowed to touch patients we aren't assigned to, some instructors at my program wont let students ambulate or even turn a patient without them. I always try to help out answering call lights but I always feel so bad when the patient desperately needs a bedpan and I have to say "Okay, let me go find somebody for you!"...And then that somebody I find gives me the evil eye because I have two hands and should be able to do it...But I don't want to get in trouble with school! Lol. I always try to help out and get as much experience as I can but ultimately I don't want to jeopardize my education.

I got in with a 2.9. I had a little too much fun in college . I took two years off, worked as a PCA, retook a class or two and it worked out. Been working my butt off and I have over a 3.9 now in my accelerated BSN program!

Working out helps me feel better physically during long shifts. I have more energy, back/legs hurt less, and its easier to lift patients!

I've never been the over achiever type of student, I graduated from college with a B.S in Health Sciences and a 2.9 gpa. When I started nursing school I was really worried because I kept hearing about how hard school was and I never really thought of myself as "smart". All of my classmates were top of their classes with their first degree, some had masters degrees etc. I went in just hoping I could pass all of my classes! Maybe its because I've found what I really love to do or maybe I'm a little older, but I have never been so motivated or hard working before in my life. I'm halfway done with my accelerated BSN and I am at the top of my class with 3.95. It feels so awesome to finally see my dedication pay off, I'm so proud of myself. At this point, while I would like to keep getting As, I wouldn't get upset with myself if I got a B. Just as long as I pass the class and I can keep carrying on the path to becoming a RN!

We can't choose. We can say "XYZ works best for me" if we have kids, etc. But for the most part we are at the mercy of the coordinator! I'm either in class all day and then I come home and study or I'm at clinical all day and I come home and study lol. This past semester, my schedule was: Monday: Class 8:30-12. Tuesday and Wednesday: Off Thursday: Clinical 6a-2 p Friday: Class 8:30-12, and then class again 1-4:30 Saturday: Clinical 6a-2 p Sunday: Clinical 6a-2p We had tests pretty much every Monday, and a careplan due every Monday at midnight so I had really busy weekends all summer!

Hahaha I saw that meme on facebook this morning and had a good laugh. Since we "front load" the first two weeks of every semester, we don't start our clinicals until 2-3 weeks in. Usually I find out where I'm a little before the first week of class, I have no clue where either of my fall placements are yet. If you want to start brushing up on your Spanish it wouldn't just benefit you in that one location, I've encountered multiple Spanish speaking patients through out my clinicals/prior CNA experience.

We were told don't wear a lot of makeup. I wear a little bit of tinted moisturizer, undereye concealer and mascara just so I don't look totally dead lol. I wouldn't wear eyeliner or lipstick, but I guess it depends on your school's rules.

Friday night me and one of my school friends planned on having pizza and studying...We ended up drinking a little too much wine and played Wii ALL night. Sure we weren't very productive but we had so much fun. The best advice people gave to me before starting school was keep doing the things you love. If you're a runner, make sure you still get out there after class and burn off some steam. Shopping, dancing, swimming, etc, whatever it does that makes you happy DO IT. I got so into the mentality that I couldn't have a life first semester that if I wasn't in class or sleeping I was studying..and yeah I got great grades but I was miserable. I make sure to have fun every day, my boyfriend and I make dinner together and then go for a long walk before bed every night, I've started to go out with my friends more, etc. I study way less than I used to but I LOVE school and have a much better quality of life. First semester I had a 3.95 and this semester I finished with a 3.94. Do the things you love to do lol.

What is hard for me may be easy for you, and vice versa. Like the only thing that I've found really "hard" about my ABSN program is how fast the pace is, and especially the lack of breaks between semester. Some people might find that this makes the program easier because the lack of breaks means they don't lose momentum between semesters, etc. Who cares what program is harder because at the end of the day the only thing that matters is that giant test we all have to pass...Regardless if your program was "easy" or "hard".

No contract per say, but my boyfriend and I have an understanding that he has to be quiet on the nights I have to be up early and give me some space while I'm studying. I do most of the grocery shopping and cooking, but during hectic weeks he'll take over. Its been pretty manageable. Whenever I'm stressed out he'll bring home takeout or go and run my errands for me. I haaaate when things around the house get messy, and my poor bf really tries to help out but he's just not very good at cleaning..I always find myself going back and recleaning up after him haha. During finals week last semester he had a maid service come by and clean our house when I was at school. That was pretty awesome.

Thank you every one for the advice!

I love my nursemate doves. Not stylish at all but cheap and comfy

I would totally do AHA BLS for health care providers because you're probably going to need that one for nursing school! I had the red cross cpr for health care providers card and school made me retake the AHA version..50 dollars and it was no different than my previous class but the AHA seems to be the "gold standard" name brand!

Maybe not! But I've already been checked off on pretty much..everything? at least I can think of in skills lab. All schools are different! My first rotation is only three times a week for a little less than 2 months, and then I start pedi/maternity. I've just given injections on a real human 2-3 times, the rest on a mannequin so hopefully they let me do it in clinical.

Thank you so much for all of the positive words! Yeah we do meds, foleys, wounds, assessment, the whole shebang in our first rotation! I took fundamentals, skills, health assessment, pharmacology, etc my first semester and I gave injections and did assessments at a free clinic but haven't done it since. Now that I'm starting med surg we are expected to do everything...eep! I have to keep reminding myself that they're not going to give me like a trainwreck patient on day 1 and expect me to swoop in all on my own, someones going to be watching over me, etc. I think I just keep picturing myself walking in, given my assignment and then being thrown off on my own for the rest of the shift. Hahaha and if I know one thing as an ex CNA its how important it is to get others on your side!

I agree with everyone else - don't take the actual exam just apply for tech jobs. I think sitting for the exam costs 100 dollars (or more?).

I start my first clinical placement in next week! I am excited, anxious, and quite frankly terrified! Any one have any tips for how to succeed in clinicals? Or how to get rid of these jitters...I worked as a PCA for 2 years and managed to pull a 3.95 in fundamentals, pharm, etc...As comfortable as I feel in the hospital setting and as confident I am with my education so far I keep getting hit with waves of "Someone out there is going to trust me enough to let me stab them with needles!"

I'd say pain just because its the only actual problem. The rest are just possibilities that are important to prevent.

Nursing, PA, biomedical students, etc all took the same patho at my school....

Ohh. I was picturing her punching and kicking the bag just for the hell of it. Longchamps look similar and I can see why she'd think it is her friends - even if you say they look different to someone who isn't into fashion they might not be able to notice the difference. It sounds like you feel pretty strongly that you need to do something about the situation.If you did bring it up to the school, her saying she thought it was her friends bag is a pretty valid defense, the school will probably tell you just to leave the bag at home and the girl and her friends could just get nastier. I'm sorry these girls are upsetting you though! And PS - There are plenty of sweet girls out there that carry fake bags and don't plan on going to grad school .