kelsiedana

And I'm taking over a full load this semester! Science comes easy to me when I want to learn about it- so that's what makes everything a little easier for me. But, it's still a lot!

I manage to do it. I work 2 jobs totaling around 26hrs a week as well. You just have to figure out a way to make it work, that's really what it comes down to! It's very hard and very tiring. But, it won't be forever! Keep positive thoughts!

Great! Thanks so much!

I apologize for my grammar and miss spelled words- haha! iPhones ?!

Someone informed me that I could get my CNA certification just by taking the test (without having to go through a CNA program) ONCE I finished my FIRST semester in a nursing program. Is this accurate information??

I took classes for 3 years at a local community college working towards their nursing program. I had all you typical prereq pre-nursing courses (a&p 1 and 2, microbio ect...) I had to keep retaking the courses because I could not get above a mid C average. Once I got to the final- I bombed and it killed my cumulative gpa. I took a year off and I recently started over and applied to a university as undecided because I knew I wouldn't get into the nursing program with my hs record and what happened at the community college. I am currently an A+ student in all of my pre-nursing classes. It's happening because I have 100% motivation to be a nurse and to succeed. I never did test well- when I took that year off I had a talk with myself and I told myself if I want this bad enough- I'm just going to have to learn to test well! And that is what I did! I study my butt off and I do different studying methods all the time. Here are some that I find most helpful for me: 1. Be as organized as you possibly can be. The more organized you are- the easier it will be for you to find information to study for midterms and finals! 2. Stay ahead of your class. Read the chapter BEFORE the lecture on that chapter- take notes. If you are provided with outlines before the chapters- great! Utilize them and elaborate on them before your professor lectures it. That way, when he/she is lecturing you can sit back and retain what he/she is saying and jot down anything necessary that you missed in your notes. 3. Flash cards are great- but don't spend all of your time making them. I used to find myself making SO many flash cards and then never even having the time to study them. Make some for very important things that you must memorize! Ex: the pathogenic prokaryote bacteria. Or cranial nerves. 4. Draw diagrams and pictures to help you understand things. Ex: Get a white board to practice balancing chemical equations! 5. Make outlines for each chapter of important information you need to know for your test. Save it for the final! (I love doing this!) Most importantly: Don't slack off- you're gonna be tired when you get home from a long day and that phone call from your friend to go to the bar is going to be very tempting- DONT DO IT. If they don't understand, they were never a true friend to begin with. Eat healthy- your brain functions when you have the proper nutrition going into your body. When you eat like crap, you perform like crap- in every area of your life! Make time to do stuff you love doing at least once a week- you need to stay sane and relax!

Grades are almost 100% the reason you will or will not get into a nursing program. Extra activities on and off campus look great, but they're not taken in consideration when the board is determining who gets into the program and who doesn't. They look specifically at your grades in your science courses and your GPA. If it came down to it and it was between you and someone else competing for one seat, they're going to look at your GPA's. If you have even the slightest of a higher GPA, they'll choose you. I've had my fair share of experiences with many different nursing programs and every single one has told me that my best bet was to keep my GPA as high as I could and to do excellent in my science classes! *I also do volunteer work and participate immensely at my school and my advisor told me that if I am struggling because I'm doing too much on the side to stop and focus on my GPA- she said as good as it looks, the nursing program wants to see if I have the brains because they already know I have the heart since I in fact made the decision to want to be a nurse! Luckily, it's working out for me and I am in your situation and trying to get into my schools nursing program for spring 2014! Good luck!

Thanks for all the great advice everyone!

Hi all! I am in my first semester of nursing school and I do have 2 part time jobs and over a full load of classes (I'm taking 7 classes!). I was considering quitting one of my jobs and try to get an internship at the local hospital across the street from my school. I think it would be smart to get my foot in the door so maybe I have a better chance getting a nursing job after I graduate with my BSN and become an RN. Is this a smart idea?? Is it hard to get a nursing job in a hospital after graduation?? Advice very much appreciated from current nurses or anyone in my situation! Thanks!

Just relax, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you know this. Because you do. You're letting your head and anxiety get the best of you. Don't- over come it by telling yourself you can do it. Once you do it more and more you'll eventually free yourself of being afraid! Be confident! It will take you a long way! Best to you!!!

I use the old school pen and paper over here! I find that I retain the material more when I hand write it because it makes me think about it. At first I would get so caught up in writing EVERY little thing the professors said and what was on the power points that I would start to miss other things that the professor was talking about. However, I learned to only take notes on the key points! It's a lot of discipline to hand write notes but you have to do what works for you! Also, what helps me a lot is to read the chapters before the lectures and take my own notes. That way I can sit back and listen and jot down anything I missed in my own notes or add to them if necessary. *this is my favorite way. And luckily for me, my professors give us outlines before hand so that we can elaborate on them ourselves if we want too.