adnstudent44

use the book "straight A's in nursing" saved me when i was having trouble in pharm, im like a broken record on here always praising it.

definitely buy off amazon! the school bookstores always charge too much and if you end up without the access code, the book's website often lets you buy the access code by itself; I've done this for pearson multiple times and it still ends up cheaper than if I bought from the school bookstore new or used.

Thank you for the advice! I really appreciate it!

Hello! I am about to start my last year of my ADN program at a community college in VA this fall. If all goes well I will graduate Spring of 2015. This summer I am researching BSN programs for ADNs as well as hopefully starting a doula certification. My question: While looking up different ADN to BSN programs in Virginia, I found the ADN to CNM program at Shenandoah University. Is it a good idea to go straight from an ADN program into a program like this? I have talked to one of my professors and she thinks that ADN students should be in the work force first before they pursue specialties. However, if my research is correct, the website says I would first get my BSN with them, and then go on to get a Masters as a CNM. Your opinions on whether this is a good idea would really be appreciated, or any information on this program would be great too! I am hopefully going to open houses for this program as well as the other ADN-BSN programs this summer during break. Oh! Also, if it helps, I intend on working as an RN while obtaining my BSN or CNM. I think most ADN to BSN programs want you to have a certain amount of experience or to be working while in the program anyway. Thank you so much for any input you could give me!

lol! well I bombed my first pharm test, so it was close to impossible getting an A after that, but the book definitely helped me slavage myself in that class. I have used it since for my other classes as well. I often chose to use it over a lot of drug books because it has a lot of the same information.

This! I totally agree that if there is a grievance, it is usually deemed the students fault, justly or unjustly. I just try and be quiet. There was an issue at our program and one of our "better students" who was also the class rep, thought that she could say something since the professors new her well from being the class rep. Well, she is no longer one of our "better" students, and just barely passed because her clinical grade was lowered a whole letter grade because of not being "professional," which was referring to the problem she brought up. This sent the administrations message loud and clear to the rest of us: "Be quiet!"

I am currently in an ADN program, and although I am doing very well, and have a few great teachers, I do not think ADN programs are exempt from the same issues that BSN programs have. My county college has the same ATI challenges as the rest, as well as other problems. I'm just glad I have some professors who at least try to advocate for us students! I try my best to "advocate" for our professors, but the administration makes it difficult for us to be able to.

Let me just add, that yes I know there are "newbies" out there who are rude or disrespectful and yes sometimes when they say something, I cringe. I am not talking about that. I was more referring to when people try to talk about policy change and others say well I got through it so its fine. When in reality, yes you got through it, but that doesn't mean we can't try and make it better. (and no better doesn't mean easier) I apoloigize if that all came out wrong.

I think part of the problem with nursing education is that those that are qualified to teach nursing school often have to take a pay cut to pursue teaching. As a result, many stay working in the hospitals or other facilities. I am very lucky to have some great instructors, but they told me themselves that they could be making much more out in the field but are teaching because it is their passion and/or because it gave them a flexible schedule to be with their kids more. It's unfortunate that nursing educators aren't valued enough to be payed as such. I think we are all suffering because of it, educators and students alike. As for the "nursing-prep industry?" I think its crazy, we were given a long list of expensive textbooks to buy, then when students were having difficulty in my class, some profs looked at them aghast and said "Well no wonder?!?! how could you possibly think that you could get by without purchasing extra books by so and so even though we don't cover it in class, mention it at all, etc. ATI is a total joke in my opinion, and I get so confused when professors I respect and have learned from stand by it, or say, " Sorry we cannot see the ATI tests because their content would be compromised so we cannot answer your questions about them." Or worse, tell me behind closed doors they too dislike ATI but can't do anything about it because their hands are tied. I have been doing fairly well so far with one more year to go, but I can't help but feel sorry for my fellow classmates who have been struggling. Then when our dean tried to use me and the few others who passed our tests first try as examples of why ATI works....well lets just say I had to bite my lip. I''ve been slowly noticing, though, that to some people when us "newbies" point out flaws we see or issues, other more veteran nurses take on the defensive and think we are attacking them. If they could do it why shouldn't you be able to? I don't disagree there, and I do believe I will be able to do it. I will graduate and hopefully with honors too through my schools honors program. However, that doesn't mean I don't think the system is flawed, or that things could and should be changed. One thing that I love about nursing is the creativity and adaptability that the profession yields, but even as I write this I felt like I had to "defend" myself by throwing in that I am doing well in school because I feel like other people in these forums will assume I am doing poorly because I think there are problems in nursing education. That fear that I have and acted on is the problem. If changes are going to be made to better nursing education's future its going to take the new graduates and the educators already out there to do it. Meanwhile though, any of the students out there with a decent head on their shoulder like me are just learning to keep your head down and get your degree, which really saddens me. I'm not dense though, so, that is what I am going to do.

thanks! this is great!

i used "Straight A's in Pharmacy" its a book I got from barnes and noble. I didn't get an A but I got a B for the class.

here* ugh typo, sorry thats just embarrassing.

Yes. The only thing that keeps those fears at bay is reading posts on hear from veteran nurses talking about how you don't really learn anything until you get your first job. I'm going to make sure during my first interviews to ask about what kind of training/orientation the employers provide too! I definitely take my clinical grades more seriously than my test grades, though, because hearing from my instructors how I am doing gives me more confidence in my ability as a future nurse. 1 more year!

We had all of our skills checked off before we started our first clinical, otherwise we were not allowed to start clinical. I think it depends on the program, because I definitely had to be prepared to do anything starting my first week, which my instructor explained and stressed with us. @ellaballet its okay to be nervous, its impossible not to be, just try and not show it to the patient and if you have any questions about a skill you are about to do for the first time on a patient make sure to ask your instructor first and not in front of your patient. Don't feel embarrassed, just ask something like, "This is my first time and I just want to run through all the steps with you..." Don't straight up ask/say you don't know what to do (because well you should know it if you were checked off), but just talk through it with your instructor. Also, I don't know what you have had in your program, but we had a CD for our computer that played videos of the skills we learned in fundamentals. I made sure to rewatch everything before clinical, just as a refresher. It helped a little bit with my nerves and gave me some confidence. Hope I've helped a little bit! Good Luck!

I did mostly CNA duties but I also did give my first shot and pass meds for my first clinical. As for tips? I agree with the first responder who said don't ask questions while the RN is pulling meds for your patient. Our instructor actually told us that directly as a rule. Bring everything they tell you to bring, but at the same time bring as little as possible. We had girls in our group who had their pockets full to brim and it made them bulky and hard to move patients when they needed to. After 1-2 weeks their pockets lightened up quick. Definitely develop a rapport with the nurses, but also develop one with the CNAs too. Depending on your facility or the department you are in, sometimes the nurses won't have time that moment to help you or answer right away, but the CNA might be able to (as long as its not something that only an RN can answer) which brings me to the last tip I have, one thing you should really try to memorize if you haven't already is know what RNs, LPNs, and CNAs, can and can't do. It might sound like common sense, and maybe it is, but sometimes you are in a situation where someone asks you to do something you think you can't do, or you see someone doing something you think they can't do but they ask for your help. Make sure you know all of those protocols for the facility and for your school, because sometimes your facility might allow something your school doesn't because its stricter. If you know it well, then when something like that comes up you won't have to second guess yourself.

I just finished my first semester of clinical, and I have to say I feel very fortunate to have the instructors I had and will continue to have my last year of nursing school. The main instructor I had this semester really helped "set a tone" for my nursing education. I know that probably sounds...wonky but I don't know how else to put it. My class is about 20 students and we were divided up into four groups split between two facilities. You could tell that students instructed by different professors have a different "rhythm" of sorts and I feel like I really lucked out in having the professor who I think best fit my personal rhythm perfectly. But what was the best was that she didn't let us get too comfortable. All of our instructors are so intelligent and capable, but moreover, they are close with each other. As a result, I feel like my instructor made sure that we will be prepared for next fall when we will rotate through all of the professors as instructors at the hospital. She gave me confidence, but did not hold my hand. She made sure that I worked as independently as possible, but also showed how us nursing students should work together as a team when necessary. There were also many nurses at the facility who had to work with us who didn't really get a choice. But all of the RNs I encountered were compassionate and amazing to work with. I could tell that the facility had way too many schools coming to the same place (one week there were 6 different schools I think) but the RNs did not take it out on the students or the patients. I made sure to be as helpful as possible, but the RNs at the facility taught me so much. I read threads on here sometimes about students who have horrible times, and so I truely do feel lucky to have only encountered amazing nurses so far. The LPNs and CNAs were great too! I learned a lot of hands on things from them as well and learned a lot about patient rapport watching them interact with their patients one on one at the LTC facility. It really makes a difference to us newbie nursing students to have such great experiences. I will never forget the people I worked with this semester for my first clinical. I might still have doubts here and there when things get difficult, but I have confidence now and I have many nurses to thank for that.

This notion that only Filipinos strive to work in the ICU because it impresses their families is ridiculous, do a poll at any given nursing school whether it be adn or bsn and you will find many nursing students who want to work in such and such department to get respect from their family, or because thats where their mother worked, or because thats where their grandmother worked....you dont have to be Filipino for that to be your motive; there are easily many black, white, spanish, etc, students who would all fit the bill. Granted not all nursing students have that as their motive for desiring a certain job out of graduation, but to say its based on race, or only occurring in one culture is ludicris.

except most people responding weren't commenting on the OP's question....I think its understandable if the poster feels exasperated

I really like the books "Straight As" in... they have them for each subject, like "Straight A's in Pharmacy" or "Straight As in Mental Health." My first semester I was struggling with the questions, I felt that I knew the material but did not know how to apply it the way the questions did. I went out to the book store and looked through all the nurse prep books for hours until I found one I really liked and it was those. I ended up with a B in pharm and a B in fundamentals after I bombed the first test for each. This past spring semester I used them again for Mental health and for fundamentals 2. This coming fall I will definitely get their book for medsurg. I like how they break down the information by need to know, helpful to know, and hints. They also have quick facts in the margins and an index that is pretty easy to navigate. One of my biggest pet peeves is getting a prep book that has a horrible index; how can you make a book and have a horrible index?! but yea check the books out! I hope I was helpful!

Hey, for what its worth, I understood your OP and didn't take it as judgmental either. In fact, to me you sounded very empathetic to the patient, but I am still only an ADN student, so what do I know? People close to me have been patients in need of medical marijuana, but they lived in states that "made it difficult." Its a shame you didn't get the kind of responses you were looking for because I was excited to read them. I thought it would be interesting, but unfortunately the thread didn't go that way.

as I said in my original post, our program claims it is the "updated version." However, the errors seem to say otherwise

So I know that ATI is just a way of life for a lot of nursing schools and as I am about to finish my first year of my ADN program I get it. I passed my first two ATI tests (Fundamentals and Mental Health) first time around so I'm not "complaining" because I couldn't pass. However, while I was studying for the fundamental's test I took the practice tests on the site and I realized that some of the information is really really backwards/old. For the rationales for questions about CPR they use ABC (airway, breathes, compression) while, correct me if I'm wrong, its been changed by the American Heart Association to CAB (compressions, airway, breathes) for some time now. In addition, we were told this content was just recently updated and that was why they changed the benchmark number required to pass. Whenever discrepancies are brought to our professors they state that 1. they cannot see the test content because it would jeopardize the testing validity and 2. that we need to get "used" to questions having answers different that are taught in our classes/lectures because the NCLEX is written by nurses across the country. This is frustrating to me because I feel as though this is not an accurate analogy. Yes, test questions on the NCLEX are written by nurses across the country so when we learn a certain skill the order we learned it in might be slightly different, or lab values might be slightly different in their normal ranges. I get that I need to understand the concepts I am taught so that I can apply them no matter who writes the test and use critical thinking. I understand all this, but testing students on CPR incorrectly seems categorically different. I feel like professors are turning a blind eye simply because it helps the programs compare themselves to other programs. It is for the school's benefit, not the students; we are just stuck with the ATI bill. Also, how the heck can our professors teach us the content that will be on the tests if they don't know what we are being tested on? If they trust the ATI content so well, why don't they use the ATI books? and not separate textbooks? I have come to the conclusion that I have to learn two ways: 1. the correct content my professors teach me and 2. the incorrect content ATI gives us. I feel like the students in my class who are failing by 1% below the benchmark are being denied the 5% of their grade unfairly. I just deem myself fortunate for being able to catch the discrepancies. How can nursing programs decide if the ATI program/product is being successful if they cannot view the test after it is taken? To me it seems like nursing programs won't be able to adequately assess its school's progress as it uses the ATI product.

practice nclex style questions, I know its a repeat, but do it! also, if your program has ATI practice those types of questions too. IMO they are two different kinds of styles and I had to "learn" them both. Find a good study partner early on if possible, but try to avoid a huge group because less tends to get done with too many ppl. Also find a great drug book, and a pharm class book. A drug book just has the nitty gritty stuff you need, but a "pharm class" book, kind of breaks down the types of topics you need to know for unit tests. (I use "Straight A's in Pharmacology") Also, if you buy extra resource books to help you study- try to get bang for your buck, but also sit down at the book store and really look at them. I made the mistake in the first semester of buying what i thought was the best dollar priced book, but when I got home and started using it, id realize it didnt really help me with what I needed, so I ended up spending more money on another book.

for pharm, the book that helped me most was Straight A's in nursing (http://www.amazon.com/Straight-As-Nursing-Pharmacology-Springhouse/dp/1582556962) You will still need a drug book for safe dose ranges, but this book gives a great breakdown on what to know and how to study it. It also has quick reference info for each drug in the margins of each page.

Okay at this point this is my last post on here, because I feel like this thread is just beating a dead horse. The point of my question was, why is the behavior of complaining about being mistreated okay for RNs but not for student nurses? The answer that its okay because this is a nurses site doesn't make any sense because it is still condoning the behavior- meaning that you still accept it as okay behavior from the RN, but not the student. Of course student nurses will want to ask other experienced RNs for their opinion on it, that's the purpose of this site. I'm just saddened to see some RNs defend this type of bullying and behavior, however I do know not all RNs do, so that at least comforts me. But the simple fact that RNs believe they should not be mistreated by busy doctors who can't be bothered with them, should mean that RNs should not be doing the same to student nurses. This idea that student nurses who want to learn are feeling entitled or naive is counterproductive. If a student is naive because he/she doesn't know what to expect, then that's the school's or facility's fault for not preparing them. The whole reason for clinicals is so that the student can learn those things that can't be learned in the classroom- rolling your eyes at the student or getting angry at them for not knowing those things is well....illogical. I feel very fortunate that I am not experiencing this at my clinicial. The nurses, LPNs, RNs, and CNAs, have all worked well with me- allow me to listen to reports on my patient, and let me know when I can be helpful or when they want me to step back or just watch. Never once are they rude to me, and their reports to my instructor have been all positive. I am sorry for the the student nurses on here who are experiencing the opposite and I hope you all can work through it and graduate! I hope that my opinion on this thread won't have upset the RNs on here so that in the future when I seek help, I won't receive it. I have asked questions in the past and have received very helpful advice; I do respect all of the experienced nurses and CNAs, but I will say this thread has really saddened and depressed me. I suppose I am no longer going to be "naive" about the politics and "ranks" in nursing.