guest07/14/15

We start clinicals in the second semester.

As far as buying things ahead, I waited until after the first day of classes to get my books because I just wanted to make sure that we will be using the books more than once. I do not have a roller bag but many people I know do. I think that they are really good because when you get into the second semester, the books get thick. I actually would recommend getting one. When it comes to buying or renting books, you can do both. I love to rent my books because they are half the price. I do own some books like the APA manual is a must for the whole duration of the program. I bought my Med-Surg book because we will be using it for three semesters. I bought my pathophysiology book because it will be a great reference for the whole duration of the program. It all depends on you. I rent my books especially because I know if I want, I can extend my rental or purchase the book at anytime. For the uniforms, you must purchase a lab coat and the scrubs. The shoes must be white which you can find at the nursing uniform store or you can buy white sneakers (sketchers, nikes, etc.). I bought a pair of sketchers with the memory foam inside and they are perfect.

Hello Nicklancho, I think that during the first semester working part time is alright. I worked over the weekends during my first semester. Second semester, I would not recommend it at all because it is very demanding. I believe that during second semester you need to be as focused as possible because many students say that second semester is the hardest of the seven semesters. I hope that helps with the working question. If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Hello Everyone, Sorry for the late reply, well for orientation you must be dressed in business attire. You should expect to stay for the whole time and most importantly you must be on time. You will hear a lot of speeches from students, you will get to meet some of your faculty and you will also get a tour of where your classes will be located. You will get about an hour for lunch. You may play some games that will help you get to know your classmates. I do not want to give too much away. During my first semester, I had Fridays off. We had Advanced Anatomy and Physiology which will be your toughest course. Study hard for it because many people did fail that course. I had it M,T,Th 1pm-3pm. We had math for nurses which was one day a week. This course is easy as long as you do it the way that they teach you, trust me they simplify it the best way that they possibly can. This class was on W 1pm-3pm. I had Intro to Baccalaureate nursing for the first part of the semester M and W 8:45am-11:50am (I do not remember exactly the time that this class ended). We also had another course which gave us the history of nursing and that class was during the second semester in place of Intro to Baccalaureate nursing. First semester is kind of a slower step into the program, but do not take it lightly because you want to keep your GPA up. Second semester is known to be the hardest, because you have four classes where three of them require lots of reading (Intro to Foundations, Health Assessment and Pathophysiology). I believe that for the second semester, may sure that you read ahead at all times. I hope that this helps. If you have any other questions please ask me. ArinaFL

I am a current nova student. I got into the program for the fall 2014 semester. I want to wish all of you good luck. If anyone has any questions or concerns please contact me.

My nursing school is 75%. For the exams you must get a 75% average. My school goes by a point system to calculate the grades. 225 out of 300 points is what many people pray to get so that they can pass the class.

Hello Mary. I am sorry that you are feeling this way. Nursing school is difficult and at times I know that my morals were down. One way I combatted this was by focusing on positive thoughts and I kept reminding myself of why I was in nursing school. I also made a short term vision board with my three year goals. One of those goals is to graduate in December 2016. Looking at my vision board has helped me to stay focused even more.

Hello Everyone, I am a nursing student here in Florida and I have been in search for a nursing mentor. I love the nursing profession and would love to have someone with experience give me some insight into the field since there is so many routes that I can take once I graduate next year in December 2016. I also think that it would be great for those that are RN's to possibly mentor some of us students throughout our days in nursing school and into our first job. I believe that a mentor program would bring us nurses closer, provide inside tips to nursing students and be great for networking. If anyone is interested please contact me. Thank You.

I believe that you should give nursing another shot. It will not be easy but you do know what to expect. The accelerated program is tough and that is why I did not apply to one. Try another program at a slower rate where you will not fall behind as easy. Relax and breathe and do not give up on your dreams.

I just started nursing school in August and I already noticed that I am opening up to new people much faster. I am also not nervous to give presentations like I used to be.

Hey ladies, This post is geared toward the women that are student nurses. I am about to start my nursing program and I do not want to carry two bags around. So, I am still deciding between a book bag and a shoulder bag. My question is what is the must have items that I should carry around with me (example: hand sanitizer, hand lotion, etc.).

Hello Everyone, I am not too sure if there is a post about this already but I am about to enter my first semester in Nursing School, and I know school is so expensive. I thought that we could start a post about books to buy/rent or alternate options. One of my favorite places to get my books in from Amazon. I was wondering if there are other great sites that is out there for us students.

I also start nursing school on the 25th. I have my booklist and no syllabus yet. I like buying my books off Amazon because I save so much money. I just did a search on my books for the first semester on Amazon and it totals to about $200 max. That is good for a 12 credit semester. Also, look into renting your books and older editions. Many times you will be able to find the older editions online and especially between the 12th and 13th edition, the difference is so minor that you will get more out of your money on the 12th edition. I am waiting a little longer to buy my book because I hope to receive my syllabus before the semester starts that way I only get the books that I absolutely need. When it comes to the access codes, I will check the website and see if they sell them because there are a lot of students who buy used books.

Great pointers everyone. I thought that the schools gave out planners as a welcome.

I have been trying to buy some school supplies now and I just needed some advice. What really happens during orientation? Does the school provide us with some supplies like a planner, pens, etc.? What has anyone's experience with orientation been? I will be attending Nova Southeastern University in the fall but will like to know information from any school.

Hello Princess. Getting into an RN program is very difficult in these times. I have hear of schools who received 1000 applications but had enough seats for 200. Now, the area does not have too much to do with acceptance because many people are trying to get into nursing school. Having a 4.0 GPA is not everything. Many schools look at the prerequisite courses, interview and entrance exam. Moving out of Michigan will cause you to most likely pay for out of state tuition fees. You should look at all of the schools in your state. Compare and contrast the schools to see which one you will like to attend.

Yes, I did visit the Fort Myers Campus. It is where I had my interview. The campus will be a little bit of a shock because of its smaller size but when it comes to the resources, I believe that they will be able to provide you with the same information. The regional campuses and the main campus seem to work well together in the sense of communication. Good Luck and I am sure you will be accepted.

Hey VCmiami, I will be attending the Ft Myers campus this fall. I personally love the campus, because it is small and it feels more like a family atmosphere. The nursing courses are on one level so there is no running around to get to your next class. Each student is also given a locker where I believe you just need to bring your own lock. As far as for Fort Myers, there are some really nice places. You will just have to visit the area to see which place suits you. I live in Port Charlotte which is about 35 minutes away. It is a smaller, and much more quite town. I do believe that it may also be a little cheaper. Maybe, if you choose the Fort Myers campus and live in Port Charlotte, we can carpool to save on gas. That is one way that I can se myself saving money. When it comes to financial aid, I am about to start looking at my options for what I can get covered, because I do have a one year old son who will be going to daycare while I am in school. I also have other personal expenses. From what I have read, many other students have just taken out loans to pay for their living expenses (rent, electricity, cable, grocery, etc.). Working while going to the program is very challenging, so most people do not work especially if they want to succeed at a high level. So, let me know if you need any other information.

Mentally and physically I am ready. I have been in a healthy eating diet plan and I now exercise daily twice a day. The exercise has helped me to build up my energy and clear my mind. I believe I am ready for nursing school.

Go to the accredited school. I'm not too familiar with non accredited schools but I do believe there is a reason for the lack of accreditation. When applying for nursing jobs, they do say that you must graduate from an accredited program. So, to be safe, the extra drive will be your best choice.

This is embarrassing. It shows so much unprofessionalism. The hospital will probably do a retraining with the whole staff on policies.

I strongly dislike standardized testing also. When it came to studying for the TEAS and Kaplan exam, I felt sick to my stomach because of nerves. Then I realized that I just have to stay calm and do my best. Stay calm and relax because you know the information. You are smart and you have such great grades.

I received an email letting me know. I also kept calling them to stay updated on my status.

Yes we will make sure that we both have a place to work for sure before we move. Thank you for the comments everyone.

Just be patient and look into places that you would probably not look into before. Remember that as a new grad, you can apply to the residency programs in the hospitals. When applying to those programs, keep up with the recruiter to make sure that they know you are still interested in the position. Go back to your school to get recommendations from professors. Also look into nursing homes, prisons and home health agencies. While, these may not have been your first choices, you may be able to get hired easier. As a new grad, you need experience at least one year for the hospitals to look into hiring you as a staff nurse. I hope this helps. Good luck and keep up the positive energy.