gearedup

I just finished my first semester, and I'm not going to make light out of it: it was hard! But it is doable. It does get hard sometimes to balance family, just remember to focus on quality time with your spouse and children. I forced myself to have at least 1 hour of high quality time a day minimum. I usually had more. Time management is key! I also highly recommend that you have some sort of exercise regimine if u don't already. Even if its just 20 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. I started halfway through the semester, and my focus was much better and I was happy. I exercised with my son! Take time to at least take a few minutes for yourself now and then. Even if its just to take a longer shower with a new body wash, giving yourself a facial, anything u enjoy that makes u feel a little pampered. Study, study, study, but give yourself permission to have a life. I finished with A's and 1 B, and I'm not a naturally great student, I'm 40. It can be done!

It really is dependent on where you live. I live in a rural area, and I was far better off going the LVN route first. I know many new RNs that are driving from 50-80 miles to work in order to reach a level of pay that is worth it versus what an LPN makes. I too plan on adding a second bs (in nursing) in due time. We all follow different paths for different reasons. I'm choosing to work closer to home, with pay just a few dollars shy of what local rn's are making. I also have all but 1 pre-req finished, and I enjoy attaining my goals my way. If the results aren't satisfactory, I have no one to blame but myself

I have no problem with people having tattoos. However, we are covered in skin, the majority of it can be inked without showing in typical work attire. Don't ink arms, necks , and faces because they can hurt you in an already competitive job market. It is what it is.

80% In the LPN program I am in. I don't find it too difficult except in adult nursing, right now I am thrilled to maintain my 89 in it, that class is about to eat me alive! I've wondered what the level of difficulty in the curriculum is among the schools with the different grade requirements. I admit that I am fairly obsessive about my grades though.

The thing is though, its all about perspective. I don't know how distracting knitting would be because I having experienced it. But I routinely hear eating and slurping noises, people on phones, interrupting professors, all of these very obnoxious and distracting to me. I think all of the above are unacceptable in class. I'm old school myself. I guess I fail to see how what op is doing is any more rude than what else is going on. Oh, and the guy that hits on EVERYONE. On the bright side, our work environment will never be without distractions either, so we can just get used to it, I guess!

Im a student myself, but this topic has been discussed between me and the multitudes in my family and friends that work in healthcare. Basically, all these answers are somewhat correct. Yes, you have to toughen up some. But nor all workplaces have this environment. One friend had such a horrible group of bullies that she worked with she found another job in 6 weeks. On the bright side, she furthered her education and became one of that groups bosses few years later :-) . You MUST toughen up and learn to deal with people, you must learn your craft, and you will find that while there are many messed up bullies in this world, its also chock full of good ones too!

I would ask your instructor. Personally, by far the most distracting thing to me is when students play on their phones constantly. Followed by the handful of people that have stories about "someone they know had that, blah blah blah". Storytelling by the same people drives me bonkers! I would enjoy you peacefully knitting, but its up to your teacher. I draw designs in class sometimes when I'm really closely wrapped up in the lecture, so I understand what you are doing. I'm making A's and 1 b so I think its working for me!

They each have their place. I have done my prereqs online, I can work at my own pace, and don't have to deal with distractions from silly students. I can't imagine taking my nursing program online though. It does me some good to use all my senses. If the over-sharers would just hush it would be great

Yes, this remark is what got this whole thread sidetracked to begin with! Its as if its OK for some to be condescending but not others..... anyway, i would go as far up the chain as needed to fix this! Get your fellow students involved too.

Also, my tip specifically for A&P is to watch a you tube lecture on the chapter you are going to be covering in class BEFORE you have your class lecture, or before you start studying the chapter if you are taking it online. I went from making C's to making A's in a month when I started doing that.

I'm no expert, but I have figured out this much in my earlier years in college and in the nursing program now. Everyone has a unique way in which they learn and retain information. Some use notecards, others read text a lot, others watch all the you tube videos they can find pertaining to the subject matter. I retain best studying often for very short periods of time (anywhere from 5-30 min) and watching some videos. I also like to group topics together in such a way that makes sense to me, not just like the instructor lays them out. Aside from that, you have to learn to think nclex style when studying and testing. I have strange conversations in my head when I'm reviewing, but it's what makes it stick for me. Like I told a fellow student a few days ago: you are no less intelligent than the student who is making straight a's. As long as you aren't missing classes (the kiss of death, IMO), or have too many distractions, I think you simply havn't found "your" way yet. Good luck to you!

I guess that's me, too! I've always been a bit of a "mother hen". Grouchy at times, but always want to help make things better :-)

It isn't that there will be legal action taken against you, but if you are in nursing school, you are pretty well at their mercy as to whether or not you remain there as far as conduct goes. I reviewed our list (it's about a 40 page handout!) of guidelines and rules a couple days ago after an instructor suggested we all review to prevent any "misunderstandings". It has serious consequences for inappropriate social media usage, among many other "no-no's". Between my family and school, I don't really have time for any no-no's anyway. Darn it

In the last 6 months of my father's life, he had a multitude of health issues, knew he didn't have long to live, and he and the family wanted him to be able to spend that time at home and not in a nursing home. Between a bed sore he acquired during hospitalization, ostomy, feeding tube to his stomach (forgot the actual word for that ) , his limited mobility, etc, and very little home health help overall, I received a crash course in nursing as a lay-person. I treasure that time I spent with him, reminiscing and helping to make him as comfortable as possible. That drove me to desire to be a nurse. Anyone with a similar story?

I mainly read only the sections that include material from the outlines/powerpoints and what we touched on in class. I'd say when it's all said and done, I pretty much do the reading eventually. I just don't see where the time is to read chapters before class! I have found that overall, the study guides that we purchased with our textbooks were a complete waste of money, other than the handful of nclex style questions. I started out working through them at the beginning, but didn't find they helped me.

I hope I have nurses like you when I start clinicals! I really enjoy doing my skills checkoffs (the first few made me a nervous wreck, but it's so much better now!), and I can't wait do be "in the real world". I've done a lot of hands-on stuff as a "lay-person" tending to my father in the months he was home before he passed away, and developed a passion for patient care. You really can make a difference, even if it's just in their comfort level.

I understand that marijuana does help stress, but it will add more stress to your life because of how it can affect you in school and work. I would wait to enroll the next round, so you won't have this hanging over your head. Good luck to you! If insurance is a problem, have you ever tried st johns wort? That is my go-to med for times of stress because I hate the way antidepressants make me feel. Appreciate your honesty :)

I have to pay extremely close attention to the wording of the test questions and answers. I have found that what trips me up the most is the extra unneeded information in the questions. If u can write on or tests, mark out the distracting info, underline important key words. Analyze that test!

I'm in my first semester of LPN school. My grades are good, to be honest they are far better than I thought I could make. However, there are some that aren't doing so well. The teachers keep telling these students they they need to be reading and rereading the chapters to improve their grades. The problem I have with that is that most of the students that are doing well dont read the chapters, other than to just read sections to reinforce lecture and outline topics. Myself included. I started out doing all the reading and just barely passed at first. After I focused my studying and analyzing my test questions better my grades improved. How many of you did the chapter reading work for? It seems to me a waste of your study time. Or am I going to pay for this come nclex time?

I understand the OP's response to this situation. If the cheating was done in a nursing class (I mean outright, intentional cheating, not a plausible mistake in citing or misunderstandings about working in groups) they should be removed from the program. First offense. May sound hard of me, but if someone's eventual job is going to have an impact on someones health, they need to be out of there. Anyone that would submit another's work for a nursing class, would lie in charting and taking care of a patient as a nurse. Period. Dishonesty is dishonesty.Who would want to have their parents, children, and grandchildren taken care of by someone that cheated in nursing school?

I would think If you are in nursing school, you would have to cover everything no matter what your circumstances. I wouldn't worry about it, you have enough on your plate without focusing on other student's issues. Annoying, but as they say "not my circus, not my monkeys"

I know it isn't like that where I am in nursing school, but they have a very "no-nonsense" environment. This is going to be my second career, so I don't know specifically about the healthcare environment, but any workplace can turn into that kind of environment if it's allowed. I had a job once where we had adults in their 40s and 50s who acted like that, they were far worse than the younger ones. I attempted to address it, but once I saw management had that same attitude, I found a job where "grown-ups" worked and never ran into it again. Answer: it just depends!

I'm 39 and am starting my 5th week of LPN school. I was terrified the first couple of weeks, but now I'm really enjoying it. Just look at it as a job! My school does nclex style tests and I'm gonna warn you: they are a booger! But after you have taken a few of them you will figure out how to study. Pay very very closes attention to the wording on the tests.

Excuse my awful spelling please. This tablet and I don't get along:no:

Don't get discouraged, you would be surprised at how many don't do well on those first tests! I just barely passes my first few tests, and now I'm pulling in 100s about 3/4 of the time! As you have found, its not about regurgitating facts like we are used to. Its about understanding of language, some critical thinking, and some content. Mt study method is to study often for short periods. I will study one topic for 20 -30 min, take a bresk and pick another. Everyone is different. Some swear by flash cards, to me they are a waste of time. I have typed up a few study guides though. Good luck!