Nursified

Unfortunately that feeling does not change throughout nursing school. You just get use to it. Dont stress too much. Just take it one day, one class, one section at a time.

I've personally always used Google calendar because I always have access to it on my phone and computer. So you're not carrying around a big planner all the time. I live and breathe by that app especially when I'm in school. Plus it's free. Nothing else has worked for me. So that might be a good option for someone who is tech savvy

Wow. A cocky person who calls people names? People in nursing school will LOVE you. Especially since you have clearly displayed your name and the clinical times you have. í ½í¸‚ Drink some humble tea, friend.

Yeah I wouldn't have done that. That could be the nights that is specifically for Baycare and does classes at the baycare systems office. It would explain why no one saw St Anthony's as an option.

And to clarify you won't use whatever you're checking off again with the exception of IV stuff. You'll obviously use the skills kit again lol

Yep you take it home. You use to it to practice, for skills check off, and then you won't use it again. With the exception being maybe for the IV fluids and IV tubing since you'll use that in pharm too. Best advice is to keep it in the trunk of your car.

ATI is what SPC uses for standardized testing. Each semester you will take the relevant ATI test. For example: Level 3 is about peds and psych so you will take those ATI tests. However, for level 1 you will only take a practice proctered fundamentals ATI. You will take the actual proctered fundamentals ATI in level 2. These ATI tests are scored by levels to show proficiency (not the same as the nursing school levels): Below level 1, level 1, level 2, and level 3. You need to get a level 2 or 3 (plus you get 1 or 2 points extra credit if you manage to get a level 2 or 3) OR you are required to do remidiation which is an extra 5 hours in ATI and extra ATI testing on your own time. You are signing you agree to take these tests pass or remidiate. It all seems very confusing at first but by the end of level 1 you'll be well aware of what ATI is. As far as the skills kit it is everything you will need for skills check offs: IV bags and tubing, blood tubing, enemas, NG tube, IV start kits to name a few... Most of the stuff is for the upper levels.

I am in my third out of four semesters of nursing school. I work as a PCT and have a long term relationship. Nursing school isn't necessarily hard but it is very time consuming. I'm constantly studying and doing projects and care plans. My significant other knows this and he accepts my busy schedule. However I still have a life. I still work 3 12 hour shifts per 2 week pay period and see my family and boyfriend on a regular basis. Time management is key. Don't procrastinate and you'll do fine. As far as pre reqs and nursing classes go they are honestly apples and oranges. Pre reqs are very straight forward and if memorize the material you'll do well. Nursing school is nothing like that. You are constantly building on what you already know. There isnt passing and then dumping knowledge. Once you get into more advanced concepts you'll have to start taking what you've learned over multiple semesters and apply it to a scenario. You'll notice people even with 4.0's struggle because the material is completely different. I am weird. I like nursing school better because I am very interested. Also, I am terrible at memorizing but do great understanding thorough concepts. This is not the norm though. You will hear people who said it was the hardest thing that was ever done and then others say they never studied and got straight A's. Everyone is different. I do well. I get good grades, but I work for them. I take it seriously. Nursing school is what you put into it. You might have to take extra time on concepts you don't get. Or practicing nursing style questions so that you can figure out how to do well on tests. Go into it with that mind set from the beginning and you'll do well.

While level 2 is definitely harder than level 1 I personally enjoyed the material more. The book and adaptive quizzing are big assets for you in level 2. The people that don't use outside resources other than the book didn't do as well. Look through the power point and read THAT in the your book. It might only be bullet points of vocab but that's what you need to know and understand. In med surg, I didn't do this so much in ob for some reason, I used the ATI books too. The ATI books give you very minimal so it's nice to not be too overloaded like with the med surg book. Honestly, just get as much exposure to the med surg concepts as possible. That'll make them stick. In my study group we actually talk through what your studying and that is another way to solidify concepts. Since you already know how to answer questions make sure you do NOT procrastinate. I did what I said in my previous post and still felt overwhelmed towards the end. I can't imagine what I would have done if I hadn't managed my time. I also think what makes it challenging is pharm. It isn't necessarily hard but it is a 1 credit class with just as much work as a normal class. You have videos to do which I personally found helpful. You'll have a scenario where you're the nurse having a level 1 student following you. You give report about a patient and either give insulin or hang an IV antibiotic (insulin is beginning of semester and IV is the end). I feel much more confident giving report and hanging IVs but I practiced that skill A TON since as a nurse youll do it every day and could easily hurt someone. You'll have online videos to watch then take the test which are open book. Make sure you look up ALL the questions for the tests. Even if you know it's right... Do it anyway just to be sure. That'll give you a boost in the end. Level 2 is hard but absolutely doable. I never felt confident after tests but still did well. But that's nursing school!

I agree. It never hurts. I actually am going into my 3rd semester so they may have changed things. I understand if you are doing it as back up. I just didn't want anyone to have any extra stress that goes along with applying! :)

Congrats to everyone who got in! I am a current nursing student at SPC going into level 3 I think the biggest things for level 1 are: 1) And probably the most important is to learn how to answer nursing style questions. If you learn this in level 1 you will not struggle. The reason I say this is because not only is it a completely different format, but you are going to learn how to trust yourself. You'll be presented with questions that are all correct, BUT (as I'm sure you've heard) you'll have to pick the most correct... And a hard part of that is to trust your first instinct. Buy nursing question books. I recommend the ATI books, since it correlates with what you'll be learning and will expose you to ATI. 2) DO NOT....I repeat....DO NOT PROCRASTINATE....Level 1 you may be able to procrastinate. I would not recommend getting into that habit, because the upper levels are much harder and more complex to manage than level 1. Plus, level 1 is the only level that has just theory and clinical (level 2 has pharm level 3 has psych and level 4 has roles followed by management). If you are on top of your stuff in level 1 you'll not only stay ahead but you'll also have a great foundation to build upon. If you just finished a test and have nothing to study, do that clinical prep due in a month. Get everything out of the way early. It'll make your time easier to focus on important concepts. 3) Take it seriously, but don't be too hard on yourself. Fail your first test after having a 4.0 GPA? You'll be okay! Find out what you're struggling with and seek resources on how to fix it (NIP, study groups, YouTube, the textbook, whatever works for you!). 4) Practice, practice, practice the skills that you are going to use every day/the more complex skills regardless of what kind of nurse you are (giving medications, wound dressings, using IV pumps, inserting IVs) 5) Enjoy it! It is hectic and crazy, but it is the best thing I've ever done! Enjoy the little things. 6) Find your friends that are willing to spend their time studying. What they say about nursing friends is very true: they become family. My nursing friends aren't just my nursing friends they are some of my best friends. I never thought it will happen, but it did. Find the people who learn like you and form a study group. Meet once a week. Your nursing friends will be what pull you through and make nursing school bearable Again, congrats on getting into nursing school!

Hi guys! Current SPC Nursing Student here. They do not do the TEAS test at orientation, unless they've changed it since I started. Just wanted to give some insight :)

A&P I was harder for me because it is more memorization I am more of a conceptual learner. A&P ll and Micro were hard but really interesting because you have more complex systems. I just finished my first year of nursing school and let me tell you... You'll be thankful they're hard. You need the foundation to be able to understand the pathophysiology of nursing. Nursing is not necessarily harder but it is a lot more in depth along with a very different testing style. I got A's in my classes. So with all of that being said... if you think you are a good student and can take the challenge and really dedicate your time I'd say go for it!

Your first semester you'll be in either a rehab or nursing home. Even the people through the VA, BayCare, and HCA are all going to the rehab parts of the hospital. You just don't have a set hospital system (BayCare or HCA) when you are at an independent rehab. In level 2 they'll put you in one. Your clinicals change every semester so you'll see different areas (OB, Peds, Psych, ER, Hospice to name a few) in different levels in nursing school.

Most of the books you will need (required books not recommended) throughout nursing school. I just bought them. They have a package through the books store that is cheaper than buying individually. If you do hear of good study aid books (there are a TON) I would recommend Amazon or eBay. I personally prefer just having the books. But that's just me :)