Required Textbooks

lifesacomedy · Jan 7, 2009

Yes, they sure are! But you need them all and will use them all. Consider it that you are building your professional library. Take out financial aid if you need to and don't plan to sell many of them back. Your career begins now and you will want all the resources you can get at your fingertips.

Also, know that most school will have the most expensive book loads during the first and second semester, with the "cheaper" semesters following.

Good luck!

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Jan 7, 2009

Wait to buy the books.

My school sent a huge list of books to new students for the first day of class. We used 3 of them. After that, I always waited to buy textbooks.

Byaggha · Jan 7, 2009

I hear you on the expense part. I think my first semester was around $700 in textbooks alone, the list including a hefty fundamentals text, a nursing diagnosis book, a dictionary of nursing and medical things, nurisng math book...and a bunch more...but I do consider it worth it - the only ones I've sold back so far are my pediatrics (I have a book I like better than the text they recommended for it) and women's health/maternity (same as above) nursing texts. Everything else, I've kept. I've even gone after things they never said we needed, just because I've run into a need for them - after this last semester, I found out I probably should have bought myself a medical tests book sooner.

Long story short, I'm with lifesacomedy - even if I haven't cracked them for classes, I've needed almost every book they've had me buy and then some so far, and I'm just going into third semester this January. It's a professional investment! :3

Neveranurseagain, RN · Jan 7, 2009

Look on half.com for them. When I order off half.com, I get the book in about 1 week. I just looked your first 2 books up and they are available for under $10 each.

RN BSN 2009 · Jan 7, 2009

Ask students who have taken the classes before and ask them what was really used. Maybe there are other students who will loan their books to you if there's only one assigned reading out of the book.

LvHaloRN · Jan 7, 2009

It really stinks...but its a good investment. You're definitely going to need the book that your instructors are lecturing out of to pass your class. And to pass clinical, you'll need a good drug book, nursing diagnosis book, lab value book, and pathophysiology book. These are usually the required reading materials. Our instructors had required reading materials and then suggested reading materials. It will be a good idea to at least get the required stuff. You might not use some of it right away, but by the time you're ready to graduate, you'll find that you've used most of it.

WalkieTalkie, RN · Jan 7, 2009

Well, I guess it depends on how familiar you are with things such as med terms. I can guarantee you that you will need your Potter & Perry (which I see you have), you will definitely use the APA book, a nursing dx book is always useful for those bothersome care plans. I don't know anything about the other listed books, but the only one I would skip out on is med terminiology because I can tell you I never used mine. Of course, I had also worked in healthcare for over 7 years when I started nursing school. Your best bet is to get them all at this time. Definitely check out http://www.half.com and http://www.amazon.com to find the best bargains on your books. 99% of the time they are cheaper than the bookstore, and you can also sell them back there for more money than your bookstore will usually give you. If you find you don't need a book, just sell it and get it from the library when you need it.

I have only one week left before classe started ,and I bought only one bookPotter, P. & Perry, A. (2009). Fundamentals of nursing. (7th ed.) Books are sooo expensive:(

Required Textbooks:Ackley, B. J. & Ladwig, G.B. (2006). Nursing diagnosis handbook: A guide to planning care (7th ed.). St. Louis:
Elsevier, Mosby.
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. (5th
ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Leonard, P. (2003). Quick & easy medical terminology. (4th ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders.
Mauk, K. L. & Schmidt, N. K. (2004). Spiritual care in nursing practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott
Nugent, P. & Vitale, B. (2004). Test success: Test-taking techniques for beginning nursing students. (4th ed.).
Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.
Potter, P. & Perry, A. (2009). Fundamentals of nursing. (7th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby. (With VCE Packet)
White, E. (1942). The ministry of healing. Boise, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association
Recommended Textbooks:
White, E. (1951). Councils on Health. Boise, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association.

sh1901 · Jan 7, 2009

I understand how you feel. I purchased 13 books for this semester! Many of the books are reference-type books, but they will be used for writing up patient care plans and making drug cards, etc. My school also lets you know that the first semester is the most expensive (uniforms, shoes, books). I know a lot of people who wait to get the books, but to be honest, I would not want to fall behind in the reading simply because I did not have the books. For example, I have 7 chapters spread over 4 books to read in the first week....if I didn't have my books, I would fall seriously behind.