Required Texts; Are they really required at UMB?

Jules A, MSN · Jul 4, 2009

No clue about UMM but I often buy older editions especially if it is a class I think is going to be easy. They are usually around $5 and that way if I end up having to purchase the current edition I haven't lost much and that only happened twice. I also resell on amazon.com when we are done. Definitely check out this site for finding the books used cheaper than bookstores.

http://www3.addall.com/

jtk57 · Jul 5, 2009

Thank you Jules, that has also been my experience; older books can be just as good as long as there isn't something specific to the new editions that is needed. I bought most of mine used on Barnes and Noble .com this year. We'll see what the semester brings and maybe I'll adjust my buying in the future.

Thanks again!

Jesse

Blueorchid, ASN, RN · Jul 5, 2009

Do you absolutely need all the CDs and access codes that come with the books when they're brand spanking new? Ehhh...not necessarily. The two CD packs that come to mind for me first semester are the Health Assessment CDs and MyNursing Lab. They tell us in class you will be using MyNursing Lab throughout the entire time you're in school so if push comes to shove I'd pick that one. MyNursing Lab also has a bunch of handy videos that help you on your validations but do not...I reapeat DO NOT copy them word for word as they do make mistakes.

The Health Assessment videos were nice to have as a reference but I recall the professor mentioning videos you could check out in both the computer lab the library so you're not missing out on too much there. And if I recall correctly you're a CNL right? Since I'm a BSN its possible you guys have something else my class didn't get but those are the only things I remember off the top of my head. Oh and Kozier and Erb- the access codes are for quizzes you can easily find online if you google them- and you can get multiple editions with different question styles.

As for scrubs- they ask for a pair for labs and clinicals but honestly you'll find yourself wearing them more than once a week for labs- twice when you get clinicals. When you're in regular lab, validation, or clinicals you need to either have a white scrub top with a patch or your official nametag on it- khaki pants- the works. I'm sure you found out all about it during orientation.

There are of course those other times when you find yourself in open lab and the rules change- there you get either business casual or your official scrubs OR you can wear other scrubs with a nametag on. So are you going to need only one pair? The answer is no- can you get by with one pair of the official uniform scrubs? Probably but another pair doesn't hurt (find them somewhere else besides the bookstore though- the prices there are ridiculous). I was able to borrow old scrubs off of family members which did wonders when you find yourself going in to open lab twice a week in those free periods before validation. And finding khaki pants when you're 6 feet tall is such a pain...

So that's all I have to say to that! Hope this helps :lol2:

jtk57 · Jul 6, 2009

Thank You Blue Orchid,

Sounds similar to what I was thinking RE the new textbooks, CDs, etc.. One thing that is not lacking these days is access to information, especially at a school with the resources UMB has. As far as the scrubs go, I am going to visit the bookstore for some other things, but will probably go with Uniform City for my actual scrubs (my wife swears by them). I'm 6'2" myself, but luckily my "soon to be old" job had me wearing khakis every day so I have quite a collection.

On another topic you brought up; what is "open lab" exactly? Just kind of an open atmosphere for students to practice skills on each other in a lab setting?

Orientation for me isn't until August 18th, so no, I still don't know all there is to know about all this stuff!

Thanks,

Jesse

Blueorchid, ASN, RN · Jul 9, 2009

Open lab? Yeah its pretty much what you described. There's a series of classrooms on the second floor where you'll have your lab section of Fundamentals and the last one on the right is open lab. Its basically a lab setting supervised by teaching assistants but the work is all you. Don't expect the teaching assistants to walk you through anything but they will answer questions...sometimes.

Big hint: You NEED to go to open lab. One of the professors used to say if they couldn't recognize your face by validation you weren't going enough. And you have three validations. So its just something to consider- you will likely be wearing scrubs to class more than once or twice a week for labs.

As for answering the questions and information- this site is great for picking things up. And I say this now because according to the students ahead of me- its my turn when they're gone and it will be your turn when we leave.

So cheers!

*ac* · Jul 10, 2009

Check the bulletin boards at school for people selling used scrubs.

If no luck with that, buy them where ever you want - just get the colors right, that's all that matters.

Buy used books, and do not keep them, no matter what your instructors say. There's nothing in them that can't be referenced on the internet. BTW, all the books are available for use in the library - they're in the reference section. If I had it to do over again (thank God, I don't!) I'm not sure I'd buy the books at all. They assign more reading than you can humanly do, so I really didn't try. I mainly used the charts and boxes in the texts, which I could have copied in the library; and Saunders (the comprehensive one with chapters); and the clinical companion to the med-surg book. Definitely do not buy a medical dictionary. (I graduated with a 3.8)

Graceland200 · Jul 11, 2009

Hi AC-

did you graduate from UMB with a 3.8? Just wondering-I'm starting in the fall and want to keep up my gpa.

GL

*ac* · Jul 12, 2009

Hi AC-
did you graduate from UMB with a 3.8? Just wondering-I'm starting in the fall and want to keep up my gpa.
GL

Yes, I did.