School equipment?

7237dallas · Apr 18, 2014

I start in the Fall as well but our orientation isn't until the summer sometime and it's killing me! I lol like to plan ahead and get everything together. I know we'll need a watch, stethoscope and white shoes. Uniforms we'll find out at orientation. I'm not sure if we'll need a BP cuff, but probably penlight and bandage shears too.

Lmomma · Apr 18, 2014

I start in the Fall as well but our orientation isn't until the summer sometime and it's killing me! I lol like to plan ahead and get everything together. I know we'll need a watch, stethoscope and white shoes. Uniforms we'll find out at orientation. I'm not sure if we'll need a BP cuff, but probably penlight and bandage shears too.

Thank you. I am not sure about the bp cuff either, but my MIL gave it to me, so I am grateful to have it just in case. Cannot wait to go shopping for equipment :)

7237dallas · Apr 19, 2014

I know me too! I'm going to order the NCLEX PN book and prioritization delegation book. There are others I have read different people thought were helpful, but I know I won't have tons of time to read extra material so those 2 are a priority.

_iamkel · Apr 19, 2014

They will give you a list. But, the essentials are probably, BP cuff, steth, and then you'll need your scrubs and possibly a lab coat depending on your school's curriculum (which your school will tell you where to go for them) and probably a certain color shoe. I recommend Dansko's. Love mine! You're going to eventually want a bag for clinical: but that can wait until you start.

As for books: you should absolutely get Moby's guide to nursing diagnosis. And a drug book. They are pocket size and fit in your pockets. It will help you in clinical and writing care plans. It's basically my bible! There are also other good study books you should look up on amazon to help you with your classes.

Hope this helps!

7237dallas · Apr 19, 2014

They will give you a list. But, the essentials are probably, BP cuff, steth, and then you'll need your scrubs and possibly a lab coat depending on your school's curriculum (which your school will tell you where to go for them) and probably a certain color shoe. I recommend Dansko's. Love mine! You're going to eventually want a bag for clinical: but that can wait until you start.
As for books: you should absolutely get Moby's guide to nursing diagnosis. And a drug book. They are pocket size and fit in your pockets. It will help you in clinical and writing care plans. It's basically my bible! There are also other good study books you should look up on amazon to help you with your classes.
Hope this helps!

Thank you for the recommendations! What other books have you purchased to help with your studies?

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Apr 19, 2014

Ditto for Danskos! If your school is private, they may provide you with a basic stethoscope, BP cuff, etc. We were only given 2 uniforms but had classes 5 days/wk, so I bought additional uniforms. Most people bought rolling backpacks, crates or small suitcases to haul the millions of books around in on lecture days.

I also bought lots of school supplies like binders, pens, highlighters, dividers, etc.

_iamkel · Apr 19, 2014

For fundamentals I bought the potter and perry fundamentals study guide- it really helps if you like to outline. There is a little hand book that you can get too called a guide to clinical component. It's a quick reference book for you to bring to clinical incase you need to look anything up. I use that too. I'm pretty sure that's what it's called, potter and perry makes it- it looks just like the fundamentals study guide.

I'm also a visual learner so I made a "brain book" to help me visualize things to put everything together. If you go on Pinterest they have little pictures to help you remember things; for example, go on Pinterest and type in hypoxia. I just printed them out and put them all on big index cards and had them laminated and then hooked them all together with 2 rings. It's a quick reference.

I'll keep you updated on other study books I find!

Oh and do yourself a favor and invest in a nursing watch!!!! Don't wear any of your good ones. Go on allnurses.com for that. They aren't the cutest things but, they'll do!

Lmomma · Apr 19, 2014

Thanks ladies! I am very excited to start. I still think that I may have lost my mind to go to full time nursing school at my age with 2 kids, but I am doing it anyway!