So excited about nursing!!!!

peaceful2100, BSN, RN · May 10, 2002

Welcome!!! :cool: I had once said that I have such a long road ahead of me one the first day of nursing school and that was a year and a half ago when I first started the nursing classes and I was in the second semester of my sophomore year. Well, in August I will be starting my First semester of my senior year and let me tell you time will fly on by so fast. It is hard and a difficult journey but if you want to achieve your goal you can do anything. Just keep your eyes on the prize.

As far as books, I would recommend two books for things to do over the summer.

1) Kaplans NCLEX-RN, fifth edition ISBN #0-7432-0531-6. It is a book that I highly, highly recommend to all nursing students. It goes over test taking strategies, how to look at questions and answers. It has significantly improved my test grades. I went from making C's and low B's my first and second semester to making A's and some high B's but mainly A's now on tests.

The second book I would recommend is a drug calculation book so you can start practicing. I don't know the name of a really good one. As the one I have is not very good but maybe someone else here can recommend one that is very good to use.

laurab2jb2 · May 10, 2002

Welcome to the board!

I agree with peaceful2100 about the NCLEX review book. I started using that before I started, and it did help to de-mystify the whole test taking thing.

I also bought mysefl a really good drug calculations book to do over the summer before school. It really made a difference in my first semester - all those terms were not so foreign to me, and I passed my drug calculations test the first time (not all my classmates did!). The book I bought won hands over the one the school had us buy. It is titled Math for Meds: Dosages and Solutions (8th ed.) by Curren and Munday. I bought it at Barnes & Noble (about $18? not sure now), and it was a really good one for me.

Good luck on starting out. I will be graduating from a BSN program Dec. 19 this year, and it seems as though it has FLOWN by - nothing like I'd expected. I'm sure it will be the same for you. Just remember - you MUST take time out to be a person, too, not just a student. When we are on our death beds, I'll bet there is not one person who will wish they had spent more time studying!!!!! Be good to yourself, Nurseshn. Very few people will care for you as much as you should care for yourself. Being a patient advocate means nothing if you are not your own advocate first!

Take Care!

Laura

nurseshn · May 10, 2002

Thanks so much for the advice peaceful2100 and laurab2jb2.

I am so glad I joined this board the support is phenominal!!! i will look for both books (ASAP)! I have a question, were you guys nervous abut making and keeping a certain grade? That's kind of shocking to know you can come so far and be dropped like a potatoe for failing a class.

laurab2jb2 · May 10, 2002

Hi Nurseshn!

Being what my friends call "Anal Annie" when it comes to grades, yes I was nervous, at first. I really like to see those little "A's" on my record. But, I must say, making A's does not necessarily make the best nurse. I know several collegues that make A's but will not necessarily make good nurses - they can't seem to think outside of the textbook. I have learned that you will learn more during your clinicals than you ever could during lecture. Think of lectures as the building blocks to your real training - clinicals.

Our program is a rather tough one, with some (I admit) not-so related classes (due to the Bachelor's part), but we have not lost even one student due to failing grades.

My best advice is to not worry so much about the grade, but concentrate more on what you are learning and how to apply that to the clinical setting. Get together with 2-3 other students on a weekly basis (if not weekly, then at least q2 wks) to study, decompress, whatever. You will soon learn that this is a really good thing to do - it helps to absorb the HUGE amount of info, but also builds companionship (much needed). No one else can understand the tough road you have ahead better than a fellow nursing student. But, at the same time, as I have said, take time out for fun - otherwise you'll go stir-crazy!!!

The most important thing to remember - you got into nursing school for a reason. If you apply yourself to your own high standards, you will not fail! If this is what you really want to do with your life, it will come to you (with some effort, of course). Relax, and welcome to the world of nursing school!!!!

Laura

fnimat1 · May 10, 2002

Welcome to the board!!!

My name is Fatima, I'm 29, married and a mother to 3 children (2 dd's and 1 son). I took my NET exam this past Monday and I have to wait until June 15th to find out if I'm accepted. I'm sooo nervous....it seems like the days are just dragging....lol. I do know one thing, that test was so unbeleivably easy...it scared me....lol...so I hope that's a good thing. Well I hope to post to you soon.

Fatima

"RN 2B in 2004"

Nrswannab · May 10, 2002

Hi, nurseshn and welcome! I attend a college in North Georgia and am in the ASN program.

jschut, BSN, RN · May 10, 2002

Hello and welcome!

I hope you can use all of this advice you've gotten here all ready! It's good advice, and it will continue as long as questions keep getting asked!

Congratulations on being accepted into school! I know it's a long road ahead....I'm in for my LPN right now and have 11 weeks to go!

Can't wait!

Julie:)

nurseshn · May 11, 2002

Wow,

Let me start with Thank-you, thank-you for all of the kind words. From Laura-great advice!! Fatima, Good Luck to you on awaiting your acceptance. I have 3children also except I have 2boys and 1girl.

nrswannab-thanks!!! How far into the program are you? Is it going well for you?

MPHkatie · May 11, 2002

I like everyone's suggestions, but I also want to suggest some light reading for the summer. You will be very busy when you start pre req's for the fall so here's my suggestion' read any or all of Echo Heron's books (some titles are "Tending Lives", "Mercy" and "intensive Care" You can get them at the public library usually and they are easy reads/interesting as well. In addition, really spend time with your kids doing all sorts of stuff, because you will really be planning in school to have that time with them. But now, while you have more time, really do some FUN stuff with them. Enjoy school. Don't worry so much about the "grade" if you do your work you'll get by just fine. No one asks about a GPA during a job interview (at least they haven't at mine.)

StudentSandra · May 13, 2002

originally posted by nurseshn
i am new to this website i just joined today as a matter of fact. but i have enjoyed looking over the site for probably about three days now. i would like to say that you guys are an inspiration to me, and there's so much love on this site.:kiss let me start by saying i have been excepted to a community college and i will start in the fall. i will be pursuing a adn degree. but i have such a long road ahead, in the fall i will only be starting my prereq's.
any advice as to books to buy or study, or should i just wait?
it's so good to know i such a good support system with you guys!!!! lol!!!:kiss

welcome to the board nurseshn!!!! don't let the info in the books peacefull recommended scare you, they will make more sense when your nursing classes start. :confused:

as far as grades, just do the best that you can do and don't worry about what others get. :idea:

just plug on along and soon you will be a :nurse:

Nrswannab · May 14, 2002

Nurseshn - I will be a Senior in August and definitely looking forward to next year! The last year went by so fast; my head's still spinning from all of the material we covered!