SSU RN program- how should I prepare

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Summer before I begin Somoma State RN program, fall 2014. Any suggestions on how I can prepare? Brush up on medical terminology? Spanish? Any great podcasts out there that would help?

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Congratulations! There are a couple of threads in the California forum that you might be interested in. I've posted a lot of info on there about the program, which you may find helpful. I just graduated this month from SSU's program. :)

DEFINITELY brush up on your Spanish if you have that skill already. Nurses will LOOOVE you, and we all know there are plenty of Spanish speaking patients in this community.

Brush up on your CNA skills- practice taking vitals on people, changing a bed with a patient in it, and so forth.

Go over the physiology of the liver, kidney, heart, adrenals, endocrine system... Review the menstrual cycle and embyronic development, as maternal child is your first semester (the teacher is AWESOME). Review Erickson's stages of development.

Any medical terminology you can review would be helpful. Review your English skills (spelling, grammar, sentence structure, punctuation). Second semester, your research paper will be graded especially hard on this stuff. Same instructor as maternal child, and she's a stickler!

Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions or want to know about instructors (you can't post names in the fora).

If I had to say something that could be improved in the program, it would be the lack of skills lab. We have, basically, a day or two at the beginning of each rotation to go over skills, and that's it. Most stuff is learned on the floors. The clinical instructors are AWESOME, and will guide you through, but I know a lot of people freaked out over this.

If you can find a good book about focused assessments, it might be helpful. You won't learn a lot about them in the program, but you'll find this VERY useful in clinicals.

Good luck! :)

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Runbabyrun you are an amazing resource, coach, peer, etc. thank you! Will check the links and get busy! I would really appreciate being able to message you personally with an additional questions since I am new to SSU. But my membership here doesn't allow me this option yet

what is a focused assessment?

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Runbabyrun you are an amazing resource, coach, peer, etc. thank you! Will check the links and get busy! I would really appreciate being able to message you personally with an additional questions since I am new to SSU. But my membership here doesn't allow me this option yet

what is a focused assessment?

You may be able to PM me now that you have 20 posts (I think that's what's required... I can't remember).

A focused assessment is an assessment that is focused on a certain set of diagnoses. For example, a HEENT exam, neuro exam, examining chest pain, etc. Based on a specific complaint. Any book for physical assessments will be able to guide you through this.

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