1st semester at HFCC

Veruka · Aug 29, 2007

Hi! I just found these forums today. I started last week, too. Section2. You are right - it is alot, but doable. I am mostly scared about these pharm & math tests. Next week will be interesting when we start lab. Do you like your instructors so far? :nurse:

amybethf · Aug 30, 2007

Hi! I just found these forums today. I started last week, too. Section2. You are right - it is alot, but doable. I am mostly scared about these pharm & math tests. Next week will be interesting when we start lab. Do you like your instructors so far?

Hey - I'm in section 3. I love my teachers, they are so sweet and supportive. I am really liking it so far; I love being part of something so great - it motivates me.

Don't worry too much about the pharm and math tests - first off, they teach us how to do the math dosages and the pharm I think is both common sense and application of knowledge. Just be prepared, do the work and you'll do fine!

I think mastering time mgmt is the hardest part of sem 1; the material thus far is easy, it's just every time u turn around, there's something else that needs your attention. UGH!

miMOMMYof3 · Aug 30, 2007

This is great. Im in sec 1 and the teachers are great. I'll be at Heritage for clincals which was my 1st pick so thats cool. Ya right know its not hard it just a look of reading/writing (EO after EO)... Every time a student seems worried about learning something new or wondering iif ts possible, the teachers say 'don't worry give it a few weeks and you wont even have to think about it- it will become your 2nd nature'

OhSoBlessed · Aug 30, 2007

miMommyof3, Veruka, and amybethf,

:welcome: to HFCC's nursing program!

I remember what it was like my first semester at HFCC! I started the program in January 2005 and graduated in May 2006.

The first semester is critical in many senses. Get a good foundation, learn the basics, pay attention during labs, start making pharmacology cards, form good study habits (and groups if you like studying with buddies), get to know your professors and use them as resources, ask questions, answer all the EOs, work at a hospital if you can, and DO NOT GET BEHIND IN YOUR STUDIES AND READINGS! It's hard to catch up once you are behind...I worked full-time while going to school, and I learned my lesson.

HFCC's program is fast paced, time consuming, and requires soooooo much paperwork (nursing care plans, pathophysiology papers, assessments, etc.), but in the end it will pay off!

Good luck to you! I look forward to reading your entries!

OhSoBlessed · Aug 30, 2007

I forgot to add something I would highly recommend...

It's never too early to start using the NCLEX prep books during your studies. Nursing textbooks provide a tremendous amount of information, and you WILL find yourself asking, "How am I supposed to remember all of this?" The NCLEX books provide outlines, and I found it easier to understand and "pull out" the important information. Saunders, for example, also places triangles next to information often tested on the NCLEX. And those highlighted questions DID appear when I took the boards.

Invest in a NCLEX prep book sooner than later. Use it as a supplemental study material. It will help you to take exams in school, too. Just remember--the lab values and other info may differ slightly from what your instructors and nursing books state. You MUST memorize the values given by your instructors or as stated in your nursing textbooks.

If I think of other hints, I'll post it here. :idea:

Veruka · Aug 30, 2007

Wow! Thank you for all of your "tips"!

I can't wait to get into lab, too. Everything is just so overwhelming, but so far I am really loving it! Our section started off kinda quiet, but today I really felt as though I was connecting to some, & am starting to make friends. It's amazing when you talk to the others and you find that they are feeling just the same as you. Makes it seem more like "We're in this together" kind of a thing.

Keep me posted! I hope everyone does great!! :)

miMOMMYof3 · Sep 2, 2007

OhSoBlessed,

Thanks for all the advice. I have a question for ya, I am online studying for the pharm test, was there a lot of drugs the the test? Or was the mean focus on ALL of the info? Another question, is there a pharm test every semster like the math?

Thanks for all the info...

.::Heidi::.

OhSoBlessed · Sep 2, 2007

Hello, Heidi!

Every semester will begin with a medication calculation exam. Most dosage calculations are not tricky at all. The ones we had to carefully calculate were DIGOXIN and pediatric dosages. But the DIG and pediatric calculations will come later in the program, so don't worry about it now.

Tell me a little more about the pharmacology exam you are referring to. Is this the one you have to take at that EDGT website? This is the only time you will have to take the pharm test at EDGT (unless HFCC changed the program). Drug questions will then appear in your regular exams for the remainder of the program.

When EOs and instructors introduce drugs, it is important to learn:

generic/Brand names: metoprolol/Lopressor

pharmacology class: beta 1 blocker (~olol endings = b blockers)

therapeutic class: antihypertensive, MI

chemical effect: decreases--contractility, heart rate, myocardial 02 demand, blood pressure, renin release

therapeutic effect: decreases BP/angina; prevents damage to myocardial tissue

side effects: hypotension, bradycardia, wheezing, depression, sexual dysfunction

note on s/e: pay attention to the s/e your instructor points out.

there are too many s/e to remember but read it once through but

memorize the ones your instructor gave.

safe dosage: 50-100 mg by mouth once daily initially, then look at YOUR patient's prescribed dosage. your instructor WILL ask you if this is a safe dosage.

the SN must: take BP before/after administration; take apical pulse for one full minute/if pulse less than 60, withhold and notify MD; etc...

special consideration: monitor as patient taking other antihypertensives.

Hmmm...this looks like your pharmacology sheets you'll be completing for each patient! Your instructors will be asking questions, so even if the pharm sheets take a lot of time, you'll learn about the drug.

Why is your patient on this drug?

Is this a safe dosage?

What time, how often, and by what route is the drug given?

Is the drug given on an empty stomach? with meals? after meals?

Should the medication be given or witheld?

ex: BP 100/75 or apical pulse 58

What do I need to teach this patient about this drug?

Personally, I made pharmacology cards with index cards, punched a hole in one corner, and placed a ring to hold it together. I would include the information I wrote above. Then I would take them from rotation to rotation. Instead of looking it up in the drug book each time, all I had to do was find the drug in my own set of cards.

I probably gave too much information, but soon you will begin clinicals and start passing medications. This IS a good time to start!

When do clinicals start? Who are your instructors?

Enjoy this holiday weekend!

miMOMMYof3 · Sep 3, 2007

OhSoBlessed,

Thanks so much. Yeah the pharm exam I am referring to is on edgt.com. That pharm exam is in 3 weeks, is it done online, or written? It is all so much to handle, but I made it this far. Our first nur-126 exam is about 2 weeks from now. I'm worried that I'll focus on the wrong thing when studying and you really can not afford to slip-up at all. I have good grades (overall gpa 3.7), but I get really stressed, worried, fustrated- when studying I kinda panic. When I actually take the exam I'm fine, but studying for them is different.

My instructors are Mrs.Bodart and Mrs.Wakefield and they seem great. We start clinicals in 6 weeks and Im excited but we don't have a lot of time in the PSL, is it possible that I will actually be prepaired for it? I will be at Heritage and my clinical instructors are different from my lectures.

Thanks so much for the med write-up example- are we allowed to use a book/ note to do those forms? If so, I'll probably survive.

:)Heidi:chair:

hfmf · Oct 3, 2008

Good times! I'm in section 2 as well. I just found out that due to rounding errors, I have to retake that silly medication math test next friday. I'm kinda bummed out about that. I should have remembered that whole numbers only get rounded out to the TENTH. DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB.

Not only that, but we have a test that I need to do some intense studying for next week too! AND then the week after that, we have a lab checkoff.

All of this while thinking about going into my clinical site next week? yeesh. Please, kill me.

Raas4555 · Oct 10, 2008

Hello, Heidi!
Every semester will begin with a medication calculation exam. Most dosage calculations are not tricky at all. The ones we had to carefully calculate were DIGOXIN and pediatric dosages. But the DIG and pediatric calculations will come later in the program, so don't worry about it now.
Tell me a little more about the pharmacology exam you are referring to. Is this the one you have to take at that EDGT website? This is the only time you will have to take the pharm test at EDGT (unless HFCC changed the program). Drug questions will then appear in your regular exams for the remainder of the program.
When EOs and instructors introduce drugs, it is important to learn:
generic/Brand names: metoprolol/Lopressor
pharmacology class: beta 1 blocker (~olol endings = b blockers)
therapeutic class: antihypertensive, MI
chemical effect: decreases--contractility, heart rate, myocardial 02 demand, blood pressure, renin release
therapeutic effect: decreases BP/angina; prevents damage to myocardial tissue
side effects: hypotension, bradycardia, wheezing, depression, sexual dysfunction
note on s/e: pay attention to the s/e your instructor points out.
there are too many s/e to remember but read it once through but
memorize the ones your instructor gave.
safe dosage: 50-100 mg by mouth once daily initially, then look at YOUR patient's prescribed dosage. your instructor WILL ask you if this is a safe dosage.
the SN must: take BP before/after administration; take apical pulse for one full minute/if pulse less than 60, withhold and notify MD; etc...
special consideration: monitor as patient taking other antihypertensives.
Hmmm...this looks like your pharmacology sheets you'll be completing for each patient! Your instructors will be asking questions, so even if the pharm sheets take a lot of time, you'll learn about the drug.
Why is your patient on this drug?
Is this a safe dosage?
What time, how often, and by what route is the drug given?
Is the drug given on an empty stomach? with meals? after meals?
Should the medication be given or witheld?
ex: BP 100/75 or apical pulse 58
What do I need to teach this patient about this drug?
Personally, I made pharmacology cards with index cards, punched a hole in one corner, and placed a ring to hold it together. I would include the information I wrote above. Then I would take them from rotation to rotation. Instead of looking it up in the drug book each time, all I had to do was find the drug in my own set of cards.
I probably gave too much information, but soon you will begin clinicals and start passing medications. This IS a good time to start!
When do clinicals start? Who are your instructors?
Enjoy this holiday weekend!

I appreciate this info. What do you think about Mosby's Pharmaceutical Cards? Also, I am taking Pharmacology now and am not in the program yet, but the textbook we have is just garbage - even the teacher admits it. Do you think I should buy something else to read up on on my own time?

Thanks