Staring Nursing Program

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Specializes in Psych.

helloeverybody, i'll start my nursing program this january, so i'm a little bitnervous, really i don't know what to expect. any advice for first semesternurses? i really appreciate any advice, opinions, and experiences that you mayhave. thankssss and happy new year 2012.

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Specializes in ICU, Intermediate Care, Progressive Care.

Congrats on starting nursing school! I'm in my third semester now. Not sure what advice to give because I am generally the one who's out of sorts and my friends have to slap sense into me... ;)

But I would definitely warn you that if you are a perfectionist (as I was/am), if you are used to getting As in what we call "the other side of campus" (pre-nursing courses, general ed courses, etc), and if you are hoping to get a 99% A in every nursing school class... Save yourself a lot of heartbreak and tell yourself RIGHT NOW that it is OKAY to get Bs and Cs. Realize that an 89% B looks the exact same as an 81% B on your transcript. Take time out to enjoy family, friends, hobbies, pets, or something outside of nursing school, at least once in a while. And learn to be flexible, and by flexible I mean absolutely 100% willing to go with the flow, change directions on a moment's notice, accept that every instructor will have very different ways of doing just about everything, and realize that it will all become clear/come together in time.

Are you going to an ADN or BSN program?

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congrats! I just recieved my acceptance to the nursing program also. My friend who is already in the program just told me to stay focus and read. Its a lot of time and commitment. She also said do not work full-time while in nursing school.

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Specializes in ICU, Intermediate Care, Progressive Care.

^ Regarding working while in school, I do know a few folks who work but it is part-time, basically on the weekends. I couldn't imagine working any more than that, what with all of our schoolwork, and I suspect that those who do work even a little are sacrificing their study time in order to do so.

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I know right. She thought I work full-time. I just work part-time. I refuse to work full-time while in nursing school. Its true but I am so happy the my job works around my schooling

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Specializes in Psych.
Congrats on starting nursing school! I'm in my third semester now. Not sure what advice to give because I am generally the one who's out of sorts and my friends have to slap sense into me... ;)

But I would definitely warn you that if you are a perfectionist (as I was/am), if you are used to getting As in what we call "the other side of campus" (pre-nursing courses, general ed courses, etc), and if you are hoping to get a 99% A in every nursing school class... Save yourself a lot of heartbreak and tell yourself RIGHT NOW that it is OKAY to get Bs and Cs. Realize that an 89% B looks the exact same as an 81% B on your transcript. Take time out to enjoy family, friends, hobbies, pets, or something outside of nursing school, at least once in a while. And learn to be flexible, and by flexible I mean absolutely 100% willing to go with the flow, change directions on a moment's notice, accept that every instructor will have very different ways of doing just about everything, and realize that it will all become clear/come together in time.

Are you going to an ADN or BSN program?

Miss Jamie thank you very much for your advices. Well I'm kind a perfectionist too :). So I guest I need to relax, lol. I'm nervous but confident at the same time, I guest I will take one day at a time :specs:. I'm going for my ADN, are you in your ADN too, or BSN

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Specializes in ICU, Intermediate Care, Progressive Care.
Miss Jamie thank you very much for your advices. Well I'm kind a perfectionist too :). So I guest I need to relax, lol. I'm nervous but confident at the same time, I guest I will take one day at a time :specs:. I'm going for my ADN, are you in your ADN too, or BSN

I'm in an ADN program. :) Be confident, realize that no one is out to get you. Except that you probably will have one instructor sometime in your nursing education who is out to get you, or at the very least doesn't like you, or is hard on you; it seems like everyone ends up with one of those types... Anyways, I know in my program our first semester focused on the nursing home setting, which is where we did our clinicals. Second semester we moved to the hospital (med-surg, orthopedics, surgical floors) and began taking on two patients at a time. In the upcoming semester we get more med-surg, but we also get peds and OB/GYN which I am totally excited for.

Nursing school is hard. My second semester was the hardest so far. But if you make it to the halfway point, it all looks brighter from there--the worst part's over.

Nursing school doesn't teach you to be a nurse, by the way. All nursing school does, and all it is meant to do, is teach you the bare bones of what you need to practice safely, and to teach you how to THINK. :) It's all about nursing process, critical thinking, prioritizing care, rationales, etc!

So there are your words of wisdom from someone who's been there, done that, and about to go back into the crazy world of nursing school in less than a week. ;) Good luck!

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Specializes in Psych.
congrats! I just recieved my acceptance to the nursing program also. My friend who is already in the program just told me to stay focus and read. Its a lot of time and commitment. She also said do not work full-time while in nursing school.

hi nishaj, CONGRATS to you too :yeah:I left my work two months ago, exactly for the same reason, most of the people had told me not to work full time while in nursing school. So I quick my job, I know it is a little bit harder now, but we'll get through the entire program. GOOD LUCKKKK

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