Starting Nursing classes in the Fall...

rafv · Apr 5, 2013

Hey!I have a few questions regarding the nursing program that Im very curious about. Please feel free to answer as many as you can, you don't have to answer all of them. :)
1) What has been the hardest nursing class for you and why?
2) How often do you have to study for tests?
3) What are the most comfy scrubs and shoes for clinicals?
4) What are clinicals like and are they scary?
5) What's your favorite and least favorite aspect of nursing classes?
THANKS EVERYONE for your time!! :)

1) Cardiology: tests were completely unrelated to the lecture content, in my opinion. Content itself was good.

2) I admit to being a slacker when it comes to studying. I pay attention in class, review the night before for maybe 30 minutes, and that is all.

3) I had to purchase my scrubs through my school, so no option. Think they are Cherokee. Also have to wear leather, all white shoes. Went with Saucony. No complaints.

4) Clinicals can be intimidating, as you're in a new environment and not everybody is happy you're there. Be assertive and know that your clinical experience is largely up to you. I hate the thought of clinicals the night before, but I'm always happy once I'm on the floor.

5) I have enjoyed learning new things in nursing school. Haven't so much enjoyed the high school nature of some of the classes. All in all, though, a tremendously positive experience and not at all as horrible as people describe. It is time consuming and takes effort to balance school, kids, husband, house, and work, but it can be done, one semester left...

Good luck to you!

doxielover304 · Apr 5, 2013

Wow, thanks so much! :) Good luck to you too.

RNstudent13renee · Apr 5, 2013

I'm in my first semester, so I can only answer with limited experience :)

1) So far I think the hardest is Respiratory, but I just started it and that's probably why. It seems daunting. Like I said I'm in Fundamentals, so everything is pretty basic at this point and I shouldn't be complaining at all.

2) At first I studied every single day. Then I studied a few times a week. Now I study the night before. Keep getting A's, so I'm alright, but I will definitely have to pick it up next semester.

3) My scrubs were through my school too. They are Landau. I did get my bottoms at Walmart though, and I like them but they will shrink in the washer. I have heard that Grey's Anatomy brand is really comfy, if you have a choice. I am using New Balance white shoes now, and I don't have any complaints, but I do feel like if I used them every day when I work they would be bad. So I'm thinking of trying Danskos next semester or when I graduate.

4) Oh clinicals. I was absolutely terrified at first. You do, as the above poster said, have to take it into your own hands. I have to say I've been stuck with some pretty horrible nurses. But I tried to show them interest and what I knew, so overall it was an amazing experience so far. You have to make it your own. Go in confident, it is so important, and don't let your patients know you are scared out of your mind becasue then they will be too.

5) My program tries to fit in all different types of learning, like visual and hands-on, as well as lectures, but it can get frusturating when they switch all the time. You get used to one and then they turn it around. But overall its been pretty great, just have to ge used to critical thinking...

Good Luck!!

donk · Apr 5, 2013

Hey!I have a few questions regarding the nursing program that Im very curious about. Please feel free to answer as many as you can, you don't have to answer all of them. :)
1) What has been the hardest nursing class for you and why?
2) How often do you have to study for tests?
3) What are the most comfy scrubs and shoes for clinicals?
4) What are clinicals like and are they scary?
5) What's your favorite and least favorite aspect of nursing classes?
THANKS EVERYONE for your time!! :)

1. Theory!!! So confusing and hard to keep everyone straight!! I'm still working on this one... Especially Porifices!!

2. I work on something everyday but studying I normally spend a few hours a night for two weeks leading up to a test. More if its material I find difficult.

3. Scrubs are through the school and shoes I wear asics.

4. Clinicals can be daunting but I take it in stride and try to make the most of every opportunity. Ask questions, observe everything and get as much hands on as they'll allow!!

5. Most favourite is skills lab and least favourite are 4hr lectures at 8am on Monday morning haha!

hodgieRN · Apr 6, 2013

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1) What has been the hardest nursing class for you and why?
The hardest portion for me was GI and neuro. GI has so many things...enzymes, organs, chemistry, metabolism, cancers, hormones...it seemed endless. And neuro...so many specifics and so many complicated pathways. Just reviewing a nerve impulse with a muscle contraction (with all the chemical messengers and thresholds) made my head spin. I hated learning the cranial nerves and what nerve innervates with what. And neuro is big chunk of it. This hormones causes this neurological reaction and a parasympathetic reaction does this. Blah...
2) How often do you have to study for tests?
I studied every day. It was endless. You have to learn how to take nursing exams and think like a nurse. Totally different strategy. My brain was always fried and I was happy to get a nap here and there (keep in mind I was working while in school). Sometimes, you feel like you don't have enough time to study. You just say oh well and take the test. But, after a while, you will become a pro and you will learn how to study in a more efficient manner. The terminology will thankfully start looking repetitive and your reading will begin to flow. In the beginning, it's a gut check.
3) What are the most comfy scrubs and shoes for clinicals?
I had to buy scrubs from the bookstore but if you can buy your own scrubs, Dickies scrubs are awesome. So comfy. Landau is really nice too (it's a little more expensive). I wear sneakers at work. I swear buy Nike Shox. Never got into crocs. I move around better in my Shox.
4) What are clinicals like and are they scary?
I loved clinicals. It's scary at first, but your hand it going to be held right from the beginning. They will lead you. The scary part is taking to patients. But they don't care. They are happy to get extra help to the bathroom and a hospital bed can be lonely. I think you will find that they will talk your ear off if you let them. If the patient hasn't seen a nurse in 2 hrs, they love having a students there. I think your confidence will be more of a fear factor then actual clinicals. The work will be overwhelming but you will also become a pro with that as time goes on. I was more afraid of my instructors than patients. And some of the nurses can be great or mean. Just take it for what it is. I thought clinicals were fun because I got to apply what I did in the lab.
5) What's your favorite and least favorite aspect of nursing classes?
Favorite: When everything starts to click. I love nursing and I love medicine. The more I learned, the more I wanted. It's cool to finally understand hypertension or watch a surgery. The things you read in books start happening in real life. You get to see what actual labs look like and you get to witness the effects of diseases and how people heal. You get to feel the value of education and people start looking up to you.
Least Favorite: The endless studying. Having no time with my friends. I had no life. I was always tired despite how much sleep I got. Knowing that no matter how well I did this semester, there was a whole other beast that I had to overcome next semester. Lectures seemed long. Some of the info seemed too fast. There was always some other medical term that just didn't make sense at the time.
After you graduate, get some sleep, and hang out with your friends, it's totally worth it. Then, when you begin working at the bedside and your trade craft starts to make a real difference with your patients, nothing is worth more.

Lizzyru · Apr 6, 2013

1) What has been the hardest nursing class for you and why?

I found Peds to be really tough - not because it was a difficult course but we unfortunately had a brand new professor who had never taught before (we were often called her 'guinea pigs') and had the meanest clinical adjunct! Boo!!

2) How often do you have to study for tests?

I studied every day; develop whatever study method that will work best for you. I read the textbook/module learning tools prior to lecture then took notes, studied power point and also recorded my lecture so I can fill in where I may have missed during the lecture. I am a read/write learner so I did a lot of re-writing on index cards to process the information. Before the exam, I would have stacks and stacks of index cards. Just writing them down helped about 70% then I went through the cards to pick out ones that needed to be emphasized in my studying.

3) What are the most comfy scrubs and shoes for clinicals?

Grey's anatomy. :) Our school allowed us to buy Grey's anatomy in our school color then have the logo embroidered. Love them! I bought 2 sets.

4) What are clinicals like and are they scary?

I has a needle phobia when I started nursing school.. so it has taken some serious desensitization for me to overcome this. lol I was totally fine until we started complex care (ICU) then everything was new all over again. Having had an incredible professor and adjunct professor for clinical made it a great learning experience.

5) What's your favorite and least favorite aspect of nursing classes?

Favorite - I love the whole concept of holistic care involving therapeutic communication and patient centered care. I love getting to know my patients and to know that I am caring for the whole person, not just the disease process. Least favorite part... is students are expected to be super flexible when there is nothing flexible about being in nursing school - period!

But rest assured... we made it. :) Our cohort graduate on 5/2! Yippeee! :) Good luck to you~!