Starting nursing program in fall...lots of questions

[hopefulnrsgstudent]

Hi everyone! I am so excited I stumbled upon this wonderful website. I am starting the PN (practical nursing) program in the fall of 2011. I am very very excited and anxious as well! I am trained as a PSW (Personal Support Worker) but have always had a longing to become a nurse. I've known since I could remember that I have always wanted to be a nurse. I guess this blog is for anyone to answer really...I have a lot of questions about the nursing profession. First of all, what is a day in the life of an RPN like? What kinds of things can you do and what is beyond your scope of practice? Is the program really challenging? I recently graduated for a health informatics program which was said to be as challenging as the nursing program. We'll see! What kinds of things can I do in order to prepare myself for the nursing program? I have been watching all kinds of nursing videos on youtube and have been reading everything I can get my little hands on! If anyone has any advice for an anxious/excited student-to-be, it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[loriangel14, RN]

Obviously you are from Ontario. No one else will know what a PSW or an RPN is. lol I am an RPN and I was a PSW first. You would get bette responses if you post in the Canadain Forum. I will try to help.

Hmm day in the life? Depends on where you work. I give meds, do assessments, do personal care, document,document,document, do treatments, do admissions and discharges, talk to families, doctors, other members of the health care team. I have to solve problems, call laundry, call dietary, call x-ray, call admitting......the list goes on.

The things I can't do are hang blood,(but I can monitor, flush after the infusion and discontinue the blood), I can't flush PICC lines or do the dressing and I can't go into management. Where I work I get the same patient's as the RNs. Other work places may have other things an RPN can't do, it varies, especially between provinces.

Yes the program is really challenging. You will cram so much stuff into your head you will feel like it is going to explode, and then you will have to stuuf in more.lol Being a PSW is great preparation for the hands on side of the program. I went to school with girls that had never bathed a patient before and were freaking out heading into first clinical placement. Good luck.

[tkm2005]

Best advice for your program, enjoy your free time. Visit with your friends and family, clean your house really good, and do some reading for fun. Once your program starts, there will be no time for any of that! Good luck, you sound like you are very motivated, I'm sure you will do great!

And yes, the program is hard, but if you are disciplined and manage your time well, you'll be A-OK!