Starting nursing school this fall. Any tips?

Sour Lemon · May 8, 2018

If you have assigned textbooks, start reading. Get a drug calculation book and start looking over that, too. A lot of programs seem to require high or perfect scores on drug calculation tests. People who don't make the grade frequently get thrown out of class and have to try again next semester.

umbdude, MSN, APRN · May 9, 2018

It varies by individual. For me I just familiarized myself with the nursing diagnosis handbook and nursing process, then I picked a few diagnoses to look deeper into. It helped a lot when I had to churn out those endless care plans and I did them quickly and accurately.

If you're going into a BSN program, briefly look at writing in APA format/style. I used Purdue University's "Purdue OWL" as my primary source and I still use it all the time.

Rionoir, ADN, RN · May 10, 2018

If you did fine in your prereqs then just enjoy your summer, it's not that bad just a lot of Information.

FDBMath, ADN, RN · May 22, 2018

If you did fine in your prereqs then just enjoy your summer, it's not that bad just a lot of Information.

I would echo this. Nursing school can be a real time suck while in session. Enjoy the breaks. If you feel the need, read a bit of your fundamentals text but don't go too far overboard.

As far as supplies, get a good stethoscope. I like my Littman, but other may have different ones they recommend. Lots of cheap pens and pencils, notebooks (at least one small pocket sized for pt notes when at clinicals), a good clipboard (I have found my folding one to be indispensable), a good cheap watch that if it breaks or gets ruined, you won't miss it. Comfortable shoes, not to expensive for the same reason you want a cheap watch.

Also, make sure that whatever paperwork you need to complete before school starts you get done ASAP. A few people in my program were freaked out about getting it done last minute. Also, if you haven't been vaccinated for hep B, start the series now.

marl0n · Jul 31, 2018

Good luck, I'll be starting in the Fall too!

AdamT · Aug 2, 2018

Make friends with your classmates, they will end up being like family and will be invaluable in the coming years. Since a lot of programs are very competitive to get into many people enter with that mindset but you'll be most successful and happiest if you're working as a team. Wether you have a rough ay at clinicals, struggle with a subject or anything, they're going to be the ones literally going through poo with you!

As far as school, don't worry about studying much before the program starts, you'll be fine. Enjoy your summer and good luck!

dumbnurse, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN · Aug 7, 2018

Well let me be the one to lay it on the line for you sir! First off as a dear male nurse friend of mine told me long ago, "We work for women!" Yes there are instances where men work for men but by in large it is a woman's world. Sure we all love women in our personal lives but how do we really get along when we work together? I've been told I'm a male chauvinist and I am fine with that moniker if it makes people feel better. But the fact remains, men and women respond differently to one another when they are working in close proximity to death and dying. That is why we need both sexes in our field. At the risk of stereotyping, many times women have passive aggressive tendencies when their skills or knowledge is questioned. Men on the other hand become aggressive and fight it out up front. Women often are more 'touchy feely" and embrace the intimacy around nursing. Men may shun the deep probing questions that we may have to ask a patient. Bottom line...pray that you can learn to communicate with everyone equally despite our differences in opinion, race, gender, lifestyle choices and personalities. We all have a place in nursing but you must be aware that people like me exist out there and you will have to communicate with me. I love all of you for being who you are!

Chrispy11, ASN, RN · Aug 8, 2018

If your book with comes with videos, watch the beginner ones. You'll be way ahead on assessments. Maybe a book on care plans. That's all I spent my first semester doing. The reading is extensive so if you can get your hands on the syllabus... I read ahead and stayed ahead. Recorded lectures, listened again and took more notes. Then did study cards. I did countless quizzes, so I wasn't cramming for exams.

What another poster said about medical calculations... Definitely do that too.

Best of luck to you.

carti, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2018

Make friends with your classmates, they will end up being like family and will be invaluable in the coming years. Since a lot of programs are very competitive to get into many people enter with that mindset but you'll be most successful and happiest if you're working as a team. Wether you have a rough ay at clinicals, struggle with a subject or anything, they're going to be the ones literally going through poo with you!
As far as school, don't worry about studying much before the program starts, you'll be fine. Enjoy your summer and good luck!

i second this. Only like 13 dudes were in my cohort out of 100 students so we all made a groupchat together to talk about school, plan hangouts, send memes, all that good stuff. Nursing school is easier when you have friends to study with and release steam when times get tough.

but yeah, enjoy your summer man. Nursing school can be hard, but then again, thousands of RN's have done it before you and they will continue to do it after you. Don't flunk Pathopharm, that class seems to get most 1st semester students. Watch your youtube videos and you will do good.

MursePas · Sep 1, 2018

If your book with comes with videos, watch the beginner ones. You'll be way ahead on assessments. Maybe a book on care plans. That's all I spent my first semester doing. The reading is extensive so if you can get your hands on the syllabus... I read ahead and stayed ahead. Recorded lectures, listened again and took more notes. Then did study cards. I did countless quizzes, so I wasn't cramming for exams.
What another poster said about medical calculations... Definitely do that too.
Best of luck to you.

I always recorded lectures and listened to them when I went to the gym. Treadmill lectures got me through nursing school.

ThatChickOmi, ADN, RN · Jul 11, 2019

Honestly, there is no real way of preparing...I skimmed some of the chapters before it started but I made no real commitments. Practice the math though, because we had a math competency test I think a week in, and you needed a 90 or better. The math isn't very hard though. I second what one of the posters above said...enjoy your summer. Relax. Take a trip. Enjoy. Because you won't be able to for a while..lol. I just graduated in May. You'll be done before you know it.