Starting RN program this fall - what to expect?

NeoNatMom · Jul 5, 2016

Hi,

I would say that even though every school and the hospitals you will rotate in have different rules, here are ones all of us as students should go by...

Never fake, long or painted nails. They harbor more bacteria, which YOU will take home to your loved ones. Long nails can break gloves and skin. I made the mistake once of forgetting to remove my nail polish. I was almost sent home. Don't do it. You want to impress, but in your work :) I just doll up my toenails more to make up for not having nail polish on my fingers lol

Only jewelry you should have is a watch that can be cleaned and sanitized, and if you prefer, some simple stud earrings. Children's prohibits both hand jewelry AND wrist watched bc they still harbor bacteria even when washed, and the children's immune systems are so fragile.

Extra Pickles · Jul 5, 2016

schools that let you wear wedding rings are pretty generous because anything with stones can harbor germs as well as scratch patients. even if the ring has flat stones that won't scratch anyone bacteria gets into the stones and engravings and you can't get that out. my school didn't let us wear anything but plain, no engravings bands. some of us got plain bands to wear for clinicals and left the fancier ones at home. not that we had a choice lol it was no rings or plain bands only!

Kaitlyn1688 · Jul 8, 2016

Ours is pretty strict. No jewelry except wedding rings. Hair off the collar. No nail polish and nails must be trimmed even with the pad of the finger. I started in the summer semester so it has been rough, but I know that I made the right choice of career!

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jul 8, 2016

I used to use a little gel on my daughter's hair for her ballet performances--smooth it in before brushing it into the pre-bun ponytail. Then top it off with some hairspray, and it didn't budge.

The nail polish rule is for infection risk, not for image, so wearing it outside of clinical was fine. Our rules were wedding rings and tiny stud earrings only, white closed shoes, *clean* shoes (rubbing alcohol works great at scrubbing dust from vinyl), hair back so that it wouldn't dangle in our face. So short cuts didn't need to be tied back. I don't remember if we had a tattoo policy, because it didn't apply to me. Actually I don't remember anyone having tattoos except for tiny ankle ones which of course were covered by socks/pant legs.

Other rules -- wear a watch with a second hand, bring our own pens, be early, remember you are a *guest* in the facility (i.e. not entitled to anything including the staff RNs' time -- they are busy).........and never ever under any circumstances were we to be idle. Help answer call lights, help with meals, research newly ordered drugs or new lab results, work on therapeutic communication with our pts, etc.

But never take up space doing nothing.

An instructor said once a student loudly complained "I'm bored out of my gourd!!" She was invited to write a 5 page paper on what she could do to avoid boredom on the floor, or else she would have been failed. :nailbiting:

BeachsideRN, ASN · Jul 8, 2016

Also, my mom has lung cancer. She is not terminal, but I am her only child and the only person she can call on. Would it be unreasonable for me to ask to carry my cell phone so that my mother can contact me in case of an emergency situation? She has a scan on 7/7 to see if the chemo is working. This is her first recurrence since her initial diagnosis. Her last treatment is scheduled for 7/11, which is when we get the scan results. If the chemo has worked (she has three very small spots), she will be kept on Alimta for maintenance. Side effects for Alimta only should be minimal compared to what she went thru on carboplatin and taxol the first time around. But still, I would like to be reachable in case something were to happen.

If you explain to your instructor they may make exceptions such as you may have your phone out of site. Or the instructor may carry it. Or give your mom the instructor or unit number.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Jul 8, 2016

You asked for general rules. I'm a new grad so I'm not that far out of school. Here they are.

Clipped, short nails at all times. No polish!!

Covered tattoos. Covered with a bandaid.

Hair pulled back with a simple hair band. If your hair is at that place where it falls in your face, figure out how to get it back or grow it. It's a hazard when you are working in sterile field. Do you want a hair falling in your sterile field? Do you want your hair going in a foley? No. It can cause infection. Fix it now.

No jewelry. Except stud earrings and wedding jewelry. I wear my engagement ring to work. I wear gloves all day. Never been an issue. My center stone is large at two carats. It has yet to puncture a glove. I just worry about it damaging the ring itself. I clean it and have the prongs checked often.

Stud earrings only. One hole. Patients can rip out dangly earrings. This USA job requirement as well.

White shoes only. White socks. Some schools may like black. Leather. No mesh. Mesh absorbs bodily fluids.

Usually solid scrubs. There are restrictions on underneath shirts. Mine were white only.

Be professional, period. Skip the hand done nail polish. As in,I will remove it I certain days but put it on for others. That cheap stuff cracks and peels quickly. Just look professional. Enough said.

KarenMS · Jul 10, 2016

Also, my mom has lung cancer. She is not terminal, but I am her only child and the only person she can call on. Would it be unreasonable for me to ask to carry my cell phone so that my mother can contact me in case of an emergency situation? She has a scan on 7/7 to see if the chemo is working. This is her first recurrence since her initial diagnosis. Her last treatment is scheduled for 7/11, which is when we get the scan results. If the chemo has worked (she has three very small spots), she will be kept on Alimta for maintenance. Side effects for Alimta only should be minimal compared to what she went thru on carboplatin and taxol the first time around. But still, I would like to be reachable in case something were to happen.

We have to have our phones or some sort of device on us to look up meds and procedures on our Nursing Central app. If we need to text or take a call, we're just asked to step off the floor.

Mia415 · Jul 10, 2016

Also, my mom has lung cancer. She is not terminal, but I am her only child and the only person she can call on. Would it be unreasonable for me to ask to carry my cell phone so that my mother can contact me in case of an emergency situation? ..... But still, I would like to be reachable in case something were to happen.

best wishes to your mom. I will say that in my nursing program, we were treated like adults, this means that if you need to step out of the room, you just step out. No questions asked. Many people step out during lecture to go pee, or to take a phone call, most people text during class at one point during nursing school. You risk missing information on what was discussed but the professor would never tell you no you cannot step out of the room. So I'm just saying you do not need to disclose your personal situation if you do not want to to your teacher. If you are in clinicals on the hospital floor then yes you should notify your preceptor if you are expecting an urgent phone call and clarify its very important... Best wishes to you again.

Mia415 · Jul 10, 2016

Ours was like this: nobody cares what the heck you wear to lecture. Senior year I'm pretty sure I wore sweatpants everyday. But fun fancy outfits are perfectly fine just like any college course.

To the hospitals for clinicals: no nail polish and nails cut short, no perfume, hair under control, ideally pulled away, little to no jewelry as in the rare case you might ever be faced with a psychotic patient, they may pull your earrings or necklace. rings are not practical due to hand washing 100 times per day and gloves gloves gloves!

The classes are really really hard. Don't study for the exams - study because one day your patients life will depend on your knowledge. Sleep and rest are your friends! Being underslept can cause poor school performance and is dangerous when working with patients. But sleep loss will happen. Emotional breakdowns will happen. You will make it through. Passing the nclex is an even more amazing feeling than getting into nursing school. Also please remember the patient is more important than your learning experience. Be careful not to say insensitive things to patients and ask nurses lots of questions. Never sound like you know it all or like you know the best way - stay open minded. Remember patients are in control of their lives and their health even when you think they are making bad choices. I guess you'll have to learn the rest on your own!

Best wishes in your journey. Xoxo

Erythropoiesis · Jul 10, 2016

I'm starting in August of this year but or school had us download and read the 2016 nursing student handbook which we are to print out and bring to orientation.

Basically it it says the same thing that other people have said. It lists all of the clinical supplies we are required to buy, it lays out all of the rules and expectations/legal academia jargon regarding how many times you can fail or retake a class and all of that stuff. It goes over how we are to present ourselves in clinicals--no nailpolish at all, nails trimmed, no jewelry except a wedding ring if applicable or small stud earrings (rings are infection control issues so not sure why wedding rings are permitted, and it only takes 1 second for an aggressive patient to yank your hoops right out of your ears so that's why they have no dangly earrings/necklaces of any kind.

Hair is to be pulled up out of your face and can't touch your collar. I hear that they do check at my school, and I also hear that they check everyone's shoes to make sure they're white enough and not the slightest bit dirty. It's pretty strict, but I like being held to high standards. My patients will hold me to high standards as well as the facility that employs me so this is why they're doing this.

Mhsrnbsn · Jul 11, 2016

I will promise you this... Put you're studies first, it's not easy to be a nursing student in college especially if you're younger. It's not a program most people can "party" through. It's a lot of nights spent staying in and studying. You won't have the tv or movie college experience of party every night and expect to walk out with a nursing degree. Nursing is ranked as one of the HARDEST undergraduate areas of study. I wish you the best of luck and hope you make it through. It was very frustrating for me having a room mate that was in journalism stumbling in drunk at two am telling me about her fun she had, sometimes I'd get jealous but hey I work 3 days a week now party when I want and she works 5 days every week and doesn't get to do anything fun often. It's about perspective keep your eyes on the prize!

northmississippi · Jul 15, 2016

be sure to get a couple of voice recorders, one for each class to keep everything organized better. dont work more than two days