UTHSC-Houston Spring 2013

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Hi,

I am new to allnurses.com and I wanted to start a topic for the Spring 2013 applicants at UTHSC Houston. Where we can keep each other posted on the process as it nears. I have yet to take the HESI but i wonder if anyone else has taken it and what their score was. I will compile my GPA's later and post them on here.

Thanks for your comments

Sure! Buy as many of these used as you can, except the NCLEX books. Many of the upperclassman will be selling their textbooks.

Health Assessment:

Physical Examination and Health Assessment 6th edition by Jarvis

Student Laboratory Manual for Physical Examination & Health Assessment 6th edition by Jarvis (Definitely hold off on buying this until after the first day of classes because some lab instructors won't require you to use it. If yours does, go ahead and buy it, otherwise save the $25 or so.)

The school also includes the Jarvis pocket guide in the required books. Definately don't bother buying this.

Pharm:

Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 7th edition by Lehne (Do NOT buy this, you def won't need it. The prof is very good with his powerpoint slides and all the test questions are based on the slides.)

Patho:

Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children, 6th edition by McCance

100 Case Studies in Pathophysiology by Bruyere (make sure your copy comes w/the CD because that's supposedly where the test questions come from)

Care I:

Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 12th edition (This comes in 2 volumes and that's how the bookstore sells it as. Try to find the combined volume if you can because it's somewhat cheaper. It's huge, but it's not like you'll be carrying your books to class anyway. I bought the combo version used off of amazon).

Fundamentals of Nursing, 8th edition by Potter & Perry (I kind of regret buying this one because I've barely used it and just read Brunner & Suddarth. Whether or not you buy this one is up to you)

Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Exam 5th edition (make sure yours comes w/the CD for practice questions!)

HESI Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination, 3rd edition (I haven't used this one yet but maybe later on in the program it will be useful?)

Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An Evidence-Based Guide to Planning Care, 9th editon by Ackley (great book for the careplans you'll be doing for your clinicals)

Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 4th edition

A nursing drug handbook is also good to have. I don't remember which one the school tells you to buy, but just get whichever one you want.

Thanks for all the info you are awesome. Are there somethings or areas you can recommend to us newbies to maybe start studying for now (high-level) before the start of program? Kinda to get a head start on everything. I also was reading thru the Program Policies and came across the Management of Metric Conversions, Intake and Output, Dosages and Solutions Policy. It states students will be required to pass with 100% accuracy Dosage and Solutions for Health Assessment I course. I have taken Pharmacology / Calculation class before so I am familiar but it its not necessarily a strong area for me. Can you recommend some areas I can start concentrating on to study for this now?

Also I have read several years back in postings for past UT students and most do say most of the people that dropped out did not find a good way to study material. Do you have any insight you can provide on that maybe ways you have found helpful in your studying?

Thanks again. I really appreciate all your info.

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The dosage calculatons test is really easy. Seriously, don't stress out over it or bother studying for it now. It's just really basic conversions, like mL to ounces, oz to pints, or lbs to kg. Or if you have an order for 750mg of a drug and there's 250mg in a tablet, how many tablets do you give? Simple stuff like that. Most people passed it on the first try and even if you don't for whatever reason, you have up to 3 chances to get 100%.

Don't stress out over reading ahead of time either. The only thing I recommend you do once you get a copy of the Saunders' NCLEX book - write a 3 page summary (can be double spaced) on chapter 5. Get it out of the way before classes start. This will give you 5 extra points on your first care I test.

For studying... well, the profs all record their lectures so that you can watch them online, and I think a lot of people rely too much on this. I like to prepare a little bit ahead of time (like skim the chapter in the book or the powerpoint slides) and just try to get the most out of the lecture as I can, rather than going back and rewatching it later. Don't get me wrong, it's a great resource to have, but I only like to go back and rewatch lectures if there's a certain thing I missed or didn't understand at the time. Rather than watch a 3hr lecture all over again, I'd rather make better use of my time. I like to make outlines of the slides/reading/etc. just so that I can organize things into something that's easier for me to study and that flows better/whatever and to have everything in one place. You might have to experiment a bit to figure out what works best for you. Also, focus only on what the prof goes over in class and what's on the powerpoint slides. The patho book for example goes into a lot more depth than you need to know. Be organized, use your time efficiently, and don't fall behind/keep up with the work and readings, and you should be fine.

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The dosage calculatons test is really easy. Seriously, don't stress out over it or bother studying for it now. It's just really basic conversions, like mL to ounces, oz to pints, or lbs to kg. Or if you have an order for 750mg of a drug and there's 250mg in a tablet, how many tablets do you give? Simple stuff like that. Most people passed it on the first try and even if you don't for whatever reason, you have up to 3 chances to get 100%.

Don't stress out over reading ahead of time either. The only thing I recommend you do once you get a copy of the Saunders' NCLEX book - write a 3 page summary (can be double spaced) on chapter 5. Get it out of the way before classes start. This will give you 5 extra points on your first care I test.

For studying... well, the profs all record their lectures so that you can watch them online, and I think a lot of people rely too much on this. I like to prepare a little bit ahead of time (like skim the chapter in the book or the powerpoint slides) and just try to get the most out of the lecture as I can, rather than going back and rewatching it later. Don't get me wrong, it's a great resource to have, but I only like to go back and rewatch lectures if there's a certain thing I missed or didn't understand at the time. Rather than watch a 3hr lecture all over again, I'd rather make better use of my time. I like to make outlines of the slides/reading/etc. just so that I can organize things into something that's easier for me to study and that flows better/whatever and to have everything in one place. You might have to experiment a bit to figure out what works best for you. Also, focus only on what the prof goes over in class and what's on the powerpoint slides. The patho book for example goes into a lot more depth than you need to know. Be organized, use your time efficiently, and don't fall behind/keep up with the work and readings, and you should be fine.

Thanks a million this really helps!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
The dosage calculatons test is really easy. Seriously, don't stress out over it or bother studying for it now. It's just really basic conversions, like mL to ounces, oz to pints, or lbs to kg. Or if you have an order for 750mg of a drug and there's 250mg in a tablet, how many tablets do you give? Simple stuff like that. Most people passed it on the first try and even if you don't for whatever reason, you have up to 3 chances to get 100%.

Don't stress out over reading ahead of time either. The only thing I recommend you do once you get a copy of the Saunders' NCLEX book - write a 3 page summary (can be double spaced) on chapter 5. Get it out of the way before classes start. This will give you 5 extra points on your first care I test.

For studying... well, the profs all record their lectures so that you can watch them online, and I think a lot of people rely too much on this. I like to prepare a little bit ahead of time (like skim the chapter in the book or the powerpoint slides) and just try to get the most out of the lecture as I can, rather than going back and rewatching it later. Don't get me wrong, it's a great resource to have, but I only like to go back and rewatch lectures if there's a certain thing I missed or didn't understand at the time. Rather than watch a 3hr lecture all over again, I'd rather make better use of my time. I like to make outlines of the slides/reading/etc. just so that I can organize things into something that's easier for me to study and that flows better/whatever and to have everything in one place. You might have to experiment a bit to figure out what works best for you. Also, focus only on what the prof goes over in class and what's on the powerpoint slides. The patho book for example goes into a lot more depth than you need to know. Be organized, use your time efficiently, and don't fall behind/keep up with the work and readings, and you should be fine.

Thanks again for all the great info!! Very helpful!

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Thanks so much for all the advice! Is there anyone who has a Mac? The computer guidelines indicate they aren't necessarily compatible. I've been looking into an inexpensive PC, but obviously would prefer to not have to get a new computer if possible.

One more question - are we all in class together/at the same time? And there is only 1 professor that teaches each course?

Thank you!

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Thanks so much for all the advice! Is there anyone who has a Mac? The computer guidelines indicate they aren't necessarily compatible. I've been looking into an inexpensive PC, but obviously would prefer to not have to get a new computer if possible.

One more question - are we all in class together/at the same time? And there is only 1 professor that teaches each course?

Thank you!

You will all attend lecture together but will be divided up into groups of 10 for labs.

It depends on the class. For care I and HA, there are multiple people who lecture, depending on the week. The schedule will be given in your syllabus and will tell you who is giving which lecture (I don't think that HA tells you though... this class has been the more unorganized one lol, but the others definitely do).

I don't have a mac myself but I see plenty of people using them during class.

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Hello everyone I've been following this thread and a ton of others for a while just to get some info. I'm applying for 2014 spring traditional and take my hesi in may. I got the hesi prep book and the fundamentals success book for critical thinking. Is there any other study method I could use before I take the test in order to make a higher score? Any help would be appreciated!

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Hello everyone I've been following this thread and a ton of others for a while just to get some info. I'm applying for 2014 spring traditional and take my hesi in may. I got the hesi prep book and the fundamentals success book for critical thinking. Is there any other study method I could use before I take the test in order to make a higher score? Any help would be appreciated!

Hello, you can try readforthehesi.com, that review is extremely helpful for anatomy and physiology. You can also practice vocabulary and a&p from quizlet.com

Good luck and wish you all the best!

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Hello, you can try readforthehesi.com, that review is extremely helpful for anatomy and physiology. You can also practice vocabulary and a&p from quizlet.com

Good luck and wish you all the best!

Thank you so much! I'm ready to just get it over with!

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Thank you so much! I'm ready to just get it over with!

I used the evolve/elsevier study guide and the HESI A2 Secrets. I thought they were both pretty good.

Good Luck!

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I used the evolve/elsevier study guide and the HESI A2 Secrets. I thought they were both pretty good.

Good Luck!

Thank you I seriously appreciate the help! And did you get the hesi a2 secrets book online?

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Thank you I seriously appreciate the help! And did you get the hesi a2 secrets book online?

I got the A2 book online

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