WANTED: Nursing student tidbits of advice

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hey guys,

I start this fall in my nursing program and Im extremely anxious!!! Im looking for any advice that will help me in school. Whats the thing you can NOT live w/o during nursing school? What was the best study method for you? Index cards, recorders, palm pilots? What should I take to clinicals? I know you all were anxious when u started!!!

thanks guys

p.s. ....im hoping this will end up being a HUGE thread that other anxious students can read

Specializes in Emergency.

Oh okay thank you so much Beth. I will really take this into consideration. Thanks again.

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

lol, sorry prettyladie i know how u feel. I was kinda shocked myself when my admissions rep called me a "non traditional student". But, according to wikipedia.com we definitely are. I attached their definition below...and I actually think its something to be proud of :bow:

"In a 1996 study the NCES included anyone who satisfies at least one of the following as a non-traditional student[1]:

  • Delays enrollment (does not enter postsecondary education in the same calendar year that he or she finished high school);

  • Attends part time for at least part of the academic year;

  • Works full time (35 hours or more per week) while enrolled;

  • Is considered financially independent for purposes of determining eligibility for financial aid;

  • Has dependents other than a spouse (usually children, but sometimes others);

  • Is a single parent (either not married or married but separated and has dependents); or

  • Does not have a high school diploma (completed high school with a GED or other high school completion certificate or did not finish high school). "

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Specializes in none as of yet..

A good pen! Just review your notes each day, dont wait until the night before a test to cram. Understand the process, dont memorize the material. And for skills, practice, practice, practice. Everyone is anxious for the unknown...it will be ok. I promise.

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Specializes in Emergency.
lol, sorry prettyladie i know how u feel. I was kinda shocked myself when my admissions rep called me a "non traditional student". But, according to wikipedia.com we definitely are. I attached their definition below...and I actually think its something to be proud of :bow:

"In a 1996 study the NCES included anyone who satisfies at least one of the following as a non-traditional student[1]:

  • Delays enrollment (does not enter postsecondary education in the same calendar year that he or she finished high school);

  • Attends part time for at least part of the academic year;

  • Works full time (35 hours or more per week) while enrolled;

  • Is considered financially independent for purposes of determining eligibility for financial aid;

  • Has dependents other than a spouse (usually children, but sometimes others);

  • Is a single parent (either not married or married but separated and has dependents); or

  • Does not have a high school diploma (completed high school with a GED or other high school completion certificate or did not finish high school). "

well i fit a couple of those descriptions lol. so non-traditional it is lol.

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Congrats! It's very exciting and scary at the same time.

Get a planner and write everything in it AHEAD of time: class times and places, family birthdays and anniversaries, clinical dates and location, etc.

Try to stick to small snacks packed from home and carry them with you.

Use an mp3 player to listen to calming music while studying - classical works great.

Take advantage of all your extra practice times alloted to you! Many students skipped out on these because they just wanted to go home and not study. Unfortunately, many of them were either repeats from last semester and some this semster failed their classes.

Make sure you have great solid family/friend support during your school career! You will need to depend on all the help you can get.

Always remember: This is for you, so take care of you, take time for you, and always remind yourself why doing this will be better for you!

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

Hey guys just wanted to let ya know that I got my blackberry curve today and I love it! I think it will be great at helping me stay organized and I've already downloaded some nursing apps. Imo, bb is the perfect pda

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Hey guys just wanted to let ya know that I got my blackberry curve today and I love it! I think it will be great at helping me stay organized and I've already downloaded some nursing apps. Imo, bb is the perfect pda

what nursing apps do you have? I have the curve and love it, I'm just worried that with the camera it'll be a privacy issue, so I haven't taken it to class yet.

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Specializes in oncology, med/surg (all kinds).

i just want to go back to the book destroying for a minute before i go to bed, since i "started" it. it IS painful to destroy a big shiny book--especially when you are attached to books like i am. i like the 3 ring binder idea. however, what i did, was with an exacto knife, i actually very neatly cut each chapter apart. then each chapter went into one of those big see-thru colored plastic envelopes. it fits nicely, you don't have to fold the paper or anything. plus, it stays dry on the run to class in the rain. and kept the pages from bending. when you have a book that is well over 1000 pages and you DO need to carry it to class or to the liberry or wherever, it gets HEAVY. this way, you only carry the chapter you need. for example, if you are doing cardiac, you just carry those chapters. i haven't used my med/surg book in many years, but each chapter nicely lives in its envelope. and i can find things easier too, because when i flip thru the envelopes, i am flipping thru an entire chapter, not each page. i wouldn't recommend it for everybody. but by doing this, it doesn't render your book useless in the future. and, it was precisely that i had no intention of selling it that led me to do the terrible deed! altho i haven't been out of nursing school that long--there was no google or high speed internet, so we really relied on our books. this is a great thread.

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.
what nursing apps do you have? I have the curve and love it, I'm just worried that with the camera it'll be a privacy issue, so I haven't taken it to class yet.

i downloaded off of epocrates.com...they have a free medical app. I haven't purchased any of the others yet.

Im not sure about the privacy situation but i work in a hospital and many of the doctors and nurses have blackberry's.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Make sure you check out the Mobile computing for different applications available and what people think

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

WOW!!! Im extremely excited. Yesterday I was fitted for my uniform for clinicals!!! Thats when it REALLY clicked that im an official NS now. And Tuesday I registered for my classes! I actually got a lil emotional yesterday. It has taken sooo much for me to get to this point. I went to school at BGSU for 3 yrs pursuing a microbiology degree and then I left because of a combination of family issues and the fact that I realized I had NO interest in that field. My grandmother has been a nurse for over 20 years and now teaches nursing and I admired the occupation but had no real passion for it. After I left school I got married and then preggo...assuming I would reenroll in school when the baby was big enough. However, she was born prematurely at only 24 weeks!!!! After being in the NICU with her for 4 crazy months, seeing her go through 5 brain surgeries, bonding with the nurses and other parents...I developed my EXTREME passion for nursing. I understand that people enter this field for various reasons but Im doing it because I know firsthand how IMPORTANT nurses are. I have cried on the shoulder of a nurse. I have trusted them to care for my micro-preemie while I caught a few hours of GREATLY needed sleep (most of the time they are the ones that INSISTED I get some rest...). After I realized how badly I wanted to be a nurse I had to figure out how to make that dream come true. I became a CNA, got a job at the hospital, took A&P at the NS I wanted to get into (just to be a lil bit ahead of the rest of the applicants), and worked my BUTT off to pay off my balance at BGSU (which was crazy high) so that they would release my transcripts. This has NOT been an easy process and I know school wont be easy either. But Im ready to go through hell and high water to make the difference that i know I can make. Sometimes the right energy and attitude can really help change an outcome.....

enough of my ramblings....

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Specializes in Neuro.

I cannot stress enough: If you don't want to get a roller backpack (some parts of my campus are so crowded thats its a pain), invest in a good hiking/traveling backpack. I would suggest REIoutlet.com.

Find a place on campus with food nearby, the right level of noise for you and a comfortable chair and go there on a regular basis. I used to go on my day off of class and Sundays from 1100-1400 without fail. I always got more accomplished there than I could at home.

In most classes you will find someone who likes to stress other people (I have even noticed some of those on this board). Identify this person and STAY AWAY!

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