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 Cardiac.

I just finished packing my "in case of" bag that will stay in the car. I packed a change of clothes, toiletries, extra pack of paper and notebook, hair ties, bobby pins, advil, thermacare heat wraps for the back pain, $10 bill, a bunch of change and a credit card, extra pens, highlighters, tide stick, jacket/sweater, . I had an old backpack that everything fit nicely in and I stashed it under my seat, you would not even know its there. Hopefully I won't need it, but who knows. I am going to order an extra set of uniforms and stash a set in the bag too.

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.
Just a thought about debiding...I did it with my A&P book and I regretted it. Sure, it was nice to carry around only a chapter at a time but there were several times the instructor referred to other chapters that I didn't have. Or impromptu labs where I needed other chapters plus the index! I got by using partners' books during those times. The biggest problem though is now I can't resell that A&P book. I have been selling books on Amazon from classes I'm finished with and getting good money for them. I'm really glad I didn't debind them all.

yea, i dont plan on debinding all of my books. Just a couple of the really huge ones. I really think it will work out for me and I will make a copy of the index to keep with me at all times.

Ill be sure to let u guys know if debinding is all i expect it to be once I do it...:typing

thanks for all the new advice guys:yeah::yeah:

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I went to Kinko's and had them debind the main two books that I will be using this semester. The one book is huge so I am so glad I decided to do it this year. I already pulled all the chapters out for each book and put them together in a binder that will be on my first test. I got dividers that have top tabs for the one book and side tab dividers for the other book. I then wrote each chapter # and pages that need to be read on each divider tab. The divider tabs can be erased so I can just rewrite on them when I switch the chapters out for the next test. (I put scotch tape over the tabs though or they smudge and the writing comes off when you touch them. Just peel off the tape when it is time to organize for the 2nd tests reading material.) I plan on putting the chapters back in place with the original text in another binder when they are not for the current test. I also took one of the beginning pages that looks just like the hardcover of the text book and used my laminator to cover it and then used a hole punch and put it at the beginning of that book's section in my test binder. I also found a 3 hole punched pocket pouch at Staples that I put in with the binder. I plan on putting all the powerpoints or handouts that they give us for material on each test in that pocket pouch. I also just decided to use the other pocket pouch to hold all the drug cards that I laminated that they wanted us to know for this year.

I can tell already it is going to work out great. It is so organized. Now I have everything I need in one binder and I can grab it and go. If I am taking my daughter to field hockey practice or my son to basketball I can just sit there and study without carrying all these heavy books around.

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Heres a few tidbits ..you will need a set of calipers.I found mine at office max.Invaluable when it comes to measuring your ekg strips.Sure dont know what Id use a protractor for except straight lines..and a ruler would be better.Preferably a vinal sewing one you can alcohol off..to measure belly and arm circum. I always bring a few goodies from uniform store..ie..small bottle shoe buffer for those with leather whites..cleans off scuffs.A small things of wet wipes and alcohol hand wash for moments at school...ie coffee spilled on shoes..blood splatters on lab day(IV class) ets. For you ladies ..depending on age..a few panty liners and clean set of underwear..as well as some ftd are nice for those "suprise visits" as well as for those of us who are older and pee every time we giggle too hard.ROFL.

I really love this site.

BTW.in case I didnt mention it..I passed my net and hessi and am in data bank ..for spring 2010.Was first to get on list for my school of choice. SO I am taking pharm this semester and working.Also..got a nice little safe ,new, car for first time in my life (no payments.!)We saved and pinched and drove hand me downs..OLD ones. Got our children grown and into their cars and college..and now have a granddaughter AND a new car..and .oh ya..I also got a job :o) This is not a brag fest. We worked hard and long and prayed the same..and If you knew us and our life you"d know the miracle that all this is for us. We are so Grateful to God, believe you me!! :o) :o)

OH yes..one more small hint..always have some money in your bag in case your well planned lunch and snacks get left on the counter as you race blurry eyed out the door in the AM after an all nighter.

Have a great day folks

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Specializes in ICU.

Weighing in on the unbind-or-not-to-unbind debate...I have done both, and it can work really well in some cases. For classes where you don't cross-reference other topics in the book, then de-binding is awesome! I did it for stats and it was fantastic...not quite so fantastic for O-chem since I often needed to go back to the "basic" first few chapters to review concepts once in awhile.

I opted not to do it with my books last semester (mainly because the Med/Surg book paper is soooo thin, I thought it would tear a lot), and I'm glad I didn't. I am constantly using multiple sections of that book, that I would have ended up just carrying around the whole thing anyway (in a rolly backpack...what else?).

It may totally make sense with other classes (my theory class comes to mind), and I may do it for others once I see the reading schedule to see if it makes sense. For instance, if the reading is chapter oriented then I'd go for it...if it's a page here and there, then it would be a nightmare to figure out.

If you do debind...

-make a photocopy of the index so you have it with you in your binder

-stay on top of keeping the master binder organized...it can get into a big mess real fast!

-and yes, you can still sell de-bound books since some people prefer them that way (I was easily able to sell my Stats book). Obviously, you can't sell them back to the bookstore, but I've noticed most people in the department sell books to other students anyway.

-one word of caution...Kinko's may screw up your book and you'll be stuck with it. For instance, the margin on my chem book was cut too far over, and the holes ended up eating into the text...not good!

Good luck!

Mo

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

::bump::

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Hmm, I recommend Highlighters, several bright ones in different colors, and then color code everything. I do yellow for the textbook, orange for key points in notes and then the remaining colors go in my calendar to make quizzes. tests, etc. I find it very helpful even though it's just a little thing. Also, you can never have too many index cards. Get em cheap at wal-mart its 44 cents per 100, and you'll find uses for them. I also use binder tabs to section off the chapters in my books, it makes it alot faster and easier to find pages if you can just flip to the chapter its in. Start a study group. First day of class I turned to everyone in the room and said that I was starting a study group. I would be in a certain place at a certain time and if anyone wanted to join me they were welcome, if not I'd be there anyways, and thats what I did. After the first quiz, the group grew. Networking is a major key to being a nursing student, and its never too early to start. Oh, and eventually you'll probably want a backpack on wheels. Most of my classmates sport them, Myself I use a regular backpack, and then a smaller messenger bag that I keep my essential notes in that I can take everywhere with me so that if I find a spare moment somewhere I can go over them. and you will need to study. Even if you were Straight A Valedictorian like I was, studying is still important, as my instructors point out, you better feel confident in what you've learned, and that you actually -understand- it because there isn't room for mistakes when people's lives hang in the balance.

Enough of my rant.

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this thread has been extremely helpful in preparing for this fall for my first semester of an asn program. it seems most students are taking other gen ed classes along with their nursing courses. i have finished all my gen ed courses and will only be taking one nursing course each semester for 4 semesters. i will also be working full time around my class/clinical schedule. i am a very organized person but i am worried about having time for myself and other obligations besides school (boyfriend, friends, etc).... any advice on how to balance school with everyday life? :confused:

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I had four of my 1000+ page books de-bound. I had to do it myself with an xacto knife and an industrial-sized hole puncher at work because Kinkos refused to do hardcover books or books over 3 inches thick. Anyone have any luck with other companies?

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Prioritize, if your program is anywhere as intense as mine you will have to make sacrifices to reach your goals.

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I had four of my 1000+ page books de-bound. I had to do it myself with an xacto knife and an industrial-sized hole puncher at work because Kinkos refused to do hardcover books or books over 3 inches thick. Anyone have any luck with other companies?

Kinko's did my Med/Surg book last week...I just had to cut off the front and back cover first with an Exacto knife because their machine can't cut through that part. Did you talk to the manager? The first Kinko's I went to said they couldn't do it at all, but the next one I tried I talked to the manager and he said they could do it if I cut off the covers and just left the spine on it. It was a penny a page to debind and hole punch the book though, so be prepared to pay some for it. I also don't plan on selling my books back right away, I figure a grad nurse still needs her Med/Surg book...at least for the first year on the job!:nurse:

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

OMG guys! I have only a week and a half until the first day of class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im s o e x c i t e d !!!!!!!!!!!!!

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