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

I was thinking the same thing, which is why I asked if maybe it was a RX med that the poster was concerned about. Even some rx meds are dangerous to take at work/clinical. One of our local hospitals will not let you take narcotic pain meds, if they come up on the drug screen, it counts as a positive. im not sure if everywhere is this way but it makes sense. Not sure i would want someone on pain meds that sedate you and slow your reaction time taking care of me, IMHO

Hmmmm.....I was thinking about it, and I haven't had a drug screening! I had the barrage of blood titers and the physical, but I don't recall doing an actual drug test. I work at a hospital and had to do one for that, of course.

And um.....please don't take offense to this, but if you have to ask "which" drugs are detected, or how often the screenings are done....perhaps a lifestyle change is in order. Just a thought....

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Specializes in Case Mgmt, Anesthesia, ICU, ER, Dialysis.

Vicodin is the most commonly abused medication, currently, according to my AANA journal.

Interesting that when we took ours, though...I take both Adderal (ADD) and Valium (wicked TMJ with BIG allergies to Flexoril/Skelain/etc). They didn't ask prior to my test what I took, and I never got a call to produce a prescription.

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Orientation starts for me on Monday (08/24/09) so I'm sure we'll get the info about drug screening at that time. The only thing I've read so far is that it's against the rules to take even PRESCRIBED narcs, but I don't know about benzos, ADD meds, etc.

I've taken Vicodin off/on for the past 3 years for a chronic condition which is not aggravated by activity (or I wouldn't be going into nursing!). I've been concerned enough about drug testing, though, that I haven't taken any in several days -- maybe a week -- and have been instead taking WAY too much ibuprofen. I can truthfully say that I am not impaired in any way when taking my usual very lose dose. I realize, though, that this is a very commonly-abused drug and I understand why schools/hospitals must be cautious.

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Specializes in Case Mgmt, Anesthesia, ICU, ER, Dialysis.

They can't tell you what you can and can't take, although if you end up needing to take it, they can keep you out of clinical that day.

As long as you have a prescription for it, and it's for a legitimate medical use, they really can't say anything about it.

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

First day of class tommorow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D

Im soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo READY.:up:

First day of clinicals tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yeah:

Who else is starting tommorow (aug 24)?

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First day of class tommorow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D

Im soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo READY.:up:

First day of clinicals tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yeah:

Who else is starting tommorow (aug 24)?

ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:w00t:

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Specializes in Emergency.

I start tomorrow. I have class at 10 but its spanish, but my health assessment class is at 1 to 350. We have clinicals on Tuesday, but I have been talking to previous students who say we don't start clinicals until a month from now; so I don't know what we would be doing during that time frame AND our orientation isn't until Saturday which is STILL ridiculous to me.

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

I only have Fundamentals of Nursing tomorrow (NUR 120) from 2:30-3:50.

My clinical instructor told us at orientation that the first day of clinicals we will just be getting oriented to the hospital and school. We will learn all of the safety guidelines of the hospital and specific floor we start on. We also have a planned scavenger hunt...which could either be totally fun or totally lame..or maybe a mixture lol. My first clinical rotation is Orthopedic..and im excited enough about that (wish i started on med-surg tho).

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Specializes in Pediatric Hem/Onc.

Yay for you guys! Let us know how it goes :)

I have 2 more weeks of freedom....but I have two interviews this week! Well actually 4, because you have to interview with two managers per department. I'm trying to tell myself there's no pressure on it LOL

I'm being cautiously optimistic - I bought a really great backpack (Staples is doing 25-50% off theirs, in case you still need one!), some pens, and highlighters. I'm waiting on everything else.

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I start orientation tomorrow, which lasts through Thursday. First "real" day of classes will be Friday.

I'm surprisingly calm -- thankfully -- but really looking forward to getting started. It's been a long time coming!

Looking forward to hearing from everyone tomorrow evening to see how your day goes...

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Specializes in Correctional Nursing, Orthopediacs.
I fully agree. Friends always make everything in life easier & bearable:wink2:

Especially since they are the ones who are going to understand how you feel. Misery loves company. Good shoes are a must also. Also no man's an island I think it is important in nursing school. Those of us with houses the house does not have to be perfect because there is only so many hours in a day and nursing school eats up alot. Get a good nights sleep because you do not want to be sick all the time and eat well balanced meals health is really important. Do not pull all nighters if possible all it does is make you sleepy and you will not remember more stuff that way study as you go.

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Specializes in Hospice & Geriatrics.
omg, get that livescribe pen as soon as you can...i just wish i had had one earlier...get the 2gigabit, you need, if your instructors talk as much as mine!! a friend of mine goes to a school where they do not allow taping & she taped with her pen & got all a's...

I have never heard of this so I looked it up I am ordering one in the morning. I am in my last year of nusing school and they decided this semester we couldn't use our tape players and I need mine. So thanks for the info I will sure be putting it to good use!!

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