WANTED: Nursing student tidbits of advice

Nursing Students General Students

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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 Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

msdimples, CONGRATS on getting into NS. I know it is alot of hard work but there are 1000s that wish they were in our shoes. It sounds like you are getting off to a VERY good start..keep up the good work. Oh, and be sure to let me know how clinicals treat you.

P.s. dont worry about long posts...reading them are the only things that keep me awake at work..darn this third shift!!:zzzzz...i think ive become addicted to this site...nah, i KNOW i have

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

yeah...i think im gonna invest in a jansport

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I bought a planner but never used it. Instead I put everything on my Google Calendar and it updates me with reminders of all my families events for the day. The reminders show up on my laptop and also on my Blackberry. My husband also gets the same reminders to his I phone. (kids sports games, doctor appts, kids school events (we have 4 kids), daycare schedule for our now three year old (he went 3 days/week) , days the other kids have off from school, my school and clinical schedule, when I have a test and when I need to study it gets put in the google calendar so he knows he has to watch the kids, my husbands schedule of when he has boy scout mtgs. (He is the leader for our son), when he has his adult soccer games, his Mon. night basketball game, his nights he has class (he works full-time but is also going to school finishing up his Masters degree.) My husband is also a runner so when he has a race coming up he even schedules time to run so someone can always be here to watch the kids. He has starting running now at lunchtime at work so that is less stressful for me now because he can get his run in and I don't have to feel guilty if I am busy and he couldn't get a run in because he had to watch the kids. Oh yeah, and my work schedule as a CNA.) I am glad summer is here so I can be less scheduled.

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Specializes in CICU.

I used a wheeled bag during our first semester. It was actually a piece of luggage so it was very durable. There was no way I could carry all the books (two were huge), all my gear for lab (which included a foley kit to practice with), wallet/purse, lunch, supplies, etc.

Now I use a regular backback since I only take my book and "normal" supplies to classes.

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

good advice mommycakers...i wonder if ill be able to have the same type of calender on my itouch?

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My struggle with nursing school would have been significantly more challenging without my study groups. I can't say my study group was always the same from semester-to-semester, or even from class-to-class. My study groups helped me prepare for tests and kept me on track with the many assignments. I also found that I understood topics the best after presenting them in our small group study sessions.

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your welcome crunchy mama and congrats!!!!

:bow:Thanks for all your input guys...i hope this thread can help a lot of people..

anybody hear about teh new smartpen? It records the lecture as u take notes! If you tap your paper on a specifc spot it will replay that portion of lecture..amazing..but its costs like 300 :crying2:

Holy crap, are you serious!? I'm not a fan of useless technology, I don't even have a cellphone...but this blows my mind, lol. The stuff they come up with.....

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hey nursing friends, its me again! Sorry that im so needy, but, i was wondering what type of bookbag I should get? Roller bag? or backpack?

I think im so anxious to start school and be totally prepared that im REALLY stressin over EVERYthing ::SIGH::::icon_roll. Im just ready to start already!!!!!!!!!!!! Ill prolly be wishin I could be "free"again once I start tho....77 days until I start NS and counting!!!

My husband had bought me this big purse for my birthday last year...it's huge! So I started using it as a diaper bag. Then once I started school I used that for my books and stuff. I do want to get a new one because my huge A&P books ripped the zipper so I'm not able to close it. :/ But I feel ya.... I'm, so excited to start but once it starts I know I'll regret not appreciating the summer more.

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i have a couple of different backpacks/bags that i use depending on the hospital i am in rotation at and the classes i'm taking.

for the rotation that required me to park in a far off lot and take a shuttle bus, i got a rolling leather pack. i had to take a lot of stuff to that clinical just in case, plus lunch as there was no cafeteria or restaurants anywhere around.

for the rotations that i have great parking right outside the hospital, i have a small clinical bag that holds my stethoscope, bp cuff for taking my one old fashioned bp per day, and my famous bottle of ibuprofen (as long as i have it with me, i rarely need it, but let me leave it at home, and you know what happens) a container with my morning bp medication, bc pill, and vitamin dose in case i forget to take it if i'm in a rush in the morning.

for class i just have a regular backpack jansport. your class may be like mine and all lectures are powerpoints and there really is no need to tote the book, or you may have to take the book. it just depends.

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hello everyone...i just joined this site today and already i picked up some awesome ideas :yeah:i also start nursing school this fall..it is a 2 year adn program here in irving,texas..like the rest of you guys i'm concerned about what to have when class starts, but after reading all the ideas presented here i have a great headstart on what and what not to buy..

i wish everyone starting school this fall the best of luck, hang in there and don't get disillusioned..i will be out here with the rest of you drinking pepsi,coke,starbucks and any other legal upper available..:bugeyes:

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so guys....what about digital recorders or PDAs?????...im thinking about an itouch

People are talking about planners etc. - I do love my iphone, I have drug books, OB wheel, all kinds of apps for school on it - but I also use it as my planner - when I get the syllabus each semester I put EVERYTHING into it. I get reminder messages on every paper, every test. I really love it. Some people are more comfortable with paper planners, I really love having the PDA.

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Well.....

I just graduated ADN program in May and passed my NCLEX last week...

Ill tell you what worked for me..

I bought the Iphone when it first came out in my 1st semester, they didnt have all the cool apps they have now...it was useless.

My PDA was useless...

For me, our presentations were all done on powerpoint, so I downloaded them from the school website and used that as an outline. I learned quickly that lugging all those books around was for the birds...a good backpack was in order and a good laptop. I used that more than anything else.

I made a good friend in 2nd semester and stuck with her through HELL of third and fourth semester. She was my study buddy and I could rely on her to answer the phone at 2am...That would be the most indispensable thing you can have in nursing school. A good, honest friend. Not twenty or thirty, just one.

Dont listen to gossip and stay out of the drama. Get answers to important questions FROM THE INSTRUCTOR, not your peers....information can get jammed and twisted. You are responsible for your education not anyone else..(you will hear this)

Dont be afraid to ask questions. If you dont ask, you wont know. Chances are nobody else knows either and is too afraid to ask themselves.

Dont assume anything.

Dont argue with the instructor. They are not your friend. Respect their knowledge and position. Thank the instructors. Professionals are always willing and grateful to learn.

You dont know everything. Nobody does. Dont act like it and dont think it.

Treat each other right in school. You are being watched at all times, even when you think you are not. When you treat other students badly, you will be labeled by the instructors and could end up being a target for a much needed "lesson in kindness" (trust me on this- not me- but ive seen it happen)

If you get a preceptor that is not the kindest, just remember that you only have to deal with them for the length of clinical and thats it. I was lucky. I got a wonderful lady, but if you dont, dont get discouraged.

There is no shortcut or quick way to do anything.

Always remember the correct way you are taught to do things. You wont have to worry about it later and the extra effort will allow you a peaceful sleep at night.

You cant save the world. Accept things that are out of your control and do your best to help. If you pray, say the Serenity Prayer. You cant change people and you cannot make anyone do anything. Dont get mad, frustrated, sarcastic or cynical. Different strokes, different folks.

The most important thing I learned in school is that we are all human. We all have hopes, dreams and disappointments. We all make mistakes and have regrets. Dont judge anyone, because there is usually a reason why things are the way they are. Yes, that includes instructors as well....:)

Good luck and enjoy the journey.

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