What to expect the first semester of nursing school

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Hey everyone,

I start nursing school (adn program) 2 weeks from tomorrow, while I'm very excited, I'm also very very nervous. I was wondering if anyone could give me some insight based on your experience on what to expect. Will they start lecture on the first day? How often did you have tests? Also, I have all of my lecture classes (fundamentals, health assessment, pharmacology) on Mondays and Wednesdays along with my health assessment lab. What did you purchase to carry all of your class material and books in because we have like 10 books and my classes are pretty much back to back so I can't run out to my car to swap books before class starts.

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Congrats! Your fundamentals class may start lectures first day but for the most part it will be syllabus day but pay close attention. They overload you with info so bring stuff to take notes. I made sure I had all eBooks so I could just bring my laptop or Ipad instead of lugging all my textbooks. And you will most likely have tests every 4-5 weeks in each class. So one week in each month could be a week of tests! Yay nursing school lol! Good luck!

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Specializes in TNCC.

Our first day was as the previous poster indicated - we really just went over the syllabus. It was basically an extended orientation, with Q & A. We had tests for pharmacology every week, and tests for fundamentals every week. Our teachers did this so we wouldn't be testing over excessive amounts of material. They would incorporate some material from earlier in the semester, but the tests covered mainly the material we went over for the previous week. Every program is different, every teacher is different! Good luck! It really isn't that bad :)

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Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Congrats, good luck, and get plenty of fun and rest time before you start! Also, if you haven't already start reading up earlier if you can, or at least take a peak at the upcoming chapters to read. For me, lecture started the very first day, all day. We had 2 tests a week for the 1st semester. One for the current lecture for nursing, the 2nd was for our 2nd class, pharmacology. All I needed was my SWISS backpack that contained my textbooks, my notes/syllabus, and my laptop. That's all I really needed. I eventually downgraded to a small laptop bag/satchel, but by the end of the program, I stopped using my laptop and use my textbook for everything (highlighting, writing notes, circling, etc lol).

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I studied the power points and made flashcards for pharmacology. In clinicals we were basicly CNAs since our skills repertoire was mostly how to wash our hands. Before long you will be passing meds and doing assessments

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Specializes in Nephrology Home Therapies, Wound Care, Foot Care..

Our first day we had 2 lectures, and another mini-orientation. We have throughout the program had an exam every 2 weeks. First semester we pretty much had 2 lectures twice a week (total of 4 per week,sometimes 5), 2-3 days a week in skills lab until we started clinicals, then 2 days a week of clinicals or outrotations, 2 days a week of lectures, and 1-2 days a week in the skills lab.Had a total of 44 lectures that semester- sheesh! Pre-labs for clinical days typically took about 6-8 hours as well (that includes med sheets, pre-lab data bases, and Nursing Care plans, sometimes a teaching plan). In between in more freaking reading than you can shake a stick at, usually had to make time to watch 2-5 videos a week,take an online quiz for each one to get admitted to the skills lab. Sounds completely un-doable in retrospect-but managed it and still had a life- organization and prioritization skills are your best friend!

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Wow thats alot lol We will have 6 lectures a week and 4 labs and eventually we will have pre-clinical on Thursday afternoons and clinicals on Friday and Saturdays. I already went and bought me a nice planner and a big dry erase calendar board so every time I go into my room, I will have everything that I need to do for that month in front of me. I'm very organized, and like to stay on top of things so I hopefully ill be fine lol

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Specializes in Nephrology, Oncology.

Congratulations!

I've been out of school for 4 years now but I remember nursing school so clearly.

For the first day we didn't have any lectures, just going through mounds of paperwork, getting know the expectations of the course, and doing introductions as many in the class didn't know anyone. Pay super close attention to your syllabus and stay on top of your reading! We had an exam every Friday. We typically covered anywhere from 3 to 5 chapters. These chapters can get bulky so don't procrastinate!

I also highly recommend voice-recording your lectures! My iPhone had a voice record function. Just turned it on and set my phone on the corner of my table. There's so much being covered in one session that you will miss some notes as the professor keeps pushing onward to cover everything. I'm excellent at shorthand note-taking and listening through lectures again I'd still find things here or there I managed to miss just from the sheer bulk of material. While everything is in the book, the lecture helps bring everything together and reinforce or clarify concepts I'd been reading ahead of time for class.

Find a study group or at least a study buddy! I didn't mesh well with groups, too much distraction. But I don't think I would have made it without a friend to study with and encourage one another through school.

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For fundamentals, health assessment and pharmacology, how can I compare these classes to my a&p classes or micro class. Are they considerably harder or they seem harder because there is more material being covered?

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Specializes in Nephrology Home Therapies, Wound Care, Foot Care..

For me, pretty reqs were harder

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I don't know about what to expect in terms of classes because I'm starting in two weeks as well, but I do know that I've started having terrifying nightmares about being a few minutes late to lab (I'm never late to anything) and having the instructor humiliate me, slam the door in my face, and lock me out. It's been such fun waking up in a cold sweat and checking my calendar just to be sure school really hasn't started yet!

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Haha I havent been dreaming about it, but the closer it gets the more nervous I am. I know im not even gonna be able to sleep the night before which is gonna suck bc I have to be there from 8-3:30 lol

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