What to expect on my 1st day!?

gumby1411 · Jul 17, 2010

I'm starting my accelerated BSN program next month. My first day of classes is a clinical rotation. I have to be at the hospital at 6:30am. Nothing like throwing us into the deep end!

CrazierThanYou · Jul 17, 2010

I start August 19th. I don't really know what to expect but I'm figuring we'll be bombarded with information the first day. I'm just hoping that the instructors don't waste time reading every single word of the syllabus to us. After all, we should ALL be able to read!

We were supposed to have an orientation back in the spring after everyone got their acceptance letters but so far, nothing. And I'm not holding my breath. I did stop by and find out what color scrubs we are to have so that I can at least get that out of the way!

We should all come back and describe our first days!

BellsRNBSN · Jul 17, 2010

I'm starting my accelerated BSN program next month. My first day of classes is a clinical rotation. I have to be at the hospital at 6:30am. Nothing like throwing us into the deep end!

Clinical on your first day?!?!?! :eek: And I thought MY program was accelerated! How long is your program for? Do you at least have orientation before then, or have some serious preparatory on-site teaching that day?

Good luck!

gumby1411 · Jul 17, 2010

Clinical on your first day?!?!?! And I thought MY program was accelerated! How long is your program for? Do you at least have orientation before then, or have some serious preparatory on-site teaching that day?
Good luck!

My program is 12 months. We already had orientation. We have a few hours of basic skills instruction (feeding, bathing, changing linens, etc) the week before classes "officially" begin. From my understanding, we spend the first couple hours of our first clinical shift in the cafeteria with our instructor going over the guidelines and clincial assignments, etc. Then we shadow a nurse for the rest of the day. I certainly hope they don't have us caring for patients that first day! Yikes! :eek:

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jul 17, 2010

Usually the first day in most NS programs is spent going over the policies, procedures, syllabus, schedule, immunizations, safety issues, and things like that. Yes, they'll probably read every word of everything to you. You'll get a chance to start getting to meet your peers, though the odds are many of you will be nervous and overwhelmed that you won't start interacting for a few days.

Then they hand you the reading assigment with the four chapters that you need to read by tomorrow :eek:

One1, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2010

Thank you for starting this thread, Courtcatt!
I think everyone's first days will vary A LOT, not just due to having different teachers at different schools in different states, but also because of all the different programs. I hope someone who graduated from or is attending an accelerated BSN program can share what their first day was like???
The program I will be attending is only 12 months so I know we're going to have a TON of material thrown at us on the first day. I mean, heck, we'll be starting skills labs and clinical only 3 weeks in!
I can't wait to read all the responses!

I am in a program like yours. We had an orientation meeting the week before classes started. On day one, there was some time spent discussing syllabi and some general course/program guidelines and then we dove into lecture. We had a self-study exam due that week and our first exams were in week 2.

guiltysins · Jul 17, 2010

My first day of school is actually on the day I have skills lab so I'm wondering how that is going to work since I won't have lecture for it until the day after LOL. It's a six hour class so I don't know if we're going to get out early or if we're going to jump right into work.

CrazierThanYou · Jul 18, 2010

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a little switcheroo that first week! :)

But, hey, you never know. My school starts on a day we're not actually scheduled for class so.... I don't know.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Jul 18, 2010

You'll spend a lot of time going over syllabi and then start some lecture. I thought the first week was a little slow but watch out, it will pick up - and FAST!

guiltysins · Jul 18, 2010

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a little switcheroo that first week! :)
But, hey, you never know. My school starts on a day we're not actually scheduled for class so.... I don't know.

I have no idea, I would imagine but it's going to be difficult because our professor for skills lab isn't the same professor we have for lecture. And we're not a program where everyone is scheduled together, some of us have skills lab on that day, some people have lecture, some people don't have anything. I'm pretty sure we'll be instructed to read our fundamentals book and it might just be an introduction day but we only have skills lab once a week and I know they wouldn't waste the whole 6 hours when we only meet for 7 weeks.

theconfusedone · Jul 18, 2010

I am so nervous starting my first day. I just got my acceptance letter Thursday and it included the schedule for the first week:

monday aug 16:

9am-10am General assembly

10:15-12pm new student orientation

12pm-1pm Bookstore- books, packets, and supplies

1pm-2pm Lunch

2pm-4pm CTEE/critical thinking test; new student orientation continued

Tuesday aug 17

12pm-4pm new student orientation continued

Wednesday aug 18

9am-12 new student orientation continued

12-2pm photo ID's & Lunch

2pm -4pm course overviews: NUR 102and NUR 103

Then I guess we'll get to our normal schedule after. Who knows lol. Ahhh i'm so nervous and excited!

dasburyRN · Jul 18, 2010

We had about 13 chapters of reading to do before the first day of class plus a prelab write-up. we jumped right into lecture and lab with barely any talk of the syllabus! Our first exam was the very first day of the second week. What a whirlwind!