What was the first thing you learned in Nursing School?

[Murse336]

Hello Everyone,

I just found out this week that I've been accepted into my school's nursing program!

I will be starting my nursing classes in the fall and I want to get a head start. I was wondering what was the first was that you learned in nursing school. I'm asking all current RNs and nursing students. Thanks for your input, I'm so excited.

[Oldmahubbard]

OK- admittedly my 'first day of nursing school' was in 1976. It was an LPN program and after we all introduced ourselves and the faculty was introduced- the Director asked the male students (2) to go into the hall for a few minutes. She shut the door and told the remaining all-female class the following:

"When you have clinicals, you are to come directly TO the hospital and go directly home FROM the hospital. No stops in between. Men are turned on by white hose and uniforms, and I don't want you to get raped."

I am NOT making this up. This is the first thing I learned in nursing school. (The hubs later told me that white hose were NOT a turn-on to him.)

This is the best post ever on All Nurses!

[Oldmahubbard]

Something about poop rolling downhill, the buck stops with you, and being a patient advocate.

Fall 1989.

[Meowzers]

Congrats!

Did your school require you to have a CNA certification before applying? If not, you will probably start with CNA basics such as hand washing, manual vital signs, giving baths, toileting patients, ambulating patients safely and other mobility scenarios, sterile vs. aseptic technique, applying restraints, range of motion exercises, etc. etc. If you want to get a head start you could look up the CNA Skills Handbook for your state. If your program does require CNA certification like mine did, we went over these basics very quickly the first few days. Then we started discussing clinical decision making and that sort of thing. In terms of actual skills, the first thing we learned was how to administer oral and topical medications using the 3 checks and 7 rights.

Good luck!

[imhorsemackerel, LPN]

For LPN school, our first class was Ethics, but the instructor actually went through a brief history of nursing. We didn't go into handwashing until the second or third day when we had fundamentals.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

How to make a bed. I still don't know how to make beds.