I have been going through all these posts to find what items are the best things to have for nursing school. The posts are all scattered so I thought I would start a post that will contain all the info for the new incoming students.
I would like to know what I should spend my money on when it comes to study guides, NCLEX review books, NET review books, best nursing shoes (without a logo), stethescope, misc nursing items you have to have, etc. Any new students/senior students/graduate nurses have any info they can share? What were the items you couldn't live without???
Specializes in ICU, Agency, Travel, Pediatric Home Care, LTAC, Su.
If you can handle writing with a bigger pen, I highly advise you to get a 4 color pen, that has black, green, red, and blue. It sure beats having multiple pens in your pocket. A highlighter also comes in handy.
i don't know if anyone has mentioned these shoe brands yet, but merrell and dansko have comfortable clogs and slip-ons (my mom is a nurse and wears both brands, as well as many of her coworkers). i haven't started clinicals yet so i haven't been able to try any.
i don't know if anyone has mentioned these shoe brands yet, but merrell and dansko have comfortable clogs and slip-ons (my mom is a nurse and wears both brands, as well as many of her coworkers). i haven't started clinicals yet so i haven't been able to try any.
I have the Dansko Professionals, which I believe was mentioned earlier in this post. They are soooooooo good! Expensive, but I can stand so much (12-hour clinicals), and my feet/legs do not really hurt. (I don't go home aching!)
I love this thread, and as a student, I'll add what works for me so far.
1) Med book specifically geared for nurses; I prefer Mosby's and the PDR Nurse's reference.
2) A good stethescope, Ultrascope and the Littman Master Classic II or Cardiology; yes they are expensive but your ears will thank you when you get that fluid filled patient with a b/p that sounds 50 miles away.
3) A spiral bound memo book
4) Black ink retractable pens, ballpoint but not gel ink, many facilities frown on gel ink
5) Highlighters
6) There's this reference guide called "RN Notes" that's a good buy
7) Bandage shears
8) Good comfortable shoes, I prefer New Balance
9) Colored folders, believe me when you color code things they get faster to find.
Now for some optional stuff depending on what your school requires. I have to do concept maps with different colors for various sections so ballpoint pens or colored pencils in green, red, blue, orange, yellow, and black. Get a good word processing program that is easy for you to use and understand; OpenOffice.org is what I use. My mini recorder comes in handy for those fast paced lecture classes, I have both a digital and a micro cassette recorder. I use my laptop, when allowed, to take notes during lecture classes and it serves a dual purpose, my notes are legible and my typing skills have improved.
Good stethoscope & shoes. Don't spend a fortune but pay a little more for quality. A popular stethoscope brand comes in a "light" model perfect for students - look at the online allheart nursing store for the best price around. Great moderately priced quality shoe: a popular brand's Pro Air II model. Things to look for in a shoe: non-skid sole, air circulation, a cushioned insole that is supportive at the same time. Also, sole height. (An expensive, popular brand of nursing/comfort shoe is known for turning nurses ankles so beware of those.) Most schools require white, which look the most professional anyway. And remember - look for comfort over fashion! I had a VERY hard time with this at first but have finally come to accept that my feet are my living. Instead of getting hung up on the fact that I wouldn't be caught dead in such an ugly pair of shoes in my "normal" life, I try to focus now on the pride I have in being a nurse, and what my "ugly white shoes" represent - a profession that people respect and trust above most others! Take care of yourself!
If you're into gadgets then a PDA can be helpful, but if you aren't comfortable with it then you appear distracted when you use it on the floor, and people might not take you seriously. Professional image is important if you want the respect of your teachers and other staff on the floor, including docs and veteran nurses. A good dictionary of nursing and health professions has come in very handy, much to my surprise. It can be hard to look things up quickly in, say, a med-surg textbook. These dictionaries are made for just that though, so if you forget a term or find a new one & just need a quick explanation, it comes in very handy.
I have the Dansko Professionals, which I believe was mentioned earlier in this post. They are soooooooo good! Expensive, but I can stand so much (12-hour clinicals), and my feet/legs do not really hurt. (I don't go home aching!)
as a nursing student.. you should have the following...
-four colored pen (blue, black, green, red)
-highlight pens (yellow, orange)
-extra scrubs in your bag, for emergency purposes
-a small notebook
-a quick drug reference pocket drug book
-a nursing diagnosis book (pocket version)
-dictionary (saunders)
-med-surg pocket version
-gloves
-3 and 5 cc's syringes for quick flushing
-plasters
-scissors
-surgical masks (for emergency cases)
-nursemates (for shoes) you feel like your walking on air..
-usually a pocket pc or a palm point is helpful... (if you're lazy to carry around books)
-a case notebook is helpful.. so the next time you will have a patient you will no longer go crazy lurking on the books, you will have a reference..
-always keep the soapie's that you have been making for your patients, its helpful when you will be rotated in the same unit with the same condition.. hehehe...
most of all, read as much as possible.. and try answering nclex questions, it helps..
I'm in my last week of nursing school. As I review now for my NCLEX-RN exam, I keep realizing how helpful my Saunders review book would have been for med surg class. It outlines topics in a much clearer way than a med-surg textbook. You get concise bullets of what you need to know, and the pathophys. is exlplained in simple terms. (And you will need the review book once NCLEX time comes anyway.) Another tip- do not buy your text books until you know you will actually need them! Wait until a week or two into class, and ask how the teacher prepares exams. Many teachers test only from their class notes, making the textbook completely irrelevant. You can also ask the teacher if they will make the text book available at the reserve desk of your school library. Useful for classes where you only need the text book as a reference for a paper or a few homework assignments. Save your money for the things you really need!
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KR
307 Posts
If you can handle writing with a bigger pen, I highly advise you to get a 4 color pen, that has black, green, red, and blue. It sure beats having multiple pens in your pocket. A highlighter also comes in handy.