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???
Its easy, figure out what brand of scrubs works best.. I have gone through many different ones. The ones that are soft as silk tops are horrible they have static cling and trust me softner or dryer sheets dont help .. so I will not buy another one of those. The cotton ones seem so heavy and are miserably hot in the summer... I try for the thinner cotton tops now sure what brand they are and the new flexi tops. Scrub pants LA rose fit perfect low rise and flare @ the bottom and I love my Nike shox shoes. I have my PDA loaded up and love my Bic atlantis pens, my stride gum and my lip fusion lip gloss and of course my bottle of water. Those are the most imp. things I will ever need. also small stick notes work perfectly....oh and cannot forget my lab coat ... cannot live w out it!
I am new here and I am considering applying for an Accelerated BSN program in PA. I just moved there from CA. I am trying to work on my nursing school application essay and I was wondering if someone could tell me what resources they used? Also, I have been doing a lot of research on nursing salaries and I am more confused than ever. Does anyone know what a realistic salary is for an new grad BSN? Also, how does the nursing salary career ladder work? Do you get pay raises yearly based on performance and if so what is realistic? I was in a graduate program before that caused me to go into a lot of debt. I don't want to make the same mistake again with nursing school. If someone knows the answers can u please email me. I am getting cold feet!:typing
Nursing salaries are all different. there is no set rate, really.. only ballparks. If I were you I would check out salary.com or Im sure there is a thread specifically geared towards your question.
i'm starting nursing school this fall and i'm sooooooo excited! this thread has been a huge help to me and thank you all for the wonderful suggestions!
Wow WOw wow this thread has been going on since 2005 or so! Thank you everyone for all of your help. I plan on stating LPN school in Septmeber. I already made my list and saved this thread in my favorties on my computer. I want to get things now while I Have the money before I go to part time. Thanks again everyone I really appreciated this thread. it took me a couple of days due to work but I made it through all 61 pages thanks...
Alright I thought I would give this a little bump since a new semester is quickly approaching.
The one thing I just bought that I'm in love with is RNotes. It's a little flip book that has all your basic info so you don't have to drag textbooks with you whereever you go. They also make this for LPNs too.
I have the RNotes too and they are wonderful! It's like a condensed version of all those books we have to lug around. It has everything you need, almost, to work in a nice little notebook. Especially nice for new nurses, or nursing students like me! I get nervous in new situations and tend to scramble my thoughts, this little thing gets a person back on track!
Wow! With the livescribe pen I wouldn't need anything else! What an amazing discovery/invention - thanks so much for sharing.
P.S. I need most my Palm T/X and my Dansko shoes - starting my senior year in a BSN program. Our nursing uniform is prescribed by the college and clicky pens are a must no matter what. Different colors preferably. And an ultrascope stethascope so you can listen to heartbeats/bowel sounds OUTSIDE the patient's gown...
I would recomend note card for doing drug cards on, My teacher asigns different pts with alot of the same meds and before we give meds we have to tell our teacher pretty much what the drug book says,Its saves alot of time but just right what the med is used for and sideeffects, precautions, and definatelly if labs need to be known before given (eg. Digoxin) anyway black pens, NO White OUT!! Comfortable shoes, shoes that wont be comfortable in 2 years, but comfortable the day you buy them because if you start clinicals soon after school starts you wont have time to break them in and when your on your feet for 12 hours a day who cares if your shoes are cool as long as they dont hurt ur feet. Also a stethoscope you can hear out of, its cheap and you can hear out of thats fine, but i had to go with the Litman Select. Tons of yellow hiliters, page tabs. I bought a LPN pocket guide at books a million, it has norm lab values, physical assesment and nurse abreviations& symbols Its Awesome!! My school had a uniform company come to school to try on uniforms for clinicals cause we have to have patches and stuff on out scrub top and lab jacket. But anyways i think i have rambled enough, I hope this helped.
PS the reason i said NO White Out is bc in doing nurses note that is considered a legal document and if you are called to court one day the judge is going to wonder what is that under the white out, and 3 or more years down the road you wont remember what it is you wrote about pt joe so its just one line through it and initials beside it.
Great thread! I have found these items to be helpful so far in my journey through nursing school:
1.) A comfortable and sturdy backpack, I recommend the North Face, well worth the price.
2.) Good shoes for clinical. Every school is different based on their clinical dress codes. My shoes need to be completely white. I wear a pair of white Klog brand clogs. They are very comfortable. If I didn't have a dress code I would wear a pair of New Balance running sneakers.
3.) Notecards for pharmacology drug cards!!!
4.) a stethoscope-There are many different varieties/prices out there. My school recommended us purchasing a Littman II Classic. It works well for what a student needs. I asked for it as a Xmas present last year-about 70 dollars.
4.) penlight, scissors, forceps
5.) Lots of pens.
6.) I have found a clipboard with lab values and a built in calculator very helpful when at clinical
7.) a good but cheap waterproof watch with plastic/metal band-I have yet to find one of these but I will let you know.
That's all I can think of for now, I'm sure there is more...
this thread has been a huge help to me and thank you all for the wonderful suggestions! 
HeartJulz
305 Posts
Its easy, figure out what brand of scrubs works best.. I have gone through many different ones. The ones that are soft as silk tops are horrible they have static cling and trust me softner or dryer sheets dont help .. so I will not buy another one of those. The cotton ones seem so heavy and are miserably hot in the summer... I try for the thinner cotton tops now sure what brand they are and the new flexi tops. Scrub pants LA rose fit perfect low rise and flare @ the bottom and I love my Nike shox shoes. I have my PDA loaded up and love my Bic atlantis pens, my stride gum and my lip fusion lip gloss and of course my bottle of water. Those are the most imp. things I will ever need. also small stick notes work perfectly....oh and cannot forget my lab coat ... cannot live w out it!