What I've Learned in My First Month of Nursing School

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I've been in my PN program for about a month now, and I thought I would share the few things I've learned so far to help manage life with nursing school!

1) Go with the flow. Class was supposed to end at 1 and it ended at 1:10? Thats ok! One instructor gave you directions one thing then another one told you the exact opposite? Thats ok! I learned on about my second day that everything won't go exactly as planned 100% of the time, and now that I've accepted that, it's a lot easier.

2) Pass-Offs will make you very nervous, and thats ok! The teachers understand and if you make a mistake SAY SOMETHING! They want to know you know what you did wrong!

3) Do something to reward yourself. At the end of every Friday I go and rent a movie and I use that time as a moment to relax and recover from the stressful week.

4) Find what works for you to study. For me it's notecards, while other people are ok just reading the book. Find what fits you better and your test grades will show.

5) Never put anything ugly on the internet. Ever. These are people you have to spend a lot of time with, do you really want to be "that person"?

6) Try to look decent for class. I know this is a weird one, but since I've been in nursing school I've tried to dress up a little more and look a little more professional and it has really helped me feel good about myself. Confidence is very important!

7) Practice what you don't feel 100% on, and ask for help. You will be surprised in how many offers you get. I didn't feel confident with taking a BP and I was talking with a school nurse and she sat down and helped me for 2 hours!

I know it's not a lot ... But I hope one of my tips can help someone!

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Going with the flow is so true... only a month in and I am already tired of the complaints. Just suck it up there is nothing you can do about it.

I hear girls and even older ladies huddled talking about other students. I stay away from them. I don't need the negativity.

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I hear girls and even older ladies huddled talking about other students. I stay away from them. I don't need the negativity.

Hear hear! A very wise move on your part. Nothing good ever comes from girls and even older ladies huddled talking about other students.

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Specializes in ICU.

I'm not in the program yet, but in some of my classes there is a group on women who always congregate together and spend all their time in the nursing library "studying" and if your not with them, then your not "in". These are women that are my age and older. Kinda makes me laugh because if your not with them then you just suck. Too bad I beat most of them on the first test last week. I wasn't in the "in" crowd in high school and I guess I'm not in college.

I have definitely learned to go with the flow and just have fun. This is a great time in our lives, we are learning to be nurses!!! I am having so much fun at school this time around!!

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

From the sound of it, you are doing great!!! You are wise to recognize all these things that you are doing well. One thing I didn't do my first and even second semester was really think about all the information that was being thrown at me. What good is a lab value if you don't know what to do with it? I have found that instead of excessively studying to the point of insanity I will listen in lecture and put that into practice at clinical. It has worked well for me so far.

Good luck:)

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Great Tips! I am going to be applying the 2015 Spring session. Do you have classes every night with clinicals on either Fri; Sat; or Sunday? I am starting to stress about how I will have time to study if classes are every night and work full time.

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Great Tips! I am going to be applying the 2015 Spring session. Do you have classes every night with clinicals on either Fri; Sat; or Sunday? I am starting to stress about how I will have time to study if classes are every night and work full time.

At my school. The first semester we only have 5 clinical days, either a Monday or Wednesday depending on your group. So for like every Wednesday starting in March we will go to the hospital. The Mondays and Wednesdays before that we spend in lab passing off hand washing and stuff. The hours I'm at school are usually around 8-1230 on days we arent in the lab. I am lucky enough to only have to work part time. But I have been told full time is hard, and sometimes not possible! I hope this helps

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Thanks so much for that insight! I start my program March 31st and have been reading about how it is the hardest school in the area. By reading your post, I will make sure that I go with the flow and take a deep breath when I start to get overwhelmed!

Thanks again! :)

Brook

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I feel you on so many levels. I, too, am about a month into my program and the frustrations just keep on coming. But, me and a classmate just had this conversation today about just going with it because there's nothing we can do except to quit the program, and that's certainly not an option.

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1 Read your book daily

2Ask questions

3 Practice some your skills at home or with someone

I go to 1st day of clinical on Sunday and I just passed my midterm,, Study

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1 Read your book daily

2Ask questions

3 Practice some your skills at home or with someone

I go to 1st day of clinical on Sunday and I just passed my midterm,, Study

AMEN!!! So true!! I spend at least an hour after class reading my book. I want as much practice as I can get. I was begging people in my family to let me take their blood pressure.

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You couldn't be more right about going with the flow. I won't be starting the program until later in spring, but already I've noticed this behavior in some of my prereq classes. People spend more time freaking out when another instructor has a different way of doing things than it would have taken them just to do it that way to begin with. I find this applies to life in general, you can sit there and whine or get up and get things done. Thank you for your tips and letting us newbies know what to expect!

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