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I am finished with all of my classes so I am not currently enrolled in school and have a good 6-8 months until I transfer to nursing school to become an RN.
I want to get ahead of the game and start studying some things. I've already bought a pathophysiology book, considering getting a nursing pharmacology book, and i'm looking for more ideas. What did you struggle with in nursing school or wish you had more time to study for?
Great idea on getting a jumpstart on preparing for your RN program. Definitely review your AP stuff. I did and I think that made a difference.
Some folks have already posted this stuff but here is what I am reviewing before school starts back:
Memorizing the mechanism of action of the major drug classes (vasodilators, alpha and beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, CCBs, etc.) Don't fall behind on this. Otherwise it will be DRUG INFO OVERLOAD I tell you.
Fluid electrolytes imbalances (know the normal ranges for your basic lab values, hematocrit, BUN, Creatine, K, NA, CA, etc.).
Nursing drug calculations (I actually got a really good understanding once I was able to apply it in my clinical setting (it made more sense to me, guess).
Manual B/P (those darn Kortokoff sounds!!!).
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE---that's what has been getting me through some of the concepts that have been harder for me to grasp.
Good luck to ya!
I'm currently in LVN school. I am an older student w/ a family (hubby and kids, youngest is 10). I'm of the school of thought that you really can't prep for what your going into. School is hard, the time management aspect is even harder when your balancing working part time, and a family too.
I really think you should look into any and all aspects of scholarships, financial solutions etc... anything that would keep you from concentrating on school and working definitely applies.
I'm in my second semester of a two-year ASN program. I had a lot of trouble with fluid and electrolyte imbalances last semester in Med/Surg I. Most of my class did. I'm usually an A student, and I got a B in that class.
Pharmacology was pretty easy for me, but most of my class seemed to struggle a lot. I'm good at memorization and recall, which is a lot of what Pharm is. It took longer for the nursing process and "thinking like a nurse" to sink in. I'm hoping that this semester I get an A in Med/Surg II.
I don't remember, but I do remember in the beginning that I struggled with nursing care plans until I got used to writing them.
NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN
3,959 Posts
Hardest for me is not being able to cope with stress well. I also had trouble with fluid and elytes, and neuro.