What would you tell your pre-nursing self?

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For those of you who have successfully navigated into your nursing career, what advice would you give to yourself when you were about to start nursing school? What could you have done or did you do during nursing school that helped you find your first job? What is something that isn't talked about but happens in nursing? Or something that is always talked about but you never really ran into? What makes a new grad more hireable? What non-nursing skills make you a better nurse?

Spill it, ladies & gents!

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

Be serious in your pre-reqs, your GPA matters.

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

Get organized before the semester starts and maintain an organization system.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Get organized before the semester starts and maintain an organization system.

When I was verrrry young I was super immature, didn't take my classes seriously & also wasn't on meds for my depression/anxiety. Bad combo!

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.
When I was verrrry young I was super immature, didn't take my classes seriously & also wasn't on meds for my depression/anxiety. Bad combo!

I didn't mean to direct that toward you. Sorry! I was trying to answer the OP. Must have accidentally hit quote instead of reply.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I didn't mean to direct that toward you. Sorry! I was trying to answer the OP. Must have accidentally hit quote instead of reply.

lol. Oh well, it happens. I was also overwhelmed when I first when to college. I went to a big university after graduating from a small high school. It was a big culture shock to me. Haha. I should've stayed at home & went to the local community college.

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That studying is more important than dating boys, or working full-time hours at a job.

One thing you could do to increase your chance of a job would be to get a CNA job somewhere, then take you as a nurse.

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Maybe I should have included the fact that I'm 27, have a bachelor's in biology already, and I'm a career changer lol. In hindsight that was probably pretty relevant.

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"Go for your BSN instead of your ASN and make sure you complete a Master's BEFORE you have kids"

OH and don't date Jeremy Washington

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What would I tell my pre-nursing self?

DON'T DO IT. RUN AWAY.

Or if you MUST do it, don't enter the workplace with just an ASN.

Stay in school until you have the BSN at least.

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I'd tell myself to get my foot in the door for employment ASAP (unit clerk, CNA, any position in the hospital or your preferred potential employment setting). I graduated from nursing school with only clinicals to put on my resume and deeply regretted it. I had no inside connections who knew my work ethic and dedication.

I started nursing school so young. I was 17 and beginning my pre-reqs. I had always been a good student, it never took me too much studying to memorize the material and do well on a test. But that was my issue. I did too much memorizing and not much understanding. I'd get 80s-90s on my exams but instantly forget material after handing in the test. Luckily, a lot comes back to me but I still find myself looking simple things up and wishing I had studied differently.

Nursing school is hard but never do just enough to get by. Yourself as an RN will be grateful to the nursing student you were.

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Dont freak out so much about getting a job after college. You will end up getting many job offers in your competitive area despite what the internet told you. Only apply to the jobs you really want after college.

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