Prayers/thoughts/luck/advice? Nursing school

[PhiSigGirl1988]

I have a B.S. in biology and haven't been able to find anything with it. I decided that I want to go back to school. I just finished turning in everything for my application for an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The application process included 24 contact hours with an RN, so I know a lot of what the job entails. I enjoyed every minute of it, and now I'm really hoping I get into this program. So that's where the prayers/thoughts/luck part comes in.

For those who have gone through nursing school and are nurses, any advice for the schooling and/or the job?

[Seraph]

Being someone who had not one, but two relatives go through nursing home...

You're going to need many, many outlets for stress. Prepare them now. Also, say your goodbyes to any form of a social life, apparently. They're cracking down, and phasing out LNs...which is making everything worse.

Good luck. /hugs

[PhiSigGirl1988]

I have a good stock of alcohol And my social life has been dwindling lately because of my new job, so that won't be too much of an adjustment. Thankfully, the accelerated program that I'm trying to get into is only 16 months. Start this September, finish next December.

Thanks, Seraph

[42_42_42]

I start the BSN program at my university next week. We just had orientation yesterday. It's going to be a long and stressful 2-1/2 years.

[AccountingDrone]

My mother in law and sister in law both work for the same physical rehab hospital in Fresno and *love* it. There are a few things they are not fond of, Jane had carpal tunnel from helping to shift patients and other heavier lifting type stuff and the schedules can suck - but apparently the money is fairly decent [at least in California.] I know that Jane makes around $100K a year as some sort of supervisory position with multiple degrees, Monica is just starting, I think she has been working there for 2 years now. [and her daughter is currently working on getting into nursing as well.]

[Sapphire Silk]

I start the BSN program at my university next week. We just had orientation yesterday. It's going to be a long and stressful 2-1/2 years.

Nursing Instructor here!

A few tips.

1. Get used to not making an A on everything. The material will be very challenging, but testing will be based on Analysis and Synthesis of ideas, not memorization or simple knowledge of content. It is much harder that what you are used to.

2. Learn to think about how you will care for patients, who never present exactly like the text book, and who never present exactly the same way from one patient to the next. It's about judgement and thinking processes.

3. You will have lots of paperwork, especially in a BSN program. Expect to spend hours working on it every week.

4. Give yourself a guilty pleasure every week, and don't mix study with it.

5. Keep yourself healthy: eat right. Sleep right. Exercise. You can't take care of other people if you don't take care of yourselves.

6. Study with your peers who get the good grades on exams, not the ones who don't do well on exams.

7. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

8. Everything must move forward with you. Everything you learn will be built on what you learned previously.

9. Practice skills until you master them. Every skill you learn in lab you will use eventually. Learn to do them well. Use your open lab for extra practice.

10. Remember everything you do affects real people, so find a mentor among the faculty or the nursing staff where you do clinic and learn all you can from them. Most doctors love to teach and are happy to answer questions from nursing students. Look for opportunities to do new things even if it does not involve your patient. Your clinical instructors will like students who are self directed in their own learning.

Nursing school is a tough row to hoe, but the results will be very well worth it. I love what I do, and there are so many options and opportunities and directions to take your career. It pays reasonably well in most parts of the country.

BSN is going to be entry level in a few years, so a university course will help you in the long run. I wish you both the best of success in your training!

[Pixilated]

I am totally and completely unsuited for the nursing profession, LOL, so I've never been in a nursing program ... but best wishes for your future ... I'm sure you will do excellently!

[kpzra]

I have a good stock of alcohol

Trust me, not a road you want to go down when things get crappy. It's one thing to have a few drinks with people (I generally went out with classmates or my mentor) but don't drown out what happens with booze. I had some REALLY bad calls as a paramedic that I had to just learn to deal with.

Good luck, my sister is a nurse and I'm not sure what all my other sister is licensed for medically anymore

[PhiSigGirl1988]

Trust me, not a road you want to go down when things get crappy. It's one thing to have a few drinks with people (I generally went out with classmates or my mentor) but don't drown out what happens with booze. I had some REALLY bad calls as a paramedic that I had to just learn to deal with.

Good luck, my sister is a nurse and I'm not sure what all my other sister is licensed for medically anymore

Oh don't worry, I wasn't actually being serious about that. I know better. I've seen friends and family members go down that path, and I'm not about to do the same. I only drink with friends, and I never get really drunk or anything.

Thanks everyone Sapphire_Silk, I appreciate all of your advice.

[42_42_42]

Yeah, the program I am in is a 4-year degree. Up til now I've been doing pre-requisites (chemistry, microbiology, anatomy, maths). This is actually my 2nd degree, I already have a BA in English. After I work for a few years I plan to go back and get my MSN, either in midwifery or nurse practioner.

Not getting A's will be tough...I'm used to getting all A's or at least all A's and B's. Fortunately, I'm better at analysis and synthesis than I am on straight memorization (which is why pharm has me worried, I envision lots of flashcards in my future). One of the prerequisites for our program is to complete CNA training and pass the state testing for that, which I aced. I really enjoyed the clinicals for that--working with the actual residents/patients was my favorite part and I actually miss it. I'd go get a part time job now with my CNA, but my husband wants me to concentrate just on my schooling.

Our program is concept based and our books are all e-books through Elsevier. We also have regular testing that we have to pass through ATI. Our two courses for the summer semester are patho/pharm I and professional nursing concepts I.

I think being an older student (I'm 35) helps because I'm not distracted by all the things 20 year old students have going on.

[Mytical]

I am not religious so I don't pray. I would give you advice, but I've never been there so can't offer that. I would wish you luck, but you don't need it. You will do awesome. So my thoughts will be with you

[Amina516]

Coffee, Good Luck, Booze, time management, stress management, proper sleep, sound support systems. Only way I made it through nursing school. Also, listen to Sapphire.

Good Luck. It'll be challenging but worth it. I love my job (ER nurse) and can't imagine doing anything else.

[Sapphire Silk]

After I work for a few years I plan to go back and get my MSN, either in midwifery or nurse practioner.

Good, I'm glad to hear you have some long term goals. You may find they change a bit as you experience the reality of working in some areas of the hospital. I wanted to be an OR nurse when I started school . . . and loathed my OR rotation. I fell in love with the ER in my ER rotation, and that's what I ended up doing.

Not getting A's will be tough...I'm used to getting all A's or at least all A's and B's. Fortunately, I'm better at analysis and synthesis than I am on straight memorization (which is why pharm has me worried, I envision lots of flashcards in my future).

Well, if you're good at analysis and synthesis you might be an outlier

Med admin is pretty straightforward. Dosage calc is pretty straight forward, especially if you're good at ratio and proportion or dimensional analysis. Pharm is memorization; learn your classifications first. It will make learning individual drugs much easier. There's lot of pharm on the NCLEX so be prepared to work on this.

I'd go get a part time job now with my CNA, but my husband wants me to concentrate just on my schooling.

Your husband has the right idea. If you can afford not to work while you are in school, I strongly urge you not to. You will find nursing school to be one of the most difficult things you ever do. It will take you hours to do your clinical assignments after you leave the hospital.

Oh, it can be done if you work. I worked full time in both my ADN and BSN programs. But it was difficult.

Our program is concept based and our books are all e-books through Elsevier. We also have regular testing that we have to pass through ATI. Our two courses for the summer semester are patho/pharm I and professional nursing concepts I.

I teach in a conceptual program. What state are you in?

Our program uses ATI as well, but as an adjunct to the program. Students have to take the exams, and get points towards their final exam if they do well. But the faculty writes the regular exams.

I think being an older student (I'm 35) helps because I'm not distracted by all the things 20 year old students have going on.

Well, I guess we'll see

[42_42_42]

Sapphire,

I'm in GA. Southwest of Atlanta.

Yeah, we can afford for me not to work. We actually live a fairly good life on what my hubby makes. My nursing salary will go towards saving more for retirement and nice extras, like upgrading the kitchen and vacations.

Part of the reason I would like to work, at least a shift or two a week is I find I actually miss it. I'd be tired at the end of an 8 hour clinical shift at the nursing home, but jazzed up at the same time. I actually didn't want to leave our last day.

I guess I'm going into the right field.

[Sapphire Silk]

Sapphire,

I'm in GA. Southwest of Atlanta.
. I'd be tired at the end of an 8 hour clinical shift at the nursing home, but jazzed up at the same time. I actually didn't want to leave our last day.

The reason I asked is because North Carolina (where I live) pioneered a conceptually based curriculum that was implemented state wide. Other states are watching what we are doing to see if it is successful.

Do you have an instructor in your program named Sheila Smith?

Yeah, you're in the right field. My favorite day of the week as a student was always clinic day.