Congratulations for getting into nursing school! I put together a list of supplies you may need. There are also a few tips for surviving that no one else will really tell you until you’ve been through it. Keep in mind that every one’s experience is different. What applies to me may not apply to you.
Blood pressure cuff (was provided to me through school via lab fees)
Compression stockings/socks
Bandage/dressing scissors
Drug handbook (pocket size)
Lab coat (ordered through the school)
NCLEX-RN Study guide (Saunders or Kaplan)
Tote bag for clinical/hospital/lab (separate from your lecture backpack!)
Watch - simple, waterproof, inexpensive!
Penlight (was provided to me through school via lab fees, but I purchased extra)
Scrubs (ordered through the school)
Nursing care plan book (we were given a specific one to order)
Extra hair clips/bobby pins, hair ties
Black pens (or colored if you are the type to color-code notes)
Drug guide (App available if lecturer allows electronic devices)
Textbook (IF you need it)
Tips for Surviving LECTURE:
Read the assigned text BEFORE class. I don’t mean skim. Understand it. Make this mandatory in your homework routine.
Come to class with questions. Mark down the answers as the lecture goes on. If there are unanswered ones, get them answered before class ends. If you don’t understand something, don’t be afraid to raise your hand and ask. Chances are that there is someone else with the same question.
Star, highlight, underline, circle, etc. any topic that the professor repeats. I usually put a star down for each time it is said. I can’t tell you how many times they put this information on exams.
Avoid using electronic devices. I always use pen and paper. I have e-textbooks, but I only pull my tablet out when I absolutely need to. Silence your cellphone and only use it during breaks or emergencies.
Keep your energy up. Eat a high-protein breakfast and drink plenty of water. Snack on nuts or other nutrient dense food. I usually eat almonds and/or apples with peanut butter.
Be courteous to your neighbors. Avoid opening loud snack packaging, using your phone, talking, or doing another classes’ work during lecture. Anything abnormal that you do during lecture is a distraction to others around you. Don’t be afraid to move seats during break if you can’t concentrate.
Wear comfortable clothes. Nursing school is not a fashion show. I wear sweats most days because I am sitting for 6+ hours at a time. I usually have a jacket because I get cold very easily.
If you are given a break, USE IT! Go walk around, go outside, walk up and down some stairs, etc. Just get your blood flowing.
Lab is for PRACTICING skills, not learning. Usually you will be assigned a video or reading assignment that explains how to perform the skill. The professor will demonstrate the skill, but you are more than likely expected to already know the steps. Don’t make a fool out of yourself by not preparing. We were given step by step instructions for most skills. If your school doesn’t provide these, then make your own.
Come to lab in uniform and with all of your supplies. Make sure you wash your hands before beginning.
Try performing the skill on your own before asking too many questions. You will learn more by making mistakes than by avoiding them.
Don’t overthink anything. You are practicing skills to perform them on a human being. Put yourself in their shoes. Practice compassion. Talk to your mannequin as if it were a real person. It will feel silly at first, but it will help you in clinical.
Explain every step out loud in lab. This will not only help you, but it will help your lab partner and others around you. It is also easier to catch mistakes this way.
Take advantage of open lab hours if your school provides it. Get together with a study buddy and spend an extra hour or so each week practicing.
Tips for Surviving CLINICAL:
Congrats, you’ve made it to clinical! You will probably be nervous, but that’s okay. I was nervous AND excited. That is normal. Take some deep breaths and go with it!
Eat a high-protein breakfast. You will probably have to wake up at an hour you’ve never been awake for. If you’re like me, I can barely eat in the mornings to begin with. Force yourself to eat. Don’t go for a high-carb breakfast. You will crash before 9am. Bring snacks for the commute. I usually eat egg/bacon/potato breakfast burritos and I bring an apple to eat on the way.
Be prepared. Your school will have different requirements for pre-clinical. If you are assigned a patient the day before, make sure you know which drugs they are getting and WHY.
Stay busy. If there is a lull in the day, ask your nurse if there is anything you can do. If he/she says no, then that’s the perfect time to go talk to your patients.
Ask to perform skills you have already learned. Already learned how to put in a Foley? Ask your nurse if you can do the next one. Injections? IV starts? ASK!!! You will never learn if you don’t ask. The worst they can say is no.
Talk to your patients. You will learn more about them through conversation than by reading a chart.
Don’t think of yourself as a shadow. You are a student nurse who is there to help, not follow. Although you will be “shadowing” a nurse, your confidence will give your nurse more confidence in letting you take the reign!
When it’s time for lunch, eat something healthy. You already know how high-carb/high-fat meals make you feel. Plan accordingly. Take the full break. If you get 30 minutes, try to sit and rest for that full amount of time. Make sure you wash your hands before and after, and use the restroom before going back.
Enjoy yourself! This is what you’ve been working hard towards, right??
We always had a debrief with our instructor after clinical. It was an open “round-table” discussion about our day. Be honest about how your day went. Not every clinical day is unicorns and rainbows. Other students will appreciate your honesty.
Tips for READING your textbooks (BEFORE lecture):
Turn off your phone, TV, etc. I have a classical music station that I listen to when I study.
Skim the chapter and pay attention to titles/subtitles. Count how many pages you have to read and allow yourself enough time accordingly.
Start reading from the beginning. Look up any words that you don’t know. Read slowly and carefully.
Take breaks every 30-50 minutes.
Write down any questions or unclear topics.
Tips for STUDYING material (after lecture):
Review the lecture notes from each class when you get home that day. Make sure everything is organized to make studying easier.
Go through the assigned reading again and highlight or underline the main topic/sentence of each section. This will make it easier to find information.
If you have a homework assignment for this chapter, do it now.
The next day, review your notes and skim through the book again. Look for different sources of information for main topics. I like to find YouTube videos that explain topics.
Rewrite important information on notecards or in a notebook.
If you can, on a different day, get together with a study buddy or group to discuss the information. Don’t do the homework together unless there’s a question that you couldn’t answer on your own. Study groups are not for learning, they are for discussing and solidifying concepts.
Notice that now you have reviewed/heard the material 5 times.
Tips for studying for an EXAM:
Although I study every day, I usually start my “exam” studying a week before the test.
Practice NCLEX-style questions.
Answer the questions at the back of the chapter.
Get any unclear topic resolved at least 48 hours before an exam.
1. Make a study schedule and stick to it.
2. Pace yourself. Study every day, even if it’s just for 30 minutes.
3. If you don’t understand something, find a different resource (ask a friend, find a YouTube video, email the instructor, etc.).
4. Study for 50 minutes at a time and take a 10-15 minute break in between.
5. During those breaks, don’t just be on your phone or computer. Get up. Move around. Get your blood flowing!
6. Make time for yourself. If you like to read leisurely, do it. If you work out, do it.
7. SLEEP. for the love of God. Get 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Here is an article explaining why this is so so so important.
8. Find a method that works for you. Flashcards, outlines, Quizlet, recording yourself, drawing pictures, etc. It’s all trial and error.
9. DON’T CRAM. If you don’t know the material the night before the test, chances are you won’t know it for the test.
10. Studies show that you need to review material 7 times to retain 90% of the information.
I hope that this information is useful! Feel free to reblog and add anything I may have missed. Also excuse any grammar/spelling errors. I am not an English major. Also feel free to message me with any questions!
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