Student Nurse Teacher

So you've decided you want to be a nurse. That's fantastic! Now what? Well, nursing licenses don't grow on trees (wouldn't that be nice), so you begin the process of choosing a nursing school. And then you discover it's more complicated than you thought. Type of degree First off, there's this whole thing about a BSN or an ADN. Both degrees qualify you to sit for the NCLEX and become a Registered Nurse. However, more and more hospitals are only hiring nurses with Bachelor's degrees. Even among those hospitals that hire nurses with associate degrees, most will require a nurse to commit to going back to school and finishing her bachelor's within 5 or so years of working there. While the hospital may pay you to go back to school, working as a new nurse while in school is challenging, and you have to know from the beginning that you are committed to going back to school and finishing a 4-year degree. So weigh your options carefully, don't just choose w...

Is your path looking a little uncertain? Are you second guessing your decision to go to nursing school or wondering if you should change careers entirely? I've been there! And I want to share a few things that helped me.  1. Realize you are not alone. If you haven't read my nursing story yet, check it out  here.  I struggled throughout college and several years after wondering if I had a made a mistake and why I seemed to be the only one struggling. You are NOT alone. 2. Shadow other nurses. If you are in high school or college, find a nurse that you can spend a shift with. I shadowed in a private school, an ER, and a radiation oncology unit, and talked to many other nurses, to understand more what types of nursing were available. If you are already a nurse, talk to nurses on other floors to get an accurate picture of their job. 3. Branch out to other interests. Your life doesn't have to be 100% nursing. I do copywriting and editing, play the piano, am very involved...

As the school year draws to an end, many college students look forward to graduation. Finally, classes are over, no more projects, no more clinicals, no more tests--well, unless you are a nursing major. In that case graduation is only one step on the path to being a nurse. The final step still looms: the NCLEX. One of my nursing friends demonstrating the proper way to study The day I graduated from college was an exciting day, but I didn't feel the sense of finality because I knew that dreaded NCLEX was still ahead. I had turned in my application and all the needed paperwork to my state. My school would send my final transcript to the nursing board, the board would send me my att (authorization to test), and I could finally schedule the NCLEX. So I went off to my summer job at a camp and waited for that att. And I waited, and waited. I continued to study through the Kaplan material and take practice tests, but I wanted to spread it out and leave the long practice tes...

Do your nursing classes make you feel like you're trying to drink from a fire hose? Do you leave class wondering if and how you will remember everything you heard? One of the secrets to long-term retention is taking quality notes while in class. Here are my top 5 tips for doing just that. 1. Get the PowerPoint ahead of time if possible. If your teacher uses PowerPoint, see if you can get a copy of the presentation before class and print it out. I usually print mine out with two slides per page and room for notes. This allows you to focus on what the teacher is teaching, rather than copying down every word from the slide. You can also simply work from the PowerPoint on your computer and take notes directly in PowerPoint. 2. Don't write down every word the teacher says. Listen for key ideas and summarize in your mind as you take notes. This helps you to process the information rather than simply recording it. Pay attention for phrases like "in summary, most...

You've made it through all your prerequisites and have finally been officially accepted into clinicals. Congratulations! Nursing school provides a unique opportunity to see first hand the day-to-day responsibilities of a nurse. Whether you are placed in the ER, a clinic, or a med-surg floor, your clinical experience is an invaluable part of your nursing training. So, how can you take full advantage of your time in clinicals? 1. Be prepared Several days before your clinical rotation, take time to read through any paperwork your teacher has given you. Some sites will have different requirements for what to bring, what time to arrive, etc. Make sure you know ahead of time what you need. For suggestions of what to bring for clinicals, check out my post  here ! Lay out your clothes the night before. Don't forget your badge! Wake up early--set several alarms if necessary. Eat a good breakfast with some protein and take a deep breath. You are ready to enter the hospital as a stu...

Earlier I shared what I take to work in my nursing bag . Today's post is for all my nursing student friends. Hopefully, your school has given you some suggestions on what to take to clinicals. But if not (or even if they have), consider this some added encouragement from me to you. I was in your shoes...not too long ago! So without further ado, here is my nursing bag: student nurse edition. Chap Stick That dry hospital tho. I love eos coconut lip balm Clipboard with room for papers This one is super helpful for storing clinical paperwork. Makes it easy to remain professional and not have papers spilling everywhere, while still having everything you need close by! Always take an extra piece of paper or a small notepad for jotting down vital signs, meds, or questions you have. Pens, highlighter, pencil Get you a couple of each and be the nursing student who is prepared!! Drug reference book Your school probably has a required drug reference book for your classes. But, if...

Whether you are a nurse or a nursing student, chances are you feel overwhelmed, and stressed, at least a few times a week 😄 We work in a demanding field with a high level of responsibility. No one, no matter how seasoned or how smart, is immune from the pressures of healthcare. So how do you deal with the stress of the your classes or job? There are many avenues of #selfcare and hopefully you have already learned your favorite ways to unwind. Here are a few of mine! -- Hang out with friends, especially those who remind me I am not alone in this journey -- Play the piano (love me some Rachmaninov  if it was an especially stressful shift 😉) -- Get outside and enjoy nature So what about you? How do you find refreshment after a tough day? Cheering you on, Laura Follow me on Instagram

Group projects shouldn't look like this--one person giving orders and everyone else going in different directions!! Do you enjoy group projects? Or do you inwardly groan and hope you don't end up in a group with "that person"? They can be effective and even enjoyable if you follow these guidelines. 1. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Never assume anything about any part of the project. Discuss roles, deadlines, ideas, everything.  2.  At the beginning, look at the project and divide it up evenly. Make sure everyone knows what they are expected to complete.  3.  Set early deadlines for your group. Is the project due Friday? Have everyone in the group finish their part by Wednesday and come together to make sure you didn't forget anything.  4.  Be honest when filling out those group evaluations. If you think you did all the work and your classmates did nothing don't be afraid to speak up, but do so kindly and always assume the best ...

Nursing school includes a lot of tests, and they are different from other tests you have taken. Many nursing test questions are designed to give you practice for NCLEX-style questions, so learning how to be successful with them will help you tremendously when you take the test-of-all-tests to become a Registered Nurse. Here are my top 5 test-taking tips. 1. Read the question carefully.      Understand exactly what it is asking. Does it say "which of the following is NOT a symptom?" Or, "what is the FIRST thing the nurse should do?" Break the question apart and reword it in your mind. Even before looking at the answer choices, get a good grasp on the question. Figure out what material it covers: therapeutic communication, respiratory system, nurse-patient relationship, etc. 2. Look for key words.     These are words like FIRST, MOST IMPORTANT, ASSESS, OUTCOME etc. These words are the key to understanding the question. There may be more than on...