What To Expect My First Semester Of Nursing School?
I am about to begin my first semester of nursing school in the fall and I'm a little nervous. I was hoping someone could give me some advice to help me get through it and tell me what I can expect as far as my classes go, and especially clinicals. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
July 5th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
What college are you going to? The first semester of nursing school is usually devoted to medical-surgical nursing. My first semester I took a lot of nursing basic stuff that applies to all people. You’ll also take a health assessment where you will learn how to assess all of the body systems. You’ll have some labs where you learn simple stuff like blood pressure, pulse, wound care, sterile technique, catheterization, etc. Your clinical will be great. I loved clinicals. You’ll be at a hospital probably and you’ll work with a nurse and you will just do the things that you have learned in classes already, like when you learn to do vitals and medication administration, you can do these things, and then when you learn to do catheters, you can do that and vitals and meds. It’s kind of like just adding on every week. Study alot…Nursing is different than regular college because you have to learn to think in a different way. You’ll probably also take a pathophysiology class. Make study groups and don’t get behind on things. Also, make sure you go to class, which in my experience, teachers give a quiz everyday to make sure that students attend. Hope this helps…If you have any other questions then let me know….mrb1017@yahoo.com
July 5th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Hi! I just got through my first semester of nursing school in the spring. I was nervous too! I think everybody is. All of my teachers were really great about being patient with everyone. They know that you’re going to be nervous. Clinicals were incredibly nerve-wracking, but once you get into the swing of things it’s a piece of cake. If your teachers are as helpful as mine were, you should have no problem. Just know that everyone else is nervous and the teachers should know that! Good luck! It’s a lot of work…but the first semester is supposedly the worst…so if you can get through that, it’s all downhill from there.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
You learn a lot of basics, such as working with patients (lifting, etc.), sanitary requirements in hospitals, reading charts and communicating with other professionals. I wouldn’t worry–everyone else will be just as worried!
July 6th, 2009 at 1:50 am
Your time management skills will be tested.