First Semester of Nursing School

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Here we are, just a few weeks out from the end of the first semester of nursing school. To say it was difficult, stressful, overwhelming, confusing, draining, it would be an understatement. However, it has been the most satisfying and rewarding experience, please take that statement with a pinch of salt. We have mentioned before on this blog about putting in your 10,000 hours. That applying 10,000 hours of dedication to something will make you a so-called “pro”. When we all first got accepted to nursing school, it was definitely an overflow of emotions, ranging from excited to terrified. It was something we all wished for, but knew that it was going to be a difficult journey.

If you ask any current nursing students or actual nurses how to prepare yourself for nursing school, they’ll all pretty much have the same answer. But, one thing does seem to come up quite often, and that is priority. The strategy most of us took when we were just taking prerequisite classes is no longer adequate when you’re in the nursing program. Even before you could familiarize yourself with where you classes are, you already have exams and assignments piled up. An easy way to organize these assignments is try to prioritize which assignment needs more attention and save the other assignments for later.

To be in nursing in school, you have to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. The first semester will inevitably be the toughest, in terms of learning how to prepare your mind and heart. The classes that you’re taking in the first semester might not necessarily be the most difficult classes but, everything is new at this point of your nursing school journey. During your prerequisites classes, you could kind of slack off and still manage to keep your grade up, But in the nursing program, even if you step out of the classroom to use the restroom, you definitely missed important material. This isn’t to scare you from the profession. Trust us, when we say that this is easily the most rewarding journey. But how could a journey be rewarding without a few obstacles along the way?

How was your first semester? What did you find to be the most difficult? How would you explain your experience? It has been a pleasure to share with you our experiences, tips, guides, and views on our first semester of nursing school. Hope you guys were able to take something from this to make your nursing school experience more enjoyable. IF you have any stories of your first semester, comment down below! Or not..

Are you ready for……FINALS?!?!

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Semester is finally coming to an end, and we all know what that means. Finals. Final examinations could easily make or break a student. There are the students who may have not done as well as they should have on the exams during the semester, and really need to ace their finals to somehow save their grade. Then there are the students who simply just wants to ace their final. Especially if you’re a nursing student. Whatever the case may be, finals is very intimidating and we need to prepare ourselves. We have spoke about study tips in a previous blog post, we’ll review that again for those of you that missed it and also discuss ways to mentally prepare yourselves for finals.

Previously on a different post we gave some study tips. If you have not read it. Go and check it out! Link is below.https://confessionsofanursingstudent525635708.wordpress.com/2019/10/07/studying-tips-for-nursing-students/

Studying and knowing the material is very important. Obviously, if you study hard and know the material, you’ll do well. We all know that. But let’s be real, most of us need to put in that extra effort to study and get familiarized with the material again. Instead of trying to literally go over every single chapter, pick out important material that the professor has mentioned in class. Remember, you were already taught all the material from your professor so the information is stored in your brain somewhere. For example, have you ever read a question, wasn’t sure what the answer was but one of the choices looked really familiar? MOST likely that’s the correct answer. When you’re studying especially for a final, most of it is reinforcing the material you learned.

Another tip is, get some sleep. We know, we’re all nursing students, sleep is not in our vocabulary. But trust us when we say this, give your brain a rest and take a quick snooze.

“Research suggests that if you study new material and then sleep, you remember the information better than if you study new material and stay awake for an equivalent amount of time.” https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ulterior-motives/201611/how-sleep-enhances-studying

So, instead of cramming everything to try and get as much information stored in your brain. Try and spread out your study load and get those naps and full eight-hour sleeps in. Finals always brings out the worst in us all. Lastly, something that works for me in particular is visualize the goal. We’re all aspiring to be successful nurses at the end of this journey. Visualizing my goal always gives me a strong boost of encouragement. Which in turn, makes studying entertaining.

To all of our fellow nursing students out there, good luck on your finals and if you have any tips to prepare yourself for finals, let us know.

NURSING SCHOOL = NO SLEEP

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When I am sleep deprived, I can’t focus on studying, I get too cranky, and cannot retain any information. Because we don’t sleep when we’re supposed to sleep; we usually just end up staying up late to finish off our assignments. As a result, it is difficult to focus the next day; especially when professors are lecturing and most of the times we doze off in class. Also, sometimes we leave lectures halfway through the class so that we can go take a nap in the library.

Sleep is one of the most essential things that any human requires but, if you are a nursing student, the chances of getting enough sleep are very slim. We work hard to make our class schedules fit perfectly to our busy lives, we create our schedule hoping that we can adequately get some sleep. Well! Let’s be real and admit that, the answer to this comforting yet unrealistic thought is NO. Every nursing student deals with the same work load, some better than others, but most, if not all can agree that it does not come easy and each class requires a lot of time.

To expect us to spend numerous hours reviewing their notes and doing their homework assignments, while a lot of us are juggling five classes. A lot of times it feels like there isn’t enough time during the day. Professors say they’ve all been through it and they have all survived, but let’s be real we do not have the experience they have, and the fact of the matter is the work load probably has not changed if anything it’s become more intense. Wouldn’t you think that professors should be more so understanding of this? We all learn at a young age, mostly from our parents, that sleep is very important, for our health and of course for our academic success. It seems almost hypocritical that our teachers have told us throughout our whole lives that we need a good night’s rest so we can focus in class, yet they constantly seem to give us endless amounts of work that takes time and effort. Maybe we just blame it on earth science- that there just is not enough time in the day to do the things we need to do.

Let me leave you with this thought, sleep deprivation is a serious issue that gets in our way of keeping focused and being happy and if we are not happy than is this journey all truly worth it? Maybe the struggle lies within the struggle of choosing between our needs and wants?? Shouldn’t nursing school work load be a want- as it is a part of our dream? COMMENT WHAT YOU THINK! 

Testimonial

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LIU, WHAT A SHAME.

In the beginning, the idea of going to nursing school may appear to be exciting. Finally, given the opportunity to accomplish one’s goals. Defining your self-worth and creating your own perception on the outcome of life up on graduation. However, no student is ever prepared for the gruesome journey that lies ahead in nursing school. Nursing school is difficult and overwhelming especially if one attending an institution where there is no guidance or organization in order to effectively help nursing students to become successful.

I recalled visiting Long Island University to register for fall semester. At first, I was excited. Then shortly disappointed because my advisor informed me that I would have to take seven classes for the fall semester. Although I asked why so many classes, the response I got was short lived.  And despite the troubling idea of taking seven classes is ridiculously a trap for students, I decided to do what most students would have done which is to take a chance. Besides, nursing school is hard to get into so why not take an opportunity when an opportunity is given. The advisors at Long Island University fail to advise students about the enormous workload that comes with being a nursing student at the university. In addition to the seven or six classes one may have, each student must also do online assignment and or applications that usually take hours to complete.  And robbing students of time needed to prepare for exams and review text manual for classes. On several occasions, fellow classmates mention that they are not really learning anything because there’s not enough time to study the materials to have a better understanding of the nursing concept of what is required to achieve success. Instead, students walk around the campus looking like zombies due to lack of sleep and over exertion of mental health.

Although there a few good professors at Long Island University and God bless them for being considerate towards students. However, having terrible professors at nursing school makes life even harder. For example, the first day of class, a professor states “I fail everybody.” Which is not reassuring for students. Professors are there to uplift students and encourage them to perform their best instead of inflicting fear or the fear of nursing school. On the other hand, some do not have a sense of guidance when it comes to instructing students. Quite often, during lecture, students appear to be loss and confused without any clarity from instructors.

I know nursing school can be difficult and overwhelming on many occasions. However, for students to become successful, the institution should create ideas on how to help student excel instead giving too many assignments and possibly preparing students to fail.

Are You Getting What You Paid For?

Ideas of good student-to-faculty ratios vary around the world, but a good student-to-faculty ratio in U.S. Colleges and universities would meet or exceed the national average of 18 students per faculty member, calculated by the National Center for Educational Statistics. A student-to-faculty ratio is a simple calculation that determines how many faculty members are present on a college campus to teach students. Class sizes may vary, so even if the student-to-faculty ratio is very low, you could enroll in a large lecture class or required course with a higher number of students than average. The problem with this, is that the professor is unable to keep up with the class of over 60 students. Professors will not be able to give equal time and attention to each student although they try their best.

As student’s we feel that we are paying a lot of money to be mentored and assisted by the professor and when a professor cannot give their complete and full attention to the student- it becomes a burden on the student’s success. Schools should have limits to how many students they can accept in their program- especially when they know they are limited on faculty. When professors are unavailable to students, it causes unnecessary stress and frustration for students. Just like everything in life- nursing school is a two-way street between the students and professors. If students are expected to be in touch with the professor and working with them to succeed in the class, isn’t it only fair that the professor makes it their business to be in touch with their students and making sure they do what they can for the student to succeed and achieve in their class. Professors are essential to helping students in their achievements throughout nursing school. It is understandable that professors are busy and have other obligations, but this is all part of their job.

If you think about it, it sounds silly that we have to justify the fact that students pay money to pay for professors to help them and when professors claim they cannot keep up due to the overwhelming amounts of students there are it just does not seem fair to the student or the professor. Also, if professors are too busy with other obligations this may lead to professors being unable to present the curriculum clearly. Students rely on professors to be a source of advice and help and instead some leave students confused and unsure of the material being taught. In school, especially nursing school, all material taught is expected to be retained and understood to make sure the nursing student can apply the tools necessary in helping patients- in all realistic cases and scenarios. So what can be done to change this issue? There are various things that can be done to assist this issue, but ultimately the faculty and students need to work together to solve this.

The program administration needs to come to an agreement on having enough staff to appropriately educate and aid their students in any way they need to assist in the student’s academic success. Also, like most if not all schools, the school should have a limit of how many students there program can hold comfortably giving each student the chance to achieve and thrive without being overwhelmed and lost without anyone to guide them except for the 100’s of other students lost and confused. It is inferred that students should stuck together and help one another no matter what, but professors have the experience that students lack and that is key to student success. Students demand a response to this issue! 

Nursing School: Are You Taking Advantage of These Resources?

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Even though nursing school might be hectic, there are a lot of resources that are available to students. If a student is struggling and not only struggling but paying a lump sum of cash/tuition it is right that they used all available resources that are available to them by the school because at the end of the day if they do not then they are on the losing end. Below is a list of a few resources that are available to students that can make a difference throughout their academic years at college:

Office Hours: Majority of the times when students are struggling academically professors usually recommend that they make an appointment to see that professor because it could be of a help in improving areas where they are lacking. For instance, if a student struggles at test taking, during that appointment the professor could give that students tips on how to study and most of the times the outcomes are amazing. 

Tutoring: On the first day of class professor always advised students to make use of the tutoring centers. I am bit guilty of this because I am struggling in a few classes but I refuse to make time to seek tutoring which will only tell on me at the end of the semester. 

The library: this is an important department throughout colleges. Sometimes some student refuses to buy textbook and other resources but why spend money that you don’t have because we are considered “broke student” when you can simply go to the library and used the textbooks that are available to you. There is also library database in which a student could utilize to write their papers, get journals and articles. You can even get online and in person assistance from librarians. 

Taking advantage of the resources that are available to you is a key factor in how you perform in nursing school. Yes, some students do well without using these resources. But a lot of us need that extra support or that extra push. It can be that tiny bit of help that can make a “B” student into an “A” student. Please comment below some of the resources you have used to help you during nursing school.

Time Management

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One day consists of twenty four hours or one thousand four hundred forty minutes or eighty-six thousand four hundred seconds. How ever you calculate it, there just isn’t enough time to adequately get everything done. Nursing school is packed with homework, exams, case studies, labs, papers and many other time consuming assignments. Eventually all nursing students succumb to that inevitable feeling of not having enough time to get everything done. Here are some tips that we have used to get the work done.

Get yourself a nice planner. Or one of those huge desk sized calendars. Most likely all your professors have given you a syllabus with a schedule for all your assignments and upcoming exams. Take a few hours and jam pack all of them into your planner. Now you have your due dates, exam dates, class schedule and free time all in one place. Stop the bad habit of going back to each and every syllabus to see what’s coming up or due. Chances are you’re going to miss something, trust me. Keep it with you at all times and check it everyday to keep up with all the work.

Get started on the work right away. Have an assignment due next week? Feels kind of good knowing you got the time. Get started on it now, chances are you’re going to end up holding off on it and have more assignments from other classes pile on top and before you know it you have multiple assignments due the same day. Now you’re rushing to get everything done and this could lead to unsatisfactory work and anxiety. Work given to you is supposed to be a supplement to your studies. Rushing through these assignments that are meant to aide in your studying become less effective. Taking your time while doing these assignments help you retain more material and builds confidence in your knowledge of the material.

These are just two effective ways to start managing your time during nursing school. We’re sure there are many other ways, and we would love to hear from you guys on how you tackle tremendous amount of work during your busy schedule. Please comment, share and like if you enjoyed this weeks blog. Let us know what topic we should discuss next time.

Studying Tips For Nursing Students

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Have you ever opened your textbook and highlighted every single sentence on that page because it all seemed important? If you have, we know what you’re going through. It’s the week before an important exam and you have no idea what to study because there is simply too much material to cover. Anxiety starts kicking in and now you’re reading that same line in the textbook for the fifteenth time. It might not be anxiety, maybe it’s a lack of focus. Whatever it is, studying is a very difficult task to do, as a nursing student it is crucial for us to figure out a way to make studying stress-free.

There are many ways to study. There’s the student that crams everything the night before the exam. Works for some but not for most. Or the student that tries to read the whole textbook. Again, works for some but not for most. Studying is a learning process. We chip away at all the failed methods of studying to find our “studying routine”. There are many great tips out there. Here’s a few: Study a little bit everyday. Stop trying to cram all the information the night before. Trust me, it doesn’t help you in the long run. Breaking down the material into smaller increments makes it easier to obtain information and is less overwhelming to the already fatigued brain of yours. Another one is to use outside resources. It’s not a law to only study from the resources given to you by your professor. We’re lucky to be alive at a point in time where information is at our fingertips. Accessing information through the internet can aid in studying because it’s a secondary source of study material that could actually be put in a simpler form, which could be easier to comprehend.

There is a saying that “two heads are better than one”? For studying this is a great quote to live by. Not just two heads but more the better. Studying in groups not only help promote a better studying environment, but when the group is all studying the same material, it makes it one of the most effective ways to study. When multiple people are studying the same material, the chances of missing material or skipping material decreases. How many times have you taken an exam and found yourself completely stumped by a question because you missed that specific information during your studies? Chances are you end up asking one of your classmates if they knew the answer to that question, and they did. That’s just one person and one question. Imagine if you have to study four chapters of material by yourself, it’s a nightmare. But if you gather three or more people to study the same four chapters, the group covers more ground. Studying in groups is not a new trend, but it’s not utilized as much as it should be.

These are just a few studying tips that we have found effective. You might not have found the answer you were looking for. But one thing that you can take from this, is that you’re not alone. Nursing school is a hard, bumpy, unforgiving road. Especially, if you’re driving through it without map. Like everything in life, there needs to be order and a plan. So, plan out your studies, make friends with the other student sitting next to you in class, go browse the internet for supplemental information. What are some of your favorite ways to study? Leave a comment.

Until next time!

Money, Money, Money

We all know being a college student is tough. Especially, if you’re a broke college student. Being that most of us are on the older side, there are more financial responsibilities than the “traditional” college student. When I say “traditional” college student, I typically mean from ages 18-23. Unlike traditional students, a student that is older (anywhere from 25+), usually have to worry about other financial obligations than school, like rent.

Financial issues plays a major role in everybody’s life. For a nursing student, it can become very difficult to focus on schoolwork when their financial situation is not up to par. Tuition is typically the greatest financial obstacle that a nursing student needs to overcome. According to Imagine America Foundation, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), tuition averages anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000 a year for most private and major universities. That comes out to a minimum of $160,000 after four years. This financial burden becomes an issue that is on the back of all nursing students mind while they are in school. This should not be an issue for any individual, especially for an individual attending nursing school, who is trying to save lives in the future.

Student loan debt has become such a huge issue in todays society, that it is now commonly called “student-loan/debt crisis”. Most of the current 2020 presidential candidates are trying to propose something to decrease the student loan debt or figure something out for college students to attend school for free. But since these are just proposals, this could only come into fruition if they get elected. So for us current students, we are still doomed. But do not fear, there are actually many options out there for us to attend school for FREE! It is this beautiful thing called scholarships. Unfortunately, it is not advertised as frequently as student loans are, so it is going to take some researching. There are many third-party scholarship opportunities out there and usually the school you’re attending currently have scholarship opportunities they might not be telling you about.

Personally, after financial aid and federal loans I am still forking over $8,000 per semester. Remember when I mentioned that there are scholarship opportunities at your school that they might not be telling you about? I actually had to call in and ask if there were scholarship opportunities that I was eligible for. Shockingly enough I was eligible for a transfer scholarship that was not mentioned to me until I asked about it. So, a word of advice to all my current nursing students, do your research for these hidden gems. It could save you a ton of money in the long run.