A Lot Has Happened Since I Last Posted 4 years ago..WOW

So here I am, almost four years later since I last posted! What a journey I have been on in the nursing world. Here's what I have been up to.

When I started working at the nursing home, I was pregnant, so after 6 months, I went per diem which is another way of saying "a part-time schedule that YOU pick".

I stayed in that position for about a year before transferring to a different facility with the same company that was closer to my home. I went back to full-time for a few months, and then left completely when I received an offer as a Labor and Delivery nurse. (My dream job).

I stayed in that position for about 3 months before I decided night shift wasn't for me, and left to go to a Birth Center. About 6 months later, I received an offer from a large, inner-city hospital asking me to work for them full-time in Labor and Delivery. So here I am, currently working at two different jobs.

I will update more statuses on my journey later.

Nursing Student School Test Taking Strategies

NURSING TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES

So you wanna ace a nursing test. OR, you want to ace ANY TEST? Well, in my school, you had to get above a 92% for it to be considered an A and above a 75 for it considered to be passing. We had students dropping like flies, especially out of NUR112 (the dreaded course) which combined pediatrics, medical-surgical, and maternity nursing. However, I do have some time-tested ways to improve your grades and will be posting tips and tricks throughout this week and next. And, they will help you even if you are not in nursing school and taking a tough college major or even just a tough course.

I'll give you a little background. I was accepted into the nursing program clinical portion before I was done all my prerequisites because my grades were high enough to get in. Our school was based off a point system. For each prerequisite you completed like science, math, sociology, you got a point. You would get more points for taking the course one time and passing, getting higher grades etc. So, anyway, I got into the program and still had a couple courses to go which was unheard of. Most people had to finish their courses first before their points were high enough. Long story short: I ended up having to take Microbiology and Nur112 at the same time. Nur112 in our school is the dreaded nursing course that usually determines who will stay in and who will drop out for good. I had to survive in these courses because I wasn't able to move on in the program if I didn't pass either one. After getting two F's in both my courses' first-test, I developed some test taking strategies to help me survive and they worked!! My grades improved from F's to A's for the second test. Here's the first one:

1.) STUDYING IN GROUPS ONLY WORKS IF YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE IS PREPARED
Studying in groups can be very effective before a test. It provides encouragement, allows the people in the group to see which areas they need to work on possibly before the test, and provides a little socialization and relaxation. Here's how to work in groups effectively.

*****A. Don't go over someone's house that has little kids or anyone's house for that matter. It provides waaaay too many distractions and you will never get anything done. Meet at a library or quiet place. Or better yet, a place with free wi-fi.

*****B. Keep the number in the group to 4 maximum. Why? The smaller, the better. Having too many people in a group spells trouble. Take it from me: You will most likely leave feeling more anxiety than you went with because chances are, you won't get anything done, unless by some miracle all group members are prepared, organized and serious. Even then, its still hard to learn with 50,000 people asking questions, and brining their own style of studying to the table. I had one study buddy for 3 semesters after that first F, and we had some of the best grades in the class, which leads me to my next point.

*****C. If you do end up studying in a group, make it clear that everyone should prepare in advance. This means looking over/memorizing the material and reviewing concepts so that you could explain it to someone else. Be prepared to make the most of out of your group work.

*****D. Have group organization. Usually a group of people that are in the same clinical or class or sit near each other will simultaneously decide to meet. This is where you should chime in and say, "How about we all prepare 10-15 practice test questions on different concepts to ask the other group members. Usually, the others will be up for doing this. NOTE: If you are asked to join in on a group, you could say, "Is there anything you want me to prepare. Are we doing test-questions, etc." If the person who asked you seems to have no clue, then you may not want to waste your time.

*****E. Be prepared to bail quickly. Bring a cell phone or come with a time-frame in mind when you walk through the door. Even if its fake. Say something like, "I actually can only stay for about 45 min before I have to go." That way, you can leave without feeling guilty if it totally doesn't work out, or you can stay if it goes well.

*****F. If you do decide the group is wasting your time, LEAVE AND DON'T LOOK BACK. Hey, you have some studying to do and need to be prepared. If you aren't prepared for the test, you may resent the people that wasted your time. As a future nurse, you have to stand up for yourself, so be prepared and WILLING to say, "I have to go."

3.)FIND A REGULAR STUDY BUDDY
Work very hard to find a study buddy. Yes, just one. You can even ask your study buddy up-front if they want to work together to improve grades on the test. However, the study buddy must meet certain qualifications, which we will get to later. If you find a study buddy, here's how it will help you: If you miss class, or daydream throughout the class, chances are the study buddy was listening when you were dozing off and vice versa. That way, when you get together and compare notes, you may be able to write down some key points that will be on the test that your buddy heard. Also, maybe your buddy understands something you don't and can explain it to you. Also, you have a backup friend that will help you out when needed. Sharing books, resources, and gossip related to the classroom can be EXTREMELY helpful. Also, if you are going to be late, you can call that buddy and they will inform your instructor or maybe try to help bail you out. Oh, and here's the best part: You can share/vent your clinical experiences with your study buddy. It really is a true lifesaver when under all that stress to have a partner in crime. Especially if there is a really nasty instructor.

KEEP POSTED FOR MORE INFORMATION WEEKLY!!!!!

Where to find cheap used nursing books?

Okay. So how to save money in nursing school. Cut back on your coffee and donuts? I think not:) Here are some great sites I used to find cheap used nursing books.

Now remember, you can find some great deals but were not talking 0.99 cent bargains here. Let's face it. Nursing books are expensive! The best way to find cheap or used books utilizes the internet. There's no way around the empty pockets you will have shopping for books. However, there are SMART ways to shop for books/supplies. Here are some helpful tips. When a new textbook was required, I went straight for my laptop to check out some online deals. Here's just a few:

amazon.com-Great way to sell your used nursing books as well. They take more of a percentage than ebay but when you are done w/ some of the books, you can at least get some of your money back. I bought a lot of textbooks used from this site.

ebay.com-This site is pretty good for cheap and used nursing books. You have to wait to bid but sometimes can get a great deal on a pocket book or study aide! I carried an array of study guides that I got on ebay for less than $10 each.

craigslist.com-Post an ad for wanted items. You would be suprised how many people may skim your add and give you a great deal.

http://www.cheapesttextbooks.com/used-nursing-textbooks.html-This website is again pretty good to shop/buy used textbooks. The only downfall is, the prices are comparable to amazon but with amazon, there is more reputation and you may have a better seller experience.

gettextbooks.com

http://www.ecampus.com/nursing.asp--You may not get the best prices on these books but it will be discounted slightly and its better than the college bookstore.

What's great about buying used books, is that the books are a fraction of the price buying used. It really makes sense all the way around (for the planet too).

Unless you really want to keep a nursing book, if you are planning to sell your books, keep the turnaround time quick since books change. After you are done using the book, list it on amazon to get the most money back.

Please feel free to add any tips/advice that you find would be helpful.

NEW BLOG SPACE & INTROS

Hi all! I am currently a "newly graduated" registered nurse aka NEW GRAD working at a nursing home. Yes, not my first choice, but with the economy and the influx of new nurses, I couldn't get anything else.

I had some pretty crazy experiences going through nursing school and wanted to create a site to help others w/ some resources. Namely: COST. Nursing school is expensive and let's face it: We work like slaves for free at a hospital or nursing home. Actually, we are PAYING to work like slaves when you factor in the cost of tution, books, etc. Whether you are going to school because you love nursing or because you are strapped for cash we all need one thing: Resources. Okay, money too.

But going through school w/ the right tools and resources are helpful. Also, some funny upbuilding experiences help us along the way. So, start sharing. From buying used/cheap textbooks, to helpful tidbits and advice, stories, or just venting about your clinicals can all be helpful tools for other students.

OKAY. So here's how it works. Every week there will be a new topic for sharing resources. This week its introductions. So, introduce yourself and where you are at in your career.
***********Rules: YES, there are some rules.
Please, no names. C'mon we ALL know about hippa.
No stories or experiences that are directed towards an individual or instructor.
NO CURSING, PROFANITY, ABUSE. Please do not partake in horizontal violence early on in your career. If you dont know what horizontal violence means, look it up. Or, better yet, share your experiences.