Hi everyone-- I just finished my prereq's for the nursing program and am waiting to get in. I just learned that almost half of the current students failed the first semester of theory. I am a CNA and did well academically in my prereq's but now I'm very worried. I am not sure what to expect in my first year of the nursing program (particularly theory) and would love to hear from others have already done the program or if anyone has advice that would be great as well. Thanks=]

Al, very good advice!!! You are my hero!!! Have a great day!!!!

No hero here, I just want to be the best I can be...

I had an eval this week, which ended up good. My instructor said it all comes from me. So you get what you put into it, it is your control. You can do it. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, and that's how you have to do nursing. Don't try to take everything at once, go with the flow. Good luck, you can do it!

Keep up with your reading! If you're sick or working or whatever, and skip a day of reading make it up as soon as possible. Is there a particular nurse, you have a very strong relationship with, you admire and would feel comfortable picking their brains? We had a nursing instructor tell us the most difficult thing she thought faced new students, wasn't the amount of work or reading, it was actually learning to think like a nurse. After being a nurse for almost all my adult life, I think she's right.

Fabulous advice Al!

squirmals: Just continue to do what you're doing. Sounds like you are doing fine. Review-review, revew so it will stick in your head.And if you don't understand something-ask questions. Al-you give the best advice! How did you get to be so wise?

you said that you did well academically, now you have to put that confidence to the test. just keep pushing through. No matter how hard it gets, pound those books, take them to work, fall alseep to them...if you sincerely have the eill and want and passion to be a nurse, and you maintain your confidence in what you already know and be open-minded to the new then you will come out a wonderful and very knowledgable nurse.being discouraged will most likely happen, but we all have had to learn at one time or probably still are learning that that is a part of life- and you cannot let it get you down. i believe in you and i am sure the rest of the members here do too. stay consistant in your studies, and always review by yourself even if you dont get a review from the instructor, take the initiave to keep on your studies. You can do it girl.

have a stupid question? How is the name listed on the RN or Nurse license? 1) First name, Middle intial, last name 2) Full- first name middle and last name 3) Just first and last name? For Example 1) Mary S. Smith 2) Mary Susan Smith 3) Mary Smith

And is it like a big Certficate stating the Nurse License or small like a drivers license?
Just curious as student?

Suree: Al is right and has good advice. Additionally, invest in the current NCLEX review book and in your spare time, just go over the questions on the CD and in the book. It teaches you how to answer 'nursing school' questions.
LoveNursing...in NJ we get a 5x5 (approx) and a wallet sized certificate.

I would have to agree with Al, he gave some EXCELLENT ADVICE, I found a computerized pen that also helped me with nursing school when I was enrolled(the FLY-TECH computerized pen) it cost about $60 but it was well worth the investment. If you download your notes from class to your computer It can do just about anything with them, from making graphs to making charts. Cause there are alot of notes and sometimes seeing it in a differant formatt makes it easier to learn at least for me that helped alot, rather than seeing paragraph after endless paragraph.

Nursing school seems to be so overwhelming, none of the teachers ever have the same story. Each semester you lose half of the class you started with..I don't get why they are making it like this? I understand the point if nursing school was easy, everyone would do it...but it just seems like every step of the way they are out to get you. Just my theory. One of the post mentioned to make sure you do all of the reading, at times it seems impossible when you have over 100 pages to read in 2-3 days. How can you comprehend that much information in 2-3 days? Is it better to skim the reading and do practice questions related to what you're studying?

Theala..thank you very much for your feedback. I am going to try your suggestion about the reading and see how that goes. I also have access to Medspub, which seems similar to ATI. I do utilize that tool although I find the questions on there easier than the ones I am faced with on a test. I honestly have not tried reaching out to my instructors for help only because they do not come off as being 'approachable". I do realize it is something that I need to do. I completely agree with you about finding a mentor...I have one that I talk to regularly and it helps a great deal. She is an older nurse, but has been very successful and knows the ins and outs of nursing. She is very enthusiastic and makes me feel as though this whole nursing dream is attainable. Thank you for your kind advice..

I think that some times you can worry so much and get so worked up about a test that you forget it just make sure before the exam get lots of sleep and eat a good breakfast and go in there like you've been a nurse for years and you know it all cause think about it you've went through all these classes and got this far you have to have learned something some where about how to be a nurse just do what comes natural

I did fail out of nursing school. I am attempting now to go back and finish up. I had one semester left for my BSN. I had some INCREDIBLY unforseen circumstances take place all in one semester. The school was very unforgiving and would not work with me at all. I suggest, if you do find yourself starting to slip, but know that nursing is the place for you, to talk to your professors as early as possible and ask for incompletes in the classes you need them in. Don't attempt to get your grades to rise if there is not enough time. It's better to take one extra semester, then extra years. This mistake has cost me years of not being a nurse, and complete hell trying to get back in. I was supossed to graduate in May 2006, however, was so scared of failing out again, that it took me 2 years to finally be able to go back into it. I am now settling for an associates degree from a local community college, and since I am so far along, cannot get placed in classes until someone else fails out. I don't know how long it will take me to finish.

i am in nursing school right now and we take HESI tests, three of them each semester, they are similar to the ATI testing I assume, i remember working ATI in LPN school. Those tests are a great practice run for NCLEX and when you take several of those per semester you should be good to go for the real thing. I study a lot and have not much of a life but is in temporary and well worth it. Like Al said, whatever you invest is what you get out of it. One test at a time and you will be successful.