Tips for Succeeding in Nursing School

So you want to go to nursing school. Good choice. It's a job that will always be there, and the flexibility is amazing. You can work in a hospital, at a doctor's office, or in home care. You can work with adults, kids, elders, or you don't have to see patients so much and push papers if that's your thing (shudder). Some nurses do nothing but helicopter or air-ambulance work, and others work a nice, stable 12 hour shift 3 days (or nights) a week. The possibilities are endless. But before you get to work as a nurse, you have to go to nursing school, and there are some things you need to know if you want to have a relatively easy time.

First, how badly do you need to start working? You can take the RN exam with either an Associate's (2-year) or Bachelor's (4-year) degree. That's right, an AS or a BS gets you into the same test. If you need to start working right way, the AS is probably your best choice. If you intend to continue your education at the graduate level, or if you want to learn better critical thinking skills, along with a more in-depth look at why you are doing something rather than just what needs to be done. I want to make it clear that Bachelor's prepared nurses are not "better" nurses than Associate's prepared, just more educated.

Next, there is the subject of technology. If you are computer-phobic, get over it. You will probably be recording everything you do with a patient on some form of computer for the rest of your career. Paper charts are going the way of the dodo. They still exist, but they are being phased out a little more every year. Most colleges have some form of computer skills class, and there are plenty of "computers for idiots" type books out there. I also recommend that you invest in some form of PDA (like a Palm Pilot, windows mobile device or smartphone), and get into the habit of using it. I've been carrying some form of PDA for about 10 years, and now can't live without it. I have a drug/lab/disease reference package that also has continuing education and specialized calculators, which I use on a daily basis. I use Epocrates, but LexiComp has good products, as do Tarascon and the Sanford Guide.