Becoming a nurse

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Related: Nursing, Going From a LPN to a RN or BSN

Surviving Nursing School

Nursing School FAQS
Your basic questions about becoming a nurse and being a nursing student may be answered here.

Preparing to Enter Nursing SchoolStart nusing school ready to learn. Learn the basics of nursing school: What you need to do, When you need to do it and what you should do to become a nursing student.

Nursing School Clincals Many students find clincals the hardest and most stressful part of becoming a nurse. Keep in mind that nursing school clincals and care plans are a rite of passage.

Nursing School Exams The exams you will face in nursing school are likely to be the hardest test you have ever taken. The questions are not straight- forward and do not directly test knowledge. Knowledge and analytical skills are needed to properly answer the questions.

Becoming a Nurse -- Advance Practice Options If you are currently working on just becoming a nurse the thought of further education may lead you to ETOH intoxication. Advance practice nurses all start off with a general RN and get additional education and training as they work on the floor. Advance practice nursing includes Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Specialist, Nurse Anesthesiologist, Nurse Midwife and Case Manager.

Time Management for Nursing StudentsTime management skills are essential to becoming a nurse. Between care plans, clinical rotations, exams and lecture, your ability to manage your time, will be put to the test.

Passing Drugs as a NurseHow to pass drugs as a nurse in a safe manner. As a nursing student you may think your first and foremost goal is to make it through nursing school. Your main goal needs to be NOT TO KILL ANYONE.

Study Aids For Nursing Students Links to websites the will help you learn A and P, biology, drugs and the nursing process. Just useful sites to help you become a nurse.

Learn Nursing Math -- Drug Calculation This page has three calculators for nursing math and drug calculations. What is special about these calculators is that they are not here just to give you the value, but to show you the steps to learn how to calculate the value on your own.

Stories About Becoming A Nurse. Read and share nursing school stories. This is also the place to ask your questions about nursing school. You can also email me if you prefer

Online Nursing Schools Requesting information from various nursing schools is a great way to learn what to expect and what it will take to become a nurse.

Why I Became a Nurse

By Tammy who is currently working on her BSN (Bachelor of Science in nursing)

I became a nurse to help people. It is as simple as that. From the time I was a very little girl, I would tell everyone who would listen, that I was going to have a profession in medicine. It seems odd looking back at it, that everyone would just smile and nod as if saying sure you will. You could tell they thought the ramblings of a five year old was something to acknowledge for the moment and anticipate to change. Although most children do alter their future professions frequently, I was an odd ball who never did.

I started college at eighteen years of age and despite my knowing the field I wanted, I could not decide on a career in that field. I fell in love with emergency medicine and became an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). This is a step down from a paramedic. I rode on an Ambulance, administered care, and transported people to the hospital. I loved the work but not the hours or the pay. I would work twenty-four hours straight and made about five dollars an hour. Paramedics made about eight dollars an hour. Needless to say, I stayed in school.

I went pre-med with the hopes of going into medical school. As a freshman, I met someone that I believed I would share my life with. As a sophomore, I became pregnant. After the shock wore off and having numerous discussions with my significant other, we decided to keep the baby. Starting a family became more important then my career as a doctor, so I decided to change fields. I have never regretted that choice, because it was then that I entered the field of nursing.

There are those people who will say there is no or little difference between a doctor and a nurse but let me be the first to tell you there is. A nurse is the one who knows the patient best. He/she spends anywhere from eight to twelve hours at the patient bedside, monitoring changes and reporting any abnormalities to the physician. If something goes wrong, nine times out of ten, it is the nurse who notices it first. I have seen nurses save more lives than any physician due to their careful assessment skills and quick appropriate responses.

By far, the biggest difference I have seen between a nurse and a physician is when it comes to being the patient’s advocate. I have read in various articles and essays that both professions contribute in supporting the patients rights and autonomy. While this may be true, there are vast differences in the way they each do this. Most nurses value the patient in the holistic sense. We take into consideration not just the physical illness and its symptoms but the mental, social and family conditions surrounding the patient. When we care for someone we are continually evaluating all of these things and the best way to incorporate these aspects into treatment. Most physicians treat only the physical manifestations of an illness. Unfortunately, this can lead to a conflict in what is the best way to help someone overcome an injury or disease.

I graduated from nursing school in 1994, with an Associate’s degree of Applied Science. I had always planned on returning to school to obtain a higher degree but life has a funny way of moving on despite your dreams. I became a single mother of two children and raising them became my priority. Before I knew it twelve years had past and while I was considered an expert in my field, I had yet to return to college. One day I looked at my children and decided I wanted to set an good example for them. I believed that it was not only important to show them the quality of a higher education but that it is never to late to learn something new. The kids were easy to convince. I on the other hand was not.

This is not to say that I thought I knew everything there was to know about nursing. Quite the opposite was true. I am someone that believes there is an opportunity to acquire new knowledge everyday. I just was not sure that furthering my education would give me the same learning opportunities that years of experience had. I am proud to tell you I was mistaken. College is a much different and improved experience as an older adult. I find it so much more enjoyable than I used to. Now, instead of dreading all the reading assigned, I actually want to do all the homework. I thrive to take in any new information and am always thinking about the different ways I can apply it to my practice. It is not important to me that I have established myself as a capable nurse anymore. Learning how to use the education I am obtaining, to not only further myself but my patient’s care, has become more significant.

I am living proof that it is NEVER too late to go back to school. I have a 4.0 GPA and will graduate with honors. I honestly could not have done it without The Brute Force Study Guide. This guide taught me how to learn and prepare for exams more efficiently than I had before. It also helped me to cut my study time in half leaving me more time to be what I do best, be a mom.

Recommendations for nursing students.

Prior to starting nursing school

First semester nursing students

NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN

Nursing Math

Study Skills for Nursing School 

Test taking skills.

Paying for nursing school!

• Paying tuition
• required fees
• other reasonable costs
• monthly stipend ($1,233 for the 2008-2009 academic year)

Nursing News