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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

How to Avoid Burnout




Stress


I found this on nursing bulletin board and it was so nicely said, I want to quote it:

"I'm tired of the physical effects school is having on me: increased anxiety and depression. I rarely smile much anymore.

I'm tired of seeing the same faces at school everyday.

I'm tired of exploding at my family members because I'm so stressed out.

I'm tired of inconsistency from lab instructors and last minute instruction right before an evaluation (thanks a lot!).

I'm tired of lame group projects that are only worth 5 pts, but take away precious time."

I am sure many of you can relate.




Some stress relief tips:


Here are some more tips:


1) I highly recommend taking the summer off between the first year and the second year. There was a temptation to do an internship, but for me it was more important to get some much needed time off. I still got a job, internship or not.

2) Remember the end-game: a wonderful, rewarding career with good pay and four days off a week.

3) Remember that what you are doing is extremely meaningful.

4) Cry. I'm serious.

5) Don't read stuff about nursing outside of school. No medical thrillers, no websites, no magazines.

6) Remember that you'll get hired pretty quickly. Our graduates get hired fast.

7) Eat healthy and exercise. Exercise is wonderful stress relief. Make time for it.

8) Practice holistic care on yourself just like you would do for a patient.

9) Don't stress over grades. No one cares about your grades when hiring you. They just care that you made it through.

10) Learn to say 'no' in your real life.

11) Use all resources at your disposal- friends, teachers, remediation, youtube

12) Don't expect to know it all. Mush of nursing is learned on the job in your specialty.

13) Remember you can do this. You got into nursing school. Someone believed that you could do it-remember that

14) Do not procrastinate.

15) Take time off EVERY DAY. Hey, I mean it.

16) One day at a time. Thinking about what has to be done two weeks from now adds extra stress.

17) Stop putting pressure on yourself to be perfect. You're going to make mistakes-it's ok.

18) Befriend your classmates. They are your number one source of support.

19) Vent about teacher and the school in your own private Facebook group. Make fun of them-it's very therapeutic.

20) Set realistic goals.

21) Have a schedule you stick to that includes downtime.

22) Stay organized.

23) Ask for help. Don't do it alone. There are teachers and study groups and friends out there.

24) Do not wait until the last minute to study.

25) Take frequent breaks when studying so you retain material better.

26) Dress like a nursing student. Who cares if your make-up is perfect?

27) Study in different ways. When you're sick of reading, watch a video.

28) Don't worry about your house. You can clean it after nursing school.


A little composition entitled "Mom has a test"


29) Recognize your stress triggers and minimize them.

I wrote a previous blog post on stress. If it is serious GET HELP.








Sunday, January 12, 2014

Study Tips For Nursing Students Who Have a Heck Of A Lot To Learn






IDEA


Make Quizzes

This helps you think like an NCLEX exam maker! Really good way to get information in your head. What might you ask if YOU were the teacher?
Mnemonics


Excellent way to make things stick. Make up funny sentences for the info you have to remember. I have a friend who actually made memes based on his mnemonics
Quiz each other

Get the book out and go through the chapter.
Use previous study sheets

You know, you can use the fluids and electrolytes sheets you made in FON for AH1, Peds and AH2
Use Microsoft paint

You can make some color-coded stuff and concept maps on this program
Make concept maps

Group that information on one page in simplified terms
Change position

Do not always study sitting down, walk around the block, study while exercising, use an under the table exerciser (yeah they exist)
Youtube videos

Take a break from reading. I also set up a computer near the bathroom so I could just listen when I took a bath. You’ll see that my bathroom was a great study area
Write on the bathroom mirror

Write basic info like lab values on the mirror or a window with dry erase marker
Use bath crayons

I did this when my kids were learning multiplication tables, but it works for dosages, too
Laminate posters

I made posters with basic info and studied them in the bath (I was a very clean and well-educated nursing student)
Download NCLEX quizzes on your phone

There are tons of question apps
Poster boards around the house

Same concept as the bath posters but elsewhere. I had one stuck to my bookshelf that I read every night before I fell asleep
Read stuff into your iPod

I would read sections of the chapter or notes into my iPod and listen on that ½ hour drive to school. Great right before an exam
Re-listen to the old lectures

I once did this waiting four hours for a delayed plane at the airport
Use extra time

I always had a study book in my car and used in during carpool time or in the DMV waiting to renew my license
Make charts

Easy to do and color code. Especially important for drugs
Color code things

Sometimes I would remember stuff just because I had written it in green on a page
Flash cards

Don’t discount the old-fashioned ways
Powerpoints

Make your own presentations as if you have to teach it to someone else
Make your own you tube video

Yes, I actually did this
Write a blog

Just kidding, that’s MY job J
Make up a song

If you can sing, if not-maybe not. No, this is a cool idea to remember lab values etc. Doesn’t have to be complicated.
Learn the basics really well

!!!!!!!!


Peds Deconstructed-Resources To Get Through Peds

  
Peds Resources


[peds]

Telephone numbers of the National Poison Center Hotline

For a poison emergency in the U.S. call 1-800-222-1222


A list of common poisonous agents and corresponding antidotes



 Car seat / restraints requirement


Tips for parents in the “childproofing of their home”

 Child Life Specialist


St. Jude


PICU


NICU


Normal ranges for selected age group 


Describe the fine and gross motor skills 


 Piaget’s theory of cognitive development 



 Shelby County Schools 


Nutritional Needs Of Children





Therapeutic Play Needs of the Hospitalized Child


 Pain Assessment of Children


Calculation and Administration of Medications to Children


The Impact of Chronic Illness on Children and their Families



Cultural Competence


  6 “rights” to be used in preparing and administering medications to children


Resources For Children In Shelby County and Tennessee









Saturday, January 11, 2014

RN to BSN

Getting Your RN TO BSN in Memphis


[Beyond SW]


First of all we have a closed Facebook group for that, too. Geared specifically for former SW students.


REMEMBER YOUR HOSPITAL WILL PAY PART OF THE COST OF MOST PROGRAMS

Here are the various programs in the area.

UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS





  • Online, Some non-online clinical work
  • cost of one class: 1,200
  • Advantages: They are talking of being able to go straight from BSN to DNP program, skipping the master's




  • Entrance Criteria:  Admission to UM, GPA 2.7, Cs in prereqs
  • Scholarships:  Available scholarships
PREREQS:



CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY



Program

Semester One of Nursing Courses only 
NURS 300 Dimensions of Professional Nursing– 3 (3-0) 
NURS 302 Intro to Professional Role Development – 4 (4-0) 
NURS 304 Health Assessment for RNs– 4 (3-1) 
Credit hours = 11 Nursing 

Semester Two 
NURS 402 Professional Role Development II – 3 (3-0) 
NURS 405 Global Community Health Nursing – 6 (6-0) 
NURS 406 Community Health Nursing Clinical – 2 (0-2) 
Credit hours = 11 Nursing

Semester Three
NURS 412 Nursing Leadership – 5 (5-0) 
NURS 413 Professional Practice and Leadership Clinical – 2 (0-2) 
NURS 416 Evidence-Based Nursing – 3 (3-0) 
Credit hours = 10 Nursing

  • Advantages: rolling admissions, cohort learning, 2.0 GPA
  • Disadvantages: on campus classes, religion class requirement
  • Time: three semesters
  • Admission Criteria: 2.0 GPA



PREREQS:

ENGLISH 
ENG 111 (3) 
ENG 112 (3) 
ENG 211/or 212 (3) 

NAT/PHY SCIENCE W/LAB (4) BIOL 103, 107, 109, 111; CHEM 113, 
115; NSCI 111, 115, 118, 122, 126, 128; 
PHYS 150, 201 

SOCIAL SCIENCE/HISTORY * (6) * See GER section of the catalog 

MATH (3) ACCEPTED: MATH 162 or equivalent 

PHILOSOPHY* (3) * See GER section of the catalog 

RELIGIOUS STUDIES (6) ACCEPTED: Any RS 200/300 Course 


Math Requirement: Math 162 (Health Science Applications of Algebra and Statistics) or 
equivalent (MATH 105 or higher plus one statistics class; see GER section of 
the catalog)

BAPTIST COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES



  • Online and some on-campus time
  • Advantages: can test out of some courses




PREREQS:

The following General Studies courses must be completed before beginning the following core courses: BIO 201 A & P I; BIO 201 A&P II; BIO 205 Micro; ENG 101; ENG 102; ENG Literature; PSY 301 HG&D; SPE 211 Speech 

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE



UNION UNIVERSITY



  • Online or available classes at Germantown campus
  • $ 420 per credit hour






 PREREQS:


CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY



  • $425 per credit hour
  • 100% online
  • No clinicals
  • Takes 1 year
  • 2.0 GPA
  • No prereqs
  • Financial aid


MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN

Their list of courses is extensive and too detailed to put here, so here is a link


  •  overall GPA of 2.5 with an ACT less than 21.  If your ACT is 21 or higher, you may be admitted with an overall GPA of 2.0.
  • entire program is online
  • There are clinical components with the courses. The main focus of our program is community, leadership, and research.
  • three semesters
WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY

WGU RN to BSN Program Handbook





  • Majority online
  • Financial aid available
  • You pay less if you complete the degree faster:

  • 2 years (or 4 terms): $13,000
  • 18 months (or 3 terms): $9,750
  • 12 months (or 2 terms): $6,500
  • If you have received an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree, you will typically enter WGU with upper-division standing and clear or waive 40 competency units (CUs)—which are equivalent to credit hours. You may also clear additional degree requirements depending upon the program.