This nursing student story essay was selected from BrainTrack's Nursing Schools Scholarship for fall 2009. At the time of submittal this entrant was studying for a Bachelor of Nursing at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia.
Wishes Had Known |
Program Likes/Dislikes |
Choosing Nursing
What do you wish you had known about selecting and entering your nursing school that would be helpful to others going into nursing?
When selected and entering a nursing school, it is important to know how many clinical hours they allow students to attend and also, the number of lab hours in class. In the LPN-RN program I have chosen, we only attend class one day a week. It is considered the new “fast track” program, which is designed for working students. The advantage is that you are in school for only one day. The disadvantage is that your clinical and lab hours are tremendously decreased.
When you are learning new skills such as inserting Foley catheters or starting an IV, it is important that you practice in the lab provided at your college. During nursing school, you have to be checked off on certain skills and if you don't pass, you don't move on to the next course. Also, the amount of clinical hours affect your hand on experience with patients of all diagnosis and problems. Anyone can read about a diagnosis, but actually getting to be a part in the patients care is what nursing is all about. In conclusion, clinical and lab hours are a very important aspect of nursing school. So when you are looking for a nursing school., keep in mind those important aspects.
What have you enjoyed most and least during your nursing degree program so far?
In nursing school, you are sent to hospital facilities for clinical rotations. I would have to say that I have enjoyed this the most. Without performing the skills you are taught in class, it is harder to understand and perform correctly on the job after graduation. As a student, you are with a clinical instructor at all times who is there to guide you in every step of the way. Also, the clinical sites allow you to work in different fields of nursing and better guide you to pick the area that best interests you for the future.
Exams are the least enjoyable part of nursing school. No matter how hard you study or prepare for an exam, it is still a challenge on every test to remain calm! Every teacher has their own way of testing the material and just when you feel comfortable, the semester is over and you have to start over with a new teacher. It is hard to work full time and also prepare yourself one-hundred percent for every exam! I just remind myself that nursing school is one day at a time and not every day is going to be peaches and cream. So when you get that bad grade, just remember there is always tomorrow!
What led you to choose nursing as a career path?
During my high school years, I had the opportunity to help take care of my grandfather, who was suffering from COPD and Emphysema. During that time, I realized what a passion I had to take care of others. I was able to make a difference in the quality of life of my grandfather in his last days. Although is disease was quickly progressing, I was there to comfort him in many ways as a "nurse" would do in those situations. Being able to have one on one care with a him really touched my heart and I told myself, "this is for me." So, I started researching schools.
During eleventh grade , I was displaced from high school and went on to obtain my GED. I was discouraged at first, but started college and graduated with an Associates in Pre-Nursing. I then applied to multiple RN nursing schools for two and a half years to only be turned down and put on a waiting list. Although I wanted to quit at times, I kept pushing on and prayed that if this was what the Lord wanted me to do the doors would open. I decided to apply to LPN school,was accepted and the journey began.
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