Getting the Most From Nursing School: A Guide to Becoming a Nurse: A Guide to Becoming a Nurse

by Robert Atkins

Overview

Find Success in Nursing School! Getting The Most From Nursing School presents a roadmap to guide talented men and women along their journey from considering nursing as a profession to their first position as a registered nurse. This exceptional resource provides the necessary guidance to ensure that students get the most from their education and become excellent care providers, policymakers, educators, and researchers and achieve their goal of improving the health and well-being of others. Getting The Most From Nursing School is written by a doctorally prepared nurse, researcher, and professor and can be distinguished by its evidence-based information, its anecdotes, and its empirically grounded recommendations from nurses who have decades of experience in both clinical practice and as educators. Sample chapters include: Why become a nurse? Nursing school is tough...getting through the classes Surviving and succeeding in clinical Preparing for success on the NCLEX

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763755812
Publisher:	Jones & Bartlett Learning
Publication date:	07/22/2008
Edition description:	1E
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Robert (Bob) Atkins is an assistant professor at Rutgers University College of Nursing and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar. Professor Atkins decided to pursue nursing after earning a degree in political science and American civilizations from Brown University. In 1995 he earned a Bachelor of Science of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and began working as a school nurse in Camden, NJ. While working as a school nurse Professor Atkins earned a Master of Science in Nursing at Rutgers University and became a pediatric nurse practitioner. Upon completing that degree, he began conducting research on the factors that influence the health and well-being of children and started his doctoral studies at Temple University. In 2004 Professor Atkins completed a PhD in the Department of Public Health at Temple University. Dr. Atkins is the co-founder and president of the Camden STARR Program, a community-based, non-profit youth development program which seeks to improve the life chances of children and adolescents living in Camden.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xxi

One I've Thought About Nursing, But 1

I Don't Like Blood or Any Other Bodily Fluids (or Solids) That Are Not Mine 1

Everyone Tells Me I Am Smart Enough to Go to Medical School 4

I Don't Want Physicians Ordering Me Around 6

Physicians Make More Than Nurses 8

Nursing Is a Female Profession 10

I Would Never Make It Through Nursing School 12

References 15

Two Who Is a Nurse, and How Does One Become a Nurse? 17

Pathways into Nursing 18

Which Pathway into Nursing Is the Best? 20

References 27

Three What You Should Know About Nursing Faculty and the Structure of Nursing Programs 29

Priorities of Nursing Schools 30

The Faculty in Nursing Programs 31

The Tenure Process 34

Administration 36

References 38

Four Getting into Nursing School 39

What Are Nursing Schools Looking for in Applicants? 40

The Application Process 42

How to Handle Being Denied Admission to Nursing School 48

References 50

Appendix 4-A Sample Admission Essay with Critique 53

Appendix 4-B Sample Admission Letter with Critique 57

Five The Nursing School Courses 59

Clinical Theory Courses 59

Science Courses 62

Other Courses 64

Six You and Your Professor 67

Classroom Etiquette 67

Communicating with Your Professor 70

References 84

Seven Getting the Most from Your Time in Class 85

Getting the Most from Your Classes Starts with Your Theory of Intelligence 85

Going to Class 89

Reading in Nursing School 93

Taking Notes in Class and Lecture 97

Learn to Speak the Language 101

Class Participation 102

References 105

Appendix 7-A Active Reading with SQ3R 109

Steps 109

Excerpt from "Review of the Aging of PhysiologicalSystems" 112

Appendix 7-B The Cornell Note-Taking System 119

Eight Participating in an Online Course 123

Advantages of Online Courses 123

Disadvantages of Online Courses 124

Recommendations 124

References 129

Nine How to Make a Presentation in Nursing School 131

Preparing a Presentation 131

Delivering a Presentation 141

References 145

Ten How to Write a Paper in Nursing School 147

Writing in Nursing School 148

Preparing to Write Your Paper 150

Writing Your Paper 155

Formatting Your Paper 161

Conclusion 166

References 167

Appendix 10-A Sample Paper with Critique 169

Eleven A Short Chapter on Academic Dishonesty 177

Cheating 178

Fabrication 178

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty 179

Plagiarism 179

Interfering with the Access of Others to Information or Material 182

Conclusion 182

Web-Based Information on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty 184

References 184

Twelve Getting the Most Out of Clinical Coursework 185

Brief History of Clinical Experience 185

What to Expect During Clinical Experience 187

Nursing Clinicals and Stress 193

Handling the Stress of the Clinical Experience 195

References 202

Thirteen Managing Your Time During Nursing School 205

Make a List of the Things That You Have to Do Each Day 206

Time Attitude 209

Organize Work Habits 210

References 214

Appendix 13-A Time Management Exercise 215

Fourteen How to Take a Test in Nursing School 217

Preparation 217

Recitation 220

Consolidating Your Notes 221

Studying 221

Other Study Tips 223

Group Study Tips 224

Multiple Choice Exams 226

General Test-Taking Tips 231

References 232

Appendix A Additional Recommendations and Anecdotes 233

Getting the Most Out of Clinical 233

Men in Nursing 242

Assuming the Professional Role 245

Index 249