School is requiring blood pressure cuffs, nursing scissors, and a few other clinical supplies. Where do Yall get them on the cheap?

I’m have about 15 years in DoD contracting (some civilian and some active duty). Stayed home for the last 10 years raising my kid and most recently trying to regroup from my horrific divorce a few years ago. I have my life paid for- for the next 5 years and do not have to work.

I have 2 Masters degrees but completely unrelated to nursing.

My kid is grown up now and graduating boot camp next week. Just feel like “ok this is your time now, finally”

I am a caregiver, nurturer, care about human suffering types- does something for my soul. Enjoyed helping with vet care for horses I used to take care of, but that’s the closest I’ve been…other than raising my kid (concussions from hockey and every crazy thing that kid could get into)

I feel purposeless in life and have for awhile. Sometimes I just sit and ponder ideas which direction I want to take my life bc I feel like I need to do something and lately nursing came up a couple times now.

The state college near me has a program for 11,500- looks a little competitive tho so it seems like I might need to apply to multiple schools and do pre-reqs.

What if you take the pre-reqs and can’t get in? Do you apply for multiple schools? Do people move to go to nursing school?

Looking for some advice bc I’m older and I don’t want to get carried away thinking I may have found my life path and then be disappointed.

I have no debt- it’s just me and my dog so not married to where I live.

I receive a pension every month for the rest of my life so tbh I only need to earn 40-45k or so to live comfortably (simple).

Can anyone give me some advice that could relate to me?

My preceptor is great. But my skills aren't. She's concerned how I will perform as a nurse because I don't seem to be able to operate autonomously and do things without her reminding/prompting. I struggle a lot with not wanting to hurt patients. I obviously need to learn/do the skills more but I feel like patients have less patience for a nursing student, especially in pain than their nurse.

Obviously that doesn't matter. I have to do the skills and show I can perform but I feel like my preceptor will not want to pass me because of my display of skills. I feel embarrassed and don't want to go back to do my shifts. I have a shift tomorrow and am dreading it. Any advice?

Pre-nursing students of reddit, I (20M) am in a tech school for ASN nursing while I work full-time and do uber eats on the side. I live on my own and it's honestly super hard to stay motivated. I went back to school after dropping out of university at 18 because i hated it, thought it was hard, shut down, failed all my classes and left. I shut down when i fail a test or don't understand something because my brain immediately says im not smart enough to understand or retain that certain concept. Studying and staying focused is difficult especially taking anatomy & phys I & lab.

School is kinda blasé to me as I just feel like im surviving outside of it which is very discouraging me from doing my best. I want a good life for my future husband and kids but how am I supposed to keep an apartment, a full time job, and pay a car note while going to a school that says that working full time isn't recommended?

I know this is a lot, but any suggestions, tips, words of encouragement would mean the world. Thanks :)

I only have two courses this first semester, an intro course and a pharmacology course. Shockingly, the pharm course is amazing. I've got an 89% in it and I have no complaints there, but the intro course where all our labs and clinicals are connected, I'm failing. I'm passing all the labs/clinicals. I have no problems doing the homeworks and have been getting 100s on those, but the damn Exams are killing me????

I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. I spoke to my professor to go over my previous exam and she would ask me questions from it and I'd answer them correctly no issue. She told me I need to read slower and I tried that! Usually it takes me 30 minutes to do the exams, this past time it took me roughly 50 mins, and I STILL FAILED. I dont understand how I can answer the questions in person properly but when reading them during the testing time its just gibberish to me? I did request the ability to listen to the exam. We were given headphones and I plan to use them to have the questions read to me this coming up exam, but if this doesnt work I'm fucked. It's exam 4 of 6 and I need an average of 79% on my exams. Currently I'm at an average of 67%. Can I even manage to bring that up high enough in 3 more exams? All together they're weight at 80% of my grade.

Does anyone have suggestions? Ive done the exam reviews, Ive done practice questions, I cant do flash cards they've never worked for me in the past. Ive rewritten highlighted portions and parts of the powerpoints in my own words to study. I just... I'm at a lost.

I feel like it will be cool to use “RN” in the caption but that would make more sense after I pass the NCLEX. What do y’all do?

Wondering how many people in here have/had a Concept base curriculum vs the traditional (block?) structured curriculum. Your personal Pros and Cons if you will.

What do you like/dislike about the one your school uses?

My Pro: My program is Concept Based Curriculum and hearing everyone not in a concept based program talk about pharmacology, sounds terrifying. We learn medications alongside the disorders/concepts that they prevent/treat. I genuinely do not think I would be able to learn them otherwise.

My con: But I do think finding resources for traditional structured curriculum is easier. All of these nursing school guides and packages are sorted by specialty or block (i genuinely don’t know the terminology for what it’s called, apologies.)

Hello! I'm not looking for advice, maybe just solidarity and feedback on what you all have done to supplement this, post grad. I'm in an accelerated LPN program, and I finally graduate in 4 weeks (and like 2 days, who's counting.)

My entirety of my clinical experience has been absolutely nothing. I have passed a few meds, but I'd done that prior to school as a CMT. I have taken a few blood sugars, but I'd already done that prior to school as an aide.

I have done no wound care, no trach care, no catheter insertion, nothing. Nothing at all. I haven't learned a thing in clinical. They've shoved us all into assisted living facilities and we normally don't even get there until after morning med pass, so honestly, 90% of my clinical time is spent sitting there doing nothing.

It's just been very upsetting, and frustrating. I know some people in my classes that attend other clinicals have gotten to do blood draws, or at LEAST inject insulin -- not me. I did lab check offs, sure, but those were all done on dummies.

I just wanted to rant. I'm very sad about this in general, and every drive to clinical is a waste of my time at this point, because i'd rather spend it studying. Thanks for listening :)

Just want to let people know some info that seems very miscommunicated

I've seen a LOT of people asking questions about this bridging program they have released and I've seen even more incorrect answers to these questions being asked.

I am currently doing my RPN.
I started with the ontario learn bridging program PSW-RPN.
I Completed all 6 online courses and then applied to the RPN program for semester 2 at SLC.
I was sent an offer of acceptance November 4th 2024 of this year and start in January 2025 for my nursing!

First question debunked - YOU CANNOT GET OSAP TO FUND FOR ONLINE LEARNING COURSES.
BUT you can however pay for it all out of pocket and when completed all 6 courses, can send the receipts and proof of completion to We begin and they may reimburse you - They also do this for your actual schooling at the college once you are accepted as well BUT you must pay out of pocket first and you only get reimbursed when you complete and pass the courses for that semester.

YOU DO skip semester 1 of RPN and jump straight into semester 2.
There has been a lot of confusion about this and people don't seem to think this is accurate.
IT IS! AND YOU DO!.
You are already a PSW and with the online courses you have already done everything they have in semester 1 and possibly more! - therefore you advance to semester 2.

YOU DO GET SUMMER BREAK! - the course is NOT ongoing through the year - I start in second semester January of 2025 and finish first year of RPN in on April 18th of 2025. I then start up in September of 2025 and finish my final year with everyone graduating in summer 2026!

YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE BIOLOGY OR MATH FROM HIGH SCHOOL - I HAD ABSOLUTLY NOTHING AND SUCKED SO BADLY AT MATH IN HS.
Your marks don't count worth a damn if you complete the bridging with the required marks - math you MUST get 80% or more and all other 5 courses you must get 60% or more.

Final exam and course marks that got me accepted from ontariolearn into the Nursing program at SLC :

Math - 88%
Professionalism - 72%
Anatomy and Physiology - 83%
Nursing Theory - 92%
Nursing bridge - 94%
Health Assessment 68%

any questions - ask away!

Hi everyone. I'm a student nurse in my 3rd year. I'm doing bachelor's. And I'll graduate (hopefully) after one and half a year from now. I was thinking of making a portfolio for putting in LinkedIn and to stand out of the crowd.

I literally have no idea in this matter. I don't even know if I should make a single page portfolio or like a website.

As I am an introvert, I didn't even take any pictures while I was in clinical practice (to put in portfolio). But I guess in the next years I'll make up for it. And what side jobs (don't know the exact words) to stand out and to make the portfolio heavier. By the way, I'm a photographer.

I need some advice. Thank you all. [Sorry, English is not my first language]

Hi all. I am currently signing up for classes for Winter quarter 2025 at my local community college, studying towards our RN program. Currently all counselors are booked out and classes are filling up fast. I was wondering if adding an online 'Intro to Statistics' course would be an awful decision?

Current enrollment:

Microbiology- online asynchronous w/ in person lab twice a week

Anatomy and Physiology 1- online asynchronous w/ at home lab kit

Phycology 100- online asynchronous

If Intro to stats isn't very hard I want to add it, however I know how difficult A&P and Microbiology are going to be. Next quarter the workload will be similar. I'm not the best at math but I do okay online w/ practice. If I don't get 'Intro to stats' done before Jun 30th I cannot submit my application for the nursing program this fall and will have to wait until spring.

We all know how frustrating group projects are, especially when we don't get to pick groups. This is an online class (meaning we can only contact thru email/group chat) and so far I'm the only one who's doing anything. There are two documents we have to submit by the end of the night, and I'm the only one who wrote ANYTHING in them. One of them literally just needs a signature, literally JUST TYPE YOUR NAME, and two people apparently still could not do that. When I push people to participate or answer I'm met with excuses. So far I've done 100% of the work on a big project and I'm crying from frustration with these idiots as well as my professor giving me the same tired "This is your group and you have to work with them" answer. What the fuck ago I do???

Rant, complain, and vent here.

Hello everyone! just wanna ask on whats your tips and tricks on studying pharmacology, we just got our midterm grades and I’m absolutely devastated

problem: I have a problem retaining on what I learn and even if I study advance, I get mental block during tests

I can’t help but think I don’t really have what it takes, my friends are reassuring me but my thoughts think otherwise

Hello, Needed some advice for those who took CNA and phlebotomy classes I wanted to do CNA and phlebotomy classes the same time. I’m wondering if it’s doable and I will be able to learn and not get overwhelmed. I wanted to make sure that I pass because the tuition fee is very expensive.

Thank you!

Im a CC student and I just finished all my lower division courses, transferring to University in Fall 2025 to finish my Bachelors in Public Health.

I was planning to work in Infection Prevention with my degree but realized all of the roles in my area require you to have a RN license.

My plan is to just finish my BPH then do an ABSN right after. But would my BPH even be worth anything or worth getting? I just don’t know what to do at this point since I’m already halfway through my degree. Does anyone have any advice? It is possible to earn an ADN while finishing my BPH? I don’t even know anymore

Hello, everyone!

I hope you're all doing alright.

I have my final for patho next Thursday, the fourteenth and I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed, worried and lost on how to make things digestible and retainable.

This class has been kicking my butt this semester and I've been struggling to maintain a passing grade. I don't know why it's been so hard to really feel like I have a semblance of getting the hang of things.

I am feeling intimidated and quite overwhelmed by the sheer volume of what to study and how to get things down. I'm taking this class online and we are not able to contact or interact with other students outside of our official office hours Teams meetings...so it's been rather isolating to say the least.

The topics I have struggled a lot with are: fluid and electrolyte imbalances, mechanisms of defense (especially the archadondic pathway and the like), infections just to the sheer amount of extra and specific memorization for each disease/medication and lastly jaundice (it just isn't clicking for me).

I've started rereading our class notes and watching lectures, watched Simple Nursing(cannot afford his course as of yet)/Registered Nurse RN (she talks above my comprehension level sometimes and I just get lost) on YouTube (cannot afford him right now), paid for Picmonic (which has not been super helpful), read my textbook and "pathophysiology made incredibly easy" and still feel overwhelmed, empty headed and stuck.

How did you guys do it? What do you think might be the best Plan of attack? I just am so stressed out and feel like I'm drowning. I need this to work out! This does not feel like the honour roll brain I graduated college with.

Any and all advice, study tips,encouragement and positive words are gratefully appreciated.

Thank you all so much in advance and I look forward to moving through!

Anyone apply here? Would love to connect to people who have!

Hi I’m a nursing student and I’m in a accelerated program i graduated in June so about 7months left . I am worried that i won’t be prepared for being in the field all my clinicals have been in nursing homes expect one . Which was maternal mother and baby and we only went twice . I only did one stim lab which was for that and that was really good but I’m starting to notice my school doesn’t just do them like they said when first signing up . I’m nervous when i get out in the field i will not be prepared because i haven’t had any stim labs and i feel like that is fundamental to nursing . Can someone please tell me what they did in nursing school. ? Do you feel like you should really have a lot of stim labs ? Or they didn’t really help ? Also I’m trying to get a job at the hospital so i can learn more about working in the hospital. I currently work as a caregiver so i know some stuff but not hospital things . Please answer ! Thank you !

I'm applying to this ABSN program, and I have to use NursingCAS for the first time ever. I know where I'm getting my two letters of recommendation, and I have all A's in the required prereqs, and I feel confident about writing my essay.

HOWEVER... I am afraid my shitty resume is going to sink me. I have no recent CNA work, my CNA& phlebotomy licenses expired several years ago. All I have is an AHA BLS card I got last month. I've been working the same job for almost 3 years but it isn't healthcare related. All I can put is my BLS, my current CC coursework, and my unrelated job. Do I put my superrr old experience in healthcare? Or don't bother? Is it okay for it to only have a few things on it? Help, I really want to go to this program :(

PSA: Anything I say within this post is NOTTT me trying to gloat, brag, etc.

N1 here, I’ve been a CNA going on my 11th year. I’ve been a PCT going on my 6th year. I started off in nursing homes and transitioned..A lot of my tech experience involved dual roles of being an ekg tech as well; I could teach someone how to read a rhythm if needed. I currently float between multiple hospitals within the same company in the largest city in my state. Which means, I have experience in every specialty except for direct OR.

I read a lot on Reddit and TikTok prior to starting the first semester of nursing, “don’t come into nursing school thinking you know everything because you’re a tech” —so I didn’t, I just came in with an open-mind and a mindset of I don’t know anything. But now that we’re so far in the semester, looking back I’ve learn absolutely nothing from the skills portion of fundamentals 1, and I feel bad for saying it. I talked with my professor recently and told her “I’m basically pretending I don’t know anything to not be the black sheep or a know it all” —she only say “you don’t have to act pretend, but there’s always something to learn” ..I agreed and shrugged it off.

However, we’ve been in clinical at a SNF for sometime now—and we’re literally just FOLLOWING the CNA around being their little puppets. I can’t even begin to comprehend how many 75% empty trash cans we emptied for them. Or how many trays we delivered while following them to the room. Our professor wants us to assess and start working with our nursing brain, but HOW when we’re chasing an aide around all day? I had to force the cna to stop long enough just so I could assess a sacral area

Do I just remain pretending like I’m a newbie like everyone else in my cohort? People hear we’re 1st semester and automatically assume we’ve never touched a patient or stepped foot into a hospital. They say “look at xyz” …how do you explain you know, have done, or have seen it all when it comes to almost anything without sounding rude?

Even after talking with my professor, she took my experience with a grain of salt and continuously called me an aide, and shrugged it off. Continuing to talk as if I have zero experience or that it doesnt equal to anything

Hey guys! I need advice.

I’m on my advance medsurg clinicals and I’ve done a couple of mistakes in my 4 days of clinical. My CI believes that those mistakes shouldn’t even happen because I should’ve learned it in first sem. They are giving me a warning that if I don’t improve she will not let me pass my clinical. It seems like my nursing judgement is not safe so they are taking away my rotation to ICU and keeping me on medsurg floor. I’m having another clinical in 3 days, I’m really scared to make more mistakes. I only have 4-5 more weeks of this semester and I don’t want to repeat, even though at this point I’m not against doing that.

These are the mistakes I’ve done: I gave the incomplete med indication to my CI (I said it was a prophylactic but it was actually for treatment), didn’t tell her right away that the pt’s BP is high and proceeded to chart it instead, I accidentally paused an IV line, I almost gave insulin to the wrong area (I misheard the patient).

I also asked my CI for suggestions to help me be better but she said she doesn’t know because these mistakes are done by first sems and the reason she’s giving me a warning (letter of jeopardy) is because she is looking at me as an actual new grad nurse and not a student nurse, where I can’t really afford to make mistakes because lives are at stake.

I'm starting my nursing this spring and want to upgrade my tech. I'm getting a surface pro, but also want a tablet to read, plan, and take extra notes on. What's everyone's set up?

I’ve heard speech pathology, respiratory care are great options for LPNs who want to transition into a non-nursing bridge program.

Does anyone have any suggestions with the credits we’ve acquired from pre-requisites that are good pivots for those who do not want to bridge over to nursing.

Thank you!!

Hi. I need some suggestions on LPN-to-ASN bridge programs that can be completed within one year. Does anyone have any idea, outside of Excelsior and Indiana State University, which universities offer these programs that are remote and can be completed within one year?

Thank you!!

I took two semesters off due to mental health reasons and I had to do a surgery. I returned this semester to my Accelerated BSN Program. I ended up failing my pediatric class, an intensive seven-week course within an already accelerated program. My instructors genuinely want me to succeed; they’re always telling me that they believe in me, which means so much. But despite their support, I feel like a failure. I feel so behind. Together, my program and I agreed that, instead of tackling the full load of three classes and two clinicals, I would take two classes and one clinical to make things more manageable. I know it is the right choice to me, I just feel behind and sad about feeling pediatric despite my efforts.

After learning about how alcohol withdrawal treatment works, I decided to use the same principle to get off caffeine because I think it significantly contributes to my anxiety. Anyway, I bought a case of Celsius from Costco, and used my kitchen scale to consume exactly 10 grams less of Celsius per day. It’s been about a month and I am now down to zero grams and experienced zero side effects! Felt like a huge 🤓 measuring my Celsius every morning, but it really did work. Thought I’d share this technique incase anyone feels like they would like to cut down on caffeine but can’t deal with the side effects mid semester.

Of course, nursing school is a difficult time with a lot of challenges and people need to vent, so we get a good amount of negative posts on this sub. It’s great that we can support each other through hard things, so negative posts certainly aren’t a bad thing.

However, seeing stories of nightmare clinical placements, rude classmates, and horrible orientations freaked me out when I was getting started! I am just off of orientation at my first nursing job after graduating in August, and I want to share my positive experiences through nursing school and now at work.

I did a 12-month accelerated BSN program, and I really enjoyed it. Of course, it had its challenges. I stressed over exams, we had a couple of professors that weren’t my favorite, but overall I loved the learning. Having a breakdown is normal here and there when you’re doing a difficult program like nursing, but it can still be an overall positive experience.

I also had a wonderful cohort. There were 23 of us, and we all got along and supported each other. Sure, there were little cliques, but people were always professional, and we still all helped each other. I loved that we had a super diverse group of ages and ethnicities being an accelerated program at a school with a lot of international students. Not every nursing school has a bunch of mean classmates

My clinical placements could be hit or miss, but I learned a ton and at the very least got comfortable being in the hospital environment. I had a few amazing nurses that made it all worth it, and my senior preceptorship was incredible.

I’m now working day shift on a medicine floor, and I couldn’t ask for a better orientation. Every single nurse is nice and willing to help or answer questions. Sure, people talk about each other a little, but that’s honestly any work place. My first day off orientation, they gave me a super easy assignment, and everyone was checking in on me all day.

All of this is to say - don’t let the horror stories freak you out!! Yes, a lot of things can go wrong through nursing school and into your first job, but it can be really wonderful too. Don’t give up! Nursing is a huge field and there is a fulfilling career out there for all of us.

I’m really sorry this is going to be long but I’m really having a hard time to decide I just want to be successful and be happy. I’m passionate working my in healthcare because I want to help people not for the money, but I struggle with science so much. It’s my worst subject. The prerequisite for dental hygiene and nursing is difficult already. Dental hygiene require organic and biochemistry and it’s so hard. Nursing program is part time in WA state and I may have a higher chance to succeed because it’s part time with ADD. But I was told it’s more heavy science based than hygiene. I like hygiene because of work schedule no weekends, and so on, and even once I have kids I could work shorter hours it’s like family friendly career. But nursing is 12hr shift night and so on. It will be hard to have kids while working as a nurse. Nursing can be dirty and smelly and I don’t know if I’ll get used to it while dental hygiene is repetitive and I don’t know if I’ll get bored of it.

I also have chronic back pain disc and idk which career might worsen it, I want a less intense on the body. Going back to dental hygiene I’m scared they’ll fail me if I can’t find patients, my program doesn’t provide them. I tried to reach out to different places to shadow but I get no response. Also I’m the type that need to work very closely with a professor I need so much support and reassurance like one to one, like I always need help because of my ADD and I fear that professors in both programs will be too busy with other students and I fall behind. I may be wrong but I feel nursing program the professors are by you then dental hygiene you gotta be on your own. Based on my needs and what I mentioned what should I do?

Since working in the ICU as a care aide I’ve been so inspired by all the nurses around me. I really am interested in learning more about working in health care and I just really feel inside that I can offer more to the world. I didn’t have any plans on going into health care as I had worked in customer service since I was 16 and didn’t ever really go to college/university until I did my care aide course a few years back. My issue is that I was horrible in all of my science/math courses in high school and really struggled on grasping to any subject also related to studying for tests too. I’m just so scared that if I start working on my prerequisites and towards a nursing education that I wouldn’t be able to do it. I really am 100% a hands on learner. The ICU trained me for burn wound care and I’m helping almost everyday with burn dressings and quite enjoy it, I also have caught onto some of the nursing lingo and all the medications they use. I have learned a lot in the ICU! So many nurses are always telling me that I should go for my RN.

Any words of advice here? Thank you