I have been involved in Nursing education for over 25 years, and have worked as a nursing instructor in all types of programs. For the past 10 years I have taught a course called Fundamentals of Nursing. This course is taken by sophomore nursing students, and is often their first exposure to their chosen major. It has been my observation that many new nursing students do not have a clear understanding of what it means to be a registered nurse, and the educational demands that will be made on them in reaching that professional designation.
Lifting the veil on the true role of the registered nurse and what it takes to become one is the foundation of a book I have written titled, Fast Facts for the Student Nurse – Nursing Student Success in a Nutshell. I start with a chapter on the Myths regarding Nursing, like “If I am organized, I can always plan and predict my workday as a nurse.” There also are sections on achieving success in the classroom, at clinical sites, and at home. Each section gives specific examples and practical advice that any nursing student should find useful.
The end of each section concludes with personal insights that some of my nursing students have been kind enough to share with those who will follow in their footsteps. Their thoughts, all captured under the heading of “In Student Nurses’ Own Words,” echo the unfiltered voices of recent nursing school grads whom I have had the great fortune to work with. I am grateful to them for their thoughtfulness and candor in the interest of helping those who are about to step on to the road leading to a license as a registered nurse.
This book is intended for anyone contemplating a career in nursing – the high school senior as well as the 50-year-old accountant. It also is targeted to current nursing students including a specific section titled, “Success Following Graduation.” Any demographic would agree that simply knowing what to expect as a student nurse and later as a graduate nurse is a great head start in the pursuit of professional success.
