Tips & Strategies for Year 3

• 3^rd year is all about group projects. One of my main tips for you that I learned (from someone who was a year ahead of me) and implemented is that:
• It’s more important to choose team members that you work well with rather than choosing a particular assignment or project that you would like to tackle.
• A perfect example of this will be in your Nursing 3510 class, where you will complete a community project in groups. I remember that I really wanted the opportunity to work on this one particular assignment where the theme was about ‘Men’s Health’, since I have a big passion for living a fit and healthy lifestyle.
• In the end, I didn’t get the specific project I wanted. Instead, I decided to partner up with classmates that I knew I worked well with, and that made all the difference.
• By applying this strategy, you set yourself up (and your group) to win. I learned that if you have the right group of positive people working together, it doesn’t matter what project or assignment is thrown at you, you’re guaranteed to win!  

• Use Google Docs for your group assignments. This free software is an excellent tool that will allow your group to create and edit documents online.
• And what you’ll love about it is that multiple people can work on the assignment at the same time…and you can see people’s changes as they make them.
• Everything is also saved automatically.

• If you would like to work in a critical care area (i.e. ER, ICU, PACU), I highly recommend that you Take your first critical care course during winter semester in your 3^rd year.

o   If you take this very first step, this will set the foundation for your critical care certification.  

o   Remember the saying, “A Journey of a Thousand Miles, Begins with a Single Step.” So Take Action!

• I would like to bring up a few reasons to show you the magnitude of taking this single, first big step:
• First, by completing your first critical care course during 3^rd year, you are starting to build your resume for a final practicum in a critical care area.
• Second, this is a critical ‘Pivoting Point’ because this is where you will start to separate yourself from the crowd...away from 2/3^rds of the class.
• Third, after you complete your first course, you now have an advantage that you can use in your CPE III application form…this should greatly increase your chances of getting accepted into a specialized area for your 3^rd year summer practicum.
• Fourth, when you apply for an ESN (employed student nurse) job, you now have leverage, and you increase your chances again on landing an ESN position in either ICU, ER, or PACU.
• Lastly, this course will count as your 3^rd level nursing elective.

·       If everything goes accordingly to your plan, by the end of the summer you’ll have completed a ¹critical care course, and accomplished a ²summer practicum and a ³student nurse job in a specialized area.

o   You now have some basic critical care knowledge and experience which you will use on your application for your final practicum. This will increase your odds of getting accepted into a critical care unit.

·       ***As a side note: I believe it is better to take the 'Critical Care' certification stream versus the 'Emergency' stream because with the critical care certificate, you are able to work in all of the three specialized areas – ER, ICU, and PACU. Whereas, with an emergency certificate, you cannot work in the ICU department.

o   That said, this might change in the future, but I wouldn’t count on it…so bottom line, take the critical care stream. It’s the same amount of work, and it opens more doors.

·       Which school should I go through to get my critical care certification? BCIT or MRU?

o   In my personal opinion, I don’t think it really matters too much if you get your certification through MRU or BCIT. The curriculums are different, but I think both schools are great. And in the end, you still get that piece of paper – your critical care certification.

o   However, speaking from experience, if you want to take the shortest possible route and maximize your time, I highly recommend you get your critical care certification through MRU.

o   If you follow my blue print step by step (I wrote a specific blog post on this), you will be critical care certified within one year of graduating from nursing school.

·       Here are some important links on information about MRU and how to register:

• Advanced Studies in Critical Care Nursing 

• Admission requirements and costs

• Frequently Asked Questions 

o   Instructional Assistant

Phone: 403.440.6371

Toll Free: 1.888.240.7202

E-mail: accn@mtroyal.ca

• TIP – Make sure you sign up on the BCNU website and apply for the student grant/bursary award 

• NETWORKING – during your clinical rotations, CPE III, and working as an ESN, I recommend that you show up and bring a winning attitude each and every time you are working on the floor. Let your excellent work ethic and teamwork speak for itself…it’s definitely true when they say that “actions speak louder than words.”
• The floor managers, PCCs (patient care coordinators), and the nursing staff are all watching you. It might not seem like that at the moment, but trust me they are.
• Start creating a professional relationship with these people, after all, they will be your future colleagues.
• Be punctual, remember what I said before, by 3^rd year you should be showing up at least 20-25min early for clinical.

• ***Reminder*** NCLEX study guide book – as mentioned before, bring this with you to every class, whatever you’re learning that day, go to that section of the book and make notes, answer some questions, skim the section, etc...
• Then at the end of the year, review the sections that you touched upon during the school year.