New starter!

Re: New starter!

Chris Geddes — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 16:49:53 GMT

[quote user="elainestock"]Thanks! I think it's just first week nerves!! Do you have any good recommendations for study books? The only one I have at the minute is blacks dictionary. Some of the other students had mentioned about Victoria aspinall.

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Um....I found Blacks AWFUL. I bought it before vet school and have looked at it about twice. Saunders is much better IMHO - the first edition of this I bought is in tatters! I'd advise at least having a look at both before you buy Blacks!

Re: New starter!

jane Lewis — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 11:02:09 GMT

The books I would recommend are bsava textbook of vet nursing. A lot of the syllabus runs alongside this book. For anatomy and physiology the Victoria aspinall book introduction to veterinary anatomy and physiology is brill. She also does a handy pocket sized book called essentials of veterinary anatomy and physiology which has some great tips for remembering key points and self test questions at the end of each chapter (I couldn't live without it lol!). I would ask your college and classmates which books they recommend too. Good luck x

Re: New starter!

bongo — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 09:58:34 GMT

don't worry, it is daunting to start but as has been mentioned before just have a good textbook for reference and do a bit of reading round the subjects. do u have access to the BSAVA textbook of veterinary nursing or Victoria Aspinalls a and p book?

Re: New starter!

elainestock — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 21:48:40 GMT

Thank you all for your help, it's been really usefull! Feeling a bit better about it all now! Thanks again!

Re: New starter!

Laura James — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 21:38:24 GMT

As Celine said, correct grammer and spelling always helps - the rest you'll learn along the way. It's just nerves, give it another week or two and you'll be wondering what you were worried about. The two books that got me through the course are: BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing (5th edition) and The Complete Textbook of Veterinary Nursing by Victoria Aspinall (2nd edition) These editions have been brought out to coincide with the recent syllabus changes so are obviously the best to get. Other good books are: Introduction to Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology by Victoria Aspinall - you can get the textbook or revision aid - the revision aid has a smaller textbook but has flashcards to aid with revision.

Re: New starter!

oconnoanan — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:46:29 GMT

hey girl, chin up, its like anything new - its daunting and takes a while to get head around it! its not unmanageable though... look how many other vet nurses/trainees are here, who at one point were faced with what you're looking at now.... they can't be THAT different to you!!! Keep at it, and in a few months, bet you'll look back and hardly remember yourself at this point! and someone else had a point. if it seems unfamiliar, draw it at home, practice it til you can draw from memory, it'll get you extra points in exams, but its also great for working out in your head, and reasoning why things are that way....Best of luck, keep going, and enjoy it xx

Re: New starter!

Mark Hedberg — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:31:15 GMT

Don't worry, first day is a big change, you'll soon get over the fear factor. Good luck! :D

Re: New starter!

Charley83 — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:20:25 GMT

[quote user="elainestock"]I just did my first day at vet nursing college on Thursday and it was just an introductory day to see what the place was like and to get an idea of what we would be doing. I am doing a level 3 diploma on a one day release. i came away with our first piece of reading which was about cells, I've read through it and was a bit overwhelmed with it all, doubting myself as to whether I can get through this. Did anyone else feel that way? I've worked in my vet practice for 5 years and they are finally sending me to college, I hope that I will have enough experience to get through most of this. Just feeling a but overwhelmed and would like some reassurance!!

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Hi Elaine,

I,m hoping to start in september full- time vet nursing what I found useful in my human nursing course (but would work for any course) was for anatomy and physiology - medical conditions - contructing flash cards of important points for each topic - Cells, kidney, brain, bones etc with bullet points I found this helpful till I grasped it in the end and could get rid of them- I also felt drawing pictures, diagrams helped me understand rather then having someone tell me about it - particular for the renin- angiotensin-aldosterone which took me ages to grasp! Hated the Kidneys!. I have bought The Aspinall intro to anatomy and physiology, textbook of veterinary nursing and Bsava textbook and I have found all these an excellent starting point and would recommend. I like Aspinall in conjuction with the BSAVA as it has more emphasis on exotics and the horse which I found interesting. You have much more experience than me in the veterinary environment soo i,m sure you'll pass with flying colours. Good luck. Charley

Re: New starter!

Julie-Anne Wilson — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:30:02 GMT

When I first started, learning the anatomical directions almost fried my brain let alone learning cells. It gets easier and since you've worked in practice for a while, some of it will be second nature.

Re: New starter!

elainestock — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:22:02 GMT

Thanks! I think it's just first week nerves!! Do you have any good recommendations for study books? The only one I have at the minute is blacks dictionary. Some of the other students had mentioned about Victoria aspinall.

Re: New starter!

Celine — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:18:25 GMT

Mate, please dont lose confidence in yourself or start questioning your decision, the sheer fact that you've managed to post a grammatically correct, correctly spelt post shows you're capable of learning, hehehe

Don't forget - if they thought you knew all about cells they wouldnt be trying to teach you about them would they?!? Let yourself get into it and give yourself time, dont forget that virtually everything you'll learn will be communicated to you in lectures too and you will have lecturers and classmates to help explain things / study with.

It's exciting!! Good luck!

Re: New starter!

jane Lewis — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:12:46 GMT

It's always daunting to start with. Don't lose heart I'm sure you can do it. Personally I think anatomy and physiology is the hardest and scariest subject for a lot of people. Just make sure you have a good book for revision to back up your college notes and make plenty of flashcards or revision notes as you go along. We have all been there and some people do find it harder than others but if your practice are letting you train then they must believe in you so believe in yourself. The subjects which relate directly to your daily work will be easier to grasp but even anatomy makes sense eventually. Good luck x Jane (rvn and lecturer in vet nursing)