NURSING UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY
Dear Class
of 2022
Tips
&
Tricks
Guide
Congratulations on your admission to the Faculty of
Nursing! You did it!! The next two years will be filled
with wonderful opportunities that will challenge
you but ultimately help you grow as a prospective
health care professional. Entering this new
program may seem daunting, but there is a whole
community of students, faculty, and staff excited
and willing to support you through your academic
and clinical journey in these new experiences and
unforeseen times.
Our goal is that this guide will help ease some of
your worries and answer some of your questions
regarding the first year of this nursing program. You
have some amazing second year colleagues that
are willing to share their perspectives and
experiences of the program. We understand that
elements of the program will be altered from the
past year, but our hope is that these opinions are
still helpful in anticipation of starting the program.
If you have any more unanswered questions or
concerns, your second-year mentors are ready and
waiting to help with these questions on the Class
of 2022 Facebook group: Class of 2022 –
Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing (UofT).
We are thrilled to welcome you to the program!
- Melissa Holmes (Mentorship Coordinator NUS)
mentorship.uoftnus@gmail.com
What does the first-year
schedule look like?
The first-year schedule consists of 3
courses each term, with one of the
courses containing the clinical
component.
In the fall you will have the following
courses:
NUR 350: Introduction to Nursing Practice
(synchronous and asynchronous remote
online learning; in-person mandatory
assessment/skills labs).
NUR 351: Introduction to the Discipline
and Profession of Nursing
(asynchronous remote online learning)
NUR 361: Introduction to Nursing in Health
and Wellness
(asynchronous and synchronous remote
learning; in-person clinical learning at an
older person or mental health care
setting on a weekly basis, days/times to
be determined).
In the winter and spring terms your
courses will be:
NUR 370: Pathophysiology and
Pharmacotherapeutics (Jan-June)
NUR 390: Introduction to Community
Health (Jan-April)
You will also cycle through 3 clinical
courses at 7-week intervals (Jan-June):
NUR 371: Introduction to Acute Care
Nursing (Adult)
NUR 373: Introduction to Nursing Care of
Children and Families
NUR 374: Introduction to Nursing Care of
Childbearing Persons and Families
What can I expect from
Clinical Placements?
For your placements, you will be placed in
a clinical group consisting of 4-8 students
and one Clinical Instructor (CI). During
each clinical shift, you will be paired with a
staff nurse and assigned to 1-2 patient(s).
You will be responsible for providing
nursing care to your assigned patient(s),
with the support and supervision of the
staff nurse and your CI.
The first day of each rotation is dedicated
to familiarizing you with the institution and
the nursing practice in your unit. On the
first week of each clinical rotation,
students will typically shadow a staff nurse
as part of their transition into a new
clinical setting.
Your clinical day will consist of time spent
on the floor (performing nursing care and
appropriate documentation, as per
institutional policy; observing and
performing nursing procedures, etc.), a
lunch break, and a post-conference at the
setting if spacing regulated by COVID
permits. In post- conference, you will be
able to debrief the day with your clinical
group and CI.
You will receive more information about
clinical placements in your first week of
NUR 361.
Need tips for remote learning?
Check out online resources from the faculty here:
https://bloomberg.nursing.utoronto.ca/currentstudents/online-learning-resources/
Which textbooks do I need?
You can generate a list of the required
and supplementary textbooks for your
courses on the U of T bookstore website.
Textbooks may be purchased in hard
copy or electronic format.
You can also find some of the textbooks
used from upper-year students or on
other websites such as Amazon and
Chapters.
We highly recommend waiting
until classes have started to
buy your books.
You will be given a bundle of the required
and recommended textbooks with online
resources for fall term courses.
How do I get to the Nursing
Building ?
The closest subway station to the
Faculty’s main building (155 College
Street) is Queen’s Park station at the
corner of College St. & University Ave.
The 506 College Streetcar also stops
right outside of the Faculty at the
corner of McCaul St. and College St.
Post-Secondary Student Monthly
Passes for the TTC are available
for $128.15/month. To be eligible for
this pass, you must obtain a TTC postsecondary photo ID, which can be
purchased at the Bathurst Subway
Station with proof of enrolment. Please
visit the TTC website’s fares & passes
tab for more information on postsecondary student fares, as well as
hours of operation for the Bathurst
Station photo ID centre.
The following materials are ESSENTIAL for your
clinical placements:
1. SCRUBS: Students are required to
purchase “postman blue” coloured scrubs for
clinical placements. These can be purchased at
the campus bookstore (in-person or online) or at
other stores (as long as they are the correct
colour). Many students recommend Dixie Uniforms
as there is a wide variety of sizes and lengths.
2. STETHOSCOPE: Most students this year
purchased the Classic III Littman stethoscope.
No specific colour is required. The UofT bookstore
offers a selection of these stethoscopes; other
students have also purchased their stethoscopes
online (i.e stethoscope.ca). Getting a label or
engraving is important if you misplace it on a unit!
3. SHOES: Shoes must be close-toed and cover
your heels. Wear something comfortable and nonslip, as you are going to be on your feet for many
hours. Make sure you don’t mind getting your
chosen shoes dirty, because hospitals have a
variety of liquids and solids that can land on your
feet! For health and safety reasons, shoes that
are impermeable (no mesh!) and wipeable are
mandatory. From our experience, no specific
colour is needed. However, most students opted to
wear neutral- coloured shoes (white and black,
specifically).
Your clinical instructors will typically debrief you on
the materials that you are allowed to bring/use in
your units (i.e notebook, watch, pen light). We
recommend consulting with your clinical
instructors (CIs) on the first week of rotation,
as rules vary between different institutions. For
example, some institutions may allow students to
use wrist watches, while others may not. CIs will
typically e-mail you prior to your placements – this
may be a perfect time to inquire about the
materials that you are allowed to use in your unit.
Some students also opted to use compression
stockings during clinical days; however, you are
not required to use them. The first week of
clinical is often a good period to gauge which
materials will be beneficial for you during your
placement!
Can I work during the
school year?
Students’ experiences with managing both
the program’s workload and part-time jobs
vary. It may be wise to test your capacities
and limitations during the first weeks of the
program. While other students worked from
the beginning of Year 1 to its end, others have
even opted to wait until the second term of
the program to find employment
opportunities. Either way, time management
and self- awareness are keys to your success
in this program!
Many placement sites are assigning
student groups to Saturdays, Sundays and
evening shifts to minimize crowding on
units and permit physical distancing
during the COVID pandemic. As the clinical
schedule is not yet finalized, it is important to
note that you must be able to attend all
scheduled placement days. Before
committing to a job, ensure that it will not
interfere with your clinical schedule.
What is NUS?
The Nursing Undergraduate Society
(NUS) is a council that represents
undergraduate nursing students at
UofT, ensuring that your voices are
heard within the faculty and the
greater university community. To get
to know your NUS members, please
visit our website:
https://www.uoftnus.com
There are some positions in NUS
that are available for first year
students! If you are looking to get
involved in this council, we will be
releasing more detailed information
on the positions and the application
process in September, so please
stay tuned!
What about health and dental
insurance? Or using the gyms on
campus?
All nursing students are eligible for the UTSU
health and dental benefits plan! Make sure to
familiarize yourself with your benefits at:
https://www.utsu.ca/health/
Information on coverage changes (including
opt-outs and family enrolment), may also be
found on the website above.
Gym fees are included in your tuition fee.
Registered students can use facilities at Hart
House and the Athletic Centre in the Fall and
Winter terms.
The following website contains COVID-19
updates regarding their safety protocols,
programs offered and the facility updates.
https://kpe.utoronto.ca/faculty-news/updatessport-rec-programs-and-services-covid-19updated-august-20
What supports does the faculty have?
Students have access to counselling services on-site at
the Faculty of Nursing through an Embedded Wellness
Counsellor. The Counsellor will offer brief counselling
services to student tailored to the challenges presented
by university life. The focus of counselling is on
strengths, resiliency, and skills-building. Students can
call Health & Wellness at 416-978-8030 if they have any
questions or wish to book/reschedule an appointment
For more information on the mental health services
offered at UofT, please
visit: http://studentlife.utoronto.ca/hwc
To contact our Faculty's administrative staff,
please visit: https://bloomberg.nursing.utoronto.ca/curr
ent-students/academic-contact/
What I wish I knew before starting the program
Make sure to always study
at least a week in advance
if you want to do well in
courses! Never leave
assignments until the last
minute. Start as early as
possible, and always email
your professors for help!
Invest in proper footwear
because it makes a
difference when you are
standing on your feet all
day in clinical.
There are SO many
different jobs for nurses!
Going into the program I
always just pictured nurses
in scrubs at the hospital by
the bedside. That isn't the
case! There is so much
more to nursing than just a
hospital setting. Talk to
profs, upper year students,
alumni, and your clinical
instructors to get as much
information as you can
about different areas of
nursing. You might end up
falling in love with a job
you didn't know existed.
Practice as many NLCEX
questions as you can
before midterms or exams!
Clinicals aren't as scary as
they sound. As long as you
show up willing to learn
you will be okay!
Grades are not something to
obsess over. Everyone is in the
same boat as you, even if it
might seem like everyone has
their lives together except you.
Use the city bike share program
to get to campus; an annual
membership for unlimited rides
is about $80 with a presto
discount, and you'll never have
your bike stolen! Plus you can
avoid the crowded subways
and streetcars and get your
daily exercise in without losing
any extra time out of your busy
schedule.
Utilize Evolve (online resource)
for practice questions - it's free
and they're questions right out
of your textbooks!
If you have a long commute it
can be really helpful to
download a flashcard app on
your phone so you can use this
time as productively as
possible. Alternatively, I also
find it helpful to download a
podcast I really like to listen to
on my commute and use this as
my downtime after classes. This
helps me get home and feel
ready to do work for a few
hours rather than getting home
and feeling like I need an hour
break before starting work.
You can totally have a balanced
social-school life (maybe just
not during exam week in
December, haha).
Study tip - ditch memorization! Or
at least don't use it as your main
study method. You need to
understand how things work and
the rationale behind everything.
Use mind maps, diagrams,
grouping ideas, and practice with
your partner/friends
My favourite place is to study is
the stacks in Robarts. Once you
open the door, it is so silent and
calming that I immediately feel
ready to be productive. And the
view can be amazing!
Everyone you meet is so kind and
supportive. Take breaks to think
about something other than
nursing. Don't be intimidated by
the "accelerated" component- it
is busy but manageable. You will
be very supported in the clinical
setting- you won't be thrown into
it. You don't need to do everything
perfectly, especially the first time.
Plan out timelines for when you
want certain parts of assignments
done since the deadline tends to
sneak up on you.
Bring food with you to class!
Campus doesn't always have the
best food around, or it's
expensive. Same goes for clinical,
as most places only have a Tim
Hortons + hospital cafe (which is
also super expensive). Definitely
pack a LOT of snacks and a
decent meal for clinical in
advance!
What I wish I knew before starting the program
YouTube videos are a
lifesaver!!
RegisteredNurseRN and
Osmosis videos really
helped with some of the
more complex topics.
Start assignments early!! I
cannot stress the
importance of this enough.
The key to succeeding in
this program is starting
those assignments ahead
and giving yourself enough
time to get organized.
If you're commuting 1-2
hours a day, try to set small
goals for how much you
will get done each day.
That way you'll stay on top
of your work and won't feel
too overwhelmed during
exam season.
Don't be hard on yourself.
When the year starts and
everyone is placed into
their placements and
starts sharing their
amazing experiences, do
NOT compare yourself or
your clinical experience.
Everyone has a different
journey, a different patient
population they are
exposed to, and a
different preceptor. As
long as you are trying your
best, coming to clinical
prepared and creating
learning opportunities for
yourself that is all that
matters.
Don't be afraid to get involved
with activities on campus and
within the faculty! Although it
may feel like a lot to take on, if
you are used to doing extracurricular activities it will help
you maintain a balance
between life and academics.
Especially if you are someone
who is usually very busy, it helps
with time-managing and being
productive when you do sit
down to study or write a paper.
Always load your presto card
before clinical and before
commuting!!
I started a master list of all
medications mentioned in
lectures that I referred back to
throughout 1st year - came in
handy putting the meds in
context for the pharm final
Use the compression socks
benefit that comes with our
student plan!!
Your clinical instructors are
there to support you! They want
to see you succeed and won’t
set you up for failure. Be as
helpful as you can be to the
nurses on your unit!
I wish I knew how to allocate
time to studying better. I
learned shortly after the first
midterm that I was going to
need to set aside a particular
amount of dedicated studying
time in order to succeed.
Everyone studies differently, but
something that I think can be
universally helpful is making a
summary sheet on the weekends
of class content from that week.
For example, on Saturday
mornings I would make a quick
visual summary of the
pharmacology content from that
week's lecture so that when it
came time to study for
midterms/exams I had reviewed
the content outside of lecture
once already. This usually only
took 30 minutes a class and was
such a huge time saver once it
came time to study.
Don't compare yourself to your
peers. Everyone in this program
will be operating at their own
pace and coming into it with their
individual life experiences. Do not
compare your progress to your
classmates. Stay focused, work
hard and give yourself a break. Do
not feel the need to study
everyday if that doesn't work for
you and be kind to yourself.
My study habits in my first degree
are very different from how I study
in this program. As a visual
learner, I watched a lot of
YouTube videos to help me
understand difficult concepts.
Finding mnemonics for pathology
and pharmacology helped a lot
with memorizing. Studying with
friends can be beneficial to help
teach concepts and hold each
other accountable.
IN MY EXPERIENCE…
Being a Parent in Nursing School
Hello, Class of 2022! My name is Jacqueline, and I started the program in my
mid-30s, when my oldest son was 4 years old and my youngest son was 1.5
years old. I was nervous when I started the program – I wondered if I would be
able to keep up with the academic material and if the clinical hours would be
too demanding for my family’s schedule. I also worried that having children
would distance me from my younger classmates, due to the differences in
lifestyle that being a caregiver brings. Fortunately, none of those worries were
the case! I think there were 3 major strategies that I used to get as much as I
could out of my first year of the program:
1. Communicate – communication with your partner/social supports,
classmates, and instructors is so important! It helped my partner know what
weekends I needed a little extra time to study or write papers; it helped me
make connections and grow closer to my classmates; and it also helped the
faculty to support me whenever I needed it.
2. Be flexible yet organized – I made sure to carefully read each course
syllabi so that I could organize my family’s activities around important dates,
like paper due dates and simulation days. However, building flexibility into
that schedule was also important (like in March when I found myself learning
from home with a toddler and a JKer!)
3. Find a school-life balance – this might have been the hardest one,
because like most people in the program, I want to give 110% no matter what I
am doing. But I always tried to take the perspective of “what am I going to
regret doing/not doing 10 years from now?” So I went to my son’s holiday
concert the night before an exam; I shrugged my shoulders and made my
family breakfast-for-supper 3 nights in a row the week my NCP was due…
because I tried to think of what REALLY mattered in the long run.
Feel free to reach out to me if you want to chat more about what it is like
being a parent in this program. It is a challenging program, but it is soooooo
rewarding and I know that one of the best lessons from it will be that my kids
get to see their mom persevere and work hard to achieve something!
- Jacqueline
IN MY EXPERIENCE…
A Non-Science Background
Coming into a science-based program like nursing from a liberal arts or social
science background can be daunting. The learning curve may appear steep and
the obstacles may seem unfamiliar. And while this is true, it’s nothing you can’t
handle! What’s more is that you’re likely to find that the skills you acquired in your
first degree will positively translate to the program in a beneficial way, giving you a
unique perspective. For example, as an English major, I found that I was well
prepared for the many written assignments required of first-year students. No
matter what your background, I encourage you to assess what worked well for you
during your last degree and what didn’t. Observe your peers’ study habits and
techniques and be open to adopting and integrating new methods. Remember that
the Internet is your friend and there are all kinds of resources on available online for
every type of learner. Lastly, rest assured that you were accepted into this program
for a reason. You are capable, competent, and caring. You will make a great nurse!
- Claire
Working During the School Year
Working part-time during the school year can definitely provide some extra cash to
subsidize the cost of school (especially in a city like Toronto) but brings its own set
of challenges. I worked two part-time jobs which amounted approximately 20-25
hours a week during my first year of the nursing program. I worked as a research
assistant (the work-study program at UofT is fantastic!) and my other part-time job
was a retail job. My biggest advice would be to ensure that you start planning
around your work schedule as early as possible. I found it helpful to look at course
outlines for all my courses early in the semester and use a calendar to track the
days I had exams and assignments due. I worked with my employers to book days
off during the weeks when I had several deadlines. My other big tip for working part
time during the school year would be to determine how you study best and making
weekly schedules for yourself to keep yourself on task. Also don't forget to factor in
time spent commuting, social activities, and other activities. Although it might seem
daunting at first, working part-time during the school year is doable if you are
proactive about creating a study schedule, maintaining communication with your
employer, and being realistic about deadlines (so you aren't overwhelmed during
exam time!). There will be days where you might not be able to adhere to your
schedule as tightly so be kind to yourself and ensure you are making time for selfcare and wellness activities.
- Maliha
IN MY EXPERIENCE…
A Male Student’s Perspective
As a male nursing student, I felt greatly welcomed and supported by the U of
T Faculty of Nursing and my fellow nursing students of all genders. In the
classroom, the course instructors and Teaching Assistants (TAs) treated me
with the same level of respect, dignity, and patience as they did with the nonmale students. All of the clinical instructors (CIs) during my clinical placements
were very supportive and understanding throughout every step of the way in
my learning, especially the more stressful times. The only challenge that I
personally experienced which was solely due to being a male nursing student
was being asked to step out of some female patients’ rooms when specific
nursing assessments/procedures were to be done. Therefore, male nursing
students, like myself, would sometimes be requested by some female patients
to temporarily step out of the room for religious or cultural reasons. In my
experience, these instances only occurred in my maternity/newborn care
placements, and even in that rotation I still had the chance to learn lots about
maternal and newborn health and some patients were even comfortable with
me providing them nursing care as a male nurse. Ultimately, your education is
in your own hands. In other words, it is up to you to make the most of being a
nursing student at a reputable school who is learning at the top hospitals
which the Greater Toronto Area has to offer. We are all here to learn to
become the best nurses that we could ever be. Having this idea in mind, you
will certainly be successful in your nursing education regardless of you being a
male nursing student; I can promise you that! Good luck to you and be
prepared to learn!
- Payman
IN MY EXPERIENCE…
Life of a Commuter
During my first year in the program I commuted from either Newmarket or Innisfil
each day. That meant I had at least a 1 hr and 15 min commute. I really didn’t
mind commuting! So many students in the program commute as well. The early
mornings can be intimidating at first, but you’ll get used to it quickly. My
commute involved taking the GO train and subway on school days or the GO
bus and subway on clinical days (the train did not come early enough to arrive
to clinical). Sometimes I drove as well, depending on the location of the
placement. One recommendation I have is to ensure you have plenty of time to
arrive to the hospital to go to your locker, change, and get organized for
clinical. Even if it means taking the 5:00 am bus. I recall feeling very
overwhelmed if I was feeling rushed to get ready and make it to my unit on
time. A lot of things happen when you arrive to the units in the morning (i.e
report, safety checks, vitals, etc.), so it’s best to be prepared and ready to go. In
regards to getting homework done during your commute, I would suggest doing
whatever feels best for you. I found sometimes a train ride was the perfect
amount of time to go over upcoming test content, but most of the time I really
just appreciated the brain break that the commute gave me. One thing I found
super helpful was to set up my Presto so it automatically reloaded. When it’s
automatic you don’t have to spend the time loading it or remember to keep up
with it.
Good luck this year! You’ll be amazed with all you’ve accomplished when you
look back a year from now. Do your best to prioritize. Remember your health
comes first and maintaining your health means doing things you enjoy!
- Allie
IN MY EXPERIENCE…
Let’s Talk About Commuting
In my first year I was commuting into the city from Scarborough, which was about an
hour and fifteen minutes trip - on most days (snowy days tended to cause delays!).
Truthfully, the commute proved to be quite exhausting, particularly on clinical days
downtown when I had to peel myself out of bed at 4:30AM! Even though those early
morning wake up calls were always tough, they really taught me the value of getting
enough sleep the night before to ensure that I was going to have enough energy and
brain power to carry me through the next day. I learned to do my best to care for my
well-being the night before by knowing when to call it a night from studying or
working on an assignment to be able to give my all at clinical. So please try to do the
same! On the note about delays, if you ever find yourself running a little late for
clinical due to commuting mishaps, don’t panic! Be sure to have your clinical
instructor’s contact information on hand so that if need be, you can give them a
heads up and they will be more than understanding.
I also learned that commuting time makes for great self-care time. No matter how
much seemed to be on my plate, I always used my travel time to just relax to give my
brain a breather. I would often listen to music, read a book, chat with friends on the
same commuting route or take a nap (although I was always paranoid I’d fall into a
deep sleep and miss my stops, so it was more like I was resting my eyes). Sometimes
when I arrived back home I would even take the opportunity to decompress a little
more (i.e. watch an episode of a favourite show) before jumping into school work
because I found that the commute itself was tiring. I’d encourage you all to make the
time to indulge in small forms of self-care in between attending school and studying your mind and body will thank you!
I do want to add though that if you prefer to utilize your commute to get a little
review or studying in, then by all means do so! Do what works best for you, but always
remember to make time for yourself as well.
All in all, while commuting can be tiring, there are small joys and benefits to be found
during that time! You will also never be alone, as there will be many other students
commuting along with you. You are also always welcome to ask your peers any
questions about commuting or navigating through the city!
- Raeesah