Includes bibliographical references and index.

1: Yes, You Can Avoid: Confusion, Acute, Related To Multiple Choices -- Choosing a program that fits your career objectives -- Choosing a school -- Choosing a school size -- What to look for academically -- What to look for clinically -- What to look for socially -- Making the most of your campus visit -- Online options -- Getting in -- Filling out those forms -- Handling interviews -- Transferring credits -- Not getting in -- Counting the cost -- Discovering the real costs of attendance -- Think about: governmental financial aid -- Think about: nongovernmental financial aid -- Resources -- 2: Yes, You Can Avoid: Powerlessness Related To Excessive Stress -- Defining the problem -- Taking control -- Helping ourselves: the art of self-care -- Maintaining balance -- When your brain is a pain: recognizing cognitive distortions -- Helping you/hurting me -- Understanding codependence -- Establishing boundaries -- Visualization and affirmations -- No nurse is an island: getting help from others -- Building your support system of family and friends -- If you need more help -- Note about motivation -- Resources -- 3: Yes, You Can Avoid: Role Confusion Related To Juggling Multiple Tasks -- Juggling family and home responsibilities -- Sell the program -- Involve the kids -- Bundle activities and purchases -- Juggling free time and recreation -- Nuts and bolts of time management -- Dealing with clutter -- Dealing with procrastination -- Working while in school -- If you can afford not to work -- Getting (or keeping) a job in health care -- Resources -- 4: Yes, You Can Avoid: Impaired Memory Related To Information Overload -- Finding a guide -- Reading: how much is enough? -- Making the most of your reading time and effort -- Prelecture reading: to read or not to read -- If you can't do your reading -- Optimizing your reading time -- Learning from lecture -- Attendance, preparation, and general classroom behavior -- Note about notes -- Planning your study time -- Joining a study group -- Pros and cons of study groups -- Choosing groupies -- Building a structure -- Note on competition in nursing school -- Papers and such -- Researching -- Writing strategies -- Resources -- 5: Yes, You Can Avoid: Anxiety Related To A Life Built Around Multiple-Choice Tests -- Preparing mentally for tests -- Playing private detective -- Using practice tests to prepare -- Preparing physically for tests -- Rest and exercise -- Night before -- Day of the exam -- Before the exam begins -- Test-taking tips -- Troubleshooting test performance -- Examine the problem yourself -- Getting outside help -- Final word about grades -- Resources -- 6: Yes, You Can Avoid: Fatigue Related To Being Perceived As "Different" -- If you are a nontraditional-age student -- Special time concerns for the older student -- If you are a student who identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered -- If you are a male student -- Special considerations in choosing a school -- What does it mean to be male in a female environment? -- Handling being treated differently -- Resources.

7: Yes, You Can Avoid: Fear Related To The Start Of Clinical Rotations -- Choosing a clinical instructor -- Choosing a clinical site -- Outfitting yourself for clinicals -- Uniforms -- Equipment -- Preparation -- Getting lab experience -- Getting the most out of clinical orientation -- Managing preclinical paperwork -- Final note about care plans -- Night before -- Getting and giving respect on the floor: your clinical instructors -- If a problem develops -- If the problem persists -- Getting and giving respect on the floor: your classmates -- Getting along -- Classmates and cultural competency -- Getting and giving respect on the floor: your patients -- Confidentiality -- Privacy -- Getting and giving respect on the floor: the staff -- When you don't like what you see -- Resources -- 8: Yes, You Can Avoid: Anxiety, Severe, Related To The Upcoming NCLEX -- Anticipation -- Planning -- Registering -- Picking a time and place -- NCLEX in a nutshell -- Preparation -- Assessing your needs -- Mapping out a study plan -- Choosing review tools and options -- Forming a study group -- Taking the test -- Final preparation -- Handling the computer -- Handling your anxiety -- Getting your results -- If you don't pass -- Resources -- 9: Yes, You Can Avoid: Confusion, Chronic, Related To Changing Issues And Trends In Nursing -- Why this chapter is important -- Learning to surf-keeping on top of the trends -- Nursing in 2007 and beyond: what you can expect -- Coming nurse gap -- Endangered back rub -- Sicker and quicker and other fast fixes -- Changing the weather -- Being nice gets us nowhere -- Resources -- 10: Yes, You Can Avoid: Sleep Pattern Disturbance Related To Occupational Worries -- Job search, part 1: while you're in school -- Networking at clinical -- Getting stuff for your resume -- Using school resources -- Job search, part 2: getting started -- Discovering what's out there -- Should I do medical/surgical time? -- When to start looking -- Resume on resumes -- Job search, part 3: the search itself -- Job-search strategies -- Interviewing -- Getting up to speed -- What's next? -- Resources -- Appendix: On humor and healing, including resources -- Humor for healing -- Make me laugh: for you -- Make me laugh: for your patients -- Web sites -- Index.