[R*Star*RN]

I am in my first semester for an LPN-RN program. I never thought school could be so tough! Even though I study a ton more than I did for my LPN, I'm barely hanging on by my fingernails.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to survive, and pass, these classes?

I am so frusterated I feel as though I'm ready to throw in the towel and say "forget it" even though all I've wanted my entire life was to be an RN.

[Glad2BAnurse]

Hey RStar,
I am in my 1st semester of transition as well, and I am scared too. I cant seem to get the hang of these care plans that i have not done in over 4 years...hang in there, talk to your instructor and get help. they are there to help us. use the resources....take care, good luck and god bless....

[Jules A]

Hi,
Depending on the type of exams you are taking I'd consider practicing the NCLEX cd's questions for each section. It helps me a lot and sometimes if they use a test bank for the exam questions you will see an exact duplicate question. Hang in there and my motto is I'm not going anywhere until they forcefully kick me out!

[mbhulai]

Hi,

I am in my second semester of nursing, and it doesn't get any easier. I too feel like throwing in the towel. The more you talk about how you feel, the easier it will get. I find I over think the question, go with your first answer and move to the next question. We are all in the same boat, I just hope I too will survive another day.

[kmm1234]

I am in my last 5 weeks of LPN-RN school. I have been a LPN for 20 years and feel that I am a very smart person and was on the President's list prior to starting nursing classes but..... This is killing me. I am trying to study and keep up with classes but with work and kids i'm dying. My grades are just not good enough. I go into exams thinking I'll be alright but when we go over the answers of the ones I got wrong, I can see how that answer could be right also. The questions don't always ask just knowledge, they tend to confuse me or I read the question wrong. I feel so stupid all the time that I'm not sure I want to continue as a nurse. In the real world I do my job and I do it well. Do I think I'll be a good RN? YES but you couldn't tell it by my grades. I'm almost in tears right now writing this but I am really stuggling. All I have ever done is nursing and if I did change careers I would not know what to do. I can't do anything else. I don't know how to do anything else. Is there anyone out there that feels like I do or am I all alone?

[LPMRN]

Kmm1234,
You are not alone!!!! I have been an LPN for 4 years. I got A's in LPN school. The RN program is very hard. Finding time to study, work, do house work and have a life seems impossible sometimes.. But it can be done. Congrats on only having 5 weeks left! With the grace of God, I will graduate in May 08. I too have a hard time with taking tests. I can narrow the answer down to 2 options, but they both seem correct, and I end up second guessing myself and get the answer wrong... I have 3 tests left this semester and I am putting my nose to the grindstone so to speak and am determined to pass this semester. Good luck to you, your not alone, school sucks, and a good nurse is not only determined by a test grade.

[txspadequeen921]

I just have a question here. I see that most of y'all have considerable experience as a LVN/PN. Do you feel this could be why things are harder for you? I have found that as a transition student my way of thinking is way off the street compared to what my school is expecting. For example on a test when they have "What would you do first " type questions....What I would do first is never the right answer... I think I am victim of my own experience....

[LPMRN]

When taking an exam I have to remember that I am in "NCLEX land" where pt:nurse ratios are not horrible and idea situations exist. Being an LPN helps with clinicals, knowledge of meds and procedures. But when taking a test you can't think about "how you did it at XYZ hospital". You have to go by the text book or instructors lessons.

[STInurse2007]

I feel what ya'll are saying. I just got accepted into the bridge program to start in Jan 08. I am so excited and stressed out that I can hardly sleep. I know it is going to be tougher than the LPN program which had me pretty burned out in the end. I am so worried about leaving my infant with a babysitter and finding time at school and clinicals to pump breastmilk, I am afraid I may have to quit breastfeeding before I am ready.
The only thing that keeps me going is reminding myself how bad I want to be and RN.

[STInurse2007]

I wonder if there are books that can help. I recently subscribed to AJN and Nursing 2007 there are some very helpful articles and resources. They are always advertising books like "Assessment made incredibly easy" and stuff like that. This time around in school I am going to try broaden my book collection and try looking beyond the wordy textbooks required by the school, hopefully I will find things that will fit my learning style a bit better and keep me awake. If anyone has any to recommend I am open to suggestions.