I'm begging for advise

stevierae · Oct 11, 2003

As everyone else said, the math needed for drug/drip calculations is REAALLLLY very basic algebra.

They will teach you how to do it by ratio and proportion, or you can do it the way you will learn in your chemistry class, when you are doing chemistry equations.

In nursing school, I learned and did ratio and proportion, now I do it like I learned later in a chemistry class. Either way is very simple--and I, too, am no whiz in math. Don't worry; I can remember my kids doing far more complicated algebra equations in junior high than I have EVER been called on to do in a nursing situation.

Plus, in nursing school, you will have your clinical groups--you will all help each other out. on the floors, you can always double check your calcualtions with a colleague, another nurse, or even the pharmacist. That's good practice for even experienced nurses.

Don't worry. You will do fine. My friend took a "math anxiety" class--something similar might help you feel more confident.

I just have to quote for you "A Winner's Creed" which hangs on the wall in my computer room:

If you think you are beaten, you are

If you think you dare not, you don't

If you'd like to win,

but think you can't

It's almost a cinch you won't

If you think you'll lose, you've lost

For out in the world

We find

Success begins with a person's faith

It's all in the state of mind

Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster hand

They go to the one

Who trusts in God

Andalways thinks,

"I can."

Now stop stressing and go plan your wedding!!!

grouchy · Oct 13, 2003

Sheryl,

Why don't you take a break after you finish your associates? Take a breather for a semester, and just adjust to all the changes in your life, like moving, and moving away from your daughter, before you quit your job and go for your BSN. I wouldn't move in with a guy, become a stepparent, AND start nursing school all at once. That's waayyy too much stress.

In the mean time, do some investigating. Learn more about the schools in the area you are moving to. Are any of them more friendly to nontraditional or part-time students? Perhaps it may even be possible for you to take your toughest classes - chemistry and math - one at a time. Just take that one class and nothing else that semester.

grouchy · Oct 13, 2003

You may want to pick one school that you think you want to go to, and enroll for one or two easy classes there. Or, you could even repeat algebra. While you are there ask everyone who you meet which math and chem teachers at that school you should avoid, and which you should take. Avoiding a jerk could mean the difference between passing and failing, if you are not a good student.

grouchy · Oct 13, 2003

I'd transfer instead of quitting. If you transfer, you can always quit the job later. If you quit, you're out of luck if something else goes wrong and the going back to school plan doesn't pan out. If you haven't lived with this guy and his kid(s) before, make sure that is working out well before you make any other drastic changes. You don't want to be stressing about a statistics test and a stepkid who is testing your new role by acting out at the same time. Take a couple of months to adjust to all these changes, gather more info about nursing school and tuition reimbursement for nursing school from employers in your new community and the federal government, then go back to school. It may take a little more time, but I think you will have more chance of succeeding. Good luck!