Can I succeed as a Nursing Student with Obsessive Thoughts

[Athariel]

I tend to go over things over and over in my head. Good for memorizing stuff but bad for thinking fast and on your feet. I have anticipated a few problems and am looking for help or reassurance that these aren't game breaking issues when it comes to be being a nurse, eventually.

- My mind processes interfere, heavily, with taking on lot's of information very quickly. I take one bit and it gets stuck in my mind where I go over it, again and again and again. I have no control over this and, since it has it's uses on lecture tests, I let it run. The problem is I can only have so many of these processes going at once. If someone gives me step by step instructions and they come too quickly or are too numerous, I simply won't remember most of them or I will garble them all together. This has happened in lab a few times where I mixed up steps in performing a catheter insertion into a dummy. I have warned my instructor of this hindrance but what else can I do?

- While in novel situations that require my critical thinking or attention (eg doing a new procedure, studying something new, being scrutinized or watched by people as I work, etc) I tend to lose my ability to work quickly and comprehend words. This has happened in lab with a mock chart where someone in my group asked me to check for something and everyone started looking at me; I lost the ability to read the words, reading through the same sentence over and over, and eventually having to hand this off to someone else. Hard to explain but words lose their meaning, becoming a gray morass when I am stressed or feel hurried (I have always been a slow reader because, to some degree, this has always been in me). What can I do about this? Does this sound familiar to any of you?

- I learn best through mimicry of others. I had big issues with writing Nursing Notes properly until I looked at other students sheets and emulated them (now I do quite well on those for lab thus far). I often need to see something performed several times before I grasp it. Can I expect people to walk me through things like this in clinical or will I be expected to perform complicated tasks easily from reading or hearing them spoken to me? Does being a nurse become routine or will I be stuck accessing everything, slowly, forever?

- While people assume I am shy, I can be personable but not while stressed or processing complex data. The same thing that causes me to obsess causes me to become somewhat ruminative when in that state. This has given me a very curt bedside manner; again, if this becomes more routine as time goes, that may go away.

Thanks in advance. I am curious if anyone else suffers/benefits from this sort of thing too out there. I would love to hear how you made it if so.

[swansonplace]

My school has what is called an access student. These students can get the extra assistance needed. For example tutoring, extended test time, an access representative that assists when needed, and professors are made aware of the situation. Need a note from a doctor.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the responses.

As far as why I am trying to handle it on my own, the simple truth is I am poor. My insurance barely covers my physical health, let alone my mental health, so I am working to keep it patched together and jury rigged just long enough to get out and get some sort of job where I can afford to get treatment. Till then, the only alternatives are group therapy (which I have found to overwhelming) and one or two sessions, tops, with a religious organization like Catholic Charities or the like. Mental health is subjective and physical health is objective, so I think insurance providers and people, generally, don't consider it as much. Even I tend not to, since mental problems aren't really "observable" the same way a wound is.

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You, and many others, will be relieved to know that as of Jan 1 the ACA mandates coverage for mental health as well as physical health. We are all really happy about that.

[swansonplace]

The "access" liason may be able to give you the contact for a doctor that can see you and it will not cost you anything.

Medical care:

a. In florida, many of the hospitals have a service where if you sign up you can get services at that hospital for 5.00 per visit.

b. A university, Nova, gives free or nominal fee service to people in the community. Your area may have a like program.

c. Some colleges have a free clinic students can go to.

d. "Access" area at your school will assist you, and give you a free referral to a doctor so you can get a doctor's note, and possible follow-up care.

[Athariel]

Thanks a lot ladies and gentleman who responded to my last and previous comments. I didn't know schools even provided such services before the responses (never would have thought to check) but my school does, in fact, have such a service (advertised mostly for addicts, but they provide for all mental issues and can refer). I am getting with them on this, currently. It maybe a bit overwhelming on top of nursing school and from what I have heard, I can't expect overnight changes in my thinking, but I hope it helps. Sorry I didn't respond sooner - got busy with nursing school stuff. I have also been turned onto a Plan B (Health Information Management) if I do get overwhelmed so I am not quite as worried as before.

[cjdmomma]

I am glad you are getting the help you need. Good for you on identifying a problem and seeking a solution.