I'm exhausted: This feels impossible )-:

psalm, RN · Jun 12, 2007

We feel your pain!! I was blessed with a dh who made sure I got my study time...went to the library if I needed to get away from our phone or "just a sec to do some laundry" etc. And my kids were both in college so they understood. But friends and relatives thought it was a cinch to go to nursing school.

This too will pass! I remember feeling guilty for sleeping on a Sat. or Sun. afternoon instead of cleaning. My brain needed a break from knowledge overload. Hugs to you...

RNisme · Jun 12, 2007

OK, from this moment on - you need to tell everyone how busy you are. Have them read, and start discussing with them the most difficult aspects of your classes. WHen they ask why - tell them you have to talk about it with them so you can understand it since you don't have the study time.

Although my children are grown, my husband knows when I am at the books - if the house aint on fire - leave me alone. He is an adult - like your husband. Capable of cooking - cleaning - helpng with children. Remind him of how it will all be worth it in the end - for ALL of you - not just you.

Sorry for the rant.... I just hate it that some families don't really get it and think it is so easy to be a student. When they ask you for a favor - tell them you really need to learn the physiology of a nephron, or how Na/K pumps work, and you will be happy to do them a favor when school is through for the semester.

nursewannabee · Jun 12, 2007

Hi,

I feel every ounce of your stress and pain. I am also a nurisng student. Thankfully I have the summer off. People who have not been through nursing school do not understand the stress and exhaustion. It is overwhelming and unbearable at times. When I had a lot of assignments and reading due I would always do the assignments first and catch up on the reading at a later date (usally right before the test). I know this is not the best way to study but you have to do what you have to do sometimes.

Have a good cry if you need too. I have done that quite a few times already and it helps relieve the stress.

God bless. Heather

Trauma Columnist · Jun 12, 2007

Hi there and welcome. I'm sorry you are having such a hard time. Some hints:

1. When I went to nursing school, hubby was deployed. I had two sons, ages 5 and 10. They knew that Mommy had to study, so we went to the park and I studied while they played, or I sat outside while they played or...(I feel guilty even admitting this), I paid for daycare so that I could study.

2. You don't have to read EVERYTHING! Look at the objectives for the course, then highlight the chapters that meet these objectives and focus on them. I usually only read the outline of the chapter and then focused on stuff that I didn't know. Once I had a rudimentary understanding of the material, I would follow the course objectives and spend only enough time to get a general idea of what they were talking about.

3. Memorize little! I kept this to some A&P facts like cranial nerves and bones. This way, I could focus more on concepts versus facts.

4. Figure out which books you need and which are extraneous. I talked with students a year ahead of me. For some of these classes, the book list was 4 books! I asked the students that had done this before and found out that the books used were only two of the four. Saved both time and money.

5. Relax. Maybe you are taking too many classes at once? Have a good sit down with your husband and explain your needs. Studying is itself a job!

caliotter3 · Jun 13, 2007

If it gets unbearable, you might want to find a place, local library or library at school, or for that matter a place where you park your car, and retreat there, away from the house, when you really need to study undisturbed. When you are not in the house, then you can't be bothered. Put your cell phone on silent, or better yet, turn it off, while you study, undisturbed. When your husband questions you about this (which he will), just plain up, tell him you have to do this in order to survive this ordeal. A friend told me she had a blow up with her non understanding husband and she told him if he wanted to help her spend her salary once she got her nursing license and job, he better let her pass her classes otherwise he could pay her nursing school debts by himself. This was her argument every time he bothered her from there on out. There are many people who can identify with your problems. You can always come here to vent. Good luck.

allthingsbright · Jun 13, 2007

I go to Starbucks or the library, put on my Ipod and study AWAY from the kids & hubby...

I am so with you though--I have never been more tired as I have been in nursing school. The sleeplessness is brutal! (((HUGS)))

AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jun 13, 2007

hi,

I just finished nursing school and although I have no kids or hubby, I can kinda feel your pain.

While attending last semester of nursing school I was seeing a guy that just didn't get it! he would call me 5 times a day seeing if I maybe had the time to go out and do something etc.. What finally made him realize how much work nursing school is, is that I showed him all my assignments that had to be done. I Showed him the list of reading, all the papers and projects, class/clinical schedule, and care plans so that he would understand why I just did not have time to spend with him more than once a week if that. That seemed to make it click and he stopped bugging me so much.

I also live with my mother so that I could afford to go to school. Anyway she just didnt get it and actually said to me one day oh it looks easy, cant be that hard... I think I had steam comming out of my ears!! My mother has never even experienced college so she has no idea what college is like, nevermind nursing school....

So my point is your husband may or may not get it. Try doing what I did and show him all the work you have to do and maybehe will appreciate your time more. Also honestly, I did the reading for maybe the first semester, if that and then realized that it is just too much. So I started just studying off my notes and using the book if I felt I needed more in a certain area. I think a majority of my class mates also did that as well. You may find that you need to adjust your study habbits as you go along.

Good Luck

Swtooth

Nurse2BStacey · Jun 13, 2007

If I may make a suggestion here...

I am VERY fortunate that my DH is understanding and does pick up a lot of my slack around the house while I am in school. BUT...when he does start his gripping that I am not spending time with him, I simply let him help me study. We spend time together, he quizes me and is reminded just how much crap I am cramming in my head, and backs out the back door as quickly as possible to get away from "wound care" or the topic of the week. LOL!!! Or you could ask him to play patient for you so you could practice Foley insertion!! THAT GET'S EM EVERY TIME:eek:

SoulShine75 · Jun 13, 2007

Girl, I hear ya. We all feel your pain and are going through it too. Rant all you want if it makes you feel better. Don't kill yourself, just do what you can. The only thing we can do is to keep on keepin' on. You can do this and learn to say NO!...and mean it!

Good luck

MikeyJ, RN · Jun 15, 2007

If people get upset that you have to study rather than being social, then so be it! I know my parents get upset that I can only come over once or twice a month for dinner, but I don't care if they get upset.. I need to study!

As for your reading assignments -- I have only been in nursing school for a little over a month and I have already learned that there is far too much information to read. Skim the chapters and focus on those areas your professors focus on. It may not promise you an 'A' in the class, but I would prefer my sanity over reading every page of material.

Side story here but there is a girl in my nursing class and I feel so bad for her. She has figured out how long it takes her to read and comphrehend one page of matieral and has written out an entire schedule of what she has to read and do. She then types up this calendar with exact time frames of what she should be reading or doing. She literally reads every page of text assigned to her, takes her own notes, goes to lecture and takes notes, and then compares the notes and then goes back to the text again to figure out what else she needs to know further indepth. She already looks like a zombie and she will soon or later crack if she keeps that up.

Same goes for you, if you don't take control of your life right now and figure out how to study smart, not hard and accept that house will be messy during nursing school, then your life will crack. And regarding the husband and kids ordeal -- if your home gets messy enough, your husband will pick it up. If not, oh well.. you can always clean it on your next school break! :)

MB37 · Jun 15, 2007

I'm also a month in (5 weeks - semester 1 is half over!) and I'm still reading every page, usually before class. I have, however, completely stopped cleaning the house. As Mike said, if my husband would like his laundry folded, he can take care of it. I'll clean after July 20. Until then, I don't have time to have people over anyways. Just push the mess out of the way and put your books down. Also, do you give your kids an allowance? From now on, make it contingent on chores.