Impending sense of doom....

[AshBuggin]

With Spring term rapidly approaching I am anxious. Anxious to start my ADN program, anxious to do well and realizing that I may not be as prepared as I thought I was. How is everyone else dealing with the stress of starting Nursing school?

I have been trying to increase the amount of time I spend exercising to alleviate some of the lingering anxiety.

Any thoughts or tips are appreciated!

[wooten3955]

I am right there with you!! My anxiety is really spiking as the start of the term gets closer and closer. My best friend is also doing the ADN program at the same school I am. She will be done this spring. Through my friendship with her, I realize that nursing school is a time of great highs and lows. We will have good days and bad days, that's all part of it, but as long as we put in the work, we will get through it. We have to take it one day at a time. Some concrete things I have done to make myself feel more prepared:

*bought some valuable resources: Mary Ann Hogan's Nursing Fundamantals Reviews and Rationales, the Saunders NCLEX review book, and spiral RN Notes pocket book for clinicals and beyond

*invested in a good planner to keep organized on due dates, exam dates, etc.

*did some internet research on study tips. for example, the reading in nursing school can be overwhelming. many people seem to agree that you should focus on the course objectives, questions at the end of the chapters, anything in boxes, and mostly focus on the topics covered in the lecture; figure out your learning style (visual, kinesthetic, auditory) and use those methods

*stocked up on school supplies like colored pens, index cards, highlighters, hole punch, etc.

*cleaned my house thoroughly

*cooked some meals for the freezer so I have food on hand

I am only allowing myself to think about one semester at a time. I know that some courses (med surg) are very rough, but for right now I am just focusing on getting through the first one! I think eating healthy, finding time for exercise, and adequate sleep are important too, though I know that may be easier said than done. Good luck! Hope your first semester goes smoothly!!

[k.janks]

Hi AshBuggin,

Congratulations on starting nursing school! I just graduated this December from a BSN program and I remember having the exact same feelings of anxiety when I began my program, too! What seemed to help me relieve some anxiety at the beginning of each semester was getting as prepared as possible, so I start the new semester off on the right foot. For example, the syllabus for each class was posted electronically 1 week prior to the start date and I would create a color coded calendar, each course receiving its own color, that notified me of a reading or homework assignment that was due, when a test was scheduled, or when a paper was to be turned in. I would also review the rubrics for the papers and projects due for the semester so I had an idea of what the professor was looking for in the assignment and I jotted down any questions I may have or clarification I felt I needed about the assignment. I always made my calendar on the computer because changes (and trust me there will be changes to when things are due) were easier made on a computer, and the calendar was neat and legible. Doing this will not alleviate all of the anxiety you are feeling, but it always made me feel a little bit better having an outline/plan for the semester and a rough understanding of what to expect. Hope this helps a little and congratulations again!