Need some encouragement (pity-party style)(Long)

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma.

OK, I'm totally overwhelmed right now. I am a second semester student in a ADN program and I have had a WEEK!!

Sunday: I studied and studied for a major test on Monday and didn't get as much sleep as I wanted to, bad way to start a week. :uhoh3:

Monday: I suprised myself and did really well on my hard test (98.3 % on a cardiac drug test! :yeah: ) Then, I twisted my ankle in the hallway at school and its still sore. After 5 hours of classes and a few errands in town I headed to the hospital to get my patient. I found a really interesting patient (LARGE venous stasis ulcer) and headed home to do all the required homework for the next day. Got to bed really late because of the homework. (Don't you love the drug cards?)

Tuesday: Clinicals on a med-surg unit with my sore ankle. That clinical went well, I picked up another patient at my instructor's request since my one was self-sufficient except for meds and dressing changes. So, after clinical I went and tutored for two hours, then went back to the hospital to get the info on my second patient. Got home about 8:00 with care plans and drug cards to do and medical diagnosis to research, etc... Not much sleep, again.

Wednesday: Clinicals went well, very hectic, but I did well. My instructor complemented me on my sterile technique!!! That doesn't happen very often. He did make me feel like a complete moron by quizzing me on the side effects of ACE inhibitors in front of my patient right as I had a complete brain freeze (Hyperkalema, chronic cough, nephrotoxicity, any one?) I went to lunch very flustered and right before I sat down at a table full of my classmates I stopped to jot some things in my notebook so I would remember to do them when I got through with lunch. Well, I have a problem with hypoglycemia if I don't eat, and one of my classmates who knows that, calmly asked me to sit down right now as I'm shaking. I looked up and realized that I couldn't even hold my notebook straight! I sat down and ate quickly. Rest of the day went well, and I actually got to bed before to late! No tutoring that day, either.

Thursday: Woke up exhausted, not a good sign. We were in the middle of a snowstorm, but I made it through the weather to the clinical site. Got to clinical, my first patient with the skin ulcer was scheduled for surgery at 1500 just as I got off. No problem I thought, just some pre-op teaching about skin grafts and care of my other patient. Well, because of the weather, a patient cancelled earlier in morning and at 0800, OR suddenly calls and says they are on the way, they can do the surgery now! My patient was thrilled (being NPO until 1500 was NOT his idea of fun!). But, a couple of hours later he came back and I suddenly had a fresh post-op patient to care for! Then, my second patient got worse and worse all day (Pyelonephritis, ruptured ovarian cyst, gallstones, N/V and diarrhea for a week, positive blood cultures, electrolytes way in the dumps). Then, our instructor was in a very bad mood all day long. He's actually going to knock some of the student's grades down for not making it to clinical through 18 inches of fresh snow! I know this is MI, but come on! Some of these students had a long drive to get there, at least they called in! As the respiratory therapist said, "I feel for you guys, does that mean you get 100% if you kill yourself on the way?:uhoh3:" Well, as I was finishing up some narrative charting so I could go to lunch, my instructor sits down beside me and procedes to drill me about my charting. I started having a hypoglycemic reaction there in front of him, but he still kept on going and going and going. I did get out of there and to my lunch before I passed out, but it was much closer than I would have liked! After clinicals, I went and tutored for another hour and got home at 1945, absolutely exhausted. Oh, and on the way downstairs at the hospital to get my lunch, I fell down the last two stairs and twisted my other ankle (I'm a real klutz!). Now, I had two sore ankles. Fell into bed for another short night.

Friday: No test!!! 5 hours of lecture, 2 hours of tutoring with 4 students, 2 of them new. 4 students at once is more of a challenge than I wanted, but they didn't leave me any choice. So, I will do my best. We were behind in lecture, so the instructor was determined to make it up. 57 pages of notes in 5 hours of class!!! Also, one of our instructors moved a test from this coming Monday (3/6) to Friday (3/10). This is a hard test (Neuro drugs), so I'm glad to have extra time to study, but, that leaves me only the next weekend, which is my 21 birthday to study for the next hard test (Endocrine and Muscloskelatol)!! I was hoping to take my birthday off of studying, but no such luck. I'm going to spend my 21st birthday studying endocrine disorders!!

Well, on top of all of that I battled a migraine off and on all week. Then, Friday night, I ran out to the car to grab my Dad's birthday present out of the car before he got off of the phone. Well, I forgot that the front porch was a sheet of ice. I slipped, landed on the concrete porch, then bounced down the steps on my left hip. OWWW!!! Did I say I'm a klutz? Two sore ankles and a sore hip in one week!! :nono:

I didn't sleep well last night because of the pain, and today I can barely sit down for short periods of time on a pillow! How am I ever going to sit through 5 hours of lecture on Monday? Or function well in clinicals this week? I'm gritting my teeth because of the pain and now I'm getting a major headache from that! (No, I don't think I broke anything). This on top of the rest of my week and the promise of the busy week ahead has just overwhelmed me. I'm so tired I feel like I could sleep for days:sleep:, but laying down really hurts right now, so a nap is out of the question. Anybody else in the same situation? My classmates that post on here? Encouragement? I love nursing, love being on the floor, its just this student stuff that drives me nuts. I can't wait until I'm out of school, able to do anything without an instructor standing right over me commenting in front of the patients how I'm doing. (No, not all off our instructors do that, just the one I have right now). I feel so stressed and the semester isn't quite halfway done!

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yeah i agree

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Ortho, & Tele all on one ward!.

Wow, what a week!!!! Hang in there! It doesn't really get easier- but eventually it will be over. Keep doing what you are doing (minus the ankle twisting) and the semesters wil fly by.

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Specializes in ICU.

MAN, that was stressful just reading! Just try to take one day at a time and focus on school.

why do you tutor so much??

Good luck!! I just turned 21 too and I had to study mostly that weekend also:(

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This on top of the rest of my week and the promise of the busy week ahead has just overwhelmed me. I'm so tired I feel like I could sleep for days:sleep:, but laying down really hurts right now, so a nap is out of the question. Anybody else in the same situation? My classmates that post on here? Encouragement? I love nursing, love being on the floor, its just this student stuff that drives me nuts. I can't wait until I'm out of school, able to do anything without an instructor standing right over me commenting in front of the patients how I'm doing. (No, not all off our instructors do that, just the one I have right now). I feel so stressed and the semester isn't quite halfway done!

Hi!

I can relate (except for the klutz part, I only do that in front of the instructors). I am a 4th semester ADN student not yet halfway through my last semester. I am psyched for this semester trying to be really positive and upbeat. Only in clinical I kept getting hit hard with major changes in patient status, located med errors (yeah one was MINE :() and general things on the unit to throw me off kilter.

It's been tough so far, however with 11 weeks to go I feel I can get through most anything for that time frame.

My words of wisdom for you are these:

1) Congrats on your 98%.... take that as a bonus and allow yourself at least one full night of sleep. I'm talking 9-10 hours. Use pain medication for your sore hip and ankles if necessary.

2) Do NOT put the pressure on yourself to get 90%+ on the next two tests. As long as you are doing well and don't need to make up for poor grades before, then you deserve a rest. EVEN if it causes you to have a B in the class. A B is a fantastic grade in Nursing school.

3) the more tired and stressed you are, the more you will injure yourself, the more you will have hypoglycemic attacks. Also make sure you carry something in your pocket for quick sugar. hard Candies, something. You could have easily told your instructor "I get hypoglycemic, let me put this candy in my mouth and I will gladly answer your questions". I know we get terrified of our instructors but honestly most of them will deal with you needing a candy for BS instability.

Good luck and let me know if you need anything.... This is a long hard road oh and Happy 21st Bday.

Tracy

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Well, my response won't be quite so long, but for what it's worth:

It sounds like you handled yourself exceptionally well, probably better than I would've done. This week will serve as excellent training for future weeks in which you have to handle less, just think of it that way...

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma.

Thanks so much for the encouragement, everybody. I'm feeling much better today. I got a good nights sleep last night which not only helped the tiredness but decreased the pain as well. I still have a long week ahead of me, but by God's grace I will take one day at a time! Thanks so much for being an encouragement. Just having people that understand helps so much. (That's why I posted on here, I knew you all would understand!)

Part of my problem yesterday was the fact that we were in the middle of making a major decision (whether or not to move across the country). Today we finally just made the decision to move! Even though moving is a challenge, making the decision greatly reduces my stress just knowing what we are doing.

RN2beinCa, I do carry a "fast sugar" with me at all times, and will use it when I need to. I've had a problem with hypoglycemia for awhile now and the exhaustion and stress of Nursing School just makes it worse. My classmates know about it, and know where they can find my snack for me in case I need it and can't get to it. Thanks so much for the encouragement!

Thanks again everyone! Being a perfectionist doesn't help anything, it only wears me out from trying! No matter how hard I try, I just can't be perfect in everything :rolleyes: It would be nice, but it's not going to happen!

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Specializes in OB, ortho/neuro, home care, office.

Not to burst your bubble, but once you get out of nursing school and that instructor ISN'T behind your back, watching your every move you will realize just how scary nursing can be.

BUT - from the sounds of things you will be an awesome nurse, so don't worry too much about that :)

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/MICU/SICU/CTICU.

Im tired just from reading your post!!!

You have to take care of yourself, before you can take care of others. That will be the first lesson you learn when you graduate, if you havent already ;) . It is hard to be sharp mentally, when physically you are not yourself.

Sounds like you did really well getting through the week. Oh to be 21 again :uhoh21:

Take care of yourself and you will do great. I too am a perfectionist, but at times, I get to the point to where I cant continue at the same pace and have to take a break. Congrats on your 98 and good luck on your next test.

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Specializes in Transgender Medicine.

All I can say is....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

*hides in corner*

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Bring some crackers or something with you that are handy throughout the day--you should not let your blood sugar get out of whack! Take care of yourself, you sound like a very smart young lady who puts herself last. You can only take care of others if you take care of yourself first! Cut some things out of your schedule--do you really have to tutor? Prioritize with yourself being first, you are overwhemed, and that might be why you are "klutzy". Nursing school is hard enough, so pace yourself and don't put so much pressure on yourself!!!! Good Luck--you will be fine if you CHILL a little with the full schedule! Get some sleep!

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One of our instructors told us on the very first day of nursing school that we need to remember one thing:

C = RN. You only have to have C's to pass! After you graduate, no one is going to ask you what grades you made, the license in your hand will suffice!

In fact, this very instructor was a "C" student in the BSN program in which I am currently a senior. She then went on to the Master's Program with no problems!

I guess her point was this: Don't stress yourself out trying to get all "A's", and when you do get less than perfect marks, forgive yourself!

Slow down a little, girl! You must take better care of yourself! You deserve it, and if that means saying "no" to people who want to monopolize your valuable time, then so be it!

Chin up! You CAN do this!

Aunt Bytes

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