Struggling to meet the bare minimum in one class...need support

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I'm doing good so far in every class but ONE. The crazy thing is that the class is really not that hard but for some reason I keep changing my answer to the wrong one, which results in me receiving an overall lower grade than what i should have gotten. Everyone else in the class is passing but me. I received two mid 60s on the first two exams. The next couple I will need an 85 or higher to meet the bare minimum in order to pass. I am very stressed out and cannot afford to retake this class over. I am under a lot of pressure from my family to pass. I know there is nothing you all can do I just need some support. I talked about this with one of my classmates but she didn't seem to care at all. Everyone is just worried about themselves

Specializes in Forensic Psych.
People are acting like I am failing all of my classes. It's just one class that I'm struggling with and I'm getting advice that 'nursing is not for me'...I regret coming here for advice..

I don't think anyone was telling you nursing wasn't for you.

Moreso just a hijack about clichés like "you can do anything you put your mind to." You actually can't do EVERYthing you put your mind to. Might sound obvious, but message boards lend to long-winded discussions about the obvious.

If the clog fits, wear it. If it doesn't, take what you need and leave the rest.

/cliches

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People are acting like I am failing all of my classes. It's just one class that I'm struggling with and I'm getting advice that 'nursing is not for me'...I regret coming here for advice..

That's because the class you are apparently definitely failing is ... nursing.

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People are acting like I am failing all of my classes. It's just one class that I'm struggling with and I'm getting advice that 'nursing is not for me'...I regret coming here for advice..

I'm finding this site a little discouraging also. I think the saying "nurses eat their young" is proving itself.

And yes if you WANT this bad enough you'll do it! Some of these ladies are on here talking like they got all A's in all classes. And I think while their experience is amazing and something to learn from, they forget to be compassionate and nurturing to those of us who are striving to also be great in this profession!

Thank you to those of you who are encouraging!

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That's because the class you are apparently definitely failing is ... nursing.

ONE class. And the only reason I did bad was because I changed a few right answers to wrong ones. It's not like I was completely clueless and had no idea what I was doing to begin with
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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I think we all need to remember that nursing is hard. Learning It takes time to get that "critical thinking" skill down pat. Some people will really struggle while others won't....that doesn't make them "good" or "bad".

OP....critical thinking questions are difficult to answer when you are just learning the theory and process. Personally I don't like that the nursing exams are all about them when students need to be getting the theory down pat first before advancing to the lateral thinking involved in "SATA" style questions. I think some programs are better at teaching than others.

Those hated care plans are what you need to do to learn all about what to look for, how to intervene and which do you need to take care of first. YOu will never have to really do them again...not like you do in school but in school they are an important tool....when used properly. Many of the care plans I help with here are not "proper" in leading the students what to look at first and how to get tp that answer. Again this varies school to school with some being better than others.

I have my own thoughts about which school do well and which ones do not.......but in order for you to get help now I would get some of the NCLEX review books. Take practice tests.

A dear contributor Daytonite (rip) made up a critical care flow sheet....this might help you learn how to organize your thoughts. find a student doing well....ask them for some tips. It's a shame your school doesn't offer suggestions about improvements or help.....sounds like this may be one of those schools I mentioned earlier....just not very good at teaching.

Keep your chin up! Anything worth having is worth fighting for...((HUGS))

Critical Thinking Flow Sheet for Nursing Students

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Yes, you're only failing one class, but it's your most important class. And I'm guessing that the reason you're having so much more trouble with this one than the rest of them is because it's different than aaaanything else you've ever done. It's an entirely different kind of thinking. The answers are not always concrete. The focus is assessment and priorities. It isn't enough to memorize facts, which you might be really good at and that might be the reason you aren't having trouble in your other classes. For nursing fundamentals you have to go past the facts and know WHY. I strongly agree with the suggestion of getting a good NCLEX book that has lots of questions and the rationales for the answers. Try the questions in whatever topic area you are doing in class, and for the ones you miss, read the rationales so that you know WHY the answer is what is is. It is a different kind of thinking. It isn't enough to just know the basics. And yes, your classmates are busy worrying about themselves, but I would bet that if you asked them specific questions, they would try to help you. But you need to figure out what you're not getting so that you can ask them specific questions. They don't have time to walk you through everything and figure out where your weak spots are. Do NCLEX questions as much as you possibly can. Nothing will prepare you for answering NCLEX questions like actually answering NCLEX questions.

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I don't really know, what is going on here? The OP was asking for a little support and all she gets is advice to rethink her path and that nursing school may not be for her. If it is not for her, she will figure it out. But some people just need a little longer to understand things or utilize the tools they were given. Of course, she has to work on it but I think she knows that. Would you all give up a future career just because of one problem that might not even be a real problem? Sometimes it just had to click and the problem is solved.

Don't you think that famous musicians struggled at one point of their learning process, or scientist. Albert Einstein failed his math classes in school and he still became one of the best and well known physicists of all times.

OP, I just want to say, don't get discouraged. Work on your weakness and get help from somebody. It is definitely not the time yet to give up.

Good luck and all the best...

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I don't really know, what is going on here? The OP was asking for a little support and all she gets is advice to rethink her path and that nursing school may not be for her. If it is not for her, she will figure it out. But some people just need a little longer to understand things or utilize the tools they were given. Of course, she has to work on it but I think she knows that. Would you all give up a future career just because of one problem that might not even be a real problem? Sometimes it just had to click and the problem is solved.

Don't you think that famous musicians struggled at one point of their learning process, or scientist. Albert Einstein failed his math classes in school and he still became one of the best and well known physicists of all times.

OP, I just want to say, don't get discouraged. Work on your weakness and get help from somebody. It is definitely not the time yet to give up.

Good luck and all the best...

Thanks so much for posting this.....I am stunned by the one's that are basically telling the op to give up on her career.... instead of telling her to work hard to improve in the areas that she's struggling with!

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Specializes in ED.

EmilyEmily, we would like to give you great advice, but I think we don't have a whole lot of information. What has you so stressed and unsure of yourself during these questions that have you changing your answer? Are they priority type questions? Are you reading into the question? Please don't get discouraged. I have a friend who is in his 50's, recovering alchoholic, and was never educated properly. Plus it didn't help that he works in a place where he used to come in for treatment, so he was constantly discouraged by coworkers telling him he couldn't. He's pulling a B average. You can do this too.

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So sad that whether student/ nurses encourage is scarce...stop with the discouragement but EmilyEmily no one can accomplish your goals but you....it you dream it you can acheive it...the nursing school journey is far from easy!....I too went through the phase of changing answer.....about 90% of nursing students do...but always follow your gut....to me your testing skills have nothing to do with how of an expert nurse you'll be....just because someone was A 4.0 student doesnt mean that would be a SUPER POWER NURSE....STUDY STUDY...STUDY...THE WORLD IS YOURS!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

Ok...now that you have the "you can do it cheerleaders" lets get down to the bare bones solution...

This info is coming from someone who failed nursing school in their first semester almost 12 years ago who went on to pass her boards as a Bachelors prepared nurse 11 years later, a notorious answer changer with horrible test anxiety, who was able to pass her boards the first time TWICE (as a LPN and RN). :)

Seek out help with your instructor...(GASP). Yes, find out what tips, etc would be beneficial for you to help with struggling with test anxiety.

When I went to nursing school the first time, they saw I took good notes, able to apply the theory in clinical, but OVERLOOKED my anxiety. It wasn't until I went to PN school the theme was "Critical Thinking"...they wanted to help a lot of us who had test anxiety to focus on that process as a way to improve decision making, and apply it to testing.

Since I don't want YOU to wait until PN school

Like me, Here's the book: Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgement by Rosalinda Alfaro-LeFevre. Best book that helps me when I backslide into anxiety on test, and even nursing in general. I'm reading and finishing the book as I enter a PICU as a new grad RN. Although I have experience, it is a HUGE learning curve. This book is helping me cope, along with meeting with my preceptor has as well, lol :)

Another book I have received when I hit that brick wall in my BSN program for my Critical/Acute Care Med-Surg class was TWO books:

Prioritization and Delegaton by LaCharity and

Lippincott's Alternative question format

My instructor suggested these books after I went to her. She saw me changing questions, and her assessment of my test taking pattern was of test anxiety base on the answers I changed them to. I bit the bullet and paid for those books, even though they weren't in my budget, but my grades turned around the next test...I thought it was a miracle, lol! Those books were really valuable in answering the questions, as well as the "Success" book Series. They are NCLEX prep books as well.

Sooo...

To sum it up: Critical thinking book, LaCharity, Prioritization Lippinicott book- the LaCharity and Lippinicott you can start on NOW, just make sure you can get that Critical Thinking book as well. The other book will go over them, but you also need the nitty gritty as well.

You did not say you had issues in studying or if you had an issue grappling with the information, so utilizing these books can be incorporate into your studying-I made it work to turn my grades around, and I worked 30+ hours/week-and seek out your instructor and work with them.

Most-scratch that- ALL instructors want you to be a competent nurse...they have different quirks, personalities, internal issues on their own, that is their own "world"...extract that info and use it to your ultimate benefit...you will learn that about nursing period-the personalities and the art if pulling valuable information to assist you in becoming an optimal competent nurse, you have learned it on this thread...you may have not like the comments; however they are from a place to encourage you to do self-reflection because nursing is HARD, and that hard is an UNDERSTATEMENT.

The push to be a competent critical thinker is 98% of your practice; 2% is skills...your thinking drives how well your skills can transfer over, and they get better as you evolve, they will, I promise if you want to be in nursing for "the long haul" ;) :)

I hope these tips help you along the way. Hope you are able to have access to them, utilize them, and help improve your grades. Good Luck!!! :)

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

Lippincott's Alternative question format

.

What is this Lippincott business?

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