The "Talk"

HisTreasure, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2004

Hi-

So a lot of you have been following me through my first days of school. Thanks a lot guys for listening to me. :chuckle Today we didn't have nursing oriented classes. Our counselor came in to give us the "Talk". You know the one: Half of you won't be here in May...your school will be your life for the next ten months...support system is vital...people with small children beware...etc.

It was sort of distressing. After two exams my average is an A, and I feel confident in the material thus far, but I guess my paranoia has me feeling like the talk was directed at me. Not me alone, mind you, but me none the less. I have three small children. There is a three absence maximum before expulsion, which includes all emergencies that may arise. Even if ((((God forbid))))) I were in an accident and in the hospital for 5 days, I wouldn't be excused and would have to accept a medical withdrawal. That's not a good feeling. I need this so badly for myself but mostly for my family. We don't know what is going to happen tomorrow and life really throws some curve balls sometimes and I worry that I will miss out on my dream; not because of academics per se, but because of life in general. It scares me. Has anyone else ever felt this way or am I just super neurotic? :uhoh21: :uhoh21: :uhoh21:

ham22 · Jul 3, 2004

man! you must have a super strict school! we were allowed to miss classes (as long as it wasn't a constant thing) as long as we made up the work and kept up our grades. we were also allowed to miss so many clinical hours- i think it came out to around 2 days and then you had to make that up as well. like doing a health fair or volunteering to do bp's at a local grocery store. nothing too major. if you really, really wanted to you could do an entire care plan to make up for too many missed clinicals. i don't know of anybody that took that option though...gee.. i wonder why? :rotfl: :rotfl: good luck to you- don't let their blah blahing get to you. hang in there and you'll do fine. i had a baby at the end of my schooling and i somehow i managed-you'll do fine too. esp. with a's!!!!!!!

ham22 · Jul 3, 2004

man! you must have a super strict school! we were allowed to miss classes (as long as it wasn't a constant thing) as long as we made up the work and kept up our grades. we were also allowed to miss so many clinical hours- i think it came out to around 2 days and then you had to make that up as well. like doing a health fair or volunteering to do bp's at a local grocery store. nothing too major. if you really, really wanted to you could do an entire care plan to make up for too many missed clinicals. i don't know of anybody that took that option though...gee.. i wonder why? :rotfl: :rotfl: good luck to you- don't let their blah blahing get to you. hang in there and you'll do fine. i had a baby at the end of my schooling and i somehow i managed-you'll do fine too. esp. with a's!!!!!!!

LouisianaNurse2006 · Jul 3, 2004

Oh God, Yes! You sound just like me! I think those things also. I have 3 children, but mine are 16, 14, and 7, so they are not exactly little anymore.

I get down on myself alot. Here I am going into the nursing program and thinking things like, I'll never make it, it is going to be too hard. Even if I do make it, I probably won't pass boards and get my license, I'll never have a good job, and we need the money sooo bad. And if I do get a good job, I'll probably be hit by a 18-wheeler and die! All this hard work and worry will be for NOTHING!

I have been in school for a year and a semester, and have 2 years to go, it feels like I will NEVER finish. I am scared, excited, and anxious all at the same time. Sometimes I wish the summer would slow down so I don't have to start in the nursing program so soon, other times I wish the summer would speed up so I can get in the middle of things to know for sure if I am even cut out to be a nurse!

I am going NUTS!

I know exactly how you feel, so don't worry, you are not alone.

I'm geussing that EVERYONE feels these same things the summer before clinicals.

Keep posting,

everyone here is so supportive!

I'll say a little prayer for both of us,

Penny

LouisianaNurse2006 · Jul 3, 2004

Oh God, Yes! You sound just like me! I think those things also. I have 3 children, but mine are 16, 14, and 7, so they are not exactly little anymore.

I get down on myself alot. Here I am going into the nursing program and thinking things like, I'll never make it, it is going to be too hard. Even if I do make it, I probably won't pass boards and get my license, I'll never have a good job, and we need the money sooo bad. And if I do get a good job, I'll probably be hit by a 18-wheeler and die! All this hard work and worry will be for NOTHING!

I have been in school for a year and a semester, and have 2 years to go, it feels like I will NEVER finish. I am scared, excited, and anxious all at the same time. Sometimes I wish the summer would slow down so I don't have to start in the nursing program so soon, other times I wish the summer would speed up so I can get in the middle of things to know for sure if I am even cut out to be a nurse!

I am going NUTS!

I know exactly how you feel, so don't worry, you are not alone.

I'm geussing that EVERYONE feels these same things the summer before clinicals.

Keep posting,

everyone here is so supportive!

I'll say a little prayer for both of us,

Penny

debblynn13 · Jul 3, 2004

I remember when they gave us that talk. It is an overwhelming thought that you can't be sick for the entire program. Even if you are sick, you feel you have to show up because tomorrow you might be sicker. They told us we couldn't miss class, but our teachers don't hold us to that. Most of us show up for every class, the ones that don't usually drop out. Clinicals on the other hand are very strict. We can only miss 8 hours of clinical per semester, which ends up being 1 1/2 days. They do allow you to make up one day over that amount, but that is it. The first sememster wasn't bad....but by the second people were feeling pretty stresssed and making themselves go to clinicals. But we started with 48 people and 40 of us made it through. So far 5 of us have taken and passed the PN level NCLEX so we are doing ok. This fall it will be back for the RN level and the game goes on. It is an amazing, overwhelming adventure, but one I will miss when it is over. Good luck in your adventure.

Debblynn

debblynn13 · Jul 3, 2004

I remember when they gave us that talk. It is an overwhelming thought that you can't be sick for the entire program. Even if you are sick, you feel you have to show up because tomorrow you might be sicker. They told us we couldn't miss class, but our teachers don't hold us to that. Most of us show up for every class, the ones that don't usually drop out. Clinicals on the other hand are very strict. We can only miss 8 hours of clinical per semester, which ends up being 1 1/2 days. They do allow you to make up one day over that amount, but that is it. The first sememster wasn't bad....but by the second people were feeling pretty stresssed and making themselves go to clinicals. But we started with 48 people and 40 of us made it through. So far 5 of us have taken and passed the PN level NCLEX so we are doing ok. This fall it will be back for the RN level and the game goes on. It is an amazing, overwhelming adventure, but one I will miss when it is over. Good luck in your adventure.

Debblynn

Truly_Blessed · Jul 3, 2004

I have a feeling we are going to get "the talk" at orientation Wednesday. I have prepared myself for the worst, and I am hoping for the best. Gabs, I believe you are going to pull through this just fine. Just concentrate on each day as it comes....don't worry about getting sick so much that you end up making yourself sick:chuckle God forbid one of your kiddos gets sick this next year, but if it happens, I am sure your hubby will jump right in and take care of business:) 10 months....and you'll be a nurse! 10 months is going to fly by babe! Chin up, and no worries...(((hugs)))

Truly_Blessed · Jul 3, 2004

I have a feeling we are going to get "the talk" at orientation Wednesday. I have prepared myself for the worst, and I am hoping for the best. Gabs, I believe you are going to pull through this just fine. Just concentrate on each day as it comes....don't worry about getting sick so much that you end up making yourself sick:chuckle God forbid one of your kiddos gets sick this next year, but if it happens, I am sure your hubby will jump right in and take care of business:) 10 months....and you'll be a nurse! 10 months is going to fly by babe! Chin up, and no worries...(((hugs)))

DeanG · Jul 3, 2004

Don't you just hate that football coach approach to motivation. This "talk" was probably some ones idea of how to keep everyone on their toes. At least I hope it wasn't done to scare or stress out the students. I think that you'll be just fine and that, yeah sure things happen, people get sick. But don't sweat the small stuff. You can only live one day at a time. You sound like a decent person who just cares a whole lot, don't loose sleep over what if's. Good luck in school!

DeanG · Jul 3, 2004

Don't you just hate that football coach approach to motivation. This "talk" was probably some ones idea of how to keep everyone on their toes. At least I hope it wasn't done to scare or stress out the students. I think that you'll be just fine and that, yeah sure things happen, people get sick. But don't sweat the small stuff. You can only live one day at a time. You sound like a decent person who just cares a whole lot, don't loose sleep over what if's. Good luck in school!