Totally Devasted

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I am not looking for a pity party here, but I truley don't know what to do. I am in an acclerated BSN program. I am in the last week of Med Surg I., my grades so far is a 77, 77, ?. We had an exam today over burns, HIV, and Sensory. Here is my problem, we have to maintain a 77 to pass the class before the clincial grades are added. I go to the computer lab everyday, I read my chapter, record the lectures and even practice the material at home, I have 5 or 6 programs with NCLEX questions on them. I even had 3 people to come from the grad program to come to library to quiz me lastnight, and I knew the information front and back. I TOTALLY feel like I bombed the test. I don't know what I am doing wrong. Please don't say that maybe I am not sut out to be a nurse, because I have waited all my life for the opportunity and I feel like I am going to blow it. We have one more test on fluids and electrolytes next Friday, I can't even seem to get motivated (stop crying) enough to study for it, yet this is my last shot. Someone please give me some more study tips, advise and prayer anything.

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Hi there,

I am sure you did well :) try to be positive. Please don't think that its your last shot. You are stressing your self out. The hardest part is getting into a good nursing program. You are already there, just relax and focus on completing your program..your on your way to becoming a good nurse.

Study in short intervals and take some time to meditate and relax. And most important dont think negative. Give it your best on the next test.

You will be in my prayers :)

Lilly

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Have you met with your instructors to review the exams and see what you needed to do for a higher grade? My teachers are really great about that. We go over answers to exam questions and discuss how the correct answers were reached. Also, do your practice NCLEX questions give you strategic advice on how to go about answering the questions? Those help me, too. Hang in there!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Why don't you relax until you get your grade.

Hang in there.

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HANG IN THERE!!!

I graduate in Dec & I don't know about your program, but in mine Med-Surg was the 1st class where you really had to use critical thinking skills. Up to that point it was a lot of facts & if you memorized your micro, pharm, A&P etc. you got thru it pretty easily. Med-Surg was a WHOLE new ballgame. Now you have to put all the pieces together & without a lot of clinical experience it is harder...not a lot of easy A's in Med-Surg...at my school if you had a mid-B you were doing great. Quite a hit to some of our egos :p During clincials we had lots of RNs tell us to hang in there, don't get discouraged that Med-Surg is hard for everybody. It is big sink or swim time at my school...try to keep a positive attitude & keep in mind you have lots of fellow students & RNs that can feel your pain!

I would let my instructor know my concerns before the last exam...maybe you could get a tutoring session in. Most instructors will help you if you ask.

I know it doesn't seem like it now...but you will get thru it

Best of luck to you,

Scarlett

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I am so sorry! I'm sure you did fine on it if you knew the material. Just try and relax (sooo much harder to do than say, I know!) because there is nothing you can do now about the test that you just took!

Do you have a study center? We do and next semester I plan on using it ALL the time. I haven't needed it yet this semester (I am just doing pre-reqs) but when I take Chem. I know I will. You could try going there and get tutoring. Also go ask the teacher for advice on how to study for the test. Show that you are really concerned and care about your grade, and she or he will be more willing to help you. Other than that, just do what you have been doing, study as much as you can, without over doing it! If you study TOO much, it doesn't really have an effect. You need to take some breaks every now and then! So just do the best you possibly can. Good luck and I will be thinking about you!

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I am sorry you are having such a hard time. I hope you did Ok on your recent test.

As for the next test, fluid and electrolytes is usually the section which gives nursing students the most fits. This fall, while in the bookstore choosing my books, a second year student introduced herself to me and we began to chat. She said the best advice she could give me was to buy THIS book (which she promptly plopped into my hands) and said it would help me through F & E. The book was "Nursing Made Easy: Fluid & Electrolytes". I bought it without a second thought.

I've yet to look at it, as we haven't hit that section yet, but when we do, I've got it. My point is your next test won't be easy, either, and you might want to consider getting your hands on that book.

Whatever you do, I hope you are successful. You've gotten this far; trust yourself to go the rest of the way. You'll need a lot of self-talk to get you through the week, but work every day on it and you'll be OK> Good luck, and let us know how you're doing. We'll help you through this.

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Specializes in med-surg.

Don't give up. My last semester I went into the final with a 77 avg., we had to maintain a 74. I made 73 on the final & graduated. Now that it is all over who cares what we made. I studied all the time too but sometimes it just didn't matter. You will get there. Everyone has horror stories!

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, ER.

What do you call a nurse with a C-average in nursing school? RN!!

What do you call a doctor with a c-average in medical? MD!!

Testing only tells part of the tale regarding how good a nurse you'll make - so in that regard, don't panic.

As for studying, I liked the "Made Easy" books very much and I have nearly the whole collection. Another option I'd suggest (and what I did much of the time) is to go to MyFreeCE and other CEU sites and find the topic you need to learn. The CE articles tend to be directed towards nurses, up to date, and very concise - to me, they were invaluable.

Keep your chin up - nursing school isn't easy but it's worth it. I remember distinctly asking myself every other week "how bad do I want this?". It was bad enough that I found a way to succeed, suck up, keep my mouth shut, follow silly rules, and survive. Keep your eye on the prize!

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Specializes in LTC.
Don't give up. My last semester I went into the final with a 77 avg., we had to maintain a 74. I made 73 on the final & graduated. Now that it is all over who cares what we made. I studied all the time too but sometimes it just didn't matter. You will get there. Everyone has horror stories!

Haha, sounds similar to my situation. I am actually IN my last semster, we took our final last week, I had a 76% average going in and a 75% is needed to pass the course. I needed a 74% for the final to pass and passed the final with a 77%, wheew! This one was the toughest for me for some reason. My motivation went down the drain, i've been feeling blue lately...i'm going to see the doc on monday, i think I have SAD, i always thought that. Anyhow, to the OP, I know exactly how you feel. After I took that final I was so worried, I thought I was going to miss it by one point or something, which isn't rare. But I made it by 3 extra points, it was a close one.:uhoh3:

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Specializes in LTC.
What do you call a nurse with a C-average in nursing school? RN!!

What do you call a doctor with a c-average in medical? MD!!

Testing only tells part of the tale regarding how good a nurse you'll make - so in that regard, don't panic.

As for studying, I liked the "Made Easy" books very much and I have nearly the whole collection. Another option I'd suggest (and what I did much of the time) is to go to MyFreeCE and other CEU sites and find the topic you need to learn. The CE articles tend to be directed towards nurses, up to date, and very concise - to me, they were invaluable.

Keep your chin up - nursing school isn't easy but it's worth it. I remember distinctly asking myself every other week "how bad do I want this?". It was bad enough that I found a way to succeed, suck up, keep my mouth shut, follow silly rules, and survive. Keep your eye on the prize!

This is an excellent post, with great encouragement! I also love the made incredibly easy series.

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Well when I got up this morning, I felt better. I went to the library and studied for about 7 hours for just one chapter, Fluids and electrolytes. Made note cards, and a chart for acidois and alkalosis. I CAN DO THIS, and I will. Came home made dinner for children and started on my test for monday in Foundations. Not giving up yet.

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