Scared To Start Nursing School

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Hello...I will be starting my first semester of nursing school in August. While I'm THRILLED and ready to jump in with both feet, I'm scared to death! I think I'm scared of the "unknown" as it's different than other majors. Has anyone else dealt with this fear and how did you handle it? :chair:

Thank you!!!

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Specializes in Palliative Care, NICU/NNP.

Of course you're thrilled and scared...normal. It is a different field of study but it can be very exciting. I enjoyed nursing school and all that I learned. It was hard work but not impossible. Take good notes, listen well, work hard and know that any new thing is the unknown. Best.

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Specializes in Neuro.

Hi Mustang,

I can't answer your question, I am on here for moral support!! I too start nursing school in August, and since orientation for me isn't until the week before school starts, I am totally unsure about anything!! I am so excited, yet at the same time, so scared!! :uhoh21: I did fine with my pre reqs and got through them with no problems, being an insecure 38 year old, but nursing school is different. Pretty much the only way to get kicked out of regular classes is continued cheating or disruption, and in NS, one mistake will get you canned, or failing the semester by .1 point!! Gosh, I know that I can do it, but the fear of the unknown is killing me!!! Good luck to you~

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Oncology.

Hi Sally,

I felt the same way, and I am still scared! I can probably exhale once this is over. I heard in the "real nursing world" it isn't as hard as the nursing program, because we are all taught the long way. It is exciting, fun, rewarding!! In first semester you start passing medications, and IV therapy. We started off in a skilled nursing facility with geriatric patients, and later moved to a Medical-Surgical floor at a hospital! Once I got to the hospital, I felt this joy come over me like, "this is what I really want to do"!! It is fun, and there are scary times, and times you run around with your head is off, but I guarantee, if your heart is in it, you will excel at it!! Good luck and keep me posted on your progess! I am entering 2nd semester, granted that I pass all my classes. I am in a nursing program in California. Where are you from?

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Thank you so much for your support! It's nice to know I'm not the only chicken out there! I have a 4.0 in my pre-req's and supporting classes so at least I'm going into it on a positive note. Good Luck to all of you.

Giraffe: I'm in the Dallas area!

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Have confidence and believe in yourself. Do not allowed what other people say to scare you. Start with a positive attitude, that you will make it.

My concept....."failing is not an option" and I am standing my it.

Just completed my first year of nursing school with excellent grades. During the summer, I will start reading.

Determination is key to success

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Specializes in NICU.

If you ever have an instructor that is just negative all the time and none of the students can do anything right (or even if you are the only one being pointed at by him/her) DON'T LET IT BOTHER YOU. Take the criticism & fix it rather than fall apart. I saw this with different people in our first semester. One girl got a ton of negativity from our instructor & wound up quitting....she would have made an EXCELLENT nurse.... I found out yesterday she changed programs and will be graduating from nursing school in December and in my opinion she's gonna be fantastic. When this happened to me that 1st semester with that instructor, I never let her see me cry. I'd go home, fall apart, and then figure out how to prove her wrong and excel in whatever she said I wasn't doing right. At the end of the semester she FINALLY said, "you did a really great job." No positive feedback the whole semester and then all the sudden....that was cool. Sorry so long, basically just wanted to say don't let anyone discourage you if this is really what you want to be doing because in the end, you'll be just fine. & Always remeber to have fun....it makes a world of difference.

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I can relate I will be starting in july. And I'm still wondering if I'm doing the right thing. Not because I don't want to be there. But, because my spelling is awful!!! Good luck to all...

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Like a lot of others said, it will be hard and will become your life for the duration of the program but it is do-able. It is not impossible if you really dedicate yourself. Nursing school is like boot camp for your mind but all the hard work and knowledge will give you confidence when you graduate and are on the floor. I am just about finishing my first year of nursing school (my final's on Tuesday) and I can totally remember the feeling you're feeling. A positive attitude is definitely half the battle. I didn't know how I would do it (I work full time) and here I am with great grades and just 1 year left. Stay positive and focused and you'll be fine. Good luck!!!

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Specializes in Med Surg - yes, it's a specialty.

Take a little time before school starts and think on WHY you want to go. Come up with a mantra of sorts. Your own little motto. When nursing school is bad (and some days it is) you repeat your little motto. Repeat as necessary. Sometimes may turn into a neurotic compulsive chant. One of my mottos was related to a nurse I knew who is not very bright book wise or street wise. I told myself "If she can I know I can." I also told myself "You want to work as an office clerk for the next 20 years or do you want to commit to 2 years of this?"

Remember the milestones. First day at the hospital in your crisp nursing student uniform. First pt question you could answer without looking it up. First time a pt thanks you. That funny episode where you got suction kit instead of a foley kit? Embarassing, yes, funny yes. Your first successful IV start.

Remember, in nursing school you learn all 900 steps to a procedure. In reality all 900 take 5 minutes, you skip 300 of them, combine 300 of them, delegate 200 of them, and do the rest yourself. It won't be such a major task in the real world. And most of those procedures - once you do it or see it done - you go "OH, that's all there was to that?"

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All of you made me feel much better...I start in september and I am so excited and nervous ;o) I cant wait!!!!!!!!

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I think we are all a little scared. Use this time to focus on things you think might hit in nursing school.

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