afraid of failing nursing!

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I really want to become a nurse, it's been a passion of mine for a while, but my issue is I'm too afraid of failing a class and not making it through the program so it's holding me back!

I'd still have to work during nursing school because I have bills and such but every program I read advises students not to work and it's got my concerned (how do people with families and so many bills and stuff not work?)

Any suggestions

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Aspiring, I see a distinct theme in your many recent threads, and it has made me think to ask YOU some questions now.

You are asking quite a bit about what happens if you fail once, twice....what kind of tests are used in school....what are the easier courses and programs....and even about the best/easiest jobs when you graduate (maybe not 'easiest', but you definitely have a preference for 'cushy' versus 'busy', IMO). You talk a lot about wanting full-time employment, but only if you can work it around your schedule at home...you want great flexibility, but don't seem to recognize that the world of a nursing student (and new grad) is quite the opposite. You worry about how hard is math, how hard is LPN vs RN.

With all that, I'm not sure I understand your voiced "passion for nursing"? It looks like you are investigating many options for going back to school, but don't seem to be particularly understanding of what nursing actually entails. Maybe I'm wrong, but after reading so many posts by you, it's the impression you are giving me.

Given the array of questions you have, I'd strongly suggest you talk with a college nursing program advisor. Find out what, specifically, YOU would need to do, and focus on, in order to be a viable candidate for a program....and hopefully, a successful graduate.

I guess I'm seeing just so much scattered questioning, it looks like you're trying to get the information you SHOULD be getting from an academic counselor here on this website...and it's probably not your best bet.

Good luck!

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Aspiring, I see a distinct theme in your many recent threads, and it has made me think to ask YOU some questions now.

You are asking quite a bit about what happens if you fail once, twice....what kind of tests are used in school....what are the easier courses and programs....and even about the best/easiest jobs when you graduate (maybe not 'easiest', but you definitely have a preference for 'cushy' versus 'busy', IMO). You talk a lot about wanting full-time employment, but only if you can work it around your schedule at home...you want great flexibility, but don't seem to recognize that the world of a nursing student (and new grad) is quite the opposite. You worry about how hard is math, how hard is LPN vs RN.

With all that, I'm not sure I understand your voiced "passion for nursing"? It looks like you are investigating many options for going back to school, but don't seem to be particularly understanding of what nursing actually entails. Maybe I'm wrong, but after reading so many posts by you, it's the impression you are giving me.

Given the array of questions you have, I'd strongly suggest you talk with a college nursing program advisor. Find out what, specifically, YOU would need to do, and focus on, in order to be a viable candidate for a program....and hopefully, a successful graduate.

I guess I'm seeing just so much scattered questioning, it looks like you're trying to get the information you SHOULD be getting from an academic counselor here on this website...and it's probably not your best bet.

Good luck!

Yes u are interpreting it very wrong.. I'm asking all of these things because I am inquiring because I want to be a nurse but after reading some of these people's posts on here it makes me nervous. I don't want to spend money to go back to school if there's a high liklihood I'll fail.. and me wanting to be a psych nurse is not because I want a "cushy job" it's because I love mental health

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I must say, I get the same impression that RNsRWe does. It is difficult for us to gauge whether or not you are capable of "not failing" without knowing your work ethic or qualifications firsthand. The simple truth is that yes, you CAN work and go to nursing school at the same time (everyone in my BSN cohort did). But no it isn't easy, and any respectable program is going to have requirements (like staying above certain grade requirements) that make it stressful to maintain your work/school/life balance. You must enter nursing school knowing this.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Yes u are interpreting it very wrong.. I'm asking all of these things because I am inquiring because I want to be a nurse but after reading some of these people's posts on here it makes me nervous. I don't want to spend money to go back to school if there's a high liklihood I'll fail.. and me wanting to be a psych nurse is not because I want a "cushy job" it's because I love mental health

I also LOVE mental health - particularly my own :yes:

Seriously, I agree with the PP. Your questions are all over the place and you likely should pick a local program that is "doable" (commute distance, financially, etc.) and sit down with an advisor. For every question that you ask, there are likely a dozen correct answers (kinda like NCLEX questions) and you need to get some basic information that would apply to your particular situation.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Yes u are interpreting it very wrong.. I'm asking all of these things because I am inquiring because I want to be a nurse but after reading some of these people's posts on here it makes me nervous. I don't want to spend money to go back to school if there's a high liklihood I'll fail.. and me wanting to be a psych nurse is not because I want a "cushy job" it's because I love mental health
Breathe! I think you are at a crossroads and are questioning EVERYTHING!! You are making yourself anxious ((HUGS))

Just do it! You only go around once in this life. Sucess is working very hard to obtain your goals. It isn't the road blocks that define you...it's how you navigate around them that counts.

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... and me wanting to be a psych nurse is not because I want a "cushy job" it's because I love mental health

You gave this impression because you posted on June 25th, asking what med-surg was, as you had no idea. Then one day later, on June 26th, you ask about community nursing, clinic nursing, because you had no intention of working at the bedside....and later in the same thread, declared you wanted "a specialty, like psych".

And now, a day after that, you "really want to be a psych nurse". Just days after asking about LPN, online schools, etc etc...Quite a bit of leaping in a very short time.

Surely you can see where the impression comes in that you don't really want the work that goes into becoming an RN (lots of hospital clinicals, on lots of types of units, doing lots of, well, med-surg).

At any rate, I stand by my original suggestion to go talk to an academic/nursing counselor at whatever college it is most likely you would attend.

You cannot get through school if you don't attempt it, because you might fail. No one has ever succeeded that way! And no, not one single person on this website can tell you if you will fail in nursing school, or do well.....just as we can't know if you'll fail the NCLEX or pass. Life is a crapshoot!

Research your options, do some introspection, and make a decision. Then stick with it.

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Specializes in ICU.

I disagree with people who say that failing is an acceptable risk!

If you think you may be unable to balance work and school, I wouldn't recommend going to nursing school. it is perfectly reasonable to weigh the costs and benefits of doing absolutely anything at all. Yes, no risk equals no reward - but no risk also means no losses, and when we're talking about losses in the range of thousands of dollars of student loans, maybe even tens of thousands depending on what kind of program you are intending to enter, it's worth thinking twice about. IMO, following your dreams is for trust fund babies. The rest of us have to do what makes sense for us financially, and hopefully we can balance out our money with what we want.

It is possible to work and go to nursing school full time, but you have to have an extremely flexible job. Nursing school is a little more difficult to work around than many other bachelor's degree programs because in general, nursing school is NOT flexible. You can pick what days and what times you want your classes in most programs, but in nursing sometimes a class is only offered on one particular day at one particular time, and you may not get to pick what days and times you have clinicals. Even if you do have options, it may just be between two equally unattractive options, and your hours may change either every semester or may even every half semester. You may even have clinicals on weekends; it just depends, so even weekends are not a time you will be guaranteed to be able to work for pay. It makes scheduling time to work difficult, but not impossible.

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Go talk to a counselor, first and foremost. I handled a home, children and worked weekends while in school... It's doable. Hard, but doable. I went from CNA, to LPN, to ASN to BSN... I had 4 children still at home. I say go for it! But definitely talk to a counselor first... :)

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If you are passionate about Nursing , you need to try as hard as you can , and if you never take the steps to get there , you will never be able to acheive your goal, all RNs have worked their hardest and studied their longest to get the license, it's all about will power

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Specializes in None yet..

Worry is praying for something you don't want. Set your mind on the course that you must follow to reach your goal.

But first, be sure of your goal. I agree with the other posters that some career counseling would be helpful in your decision making. Also, you might consider arranging for some face-to-face investigative interviewing with students, instructors and nurses.

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After reading through all of posts in this thread, I must say that I agree with many points; notably that you are spending too much time worrying if you will fail or not. Please allow me to present my opinion as follows: the important question, as apposed to whether or not you might fail, is whether or not you are willing to put "all you've got" into your studies and the fulfillment of your dream. The majority of us have been given, by God, a level of intelligence and you are no different. Of course some have to work harder than others but, so what! Remember, fear has killed more dreams than failure ever will! If you TRULY want it, you will obtain it! Believe in yourself!

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