What are you most worried about in regards to starting nursing school??

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I'm a junior in a university BSN program. I remember last summer I was very anxious to start and I had a lot of questions.

Post your concerns and maybe we can help!

Im not worried just a lil nervous about failing i guess because ive failed before & it wasnt a good feeling at all & it was my fault because i wasnt ready & i had a lot of stuff going on & wasnt putting in the time i needed to study.

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I am scared that getting into nursing school will always just be a light at the end of the tunnel that I will never reach...

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I'm afraid of failure and not being smart enough. I worry that I won't be able to retain anything and that I will be a clueless student and possibly nurse. But this makes me want to try even harder!

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I'm worried about my ability to travel to clinicals. I don't have a car....

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I'm afraid of failing. I haven't applied yet but will for next fall '13. I do have to work full time and my daughter will be 1 1/2 when I start. I really want this so I hope I can do it. I'm getting all my sciences and extra classes out of the way now so it will just be nursing classes.

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Specializes in Allergy/Immunology.
I'm worried about my ability to travel to clinicals. I don't have a car....
Can you make friends & carpool?
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Specializes in Allergy/Immunology.

Thank you!

I am scared of the unknown. I don't know anyone personally, who has gone through the school I'm going to. I wish I knew what to expect. Based on some stories of school, instructors & other nurses on here, I'm pretty scared.

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Dosage Calculations and reading 5 chapters in 2 days. I'm still preparing myself by reading before school starts in 10 days.

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Yes!! We have to know basic calculations by the time we go to orientation. :no:

Define basic calculations. I heard from a current student we will have to take a math exam on orientation day for my bsn program. ANy information about that you may know. What to expect?

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Looking through the pictures in my med surg book, I'm afraid of being shocked. It'll be the first time I see a lot of this stuff in person and while I hope to keep a cool exterior, I'm just afraid of having a negative reaction. I would hate to make someone feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. So I have to be mindful of about myself. I hope it gets better with exposure and time.

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Specializes in ..
I know that nursing school is not going to be easy. I know that we will have to get dirty and do things we have never done before, but when we begin clinicals will we be put into situations where life and death are a possibility? Like if someone crashes, as students, would we just sit back and watch the professionals do the work, or will we be having to make the right choices then and there to keep this person alive?

I was just curious as to what we will be doing, specifically, while at a clinical site?

Clinicals sites are chosen by the school, and specific assignments are very carefully chosen by the instructors. Nursing students' first rotations are typically non-complicated patients who are fairly healthy (considering they are hospitalized!) It's a gradual process of learning how to interview patients, obtain their health histories, do some basic patient teaching, help with hygiene, etc; as you learn more and gain more experience your role will expand to dressing changes, inserting urinary catheters, NG tubes and starting IVs. Before you graduate, you'll probably do a rotations in peds, cardiac care, labor and delivery and critical care.

You should NEVER be on your own to make life and death decisions, after all, you're a student and you're learning, so you'd have no idea what to do. When you're doing any procedure for the first time your instructor or the staff nurse will be with you, and they may be with you the second or third time, too, or until you've gained confidence. Even when you're a new nurse, you should have a transition period where you are given more responsibility as you become more competent.

If, in the extremely unlikely possibility that you do have a crashing patient on your hands, you should not respond in any way outside your ability and skill level. Your first duty is to seek help. Don't push the call button, don't pick up the phone--open the patient's door and yell, "I need help!" Others will come running. Don't even try to start CPR until you alert others. You'll never see so much activity and well-practiced efficiency as when you see a code--each staff member has a role and they know it well.

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Specializes in hospice.

Need motivation? Watch the movie "Rudy". When I was in school and got down thinking I couldnt do this anymore, I would watch this movie, which is a true story, and the challenges he faced and worked through, gave the motivation I needed to keep going.

I think I watched that movie at least 2-3 times a week sometimes. It made me cry everytime I watched it, and just talking about it would start the water works, but it is so inspiring... I highy recommend it!!!

Also listen to Zig Ziglar, he is a motivational speaker, very funny and effective.

And never forget.... YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

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