Am I going to suck as a nurse?

HappyWife77, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2014

Don't put stock in opinions of strangers who don't even know what your going thru.

Nursing school is a beast, passing is what is required, and you can pass with a C.

You are allowed to take classes over as far that goes.

I think every single student and nurse has felt and questioned the decision to become a nurse because it's tough but please hang in there and keep on trying.

Raviepoo · Nov 18, 2014

Don't put stock in opinions of strangers who don't even know what your going thru.

That is some really good advice. You have stated that nursing is what you really want to do. You may be struggling with some of the academics. Lots of people struggle. Do you know enough to ask questions when you don't know something? Are you safe in your practice? That is what is really important.

Don't let the tutor's question get to you. If you were asking yourself the same question I would have a different response. But you're not. Your answer to the question, "Are you sure this is what you really want to do?" is "Yes." So do it. Pass your classes. Pass the NCLEX. Find a niche where you can be effective as a nurse.

RunBabyRN · Nov 18, 2014

You don't have to be a straight-A student to be a great nurse. Do you feel like your program is supportive, or do they set you up for failure? What kind of school is this? If nursing is what you want to do, stick with it. Re-examine what you've been doing, and see where you have room for improvement. Are there any classmates you can get together with to study and work on stuff? Sometimes seeing what others are doing can help you to see things that do or do not work for you, and the exchange of ideas can be insightful.

I agree that being safe is #1. As long as you know your capabilities and where you are able to be safe on your own and when to ask for help, you'll be okay. :)

zeus&lincoln · Nov 18, 2014

Nursing school is far different than real world nursing. Being a good nursing student doesn't always translate to being a good bedside nurse. In my opinion a good orientation is necessary to make anyone a good nurse on a particular floor. As far as nursing school goes do the best you can...pay attention in lectures, study,study and study some more and in clinicals act like a sponge, ask tons of questions and absorb all you can. Best of luck to you.

Julie Reyes, DNP, RN · Nov 18, 2014

I love what HappyWife said about not putting stock in what others think. I did that from what someone told me in high school and because of that, I didn't achieve my goals until I was in my 40's! I just believed that what other people thought of me was true - and guess what - it is NOT. Only you have what it takes to make others eat their words. Figure out where your difficulty lies - is it in grasping concepts? Maybe you need to review pathophysiology. Is it drug calculations? Is it skills? What is the class that you are having difficulty in? Maybe you can take a lighter load in the next semester so that you can focus on your studies - to really hone in on them so that you can grasp the concepts.

Seriously, nursing school is a crap shoot! You have so much to learn in such a short time. If you can get a good foundation, get the basics, you can build on that.

Keep us posted on how things go! Best of luck!

S2B2014 · Nov 18, 2014

I've had fellow students make comments to me throughout nursing school that have made me question myself at times. And I have struggled with a class (barely passed), but I knew how badly I wanted this and kept working. Now, there's only 3 exams left between me and walking across that stage so DON'T give up. You have to make sacrifices and prioritize and decide how badly you want this. You don't have to make all A's to be a good nurse, I know students who have really high GPA's but aren't good with patients at all. Do practice questions, study a ton, focus on what's important, but also take care of yourself by getting sleep, working out, and eating healthy. You can do this.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2014

Hugs!! I love what you said here--

I've been really responsible about getting help, though.

You recognize you're having difficulty and are taking the steps you need to remedy that difficulty.

Through much of my 2nd year (I'm an ADN) I struggled with clinicals. I did great on the written work--mostly A's, some B's--but when it came to clinical I was completely scatterbrained. In fact, my instructor for advanced nursing wasn't sure she should pass me, but agreed to if I selected one of the med-surg floors to do my final practicum on, since that would give me more practice with organization. (I don't think I've shared that on AN, that I almost didn't pass my Advanced clinical hehe!)

Well, soon after this conversation w/ my instructor, it all started to click. I finished Advanced and did my practicum on med-tele, building up to a full patient load in the first couple of weeks with my preceptor there as a backup. Now I work in one of the highest acuity ICUs in my state.

I say all that to give you some reassurance that just because you're struggling now, doesn't mean you won't get it. It doesn't mean you won't be a great nurse. Keep your head down, stay focused, and stay positive. Keep your heart in it, just like it is now. You'll get there!