Can I be a nurse? Advice will be HIGHLY appreciated!! :)

[kay_030912]

I desperately want to be a nurse, I feel as if it is the only career that would make me feel happy and fulfilled, but I constantly second-guess my intelligence. I slacked off my freshman and sophomore years in high school, so my grades weren't too hot. But I kicked my tail in gear my junior and senior years and did pretty good! (All A's and B's) I took nursing classes in high school, which just taught pretty basic medical terminology, first aid/cpr, etc. I did AMAZING! And my teacher, a retired R.N. told me that "she would kick my butt if I didn't pursue my nursing dreams". My main concern in nursing school is the math. The best I ever did in high school was a final grade of 80 in math and that was a real struggle for me. Math has ALWAYS been a very weak area for me. But, I have always excelled in all other areas, especially science. My main question for all of you is this: Has anyone else not done so great in high school, but still made it into and through nursing school? Can math be a weak point for someone wanting to be a nurse? Do you have to be a genius to be a nurse?

Thank you so much for reading! :)

[missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN]

Nursing math is easy. I majored in English my first time going through college simply so I didn't have to do math. Nursing math: easy.

Try this website and see if it helps you, but don't let math be the reason you don't pursue Nursing. If you can balance a checkbook, handle chemistry, plug numbers into a formula, you can do this!

DosageHelp.com - Helping Nursing Students Learn Dosage Calculations

[loriangel14, RN]

No you don't have to be a genius. With hard work and perseverance you can succeed. Yes you will need to be able to do the math but it's not really that difficult. Plus there us usually extra help to be had through the school. Mine had tutors available.Once you get there your teacher should be able to guide you to the resources available.

[sunshine&shots]

I have the exact same problem. I was diagnosed with Dyscalculia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Looking forward to reading everyones inputs.

I also messed up my freshman sophomore year. I am looking at nursing calculation books online, just waiting for a little extra cash to purchase. Good luck :)

[USMrn28]

I haven't found dosage calculations difficult thus far and have heard from our nursing students that the math they do is not difficult. However, your prerequisite math probably will be and those grades matter to even be accepted into nursing school. At my school, Chemistry was almost entirely math and applied formulas to complicated word problems. Of course, Algebra and Statistics were both also prerequisite requirements. I do not like math but I've realized it was more of a fear of word problems than being incapable of it.

[GoodnessFlows]

You can do it! Too often we are quick to say that we can't do math well. I too told myself the same thing. I started in pre-algebra, and worked through beginning algebra, intermediate algebra, and stats. I received A's is all courses. Bottom line, it boiled down to the effort I was willing to put in outside of class to figure it out. That meant I went to the math lab, hired a tutor, worked w/peer tutors, and used youtube constantly. We believe we are supposed to *get it* right away, in fact immediately, and if we don't there is a problem, but that is not true. I now know that learning can involve a bit of a struggle from time to time, and that is okay. The times that I had to sit with a new concept or theory for a bit is when I learned the most! Often times, I would leave class with about 70% knowledge of what I had learned, and from there I took it upon myself to fill in the gaps by utilizing the resources I mentioned above.

Stop saying you can't. You can. You may have to work harder than other's, but that is okay. Seek help, search for answers, and give it your best effort.

[RunBabyRN]

You can do it! The nice thing with college math is that you are placed based on your current abilities, so you're set up for success. Nursing math is pretty simple, once it clicks. I waited for YEARS to take college math, because it was my weak spot in high school, but when I did it, it was FAR less stressful than I'd made it out to be, and I got As in all of my math classes.

Don't focus on high school. That's behind you now. Your motivation is different now. Stay positive, stay on top of your schoolwork (because you DO need good grades to get into nursing school), find the study habits that work for you, and charge on!

[ghost43]

Most colleges offer tutoring, some are free. Sign up with a tutor your first week of college math so you don't get behind. You can do it.

[Boogitybooboo]

I think nursing math is a little different than an average high school math course. Because it actually interests me cause it's something I'll actually use on a daily basis in life! I realized this when studying for the dosage calculations test. You can't knock it until you try it! Regarding the math course you are required to take for your school: Like "RunBabyRun" stated, you are placed in your college math course based on your current abilities. :)

[kenya1005]

You can do it! Just take advantage of all the things your college offers... we have a tutor lab that you don't even need an appointment for... there is an always a math tutor there. You can also set up appointments with your instructors, etc. I used to be embarrassed or feel like I was in the way doing those things, but my advisor put it this way: you pay for these services. Tuition is so high so that they can offer these things!