Dealing with the stress of nursing school

[Potatoskins]

More of vent post.

I'm in my second semester and clinicals are rough. I have one of those professors that feels intimidation creates better nurses, but really it just creates more stress. She's wishy washy and I go in never knowing whether she'll be in a bad mood or not and it puts me on edge even more then clinicals should. Four more weeks and I move on from her. My life is a series of day to day and week by week and I tell myself that every nursing student goes through this. My boyfriend is fed up with my bad moods, but I love him so much I'd quit nursing school and live in a shack with him. I miss life being simpler. When I didn't wake up at 4am wondering if I messed something up at clinical, in my care plan, on a test. Did I pass, did I pick the right nursing diagnosis, did I hurt someone. Because I am passing meds and sticking tubes in really sick people. Four more weeks and then it's summer. I can do this.

[smf0903]

Keep on keepin' on! Sometimes you'll have teachers/instructors/preceptors that you dread seeing. You just do your work, take every opportunity to learn, and power through. It's a little snippet out of your life when you compare it to the big picture :)

"My boyfriend is fed up with my bad moods, but I love him so much I'd quit nursing school and live in a shack with him."

Learn to decompress. Yes it can be stressful. School is one of those things that you don't just leave at the door when you walk out of clinicals. Neither is being a nurse sometimes. A mistake, patient death, a thousand scenarios that will pop up in your career. Just don't chuck it because you love your boyfriend and he's tired of your mood...there are many things you may regret and I can almost guarantee if you do that it'll be pretty high up on your list

Good luck to you!

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

More of vent post.

I'm in my second semester and clinicals are rough. I have one of those professors that feels intimidation creates better nurses, but really it just creates more stress.

Intimidation does not create good nurses. You cannot take this personally. Hopefully this semester will be the last you see of her.

Unfortunately, what you describe is going to be the first year of your life when you graduate. Does your school have a counselor or some kind of assistance program or a clinic? The more successfully you manage this stress now, the happier you will be. It does get better.