Discouraged, opinions please

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Hi all

I am a second semester nursing student, I just finished my 5 week maternity rotaion and LOVED it, got tons of compliments from nurses at the hospital, told by my instructor that I have unlimited potential in this field, she says it seems to be my nitch so here is my problem.

We took our Maternity test today and had 10 diagrams(in addition to 65 multiple choice questions) to label and I did HORRIBLE to the point my teacher told me that "she is disappointed in me, due to having such high expectations from me" I have not gotten my grade for the full test she just briefely looked at the diagrams. I am now completely discouraged that maybe maternity is not right for me. I am an excellent student and can hold my own in clinical(I am starting as a nurses aid this Sat to help with my clinical skills on a med/surg floor) but now I am doubting my ability to be a nurse especially an OB nurse, I feel like if I cant do well in a rotation thatt is my passion how can I be a good nurse.

any opinions?

thanks so much

Denise

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i am totally into my women's health clinical too. don't let one test ruin your passion for working on a materity floor! just relax and remind yourself why you love it so much. sometimes when i do poorly on a test, it kind of takes the pressure off of me to get a spectacular grade in a class and i end of enjoying the class and even enjoying learning the material. try to learn from the mistakes on your test so you can do better next time. from the way your tests sounds with all its diagrams and labelling, it may not be a whole lot like the NCLEX which is the test that ultimately matter the most. having good clincal skills helps a whole lot with NCLEX apparently and it's something future employers value. talk to some of the nurses on your floor who are passionate about their jobs, and i'm sure they'll give you some encouragement. they'll probably tell you they got a bad grade on a test now and then too. don't give up!

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Hi all

I am a second semester nursing student, I just finished my 5 week maternity rotaion and LOVED it, got tons of compliments from nurses at the hospital, told by my instructor that I have unlimited potential in this field, she says it seems to be my nitch so here is my problem.

We took our Maternity test today and had 10 diagrams(in addition to 65 multiple choice questions) to label and I did HORRIBLE to the point my teacher told me that "she is disappointed in me, due to having such high expectations from me" I have not gotten my grade for the full test she just briefely looked at the diagrams. I am now completely discouraged that maybe maternity is not right for me. I am an excellent student and can hold my own in clinical(I am starting as a nurses aid this Sat to help with my clinical skills on a med/surg floor) but now I am doubting my ability to be a nurse especially an OB nurse, I feel like if I cant do well in a rotation thatt is my passion how can I be a good nurse.

any opinions?

thanks so much

Denise

Dont let a bad grade get you down...well for too long that is! I had a similar experience just recently...2nd semester ADN student and had 2 days in postpartum last week...had our exam the day after (50 questions all multiple choice on a computer), and it was hard! I made a D and was floored!!! I averaged a B last semester in theory, and an A in clinical. And on top of that, I had decided I like postpartum!!! I havent "chosen" a specialty area yet as I havent been sure and still waiting to experience other rotations, but compared to med-surg... I really did like PP. ...then to get a D in the subject, made me wonder if I would do good there or not. After several cries :crying2: ... I have decided not to let it get me down, and to still keep my options open as far as specialty areas go, but I will remember I did enjoy PP! (btw...every exam, there are always a few A's floating around, and this exam covering L/D, PP, no one made an A!!!) ...was a very hard test!!

...now studing F&E!!! and being introduced to acid-base balance!! eeiik! LOL

good luck in whatever you decide to do!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

As I recall, I did much better in med-surg and pathophys than OB. Yet I am an OB nurse and have been since I graduated in 1997. Don't let this get you down or stop you. Obstacles are only those things we see when we take our eyes off the goal. You can do it!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

If nursing is what you want to do, then stick to it. If allowed a failed test to discourage me, I probably would have dropped out when I first began school.

Your competency as a future nurse is much more important than a test on which you might have performed poorly. Some of my male classmates are the best clinicians when they're performing clinical duties out on the floor; however, they perform poorly on a few tests here and there. What you learn overall is more important than the overall grade. For example, I'd rather earn B's or C's and pass NCLEX than earn A's and fail NCLEX the first time around. Some A+ students do fail NCLEX because they memorize instead of learn.

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denise,

you loved your ob rotation, got tons of compliments from nurses on the floor, your instructor told you you've got tons of potential - that is what counts!

so you didn't ace the test - big deal. would you rather get an a+ on the test and do awful on the floor?

you can learn from the mistakes on the test, but the makings of a really good nurse come from your heart, and it sounds to me like you've got plenty of that.

good luck :)

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denise,

you loved your ob rotation, got tons of compliments from nurses on the floor, your instructor told you you've got tons of potential - that is what counts!

so you didn't ace the test - big deal. would you rather get an a+ on the test and do awful on the floor?

you can learn from the mistakes on the test, but the makings of a really good nurse come from your heart, and it sounds to me like you've got plenty of that.

good luck :)

wow you girls are amazing, thanks so much, i will try and keep my head up, i truely believe i belong in ob, i just hope i make it there

thanks again

denise

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now studing F&E!!! and being introduced to acid-base balance!! eeiik! LOL

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, we learned that in Nursing 1 and MAN it was hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Denise

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one test does not make or break you in the long run...hang in there...don't give up

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Now what do you consider a horrible grade? Sometimes I find people are too hard on themselves and a 70 throws them out of whack. I'm with everyone here and agree to not let this get you down. It sounds like you have the knack for it.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I remember in nursing school when I got a 72 (failing) on a fluid/electrolyte test (1/2 of the class bombed with me). I cried and decided then and there I should quit school. Good thing it was a temporary form of insanity. Don't get yourself down. Like I said before, do not let this one obstacle get in the way of the prize.

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Hi all

I am a second semester nursing student, I just finished my 5 week maternity rotaion and LOVED it, got tons of compliments from nurses at the hospital, told by my instructor that I have unlimited potential in this field, she says it seems to be my nitch so here is my problem.

We took our Maternity test today and had 10 diagrams(in addition to 65 multiple choice questions) to label and I did HORRIBLE to the point my teacher told me that "she is disappointed in me, due to having such high expectations from me" I have not gotten my grade for the full test she just briefely looked at the diagrams. I am now completely discouraged that maybe maternity is not right for me. I am an excellent student and can hold my own in clinical(I am starting as a nurses aid this Sat to help with my clinical skills on a med/surg floor) but now I am doubting my ability to be a nurse especially an OB nurse, I feel like if I cant do well in a rotation thatt is my passion how can I be a good nurse.

any opinions?

thanks so much

Denise

The diagrams are NO indication of your future success. Don't let some instructor who hasn't been on a floor in years scare you! Just get out of school and follow your heart. You do all the important learning AFTER you graduate, no matter what the specialty!

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