Fear of Failure

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Here's the deal, I'm a first semester nursing student who is afraid of falling on his face. I've busted my butt for a year getting in, everybody I work with at the hospital is rooting for me. My family is rooting for me. I've visualized myself being a nurse for the last two years, so it seems that there is alot on the line for me. After going through the Orientations, I've realized that there is a chance that I could fall on my face. For instance, we have three opportunities to pass our Drug Calculation Exam, and Math has always been my weakness. Also, we have three chances to pass the check offs in lab, and they are Injections, Catheterizaton, dressing changes, and several more. We did adminstration of topical meds today and I learned that there is a mountain of details in just giving PO meds.

Ironically, I'm not worried about the Lecture exams, I feel confident that my reading and studying will pull me through, plus I've never really suffered test anxiety. But the dosage calculations has me scared of failing. Anybody have any tips? I really want to succeed at this....

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I start clinicals next week and the advice i hear non-stop is take it one day at a time and breath. don't worry about whats going on in three weeks, focus on the task at hand, i had to do that with advanced ap, and it worked out well. and good luck, i have the same fear you do, don't be worried!

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Specializes in LTC, Cardiac Step-Down.

I was exactly like you with being afraid of the math.

The good news is, the math isn't that complicated, and just a little tutoring is very likely to get you through this. I did very well on my dosage calc exams and I got a C in Basic Algebra. You can do this :)

Practice, practice, practice those lab skills and you'll do fine. I've never had a lab instructor that was extremely strict with the checkoffs. As long as you meet the minimum competency, you pass. It's really pretty hard to screw it up if you've practiced diligently.

Don't let your complacency with the lecture exams get you into trouble though - they'll be NCLEX style which are much tougher than your run-of-the mill questions (not to mention annoying!). I'd strongly recommend getting a nursing test taking strategy guide to help you through this first semester. It definitely takes some practice to be able to pick out the MOST right answer out of four correct answers.

I know it's overwhelming at first. Like previous poster said - just breathe and take it one day at a time.

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Specializes in Telemetry/IMC.

My advice is find a kid in your pharm class that is good with the calculations and make him/her help you study for those tests. I had a hard time with the dosage calculations, and I found that doing the workbook problems every night helps. Even if you can just get a couple in an evening, it will be beneficial. If you didn't get a workbook in class, you can get them on amazon for cheap.

I also agree with the poster that said not to get complacent about the lecture tests. I have heard that for nursing courses they are much more difficult.

Study hard and good luck!

P.S. I didn't do well with college algebra and I ended up getting really good grades on the dosage calcs. Just don't stress yourself into failing and always check your work.

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This is going to sound really weird to you right now, but by the end of the semester you will be begging for dosage calculations to be on the test, because they will be the easiest ones! :lol2:

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Do not be too worried but take it a day at a time and practice, practice. You will pull through...God has brought you this far and he is not about to leave you.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.

I picked up the book "Calculating with Confidence" by Deborah C. Gray Morris.

http://www.amazon.com/Calculate-Confidence-Fourth-Deborah-Morris/dp/0323029280

I haven't started school yet, but it was recommended on a few threads I've read. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the book and bored to tears (conversions, abbreviations, mg in pills) but I'm not sure what will be in the later parts. It went through 2 different "ways" of doing calculations (but, I seem to do fine doing them in my head). Regardless, it was a recommended book. And I'm only up to chapter 15 or so, it could pick up. =)

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To the OP: Consider yourself lucky, you have 3 attempts, my school only allows 2 and you have to get a 9/10 to pass for math, and two tries for skill checks. You have 3 attempts, if you mess up, know what you did wrong and study your butt off for the second one and get it then. I felt the same way when I started, but now I'm in too far to quit or fail. Good luck to you mate.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Ok normally I say a little bit of fear really helps you out, but at test time it can really mess with your head. But for tests, just let it slide. Know the BASIC formula and it is so easy it is not even funny. If you know the basic formula and make things simple, you will do fine. It is when you make things complicated that you start to mess up and second guess yourself.

And trust me. I was there. Worried about falling flat on my face when everyone was rooting for me and I have made it so far. Best of luck. I will give you some cheers mate!

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Specializes in ER/Ortho.

I felt just like you at the beginning of first semester. I made an A in skills, an A in clinical, A in dosage, and a C in lecture. In reality the skills lab is very stressful, but you will be fine. Those lecture tests are a monster. The people who didn't pass first semester did so because of those lecture tests, not skills lab. Its a whole new way of testing that is very difficult. I am going into semester 2, and still trying to figure it out.

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Ok...I took a dosaging class last semester. It is not a requirement of my program, but I had heard that it would be useful, rather than just learning as I go.

The thing is, the actual "math" is not all that hard. It's just understanding what to do with the numbers. The actual math part is basic algebra. I know that a lot of people get very stressed over this, and I can say that I am a little worried too (mostly because I worry about, well, everything), but it's not as hard as you may think and there is a lot of common sense too.

If you complete a calculation and according to what you did, the patient would receive 8 tablets of a drug - it's probably wrong. Typically patients receive 1 to 2 tablets when it's an oral med. If you get more than 2ml on an IM injection, look it over again. IM injections are not typically more than 2ml because that would involve multiple syringes and injection sites. A lot of this will just come to you as you learn things and become common sense.

Try not to worry too much. FInd someone to study with and ask your instructors if you feel that you need extra help with any of the concepts....that is what they are there for!

Good Luck!! :D

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I can truly say that I think there is an amount of fear every semester. I am beginning my second semester of Nursing School and felt just like you did last semester.

My advice is not to be too sure about those lecture tests. Chances are, the first one will knock you on your rumpus. No matter how much you read. It just takes getting used to the NCLEX style questioning. All in all though, I missed a 4.0 by 3 little points last semester! Ended up with all A's and one B, which I felt very good about.

I'm sure you'll do fine. Honestly, it takes discipline, but none of it is rocket science. Stay on top of your work, volunteer to get in there, roll up your sleeves, enjoy learning, and don't fall behind.

And don't be afraid to purchase those recommended books if you think you'll use them. In every other class I've ever taken (previous BA and Masters), I never bothered with the recommendeds. Nursing is a whole different ball game. I'm not saying buy every one, but that is the first place to look if you need those additional resources.

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