So I will be starting nursing school this fall 2011, and I just can't stop thinking about it! I have so many emotions all over my mind. I'm so happy I got accepted into my first choice college.
In pre reqs, I have maintained a GPA of 3.85. I am by no means the "smartest" or the "brightest" but when I study and give it my 110% I do very well.
After reading few posts on allnurses.com I get a feeling that nursing school is not like the pre reqs at all, its very intense. The exam format it also requires "critical thinking", where its not about the facts but using acquired knowledge in real life scenarios.
When i start thinking about nursing school, my heart literally starts racing...My biggest nightmare is flunking out of nursing school. Its like, I want it soo bad and willing to give my life to nursing school. Just the though of failing scares me.
Are my emotions normal? Do most new nursing students fear it as much as I am??? Can you share some tips for the newcomers?
I'm extremely nervous as well. I got my acceptance letter yesterday and Its kind of bittersweet you know?
I'm super excited to be starting a new chapter in my life, but extremely nervous as to how everything is going to be. I'm hoping to do A&PII and Micro this summer through CCCOnline to get that over with and save me a LOT of time when i start my program in the fall.
I went to University of Phoenix Online and got my Associates degree, and currently i'm attending a local university finishing some other pre-req's. So i have some diversity in classes that I have dealt with and work load (As i do work over 20 hrs a week around 4 classes this semester) I also have a husband, but we live with my folks until we move NEXT fall.
Univ. of Phoenix classes were VERY difficult in the workload, a 2000-2500 word essay, 2 discussion questions 500 words each and 4 substantive responses twice a week every week for 2 years was VERY stressful and I wanted to give up at one point because of it. I wasn't very good with time management then, and even now i'm not good with time management but I'm going to sit down this summer and get a plan in place for this...its to important not too!!
The biggest hurdle I have to face is working around my nursing classes. Although I am EXTREMELY flexible in hours i can work (any day of the week from 8am-10pm, except on sunday where its shortened to 5pm) its the idea that I also have to fit in studying and other things with this....Plus I'm a dog groomer with clients who depend on me and a work place that depends on me as i am the only groomer there, so im obligated to work a certain amount to not only make money (with gas prices the way they are now!!!) but to help everyone that depends on me..
I just have those normal fears, but hopefully everything is going to work out for the best...
First off, congratulations to all of you who got accepted! That's great! This is an amazing opportunity, and you've earned it! There are few things more relieving than receiving that wonderful letter, one of them being a passing NCLEX grade, but that's too far ahead right now to worry about.
I don't know any nursing student or nurse that hasn't felt what you're feeling now, we've all been there. Although I am only finishing my second semester, I was where you are at just a year ago. You have that extreme happiness and that smile that just won't go away, and the excitement of actually starting the program. All of the preparations and summer classes, and orientations you'll be going to are new and exciting. As well as all of the great and wonderful feelings, you have some negative feelings as well. Maybe some apprehension and anxiety. These are all normal feelings!
Nursing school is unlike anything you've ever done, good and bad. It isn't this nightmare that everyone seems to make it look like. True, the posts you read about the nightmares (guilty) are posted in times of stress, but you do look back on those times and realize that they weren't usually as bad as they seemed. It is a lot of hard work, and you will have a lot of time commitments, but you'll learn how to manage your time very quickly.
The first few weeks to a month of the first semester will likely be the hardest for you, as you're getting used to the new way of doing things, but it gets easier as you get into the hang of things. If you have something like Summer Institute orientation during the summer, get to know some of your classmates. Get what you can get done ahead of time, and enjoy your free time until then!
I think it's hard a lot for different reasons. First, it is different then other classes so I think thats why a lot of people struggle but you just have to go with the flow. I started by trying to study for it as I had for a class like a and p but you can't you have to figure out how to make yourself understand the material and then it's much easier. The other reason is because some schools just purposely make their program like that. I'm in a BSN program where all classes are upper division classes yet I know many students from the cc by me that takes in 250 students a year but literally sets up their students to fail and graduate about 50 of those 250. On the other hand at my University where they take 60 a year and have higher classes lose only a few. So I think has more to do with your school then study habits.
WELCOME TO HELL!!! Hard to explain what nursing schools are. You need to experience it yourself. I was told that after I finish I will never regret. But finding a first job is hard, because everyone wants experienced nurse and you are grad. On a job someone wants to report you for everything, just because you are new and they are experienced. Real senior nurses who share experience are very rare. Nursing culture is unfriendly because people work under enormous amount of stress, fearful to loose license. My advice: try to keep your job while at school. It will lower your grades and makes you very tired and unhappy. But you will have chance to survive nursing school
I honestly believe that your time training (I don't know how long it is for you, in Ireland it's 4 years) is made so much easier if you know that you really want to be there. If you're interested in what you're doing, the work doesn't seem so overwhelming because you know you're working towards something that you really love. Give it all you've got, and good luck! :)
I will be starting in the fall as well. My first thought when I recovered from the excitement of getting my acceptance letter was "now what?" My whole focus to this point had been working on getting in and I wasn't functioning on what I do next. My sister-in-law is graduating (today!) with her doctorate in nursing and told me she felt the same. She reminded me that when school gets hard and all you can think about is how easy it would be to give up, you have to remember that you chose this. You are working your tail off to be what you want to be and help people. Nursing school will eventually end and you will have a career that can last you the rest of your life.
My only suggestion is start studying the patho for different diseases now, buy a nclex prep book and start practicing the questions now, get your textbook as early as possible and get ahead on the reading. Practice taking tests over and over..especially select all that apply kind of questions. Good Luck and Congrats on getting in to the program!
Thank you all for such amazing advices and insight.. It really helps hearing suggestions from students in the nursing program or the ones that completed it.
Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.
I had a mini breakdown myself the day after I went to the info session for those who got accepted into our BSN program. I called my husband freaking out. It was a matter of it suddenly being very real. I have spent 3 years getting to that point and here it was. All the doubts come rushing in. I too have a high GPA but dismissed it thinking maybe it was how I did my classes, that maybe they were ALL easier than everyone else's. How on earth will I do in NURSING CLASSES?!?
My husband gave me some great advice. After lifting up my spirits and complimenting me on getting this far he reminded me. "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time" He told me to take it day by day, do my best and actually enjoy myself. He reminded me of one thing that I keep forgetting to do.... "don't be so hard on yourself" he said. I love my husband!
When I get stressed I just remember his pep talk. I take out my virtual knife and fork, look the elephant in the eye and tell it "Watch out Dumbo, because I'm HUNGRY!!"
Fearful, excited, and nervous... Yep! That about sums it up! I'm starting the nursing program this fall too... I am SO excited! I joined Allnurses just to try and get a glimpse of what it's like to be a nurse. These threads are so interesting, and I really feel the mixed responses help ground my "romantic" view of being a nurse.
I think my nervousness stems from the fact that the style of testing will be so much different than the types of tests I'm used to taking. I mean, now knowing the facts isn't enough... You have to be able to apply them to alternate situations that will all be slightly different, and your decisions can either help someone or cost them their lives! Talk about pressure! =)
Being nervous is normal! That means you really WANT this! Good luck to you!
I will be done with my program in December and I felt exactly the same way as you. I found it to be extremely overwhelming in the very beginning with all of the information they throw at you. But as time went on it got easier to manage my time and figure out what I needed to do to pass. I work full time as well and I was still able to juggle my time.
I agree that nursing school is "hard", but once you get the hang of it, it doesn't seem as bad. You do start to see that light at the end of the tunnel. What stresses me out the most is other people's comments about how they are freaking out! And the instructors who talk so negatively and make you doubt yourself. But once I learned to tune those people out it got a lot easier
Just take it one day at a time....before you know it you will be done! Good luck :)
I had a mini breakdown myself the day after I went to the info session for those who got accepted into our BSN program. I called my husband freaking out. It was a matter of it suddenly being very real. I have spent 3 years getting to that point and here it was. All the doubts come rushing in. I too have a high GPA but dismissed it thinking maybe it was how I did my classes, that maybe they were ALL easier than everyone else's. How on earth will I do in NURSING CLASSES?!?
My husband gave me some great advice. After lifting up my spirits and complimenting me on getting this far he reminded me. "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time" He told me to take it day by day, do my best and actually enjoy myself. He reminded me of one thing that I keep forgetting to do.... "don't be so hard on yourself" he said. I love my husband!
When I get stressed I just remember his pep talk. I take out my virtual knife and fork, look the elephant in the eye and tell it "Watch out Dumbo, because I'm HUNGRY!!"
awww your husband gave you the best advice. I am going to write that down so I do not forget :) Thank you for sharing.
My husband is very supportive as well, and gives me courage daily, because of him, I got through all my pre reqs, his motivation is part of my success.
There are few things more relieving than receiving that wonderful letter, one of them being a passing NCLEX grade, but that's too far ahead right now to worry about.
GamerGirL337
136 Posts
I'm extremely nervous as well. I got my acceptance letter yesterday and Its kind of bittersweet you know?
I'm super excited to be starting a new chapter in my life, but extremely nervous as to how everything is going to be. I'm hoping to do A&PII and Micro this summer through CCCOnline to get that over with and save me a LOT of time when i start my program in the fall.
I went to University of Phoenix Online and got my Associates degree, and currently i'm attending a local university finishing some other pre-req's. So i have some diversity in classes that I have dealt with and work load (As i do work over 20 hrs a week around 4 classes this semester) I also have a husband, but we live with my folks until we move NEXT fall.
Univ. of Phoenix classes were VERY difficult in the workload, a 2000-2500 word essay, 2 discussion questions 500 words each and 4 substantive responses twice a week every week for 2 years was VERY stressful and I wanted to give up at one point because of it. I wasn't very good with time management then, and even now i'm not good with time management but I'm going to sit down this summer and get a plan in place for this...its to important not too!!
The biggest hurdle I have to face is working around my nursing classes. Although I am EXTREMELY flexible in hours i can work (any day of the week from 8am-10pm, except on sunday where its shortened to 5pm) its the idea that I also have to fit in studying and other things with this....Plus I'm a dog groomer with clients who depend on me and a work place that depends on me as i am the only groomer there, so im obligated to work a certain amount to not only make money (with gas prices the way they are now!!!) but to help everyone that depends on me..
I just have those normal fears, but hopefully everything is going to work out for the best...