feeling like i'm not gonna be able to make it

[sfaithj]

Short version: I'm having major problems in clinical and Patho. If you've had problems in these areas and resolved them, please comment with suggestions and guidance on how I can improve.

Long version:

Backstory: My 1 year Bachelor in Nursing program started 2 months ago. We are mid-way through clinical and classes at this point, for this semester. Between being in class, studying, clinical and completing care plans, I'm already doing 12 hr days, everyday, including weekends.

Today, my clinical instructor decided to put me on academic warning. This came as a shock to me. She had told me last week that she was disappointed in my performance that day, however, she did not indicate that she was close to putting me on academic warning. I'm trying really hard in clinical, and, of course, I cried my eyes out. I have to go to open skills lab every week now, because of this, which is fine, even though it cuts into the very limited amount of time I have to study.

The other issue is that I'm not passing Patho. I am studying, but the concepts are very challenging for me so far. I've already met with this professor to figure out ways I can bump my grade up. We have our final exam in skills lab coming up and I don't feel prepared at all. It's just too much, too fast, too soon. I don't know if I'll able to pass this semester.

Has anyone been in my same boat with clinical or Patho? How were you able to resolve the issues?

[llg, PhD, RN]

I hate to say this, but you should give serious consideration to ALL of your options -- including the possibility of withdrawing from your program and finding one that moves at a slower pace. I am always skeptical of those 1-year programs. There are good reasons why most nursing schools take 2 full time years to teach that content. Some people manage to do OK with the material crammed into one "over-loaded" year, but I believe they are not a good for the majority of learners. Most people can't absorb that much information so quickly -- and can't master so many skills that quickly. Most people need time to digest material A before moving on to material B.

If your program is not well-suited to your learning needs, it may be better (and cheaper) to withdraw rather than to get F's on your transcript that will follow you forever. You could apply to another school and explain the withdrawals honestly by saying that the accellerated pace was too fast for you and did not give you the opportunity to learn anything in-depth to an appropriate degree.

If you decide to stay in your current program, you need to keep steady communication with your faculty -- see if the school offers any tutoring assistance, etc. and pretty much give up everything else in your life for the remainder of the program.

Regardless of what you decide, I wish you the best of luck.

llg, PhD, RN-BC

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

^^ THIS.

And whatever you do and wherever you do it, spend a lot of time conferring with faculty. Drop in every week just to check in and make sure things are going the way you hope they are. Don't wait until you get blindsided by a warning. (And hey, it's a warning, not a death sentence. That's why we have warnings. And they are often your first ... warning.)

GrnTea MN, RN-BC and a buncha other stuff

[sfaithj]

I hate to say this, but you should give serious consideration to ALL of your options -- including the possibility of withdrawing from your program and finding one that moves at a slower pace. I am always skeptical of those 1-year programs. There are good reasons why most nursing schools take 2 full time years to teach that content. Some people manage to do OK with the material crammed into one "over-loaded" year, but I believe they are not a good for the majority of learners. Most people can't absorb that much information so quickly -- and can't master so many skills that quickly. Most people need time to digest material A before moving on to material B.

If your program is not well-suited to your learning needs, it may be better (and cheaper) to withdraw rather than to get F's on your transcript that will follow you forever. You could apply to another school and explain the withdrawals honestly by saying that the accellerated pace was too fast for you and did not give you the opportunity to learn anything in-depth to an appropriate degree.

If you decide to stay in your current program, you need to keep steady communication with your faculty -- see if the school offers any tutoring assistance, etc. and pretty much give up everything else in your life for the remainder of the program.

Regardless of what you decide, I wish you the best of luck.

llg, PhD, RN-BC

Thank you for your response. I def have been thinking about alternative paths to where I want to get. If I fail one class this semester, I can still stay in the program, but need to repete. That essentially means that my program becomes 16 months long instead of 12 months. I am trying to keep communication between my professors. I had no idea how hard and fast a 1 year program was going to be. If I had known, I would have never applied to a 12 month program. But, hindsight is 20/20.

[sfaithj]

^^ THIS.

And whatever you do and wherever you do it, spend a lot of time conferring with faculty. Drop in every week just to check in and make sure things are going the way you hope they are. Don't wait until you get blindsided by a warning. (And hey, it's a warning, not a death sentence. That's why we have warnings. And they are often your first ... warning.)

GrnTea MN, RN-BC and a buncha other stuff

For my clinical site (one of the academic warnings), I'm going to meet with the clinical instructor next week to go over my mid term eval. During that eval, I'm going to request that her and I meet for 10 mins after every clinical day, so she can evaluate my performance for that day. I dont want any more "surprises" from her. As for patho, if I don't get a 79 on the test this fri, I'm going to meet with that professor again to re-stategize. Thanks for your response.

[Caribbean Character]

Is this an RN to BSN program? If not, I have no understanding of how you achieve a 4 year program in 1 year.

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

It's an ABSN from my understanding.

[nybsn14]

i am in the 12 month accelerated program as well, and I also, would not have done this program had I know how busy and crazy intense it was. Go ahead call me naive, yes I did expect it to be busy, but I didn't expect to have crying spells and stress attacks on a weekly basis. Sometimes I can't believe they even allow a 12 months program - it's just too much in too short amount a time to really learn anything. I feel completely unprepared for the real world. So, I'm there with you...I'm passing everything but definitely don't have all As anymore.