Feeling a little overwhelmed and discouraged...

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Hi everyone

I start my last semester of nursing school in January, and I'm very excited to graduate in May.

Yesterday was my first day as a nurse extern at a small hospital in my area. I used to work as an extern at a very large trauma center in our area, but I was unhappy so I left and came to the hospital I now work at.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. I shadowed a very knowledgeable LPN, but as the doctors put in and and removed medications during the morning med pass, I couldn't help but think...oh my gawd, can I do this? Am I cut out for this? How will I learn how to deal with this once I'm a nurse? How will I develop the necessary time management skills? I'm sure these thoughts are completely normal, but they are definitely scary.

I also overheard a nurse say yesterday that students who do well in nursing school typically don't do well on the floor, and that doing well in school and being competent are two different things. I totally get that, but I think it's a little catty and I'm not sure if this was her attempt to make herself feel better or what...but this isn't the only time I've heard it. Kinda shocking, especially since she was around myself and another extern when she said it during a conversation with someone else.

Any advice about any of this?

Thanks everyone!!

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I get it - you are scared. As you pointed out yourself, it is rather normal to feel "unprepared" as your graduation date quickly approaches and the time for job hunting is about to begin. No matter how good you are in school, I do believe that the most you will learn as you get to work as a newly licensed RN. You will be bound to making mistakes, and that is ok: this is how people learn. All you have to do is to keep faith in yourself and your abilities to do well. And as far as that nurse you were shadowing, she can blah-blah all she wants. What she or anyone else says should not matter to you. What you think of yourself and your abilities should matter. So, now that you are almost at the finish line, enjoy the last few months of this nursing school life before you transition to practice.

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Specializes in Nephrology Home Therapies, Wound Care, Foot Care..

First of all, there will always be those people who need to make YOU feel bad in order to feel better about themselves. Ignore them, and recognize that you are a better person than they are. It's not true. I'm at the top of my class and am continually told what a natural I am with patients. Secondly, school prepares us to pass the NCLEX and not kill anyone in our care straight off. Everything else we learn on the job. And just like in nursing school, you understood a lecture that talked about calcium channels, because you took physio and chem- you'll understand what you learn as a new grad, because you went to nursing school. The end of school is just the beginning of our training as nurses.

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I get it - you are scared. As you pointed out yourself, it is rather normal to feel "unprepared" as your graduation date quickly approaches and the time for job hunting is about to begin. No matter how good you are in school, I do believe that the most you will learn as you get to work as a newly licensed RN. You will be bound to making mistakes, and that is ok: this is how people learn. All you have to do is to keep faith in yourself and your abilities to do well. And as far as that nurse you were shadowing, she can blah-blah all she wants. What she or anyone else says should not matter to you. What you think of yourself and your abilities should matter. So, now that you are almost at the finish line, enjoy the last few months of this nursing school life before you transition to practice.

I am definitely scared. I think it's getting worse now that I'm so close to graduation. That particular nurse had never met me, doesn't know my grades or how competent I am, and it wasn't the nurse I was working with... so I know it wasn't directed to me personally and I didn't really take it personally. But I just found it very discouraging...that's the best way I know how to explain it. I've done well in school and I've always received compliments in clinicals, and I'm fairly confident, but still scared.

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I also overheard a nurse say yesterday that students who do well in nursing school typically don't do well on the floor, and that doing well in school and being competent are two different things.

So they'd prefer students who do bad in school? :cautious:

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I'm an lpn about to graduate with my RN in April. I have a 3.96 GPA and while I have much to learn in my new RN role, I've done just fine on the floor in clinical w/ good feedback. That is a widely stated theory and not true very often but I have met boom smart people that do not have the street smarts for nursing. Its normal to be nervous, hell I'm nervous! But that's normal and confidence will come in time. GL and congrats!

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So they'd prefer students who do bad in school? :cautious:

Sometimes, it seems like it. That one comment made me immediately dislike this nurse. Very discouraging and it makes you doubt yourself.

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I'm an lpn about to graduate with my RN in April. I have a 3.96 GPA and while I have much to learn in my new RN role, I've done just fine on the floor in clinical w/ good feedback. That is a widely stated theory and not true very often but I have met boom smart people that do not have the street smarts for nursing. Its normal to be nervous, hell I'm nervous! But that's normal and confidence will come in time. GL and congrats!

Thank you, and congrats to you as well!

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I think you should focus on finishing school before you start thinking about a career. Dont get ahead of yourself

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