Feeling overwhelmed

[doublehelix]

I just need some support... I just started term two of my condensed 3 year BN program on Monday. Our lecture videos for skills class was posted Sunday night, so I figured I would get a head start and watch one of the videos and do some medmath for an upcoming dosage test on insulin/injections in two weeks. I've been working everyday from 1pm (after morning classes from 7:30AM-12:30PM) till 10:30 at night preparing JUST for my skills labs... We had 3 lecture videos 1 hr 40 min each to watch on top of in class lectures for prep for tomorrow's lab and five drugs to research. Tomorrow's lab is on blood glucose, surgical asepsis, and subcutaneous injections. I don't understand how we can get a good understanding of performing these skills in just four hours of lab time.

I haven't even found time to do any more dosage calc or review notes from other classes. Some of my friends left all of their work to do until tonight, and I just can't understand how they could manage to complete it in time. I don't understand what i'm doing wrong; I don't know if i'm preparing too much, reading too much into the material or what... I try to use multiple sources for researching drugs and skills, but not include things that aren't necesasary or I already know. I don't know what else I could do to better prepare myself. I get A's in all of my courses, and would like to maintain that as much as possible... I'm prepared to accept a lower grade, but I gave up my job to go to school so I feel I have to do my best as a result.

Does anyone else ever feel like no one understands how time consuming nrsg school is? My boyfriend works full time evenings as a custodian at local schools, and we get into fights almost daily because he says he is overtired. We've had various talks about it but he doesn't seem to understand we are both tired at the end of the day regardless of our workload... I am also basically "in charge" of household duties because of two family illnesses, and have a pet dog, diagnosed with SAD in highschool, so I guess it also doesn't help that it's already winter and dark at 4:30PM here in Canada. I don't feel as if I can talk with any of my friends at school about this because many have their own life issues, some of them have min. life commitments and only study the night before and end up with B's. I'm just hoping someone can share some words of wisdom with me, any tips on what you do when feeling overwhelmed and depressed.

Sorry if that ended up as a little of a rant. I guess i've been bottling things up for quite a while.

[Future RN- June '11]

My only advice is to do the best you can and try not to stress out too much. Ever since i started nursing school (fall '09) i have felt like that all the time. There is always too much to do with too little time. You have to just study the most you can and hope for the best. Nursing school is crazy busy! There are so many people pulling you from different directions and wanting different things from you (instructors, patients, family, friends). You just have to figure out a way to balance and prioritize your life. And don't forget to take at least 10 or 15 minutes out of your day to do something for yourself. Something that you love :). Good luck! Hang in there because it is all possible!

[TerpGal02, ASN]

Oh hun, I understand where you are coming from. Nursing school IS stressful! I am kind of a "Type A" when it comes to grades and skills and such. It IS a lot of information to cover, and it seems like it is difficult to get ALL those skills in in just 4 hours of lab time. Do you have open labs where you can go in and practice? Those were lifesavers to me! And I know how hard skills checkoffs are when you have someone breathing down your neck. Let me just say this skills-wise though, at least that I have found. You don't REALLY get comfortable with skills until you've practiced them a few times in the clinical setting. I was a nervous WRECK for my first injection on a real live person, and I missed it. I didnt use enough force and the needle just bounced off of the pt's skin. Luckily I had a wonderful instructor who had seen umpteen students do the exact same thing, so she didnt bust me to hard LOL! But after getting a few more under my belt, I feel like I have a good grasp on it now. Learning meds is tricky too. I try to group them together by drug class. If you know what the CLASS of meds do and what their general side effect profile is, and what assessment data you need to look out for, I have found that you're in pretty good shape. Going by the generic names really helps. Many of the drugs in the same class have the same ending under the generic name. (ie beta blockers end in -lol)

As for the bf, I get that too. They really DONT understand what a huge commitment nursing school is. It really is like a full time job and then some. My husband worked (before he got laid off) full time too, 60 hours a week, and we have gotten into SO many fights about how he feels he works 60 hours a week, and all I have is school. Now that he's seen me in action these past few weeks, I think he has a better understanding, but STILL. Its definitely taxing on the whole family. Try to take a deep breath and relax. And make sure you make time for YOURSELF too. I can't stress how important that is, or you are sure to burn out very quickly.