Feeling Overwhelmed!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2005

Yes, it is all very overwhelming. No, you won't remember everything. But, what you will remember is that you had a lecture on something, or read it somewhere or studied it before but just can't remember the specifics. It will drive you mad that your memory will seem to fail you, but let me assure you that we all went through this. You will never be closing your textbooks. When something comes up in your preceptorship you will go home and hit the books for information on a subject and dig back through your old class notes. You can expect to be doing this for several years until you develop a very good understanding of how specific diseases affect the body and how treatments are aimed to intercede at certain times of disease development.

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2005

Nursing school seems kind of like one very long, very complicated test. The graduation and NCLEX licensure is sort of an "ok, you passed the test. Now it's time for your real education to begin." It's only in hands-on, repetative real world nursing under the guidance of a nurturing nurse preceptor that things begin to come together... the brain, the hands and the heart. The nursing lab with the manequin and the return demonstrations don't get you there. Of course we want to know everything and feel totally competent yesterday.

jaxmom63 · Nov 21, 2005

Overwhelmed is not a strong enough word. In my 7th of 8 semesters and feel like dropping out. Tried to post a thread asking for encouragement, had technical difficulties. Went to chat, no one would answer me. Posted on another thread, no response. So not only do I still feel like dropping out, but this supposedly wonderful neighborhood of caring fellow nurses and students that I stumbled onto on the internet, really could seem to care less. If this is what I have to look forward to in the world of nursing, I guess I really will have to make it on my own. All I wanted to know is if it is normal to feel this FREAKIN' discouraged at this stage in the game? I worked as a unit tech (CNA that does a bit more and makes a bit more) for over 8 years before going to nursing school. I know I love giving care and making a difference in peoples lives. What I don't know is if I can take 5 more months of uncaring teachers who engage in what seems like sabatoge. One teacher in particular told us not to concentrate on a particular disease process in med-surg as it would be covered in Metabolic-Endocrine class. Day of the exam, there are over 20 questions on that disease and she smiled and said she didn't remember telling us that and if she did, we shouldn't have listened. HAHAHAHA. I didn't get the joke. What I got was a 73 on the test. With only 4 exams in that class this semester, a 73 was hard to bounce back from. I am passing all my classes, one of them by a small margin. I am just sick to death of class, and teachers, and homework, and fellow students, and clinicals, and tests, and trying to be attentive, and trying to clean house, cook supper, run my 16 year old where ever he needs to go, and find time to study. Will Christmas break give me a breather? Is This Normal? Does anyone even care?

JentheRN05, RN · Nov 21, 2005

Oh man - sounds like you've hit the senior slump. Yes we care. Been there, it sucks big time. Sick of studying, sick of school being your other home, and the instructors being over-bearing parents. You know what though? It will end, and soon you will be a nurse.

I hit the same slump myself. I lost two family members (one to a MVA) and that was just the beginning of a long last semester. I actually waited by the instructors door on the last day after the test just to make sure I passed.

I did, but that's not the point. The last semester feels like it will never end.

But it will. I gave up studying too much at the end. Felt like quitting. You name it I felt it. But guess what? I have an RN behind my name now that says you can do it too :)

Have faith in yourself. Keep going, you don't have far.

NurseRock · Nov 21, 2005

Overwhelmed is not a strong enough word. In my 7th of 8 semesters and feel like dropping out. Tried to post a thread asking for encouragement, had technical difficulties. Went to chat, no one would answer me. Posted on another thread, no response. So not only do I still feel like dropping out, but this supposedly wonderful neighborhood of caring fellow nurses and students that I stumbled onto on the internet, really could seem to care less. If this is what I have to look forward to in the world of nursing, I guess I really will have to make it on my own. All I wanted to know is if it is normal to feel this FREAKIN' discouraged at this stage in the game? I worked as a unit tech (CNA that does a bit more and makes a bit more) for over 8 years before going to nursing school. I know I love giving care and making a difference in peoples lives. What I don't know is if I can take 5 more months of uncaring teachers who engage in what seems like sabatoge. One teacher in particular told us not to concentrate on a particular disease process in med-surg as it would be covered in Metabolic-Endocrine class. Day of the exam, there are over 20 questions on that disease and she smiled and said she didn't remember telling us that and if she did, we shouldn't have listened. HAHAHAHA. I didn't get the joke. What I got was a 73 on the test. With only 4 exams in that class this semester, a 73 was hard to bounce back from. I am passing all my classes, one of them by a small margin. I am just sick to death of class, and teachers, and homework, and fellow students, and clinicals, and tests, and trying to be attentive, and trying to clean house, cook supper, run my 16 year old where ever he needs to go, and find time to study. Will Christmas break give me a breather? Is This Normal? Does anyone even care?

Hello, I am in my 1st semester of 4 and my brain is fried. All I can say is DON'T GIVE UP! You worked too hard to get this far, please don't stop. You are a role model for me and everyone else. Yes, I almost feel like throwing the towel in too, but I can't. I have wanted this all my life. You can do it. We make a lot of compromises in life and right now you have to sacrifice a messy house for study time. Oh, my house is a complete disaster as my family will not help straighten up..what is my reward????? as soon as I am a working RN I am getting someone to clean my house on a weekly basis. I would have someone do it now but finances prevent that from happening. So I close my eyes and forge ahead with my studies. You can do it, I know you can...you are to close to throw it away! I don't know how much of an encouragement I can be but please stick it out! God doesn't give us what we can't handle.

I have 2 tests today 1 in Health assessment and the other in fundamentals. I actually want today to be over so I can forge ahead. I will say my prayers and carry my trinkets in my pocket (worry stone, angel and a worry doll my daughter made me), and think positive. Hopefully my countless hours of study will pay off. IF not I have 1 more test to go in each class and will just have to do better.

Just remember NEVER GIVE UP! You can always PM me if you need to, I will always try to help!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2005

I know what you mean. It's a lot of stuff isn't it? Good luck!

RNinRubySlippers, BSN, RN · Nov 22, 2005

You wont remember it all and you know what, stuff changes all the time anyhow. It is however up to you to know where to find it, know when you need help and know basic principles. As you go back to each clinical experience, you will remeber more and more. You must stay current, look at research articles and the latest and the greatest as far as proceedures go and always follow hopital proceedure and protocol. Oh yeah-take a deep breath and HAVE FUN!

guest64485 · Nov 22, 2005

Hi Jax,

I have similar feelings as you in regards to nursing school. While its been one of the best experiences of my life (in feeling like I have made a difference, and can really make a difference once I'm an RN), I feel like its been one of the worst experiences as well. I've had teachers tell me that a test would be one way and it turned out to be completely different. I've worked my butt off, studying for hours on end, weeks at a time, to either fail or get barely passing grades. Clerical errors caused tests that many people did good on to be thrown out.

Teachers who weren't supposed to be teaching a class who were teaching it anyways due to the shortage of teachers. Its real fun when you have to argue with the teacher biweekly about misinformation that he gives out because he has no experience in the area he is teaching. Unfortunately the inflexibility and unnecessary frustration of my program is really turning me off to getting higher education after I get my RN. But just keep counting the days. It will end!

Snow1278, RN · Nov 22, 2005

i know exactly how you feel. i am in the exact same boat. my final is tomorrow in med surg. i am so exhausted and overwhelmed. i just took exam 5 yesterday, and passed, and the final is comprehensive tomorrow. i am not sure if nursing is for me anymore or not. i feel like i am not good enough for the field. there is so much information and how are you supposed to remember it all. i am so scared of freezing or forgetting at the wrong time. i think that is my biggest fear is making a mistake. this is someone's life in my hands and that scares me to death. i don't know if anyone else has this fear, but i have had it for a long time. at first it was sticking someone with a needle but now that i have overcome that i keep thinking maybe i will overcome the fear of freezing. does anyone have any suggestions? :uhoh3:

AuntieRN · Nov 22, 2005

Come on guys...we can do it...we got this far...and I do not know about yall but the classes I had to take to get here seemed far worse then my nursing classes. I am finishing up my third semester of 5. I have orientation for my new job this coming Mon, Tues, Wed and Thurs, so I will be missing class, I have my final unit exam on Fri, my Pharm exam on Mon, my NLN exam on Tues and my cumulative final on Fri. Oh yeah and we have 5 major papers that are due a week from this Fri. (I already have them done and handed in thankfully...couldn't take looking at them any more..:chuckle )...we have worked very hard to get where we are...nursing school is not easy to get into...we can do it!!! Good luck everyone!!!!

jsoder · Nov 30, 2005

I completely understand your fear. Ifeel like I know so little and am scared to death! The instructors look at you like your crazy or get mad when you ask a question, as if you should already know this! Yey right 500 million things crammed into your head, some you haven't used in a year and were suppossed to just pull it out our (bleeeeep).:angryfire