First week of nursing school and I am already freaking out...

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Aug 29, 2009

I did and survived it. Pace yourself. Now that you know how impt the math test is, concentrate on that. For the 10 chapter - read the highlighted areas and try to answer questions in the book (hope you have some). For the most part, you will get the gist of most textbooks but never read the whole thing. The handouts are a clue as to what is important. Elaborate on those. Consider a study buddy. but be sure that person is serious about learning and won't spend time talking about Friday night, etc

roser13, ASN, RN · Aug 29, 2009

First, no matter how overwhelming everything seems, you have to find a way to calm yourself. Look around you at all of your fellow students....don't you think that you can do at least as well as they will? You say you're an A student - is it possible that you've always excelled in school without really having to try? If so, your best investment right now will be in a 'How To Study' book. They exist and are quick reads and worth their weight in gold. They even come specific to how to study in nursing school.

Nursing schools very quickly weed out the unsuitable candidates. The stress is huge at the beginning. This is something that you want and went for - don't let the first couple of weeks do you in.

SoundofMusic · Aug 29, 2009

Whoa there. Take a deep breath. You will get through it.

I was in a mess my first weeks also of nursing school, and I remember that overwhelmed feeling. I was going through a lot of personal issues at that time as well. My youngest had just been diagnosed w/ autism, and I also had 2 older children at home needing a lot of attention, a household to run, etc. I also hadn't been back to school in years and to be around all those young, smart nursing students was also very overwhelming.

I ended up getting myself into my clinic and getting prescriptions for anti-depressants. I started on zoloft which decreased my anxiety and allowed me to at least get some sleep at night. It worked really well for me. Without it i think I would have had a nervous breakdown.

So, stop and take care of yourself first. Do what it takes to get the insomnia under control, because you really will need your sleep.

And then cancel out just about everything else in life until you settle into a routine to allow yourself to complete your assignments. The prior poster was right about the reading. There is NO way you can read it all word for word. Just highlight the important stuff and stick to that. That's really how they advised us to read in nursing school. It's all about the skimming and highlighting.

And, yeah -- you may have to quit your job. 25 hours a week is a lot, and you really need to have a full time availability in school. I hope it is doable for you to quit, at least for the time being, if possible.

Nursing school is hard, but nursing is harder. I hate to tell you that. You get stronger in increments.

There is also no way they can throw something at you like the calculations and expect you to "learn it on your own." You should be able to demand help from someone outside of class if necessary. However, DO read the books as they are often self explanatory. I went over those calculation books slowly and methodically, and it did begin to make sense.

Good luck and go slow. Don't panic, most of all. You are not under the gun yet, w/ a license in hand, responsible for real patients yet. You are a student still. You are only expected to study and learn as best you can. If you get C's, then fine. Some of the best nurses were C students. Just PASS. That became the motto of my 2nd degree class -- because it's HARD.

Jules A, MSN · Aug 29, 2009

Just hang in there! Many others have been successful at working and nursing school and you can also. It will just take some time to find your groove.

Wulfie · Aug 29, 2009

My first week at nursing was only a couple of years ago. It had been years since I had been to school and I was feeling very overwhelmed as well. The math calculations was a priority for my class as well. It was "self learning" and I had no idea what to expect. I found an upperclassmen and and they were able to tell me what to expect and I did well enough to move on. If you are an "A" student, I am sure you will do fine.

Forming a study group will be a huge benefit as well. The amount of content that a nurse must come to know is unbelievable. Having others to help dissect and digest this content is a plus. As you progress however, you will develop an understanding that will help you comprehend and retain what you learn along the way.

Bottom line is this: Nursing is a challenging career. The first year of class is your first challenge. Meet this challenge head on, overcome it, move on to the next challenge. YOU CAN DO IT!!

If you need help working the math out, send me a PM. I may be able to help you.

spunky1281 · Aug 29, 2009

Whoa. Slow down. It isn't as bad as you make it out to be. I went to school full time for the LPN program, raised an infant, and worked 32 hours a week. Instructors told me I had to quit my job or cut my hours back to weekends. I couldn't or I would lose either the house or a vehicle to repossession. We were told in nursing school about the calculation test and I flipped about it. Once I actually saw the test, I was like "and this is what I stressed over??". If I can make it through 2 semesters, burning the candle at both ends, working 32 hrs a week, going to school with 17 credits, and an infant at home. You can do this. Stop worrying and take one thing at a time....

bekindtokittens · Aug 29, 2009

There is a lot of reading in nursing school. I was one of those people who read the chapters word for word, and then went back and read again what the instructor focused on in the lecture notes.

Do you have a syllabus that gives you a schedule for your reading? You can do 10 chapters in a week, no problem, whether you decide to read it all or just skim and highlight. If you have 5 days, that's only 2 chapters a day! I was very organized in school and it helped me to always be caught up in my reading. Every week, I would get sticky notes and mark each chapter with the date I planned to read it. After I read the chapter, I would remove the sticky note. Seeing the sticky notes disappear also gave me a small feeling of accomplishment. :)

As for the calculations test, we had one every semester, but our program also had a clinical calculations class as a co-req.

lilbutterfly1 · Aug 29, 2009

Thank you to all that responded to my post. I feel much better now. I just started panicking due to all the information that was dumped on me the first few days of school. I really want this and I will definately work hard to become a nurse. I have always wanted this and I am not about to give up. I worked very hard just to get into the nursing program and will work twice as hard to finish the program.

butterfly journey · Aug 29, 2009

lilbutterfly1, I am not a nursing student yet, but I can offer some advice from one straight A student to another. Give up on making As all the way through this program. I have always made As my whole life and was an honors student in high school. I do have the added benefit of also having a B.A. and an M.B.A., so I know the "study routine". What I wanted to add to this topic is that the days of making As for you are probably gone. Forget about all that time you spent making sure that your pre-reqs were all As and you got your 4.0 GPA. You are a nursing student now and you will NOT learn everything that is thrown at you. You will however pick out what is important and do the best that you possibly can. So what if you you graduate nursing school with less than a 4.0, you will still be a nurse. Good luck to you.

chenoaspirit, ASN, RN · Aug 29, 2009

We all went through that when we started school. You will experience that feeling on and off thru the entire course of your studies. If at all possible, if you can afford to, quit your job and spend your time studying. I didnt work when I was in school. Alot of my fellow students did, I commend anyone who can do that. I just dont think I could. You can do this, just pace yourself. On the weekends, I would go into a room and close the door (with no tv or radio) and study. Friends and I would make up questions and ask each other, kinda like making our own tests. A study buddy is a great idea, if thats how you learn best. Some people dont do well that way. That "overwhelming" feeling you have is normal. Most people experience it. You will do fine, pace yourself. Listen in class and study those notes. Use your lecture notes. And go to your instructor and ask questions if you need to. Good luck!

justiceforjoy · Aug 29, 2009

Only read what you need to. i.e., if you already have knowledge about x, y, and z -- why would you spend a lot of time on those chapters? Instead, focus on a, b, and c.

After you get the "class" for topics x, y, and z, you'll know what you need to build on, if anything.

Nursing theory is a small fraction of schooling. It's your nursing skill and interpersonal abilities that are going to get you through the course.