first year of BSN program- stressed!

The first year is DEFINITELY the hardest because nursing school is a complete 180 from the classes that you've previously done in college. I was a straight A student, and I remember studying my tail off for the first two Fundamentals tests and getting an 82 and 79, respectively. You always hear the C = Complete mantra, but I understand that it's hard to get used to.

I highly recommend using the Saunders Comprehensive book to study out of. Boy I wish I'd used that my first semester! It eliminates a lot of the extrapolation that's in the textbooks, and it really helps to do the NCLEX questions that pertain to what you're studying (it's way easier to remember questions that you got wrong than it is to just read pages and pages of mind-numbing material and expect it to stick!). And of course, know your ABCs and Maslow's!

Things will really start to come together your second semester. You'll have tests that you walk out of that you feel great about, and you'll have tests where the entire class walks out in a panic. Just do the best that you can and keep your eye on the prize.

For me the third year which I am in right now has been the hardest.. the whole transition to becoming "self directed", "independent" in the clinical setting is an adjustment.

I know the tests in my BSN program are mostly all multiple choice and they make the questions similar to the CRNE/NCLEX, so basically there are all right answers or there are two right answers..

I consider passing a pass. I strive to do my best, thats all anyone can do and it is important to have some sort of social life and also to remember that everyone has their good and bad days. Its great to get an A but a B is not a fail nor is a C. If it was unacceptable to get grades lower than an A then therefore there wouldn't be grades lower than an A. Just do your best without becoming sick or too stressed, thats all anyone can expect, its all you should expect of yourself. Nursing is going to be a big part of your life but it will be your career and not your life :) You can't compare yourself to others. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses, maybe you'll have better communication skills or be able to learn clinical skills better or just be a better peoples person. I know that books are ''my thing'' but my nursing friend who I was on clinicals with appeared far more confident than me when communicating with patients. Just something I will have to work on while she struggles with theory. With regards to first year being the hardest year I'm not so sure. Its the hardest year with regards to starting something new, getting used to college (for me it was leaving highschool and into college so it was a huge change), making new friends, becoming more independent (again this varies), learning the very basics and getting to know yourself better and how you deal with situations. However I must admit I felt that after first semester the standard of what was expected of us continues to rise although it becomes far more enjoyable as you begin to settle down and understand what is expected of you and have a network of friends to support you and also getting to know the lecturers aswell as becoming more confident on clinicals. Just try to enjoy the experience and learn as much as possible and make sure to make friends because my friends are what get me through nursing school :)