RN School is tough !!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello Everyone. Now I am 6 weeks into RN classes. I am forced to be succesful at: clinicals, lecture and labs. The other students are all nervous, like me, and it's tense. Often I feel sad myself because no one is smiling enough. Labs are tough and they expect us to know how to give an injection on the first or second try. People are so nervous I don't know if they would let me do them. The lectures are hard, followed by bigger and bigger waves of required reading from super-thick books. It's like an airport because everyone has those portable bookbags on wheels things. The meds are killer. There are so many meds and so much to know about meds, its overwhelming. Clinicals are two days a week at adult care facility which is not as acute as med-surg cna work I do. No one knows me, and I get lonely and feel lonely for the people who live there. My first PT died, and my second didn't want any visitors after a few hours. Trying to watch all the videos are hard...did i mention that. Instruction videos on Lab skills....there is about 5-6 hours worth of video Lab. Grasping the concept of nursing diagnosis and planning and relating it to a medical diagnosis...these are huge concepts my brain is stretching wide and hard for. And the tests so far are all tricky theory questions which forces you to have to read all the text and remember it for specifics.

My nutrition has dimished because my exercise has went out the window. I'm lucky to have time to exercise once a week, compared to the 5 times a week before I started nursing school. I don't have enough time to cook for myself, and I don't have the desire to take the time to eat right. I still have a 24 hour a week job at the hospital, but you can't study on a med-surg floor as a cna. Work is the most relaxed time because everyone there is supportive of me so much. If only they knew how tough going to nursing school is. :-) I have no more free time for myself...some days are very long.

RN school is no walk in the park, and it downright changes your life.

(Send me an angel, right now!)

Mario's life - exercise + coffee - enough sleep - proper nutrition

Mario's life + exercise + sleep + good food = beautiful person.

Originally posted by mario_ragucci

Thank you all for the comments and suggestions and empathy. I guess I got all hurt inside when I showed up at one of the lab (the day of the shootings) and didn't have my written homework on asepsis and sterile field when the instructor spot checked it. She told me to leave. Everyone had theirs done but me, even though I was ready to test on it. That really bugged me out, but I can't complain; she was correct to eject me, but I am stubborn and want to be shown something visually by a real person too. Thats a baby talking, and some things you just hafta imagine and do yourslef until the real person comes. I didn't like being ejected in front of everyone. Others have been ejected, so it wasn't like she zeroed me.

Another thing I learnt about myself (revisited) is that you can not steal from the sleep bank. If I only get 4-5 hours of sleep, because of work after school, then I am shot for the day. Throw strong coffee into this mix and what I have done to myself is wrong. Not enough sleep + coffee + no exercise + decreased nutrition (- a life) = low self esteem. A baby cries. Thanks for listening.

Mario, this stuff happens to everyone; don't be too hard on yourself, ok?

I skidded on an oil slick on the way to an exam in my last semester, spun around, and wound up in the median. I stopped and checked myself and the car, but by the time I got to the school, I was late; they wouldn't let me take the test. No excuses. I was ticked, I can tell ya. My adrenalin was so UP, I still believe I coulda gotten 100% if they'd let me take it. :chuckle

Point is, STUFF HAPPENS. You are doing the best you can, and that is all anyone can do.

I know you're going to make an excellent nurse. You'll get more efficient with your work/school schedule as time goes on, and you'll really learn to cut to the chase and slog through it, no matter what the circumstances.

Keep going Mario, you'll be done before you know it :cool: .

I know exactly how you feel, I still have the "flash-backs". I can remember how some of my nursing instructors were mean and discouraging at times, but for every remark they made, it made me try harder. As far as the test go, a lot of the scenario questions you get, any of the choices could be right and you sit there pondering the answer. Something I learned to do early on was to get a NCLEX book (since I was going to need one anyway) I would study things that were at my level, and do the questions. The ones I got wrong I would look up the rationale.

I also agree with an earlier post that said to form a study group. This is helpful, you and the people in the group can help strengthen each others weaknesses. You can also keep each other sane Hang in there you and all the other soldiers in nursing school right now - we need you guys.

Peace

Specializes in CV-ICU.

Mario, yes, nursing school is tough. So is nursing.

Back in the Dark Ages when I was in school, we had 6-8 hours of clinical followed by 4 hours of classes (or vice versa with 6 hours of classes followed by 6 hrs. of clinical). That was 5 days a week. I worked my way through school, but worked only on weekends because I couldn't do the class work, homework, and sleep if I tried to work during the week. Maybe that would help you; check and see if your Head Nurse will be able to arrange your hours so you could do that. If they do 12 hour shifts in your hospital, you could work just Sat. and Sun. and have your 24 hours done (many hospitals call it the Baylor Plan, just find out if it is 2 or 3 12 hour shifts each weekend if you sign up for it).

You can do it if you put your heart into it. Don't allow yourself to be distracted, no more "pity parties;" get your priorities straight: you want to be an RN, not a CNA, right? Then adjust your work schedule to allow for studies and sleep. And eat right and exercise too. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.

Definately not for the faint of heart!

You can do it!

You are ahead of many with your CNA experience, so chin up!:D

You can do it!:) ;) :)

Mario-keep at it!! You will survive. There were some days I was ready to give up, but my husband kept telling me I could do this. I am so glad I went through with it. There were times when I would look at a test and think, did I miss a lecture? I sure don't remember this stuff. The key for me was to study/read a little every day, no matter what. That way I didn't get bogged down as much. Look over the syllabus to see what is ahead. Any major papers? Learning all the bones and muscles? Then work a bit on it each day. Don't give up. Make up your mind you are going to do this come hell or high water!!!;) Let us know how you get along the next few days.....

Mario-keep at it!! You will survive. There were some days I was ready to give up, but my husband kept telling me I could do this. I am so glad I went through with it. There were times when I would look at a test and think, did I miss a lecture? I sure don't remember this stuff. The key for me was to study/read a little every day, no matter what. That way I didn't get bogged down as much. Look over the syllabus to see what is ahead. Any major papers? Learning all the bones and muscles? Then work a bit on it each day. Don't give up. Make up your mind you are going to do this come hell or high water!!!;) Let us know how you get along the next few days.....

Specializes in Home Health.

Yeah nursing school is tough, but you're tougher!!!

I think the advice from the kids is right on the money. I also strongly agree w study groups. I was in several in school, and we used to take turns taking the notes, and split the modules up into sections then share the info with the rest in the group.

I have some very good advice for you that I wish someone had given me in nursing school.

I assume your studies are based on a syllabus, or an outline of the year. Concentrate on the objectives. What are they actually hoping you will get out of this chapter. Objectives are at the beginning of each chapter of your nursing books, and are usually given with lesson plans. My school divided all the lessons into sets of modules, ie the resp module, cardiac module, peds module, ob module, etc... Look at the objectives...that is what you will need to be able to answer for your exams.

BTW, one day you will have a nasty person who criticizes your every move, and you will have the pleasure of giving them an injection. I like , no LOVE to give injections!! 1. Instant gratification, pt always says, "You gave it already?" Give it fast unless otherwise noted in drug book. 2. It takes away their pain, usually. And 3, if I could put an 18g needle on it for a mean pt, I would fanatsize about it, and feel better! Tee Hee!!

RE all the meds?? Geez, you don't think we actually know all of them do you? No real nurse goes anywhere w/o a current drug book nearby. There are too many new drugs everyday to know them all!!

Hang in there baby! It will be OK. BTW, I enjoyed the socializing in my first semester, but by the third, when I went to the library, I went to the farthest corner so no one I knew would find me and distract me with chit chat. There is no time for a social life period!

You're gonna be a great nurse Mario, becasue you care, truly care!!!

Specializes in Home Health.

Yeah nursing school is tough, but you're tougher!!!

I think the advice from the kids is right on the money. I also strongly agree w study groups. I was in several in school, and we used to take turns taking the notes, and split the modules up into sections then share the info with the rest in the group.

I have some very good advice for you that I wish someone had given me in nursing school.

I assume your studies are based on a syllabus, or an outline of the year. Concentrate on the objectives. What are they actually hoping you will get out of this chapter. Objectives are at the beginning of each chapter of your nursing books, and are usually given with lesson plans. My school divided all the lessons into sets of modules, ie the resp module, cardiac module, peds module, ob module, etc... Look at the objectives...that is what you will need to be able to answer for your exams.

BTW, one day you will have a nasty person who criticizes your every move, and you will have the pleasure of giving them an injection. I like , no LOVE to give injections!! 1. Instant gratification, pt always says, "You gave it already?" Give it fast unless otherwise noted in drug book. 2. It takes away their pain, usually. And 3, if I could put an 18g needle on it for a mean pt, I would fanatsize about it, and feel better! Tee Hee!!

RE all the meds?? Geez, you don't think we actually know all of them do you? No real nurse goes anywhere w/o a current drug book nearby. There are too many new drugs everyday to know them all!!

Hang in there baby! It will be OK. BTW, I enjoyed the socializing in my first semester, but by the third, when I went to the library, I went to the farthest corner so no one I knew would find me and distract me with chit chat. There is no time for a social life period!

You're gonna be a great nurse Mario, becasue you care, truly care!!!

I totally know what your talking about... I just started my first semester in an RN program. Talk about tough!! Im struggling with classes (p.s., I'm a double major, set to graduate in May with a BS Criminal Justice), 2 small kiddos, and an army husband who is never home!! I really dont have any family support, because we are stationed pretty far from home base.:o

I knew it would be difficult when I signed up. Im getting through, barely, but getting there. For me... it just takes a lot of dedication, late nites, and staring at my kiddos (so that I remember why I got into this in the first place!)

:)

I totally know what your talking about... I just started my first semester in an RN program. Talk about tough!! Im struggling with classes (p.s., I'm a double major, set to graduate in May with a BS Criminal Justice), 2 small kiddos, and an army husband who is never home!! I really dont have any family support, because we are stationed pretty far from home base.:o

I knew it would be difficult when I signed up. Im getting through, barely, but getting there. For me... it just takes a lot of dedication, late nites, and staring at my kiddos (so that I remember why I got into this in the first place!)

:)

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

If RN school is tough, it is for a good reason. You will know that pride on pinning day, that you indeed toughed out . I wish you luck Mario. One day at a time is the only way to go.:cool:

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