Do you have to be smart to be a nurse?

tfleuter, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2009

I don't think there's anyway around it, you will need to pass tests to graduate from nursing school and you will need to pass THE test (NCLEX) to get your license. See if your school offers any kind of help or info on working through your test anxiety. I'm sure there's a lot of online info you can look into as well to determine if you have true test anxiety and what can be done to alleviate it. Here's on website i found with some info you might be interested in:

http://www.usu.edu/arc/test_anxiety/

rmkelly · Oct 29, 2009

Yes!!! You must be smart and be able to think on your feet to be a nurse. I don't know what to tell you about test anxiety. But I can tell you that nurses are the smartest people I know

debsimb · Oct 29, 2009

Alana,

If your goal is to become a nurse- then DO IT!! You owe it to yourself to continue to strive for your goals...If you have test anxiety you need to get some help for this. There are many things that can be done to help with this. You must tell yourself that becoming a nurse is possible. You may have to work harder than some but YOU CAN DO IT!!!

goodstudentnowRN · Oct 29, 2009

Hmmm...please work on your test anxiety because nursing college is going to be very challenging. I had a friend with the dame problem and it was very hard for her through nursing college, the teach had to pit her in a room by herself all the time. She passed the final class with 80% which is a "C"at her school.

Abby Normal · Oct 29, 2009

Yes. Wouldn't you want the person taking care of you to be smart?

The great thing is, there are MANY, MANY different kinds of smart. Some people have very smart hands. They can put things together fast, in the dark, and find veins nobody else can. Some people are smart with people. They ALWAYS know the right thing to say. Some people are smart with numbers, or really efficient with paperwork, or fantastic at getting all the babies to sleep.

You will find your niche. I know it.

First, you need to get through school. Just get through it.

I would take practice tests. Go to your advising office, tell them you're having trouble with test anxiety, and ask if you can take some practice tests (even computer placement tests in unrelated subjects will do). You want to simulate the anxiety of the test situation, then realize you can handle it, because you don't care about the outcome of the test. Be firm if you need to.

I bet they will work with a student who plans ahead like that, rather than gets in a hole and then says "AAH! I flunked my final because I have test anxiety, can I retake it?" They might even have some good tips.

I just know you've got something to offer. Don't let this roadblock scare you off. You can see it coming. Act now!

cingle · Oct 29, 2009

Tests are essential to success in nursing school -- both written tests (usually NCLEX-style multiple choice format) and skills tests (such as inserting a Foley catheter, giving injections, etc.). There is no way around that. You might find that your school has help for those suffering with test anxiety since it is very, very common. Check with your advisor and see what help may be available.

Intelligence is also vital to both nursing education and nursing practice. There are those things that simply must be memorized, there are hundreds of decisions to be made every day in practice, and there is a lot of emotional intelligence used on a constant basis. So, yes, nurses must be very smart in many different ways.

Having said that, we are not always the best judges of our own aptitudes. Check with your academic advisor and find out if there is any testing available to give you an idea of your own potential. You may also benefit from shadowing a practicing RN for a couple of shifts to get a clear idea of what he/she does all day long and what all is involved with the profession.

Best of luck!

caliotter3 · Oct 29, 2009

It would certainly help. Sometimes there is not enough time in the day or the week to make up with hard work what others can accomplish more quickly because they grasp details more easily.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Oct 30, 2009

Tests in nursing school are much different then Pre Req tests, I never did well on exams on my pre reqs but I do well on the ones in nursing school.

Ctorres19 · Oct 30, 2009

Don't second guess yourself so much. If you know deep down that nursing is the right job for you, then you need to trust your instinct. Not everybody can handle this kind of job and to be able to practice it you need to have certain qualifications. If you work well under pressure, can handle families and patients with care, and have the willingness to save people...then you can take on nursing. The classes are just part of the process to prepare yourself...It's a big step but in the end it is worth it...especially because you will have felt like everything you worked hard for was worth the sacrifice.

CuriousMe · Oct 30, 2009

I have a really bad case of test anxiety. The only reason why I'm getting by with my prerequisites is because I do all the homework and lab. When it comes to the test, I never do well. This really scares me. I'm about to start nursing classes in a few weeks, and I really want to do well. Unfortunately, in order to move forward in my program I MUST pass an exam per nursing class before the end of each term. Even just thinking of this makes me so worried.
On top of having test anxiety, I've never been that smart a person. Do I have to be really smart in order to pursue my goals? Any advice will help. Please! I've been thinking about my life and how I've made it thus far and I want to keep going until I've reached my goals.
Thank you!

Have you ever been evaluated for test anxiety? Talk to your Office of Disability Services at your school. They can tell you what you'll need to get something called testing accommodations. Basically, they'll change things to give you the same shot of having your knowledge tested as someone without testing anxiety (which is the point of the exam, not how well you take exams....what do you know?). So, they might put you in a room by yourself, or maybe give you 1.5 as much time as the prof states to take the exam (so if the exam is supposed to be for an hour, an accommodation could extend that to an hour and thirty minutes). If you have a diagnosis, they can't NOT give you the accommodations, it's part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA). They have to make reasonable accommodations to level the playing field.

The disability office at your school can often help you to petition your state board of nursing as well, to get accommodations for your NCLEX.

Don't let test anxiety stop you from doing what you want!