hi fellow SNs I need some words of encouragement

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I think I am starting to get a little burned out with nursing school. The thought has even occured to me to drop out of school, take my LPN boards, and work for a year. But to do this would limit me. I always planned to become an RN and want to work in OB. Need my RN to do this. My husband has been in a dead end job for the past 4 years so that I could do this, and then he plans to go back to school. So, this sort of seems like a waste of time to drop out and then go back in a year. The reason why I am feeling so negative on school because it is starting to affect everything. I am finding myself getting anxious at homes. I find myself getting paranoid if I can't remember giving a med at clinical, but know that I checked those MAR's 3 times per hour with my instructor and my nurse. If I am paranoid now, what in the heck will it be like when I am on the floor as a nurse.

I am also discouraged because of the stress I have been under with studying for a test that I took on Tuesday. I have been keeping up with all of my reading in class, study my notes daily, and studied for 3 days for this test. I ended up with a 55%. The class average is a 60%. The material was cardiac. OK, my grades are not really a concern. At the present time, they are not great, but were pretty good before this test. I have around an 80% currently in theory and an A in clinical. I am also tired. I have not been able to sleep more than four hours a night for a long time because of this anxiety. I am also finding myself relaxing with a glass of wine more often than I used to. I used to never drink and now I usually have a glass or two nearly every Friday at the end of the week.

I know that I have to keep on keeping on, but right now it just seems that six months is such a long time before I am done. I really feel that I have no one to talk to about my feelings with this program. My husband feels I am being stupid about my feelings and that the program isn't hard, just me making it hard (what the heck does he know). My supposed best friend who graduated a year ago is one of those superior beings who looks down her nose a little too much, and is a huge snob. My other best friend just entered his LPN year and finds his first quarter to be cake. My other really good freinds are not in nursing and so I can't really tell about the program to these friends in a way that they could understand. I don't like to talk to the people in my class because we are so competitive with our ranking. We are a pretty cutthroat group. I know that I am not unique to this situation, but I just need some encouragement from people who know what it is like. You know, I gripe, you use therapeutic communication. You gripe, I return the favor. That sort of thing.:)Thanks all, that felt really good to get that out.

Sleepyeyes

1,244 Posts

Our whole class had a phrase for the last semester:

"I'm soooo OVER this school/studying thing." All of us were practically barfing at the sight of yet another book/video/computer teaching aid.

Thank god our class was so supportive; it was around this time that we started going out to lunch occasionally together and planning our graduation. Some of us still keep in touch.

So you're not alone, fer sure. Maybe some others have some great advice for you; I just stuck in there and slogged it out. No choice.

Part of my problem was that I wasn't getting enought rest. By the last part of the program, I had to be a workaholic 24/7.

If I was at home, I was "supposed" to be studying. If I was at school, I hadn't studied enough. If I was at work, I was still supposed to be studying. :rolleyes:

My mind just wouldn't allow me to take that much-needed break.

I scheduled a nice trip to Busch Gardens after graduation and did absolutely NOTHING all day, with my family. And you can bet I made up for all those fun things I missed (like family life, sleep, and SEX!!! :eek: ) during my first year after school.

Love-A-Nurse

3,932 Posts

Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.

oh, i can sure relate to being burned-out! the closer it gets to the end of this semester, i feel the need to sleep instead of studying.

if you take your lpn boards, it may give you a since of some accomplishment until your last semester of rn school is over in 6 months.

we are here for you and let us know how you are doing.

well, i hate to say it but if you drop now, you'll likely regret it. it's 6 months. like you said, "keep on keeping on". i'm in the same boat with you. burnt to a crisp.

hang in there.

kimmicoobug

586 Posts

Rena, you are probably right about regretting it. It may seem like the right thing now, but I know myself and I would kick myself a year from now with having to restart my whole second year. And most likely I will still feel these feelings a year from now. Good to know that I am not the only one out there who is feeling the strain.

oh, the strain is all around this house. :chuckle

sometimes you just have to say "whatever" and do what you can. and there's always allnurses to come and vent. :)

hang in there girl. we don't have much longer.

Mkue

1,827 Posts

Keep your eye on the prize !:nurse:

TeresaRN2b

550 Posts

Oh, I know it is tough, but 6 months!!! YOU CAN DO THIS! Just keep taking things one day at a time. Try not to focus on how far away 6 months seems to you. If you are really having this big a problem with anxiety perhaps you should talk to your doctor about getting some meds to help you. I know that I have problems with anxiety myself and I can tell you this I will get meds for it sooner than let it ruin my life. Fortunately I am not having problems with it now, but I haven't started the nursing program yet. That being said this is my second try at nursing school and I know how much I regret not finishing it the first time. Try and hang in there. Come vent away if you need to. I know it is stressful. You can do this! (((Hugs)))

Teresa

Gromit

821 Posts

Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

You now drink a little, and feel burned out. Thats fine, thats ok. We all feel burned out, but like those before this post have said, you need to hang in there. Several of my fellow students (including myself) looked at the idea of just transfering into LPN and taking the boards, working a year etc (hey, I'm there with you. Working full time, and going to school full time. It bites. I have no friends anymore (outside the classroom, and my girlfriend). I don't go on rides, don't scuba dive, or any other fun thing. If I'm not at work, I'm at school (and getting right sick of both of 'em).

But when it comes down to it, I realized (as you will too), and as those before me said:

When your classmates finish, and get their RNs, you WILL regret not getting YOURS. Its what kept me in the program this last semester. You're closer than I am. I graduate in Dec. '03. I WILL be there, and you will have already been there.

Stay in.

Smoke that victory cigar.

anyone on here (I'm sure) and I myself, will be more than happy to chat away and let you vent, if you need. But dont quit.

As for your competitive classmates (I cannot relate. My classmates formed a very supportive, tightly-knit group, and we do help each other when we can (well, our group does).)

But I have a sticker on my helmet that will apply to you:

"Don't let the ba$tard$ get you down!"

kimmicoobug

586 Posts

Thanks Gromit for the post. Despite the caps and words said with absolute certainty, your post was actually very enlightening.:D The past 3 weeks or so have been hard, but before that I loved school and I loved my clinicals, just feeling that final crunch and realizing that the grade that I thought I would get out of this quarter ain't going to happen (d*mn cardiac test:( ) Oh well, think I am going to go, got a speech to prepare and a test to study for.

lunakat

369 Posts

You can do it! I have faith in you! It's only 6 more months. Keep telling yourself it's almost over! Keep your eye on the prize!:)

FullMoonMadness

190 Posts

Kimmicoo; quit beating yourself up. School is very hard and it takes all time away from things we liked to do before we were students.Here are a few things I had to come to realize or I would have fell off the fence long ago.

1. Dust bunnies are my friends

2.My husband knows how to work the microwave just as well as I do.

3.Living out of the dryer is not a capitol crime.

4. A "c" is as good as an " a" to my patient's.

I am not making small of your situation,I just handle stress better if I am able to laugh about it. You have worked hard to get where you are,this to shall pass , it did not come to stay.There is nothing wrong with a drink of wine, and are you being paranoid in clinicals or conscientious(sp).Winter break is almost here,relax and go back in the spring with renewed energy and the realization that you are almost through. Good luck and stay focused.

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