Struggling in year 2 nursing. Fear of failing

beekee · Jan 26, 2018

Are you talking with your professors? Your professors can help you identify where you are going wrong. Make appointments with all of them ASAP. if you are offered tutors, use them. If your professors have office hours, go. Study groups with classmates? Do it. Also, I recommend doing as many NCLEX style questions as you can get your hands on. If your textbooks have any, do them. There are apps and books that have NCLEX style questions too.

neogirl · Feb 2, 2018

You need to meet with your profs. Go through your tests question by question and find out what you are doing. Are you changing your answers right to wrong, are you misreading the question, did you not study in a way that will help you with the test? Your profs most likely want you to do well and are willing to help.

MiladyMalarkey, ASN, BSN · Feb 2, 2018

Now do you think you are doing unwell because your heart isn't in doing nursing or do you think you are genuinely just struggling because of content? If it is the latter, it is not too late to bring grades up if you work really hard, start a dialog with your instructors, they are resources.

If it is your heart not being in it, time to evaluate what direction you want to go. You don't have to waste anymore of your time or money. You also would want to give your spot to someone who wants to be there.

Good luck either way.

al3x117, RN, EMT-B · Feb 2, 2018

Your not alone my friend! I too have been struggling in medsurg class as well as struggling in clinical. There are many things that are stressfull in nursing school but I will tell you it's how you perceive each situation. Simulation is very stressful as well and will get your heart rate going when you hear the patient's go up on the tele monitor. Kinda funny how that works. Anyway my best advice is to call out for help. You have to be honest with yourself and say do I need help and where can I find it. Seek out help from peers who are willing to teach you. Or ask professors to help or even get someone to tutor you. If you know that you are stuggling get help. We all need help sometimes. My best advice is that if you think that you are stupid or dumb for needing help or think that everyone is doing better than you in nursing school drop that mindset right now and leave it at the door. You damn well know that everyone is struggling as hard as you are. You are not alone. You are meant to be in this awesome profession to help others and calm them in their time of need. Believe me I'm in the same boat. I passed my last medsurg exam by one percent got a 77% and a 76% is the cuttoff to not pass. Pretty scarry! However, I don't look at that failure and say well crap I thought I knew the info. I look at that and say I'm going to study not just harder but smarter. You have to find what works for you. I am a very visual and kinesthetic learner so I need diagrams, charts, videos, white board drawings. My suggestion is to supplement what you are learning in class with khan academy videos or use this guy Armando Hasudungan. Here is his youtube channel Armando Hasudungan | Biology and Medicine videos This guy is very good at drawing and he draws biology and human anatomy. He explains the concepts extremely well and its helpful for me to get a visual because it sticks. Good luck to you! Wish you all the best. Fellow junior nursing student here! Never forget that I am struggling too! Nursing school is hard! And I don't just say that lightly. Nursing school will beat you down if you let it. Depression is common...me I don't hide it very well and all my friends ask me what the hell is wrong with me. Sometimes I think that they just don't get it but to be real they care. I'm hard on myself if I mess up or make a mistake because it is peoples lives on the line. And as a student you want to be the best damn nurse that walked the face of this earth but to be frank with you it's not about any of that. It is about leaning on your fellow classmates and coworkers in the tough times. The mistakes and so called "failures" are what make you a better nurse. In skills lab when you are stressed and you can't even think straight or on an exam when you don't know if it's this answer or the other one. Just remember to take a deep breathe...in the end of the day you gave your 110%...your going to make it! REMEMBER THAT NURSING IS A TEAM SPORT AND IT IS MORE THAN DOING THINGS FOR YOUR PATIENT! Docs need their nurses, nurses need their doc, nurses need the medics who are bustin their asses everyday in the streets, medics need the nurses. Healthcare is a huge team and the sooner you understand and accept that you need people to help you it will make you a better nurse! Never quit my friend. Push through!!! For me right now in my life if I don't pass this kaplan i'm out of my program! The stress is high, the pressure is on, the room is tense. In times like this you want to run away from everything and not even show up to the test for fear of failure. Don't give up or see yourself as a failure just because you didn't pass some exams. There is always room to learn and knowledge to be gained. "If it's important to you, you will find a way. If it is not, you will find an excuse." STUDY HARD AND SMART!!! Do what works for you!!! Take this questionare learning styles test and find beter ways to study. The VARK Questionnaire | VARK

As always take it easy!! Don't just believe that you will be a nurse, make that **** happen!!! Best of luck!!! Always keep in mind you are not alone in the struggle. The struggle is real...you will be treading water when you get to harder nursing classes and trying not to drown!! NEVER QUIT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T QUIT ON YOUR PATIENT'S IN REAL LIFE!!!

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Feb 2, 2018

63 % is not high enough.You are not absorbing 37 % plus of what you need to know to take care of your patients. I had to pull 78 % and thought it was too low.

Only your academic advisors can answer your question fully.

Best wishes.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2018

63 % is not high enough.You are not absorbing 37 % plus of what you need to know to take care of your patients. I had to pull 78 % and thought it was too low.
Only your academic advisors can answer your question fully.
Best wishes.

My college required 84 or above on everything; 83 was failing.

Accolay · Feb 4, 2018

Do you want to be a nurse or not? As mentioned, talk to your professors and etc. and see what you need to do to pass. It sucks, but even if you have to repeat a year of nursing school it wont be the worst thing in the world.

EDNURSE20, BSN · Feb 4, 2018

I know exactly what your going through. I almost quit in second year as well because I thought I couldn't do it. I failed a paper in first year and went back a semester. And my last year (2017) was truely awful. I was a mess all year, so stressed out, emotional, anxious and put so much pressure on my self.

But somehow I made it through, pass my registration exam, and got a great job I start next week. I've only been out of nursing school 5 weeks (graduated in December 17) and honestly nursing school seems like it was so long ago. I can't believe how much different I feel now I'm not under all the pressure.

I had a great friend who wouldn't let me quit, who pushed me and motivated me. I also reach out to lecturer when I needed to. But I also mucked around a lot because I felt so scared of failing, which was the worst thing I could of done. Push through it and do everything you can to pass, only then decided weather or not nursing is for you. But I think it is, because otherwise you wouldn't care as much as it seems you do. If you didn't want to do this failing wouldn't seem that scary.

As hard as it is you need to forget about everything, and concentrate on what you need to do. Go in thinking you are going to pass. Staying positive, not putting extra pressure on yourself and asking for help is what you need to do. Just keep thinking of that end goal, you can make it, even if you have to repeat. And when you do it feels sooooooooooo good.

Bella1846 · Feb 4, 2018

I am in an accelerated 2 year nursing program. Ill just say i have the same feelings as you. I stress more than most. I study my ass off and ill make good marks but sometimes i dont. I beat myself up about it all the time. My program you have to make a 75 in every class. Get between a 70-74 and have to retake the course. Get below a 70 and you get dismissed from the program. The NCLEX rate is 97% pass rate. I would say my program isn't for the weak or the procrastinators. There are days where i ask myself is it worth it. Am i good enough. Will i make a decent nurse? You just have to push through. These past few weeks i have never studied so hard in my life. All my classes are 7:30s but still have to push through. Ill be up late at night and study until my eyes burn like hell. Girl, you can do this. Cry it out, talk to a friend, when you do good on an assignment or an exam treat yourself. This isn't an easy road. But if you want it badly you will go and get. A few months ago i ordered Chinese food and opened a fortune cookie. It reads "If you care enough for a result you will most certainly attain it" I taped it to a folder and use this folder religiously. I look at the little white paper and it helps remind me why i am here. Keep your head up love.

Icecream1234 · May 2, 2018

Thanks.

I just received my final grades. Passed every courses except for one course by 4%. Feeling so devastated because I studied a lot for this course. I always feel like my life is useless and that I hated myself because I am not like other students in the class who are getting decent grades. I don't know if I can handle my emotion because now I know I will need to repeat another year of the same courses.