Had a Bad Day

I don't want to be the bearer of horrid news but 2 bad days, although overwhelming, comes with the territory.

Now, having said that, the days do get better, easier really isn't the word. You learn ways to cope with the stress, you figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are, you rely on a close support group, learn to manage your time, learn when and how the best way for you to study is, find a study buddy or group, you get up off the ground and you keep moving forward. The moment you tell yourself and believe that failure is NOT an option, you kind of take on a different attitude towards the process. Yes, we are pushed to the limits, we are taught way too much in a short amount of time, but consider the jobs we are taking on. Humans lives are in the balance and we hold the tools in our minds, hearts, and hands to either do good or do bad. Choose your side and work towards that side.

It is a safe bet that you know that you are not the first or last nursing student who has felt overwhelmed at one point or another while in school. We are doing critical care right now and let me tell you when we have patients on vents, with trachs, whose F&E balances are WAY off balance, and the realization at just HOW sick people are that we come in contact with, it is VERY VERY VERY humbling, it makes me realize without a DOUBT this is what I want, but it also makes me VERY VERY VERY aware of just how much I still have to learn to be a "safe" nurse.

GOOD LUCK with school but just remember to find yourself in this journey, open your eyes to what you are now and realize that when this ride is over you will be a different, more competent and confident grad nurse.

You know I think everyone here has been there the first semester of school. And its like my friends right now are going through it too and they have had 3 days. I think a lot of it has to do with how new it is and how much is expected. About week 2 when things calmed down, a routine was established, that feeling almost disappeared and it became fun.

I am with you..... this is just my 2nd week & i feel like my professors are all over the place.

I found that finding a study buddy helps & you need to get orgranized. I made a spread sheet of all of my classes & whats do when & so fourth. You will do great..... just keep your eye on the prize

I have been in school a whole week.(I know not long,) the first day i came home freaking out that i could not continue. nw that I have met a few people and sat through the rest of my first week, I realized the teachers are going to help me, and there are others that are willing to help also. it will come all together and make sense and I can do this. take it day by day and one test at a time. break it down and don't worry about what will come focus on what is now. and you will make it.

you will create a routine/ patern!

i can tell you that!

it all falls into place! i thought the world was going to end! that we have so much! but i got it all done, and am already prepared for next weeks test!

we have to complete pre-post tests online i usually get 50 on pretests and then 92 - 95 even 100 on post tests,

i do though stay in tune on the class room marking whatever she (emphasizes??) goes over, or write on the board,

i get the power point if available, i will type my notes, and have the flash cards ready (i print mine from my notes and ppts) so i am all done with those chapters, then i will keep on reading my typed notes until test day!

all i have to do i study for pharm (antibiotics are a huuuuuuge chapter) and get those flash cards ready humpf! that's tomorrow's chores! lol

Nurz2be is right - this is stressful, but you need to chill out. Just relax and take it one day at a time! Getting all worked up and believing you can't do it don't help anything - back up and look at things. Break the overwhelming into reasonable, smaller tasks - it makes it easier to look at the list if there's smaller things there rather than huge ones. Take the textbooks one chapter at a time, and you'll get there.

You have a lot of stuff due for different classes? At least you know it's due in advance. Plan for it! You can spend a few extra hours today and finish something due next month, leaving you plenty of open time then to study, when you'll need it. I think Csantos has it down - set yourself up a system, get used to the routine, and just plug away at it.

You'll get through and know your stuff cold that way!

Totally normal to be feeling swamped. As it is, I am on Allnurses and should be writing a paper and studying for my Friday midterm. I learned that planning and giving yourself short term deadlines is the only way to get through it. I know I have a midterm Friday, but I also have a paper due. So I have given myself until tonight to finish the paper. I am devoting all day Wednesday to study for midterm. All day Thursday I am in class with the only break coming in between classes. I have to go to the hospital, pick a patient and then write up a prepsheet. Friday, I have the midterm early, then I have to turn in my paper, and then head off to the hospital for clinicals. I also am juggling 3 other classes (15 units this quarter) When I was first starting I bought a recorder and faithfully recorded lectures. Then I played them back whenever I had a chance. (When I was driving in the car, waiting for my son's soccer or volleyball games to start, even when I was cooking or cleaning the house.) You will soon find what study tricks are right for you. I found study groups were helpful. Some people can't stand study groups. One of my professors the first year told me that she did not read every page. She would read every beginning paragraph all the bold, italicized sentences. She looked at all the charts, tables, figures, and pictures. Lastly, she read all the chapter summations. This only worked for Theory. I read word for word all the assigned reading for Pathophysiology and Pharmacology.

I really don't want to encourage you to skim read if you teachers aren't the ones suggesting it. We would have maybe 9 chapters of information on the midterm and the final would cover 20 cumulative. So we really needed some way to focus in on what was really important.

I know it can seem so overwhelming, but hang in there at least next semester/quarter you will know what to expect.

You can do it.

I remember my 3rd day in the RN program, I came home with full intentions of quitting. Overwhelmed was an understatment, I literally cried myself to sleep that night. I got up the next morning and the sun was up so, I knew it couldn't be all bad so, I went back to school for another chance. I found a study group of fellow insomniacs and we push each other to the end. We whined,moaned,and cried about care plans,but we finished them. We studied until all hours of the night for tests, forgoing food at times (never coffee). I'm glad I did, because first semester went by so fast it all became a blur. I'm happy to report I start my 4th and final semester in Feb. and can't wait for June 8, 2009.

I just want to say keep putting one foot in front of the other because the prize is within reach!

It doesn't get easier. It doesn't. The work is the same, and in some cases harder. For me, the work just got tougher. Last semester I had 2 nursing classes, clinicals 2 days a week starting at 6:45am and a late night AP class that kept me at school until 9:30pm the night before clinicals. This semester, I have the SAME schedule, but ALSO have Pharmacology on top of those on the same day as my AP class. Today I will leave my house at 9am and not be back from school until about 10:15pm. I also work 10.5 hr days all weekend and am supposed to be working 2 more days during the week, but my car died and I haven't been able to work those hours for a few weeks. (I have a husband and 3 kids too)

That said, I made it this far, and i refuse to look ahead in my syllabus or my schedule beyond the next test. I just think about today, stuff as much studying as humanly possible into one day, and I know thats the best I can do. One foot in front of the other is all it takes. I finished last semester with a very solid B. Not the A I was planning on and that I got in every prior class, but its good enough for me.

I'm right with you. I'm in my second week and already missed the cutoff on my dosage calc test.(We have to get a 90, I got an 88) I have one more chance to pass it next week. I'm really depressed about that and have large assignments I'm supposed to be working on along with studying for AP2. At times we all feel like we aen't going to make it but I didn't work my self to death on pre reqs to get accepted into nursing school just to let a few minor inconveniences get in my way. Head up, chest out, and we will prevail.