Hopelessness r/t nursing school

Nursing Students General Students

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I am currently a junior in med-surg and I have loved nursing up to this point. Yes all of my previous nursing classes have been demanding, but I feel I am at my breaking point. This new semester has clinicals twice a week, a test every other week, group projects, presentation, papers, online tasks, lab, and the list seems to go one forever! I am starting to hate my clinical because I have no interest on the floor I am on, I am constantly studing massive amounts of information for hours on end to do average on tests, and I am starting to have doubts if this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I know I just sound like I am whining, but I used to love going to clinical. I loved the energy and the high I felt being in the hospital and helping the patients. A 12 hour shift was no problem for me because I absolutely loved what I was doing. I would talk with my classmates about this, but we are all pretty much in the same boat, so I just want to know. Does anyone else feel this way? Or have they ever felt this way?

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I am only in my first semester of NS but it sounds like you are just having a hard time with all the work you're doing and the stress of it. It also seems as though the only reason you are not enjoying your clinicals is because you don't like the floor you're on. Make sure you are taking short breaks when you are studying. It seems counterproductive but if you are overwhelmed, you aren't really going to learn as much anyway and you have to take care of yourself! Keep it up, take it one clinical at a time, one hour of studying at a time, and before you know it, this portion will be over and you will be on to something else. Keep your chin up and try to remember why you went to NS in the first place. Good luck!

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Specializes in PICU/Pedi.

I took A&P I, micro, nutrition and one other class together right before I started nursing school, even though I was advised not to do it. I am so glad now that I did because I got used to having a test EVERY week (sometimes 3 or 4!), in addition to everything else. It kind of set the pace for NS. I didn't have as hard a time as many others because of it.

I do get overwhelmed at the begninning of every semester over everything that has to be done, and clinicals does add to the stress. But it makes the time go so much faster. I'm not to the point you are yet, but it sounds like we have almost the same workload. I definitely question what I'm doing - especially when it's 1 AM and I'm still working on a careplan, and I keep reading stuff on this forum about people not being able to find jobs, and hating the ones they DO find. It does sound like you're more unhappy about your current clinical setting, and that can color everything else that you enjoy doing. But you can do anything for 16 weeks... keep that in mind. You'll be done soon enough. I hope things start looking up for you - just hang in there!

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Thanks soo much for the motivation, I was really starting to doubt myself but I feel so much better!

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I feel the exact same way that you feel. I am also in my med/surg semester. I LOVED clinicals last semester and now I dread them. It sucks because I really want to be a nurse but maybe I'm just not cut out for it? Anyway, just wanted to let you know you are not alone. Good luck!

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Specializes in Operating Room, Long Term Care.

I graduate in May and this semester has been the hardest. I think students hit a point of "burn out". I had to learn to be a "B" student instead of an "A" student and that is alright for me. I need sleep more than an "A" on a test. Hang in there and keep the prize in sight. Good Luck.

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hopelessness R/T nursing school AEB my social life is falling apart

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hopelessness R/T nursing school AEB my social life is falling apart

HAHAHA

I was laughing for a good 2 mins.

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Specializes in Operating Room, Long Term Care.
HAHAHA

I was laughing for a good 2 mins.

This nursing diagnosis is right on.

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I hear ya!! I have done fine on all the didactic work, but clinicals are very discouraging to me. We just have to hang in there!

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