How did nursing school effect your health?

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i have heard repeated accounts of how the stress of nursing school can cause weight gain, and sometimes weight loss. i could see how health would be impacted, given that nursing schools are often compacted into 10-15 short months filled with tons of strict deadlines, loads of new information to take in, and the stress of such new exposure to the responsibilities of nursing. my question then is, how did or is nursing school effecting your health? and what advice do you have to a new student for maintaining a healthy body whilst enduring much stress?

Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

I put on a little weight, that can only be lost by exercise (I eat well usually). But there is NO time... so none of my clothes fit me, and I despise shopping, let alone having to go and buy the next size up for my whole wardrobe! thank god for roomy scrubs... it's the only thing i'm comfy in lately.

I have never looked forward to lunch as much as I have during exams... I tend to eat more when I study for exams...

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Well I'm 3 semesters in to my nursing school and I have four children. Since starting I too have gained like 13 lbs from all the junk food I've been eating. I also had to go back on my depression medicine to help me cope a little. Also I have had migrane headaches for the last month. Some of this has to do with the kids screaming too...lol

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Specializes in Infusion.

Weight gain - like 5 to 10 lbs, anxiety every test day and while trying to write up patient preps.

I exercise whether I have time for it or not. Try to let go of a bad test score and move forward. Listen well and follow advice from instructors and great nurses.

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Does anyone have tips for how to NOT gain weight?? I am at a healthy weight now and I exercise almost daily/eat well...I am getting married June 2012 (after my first year of nursing school) and I need to do everything I can to make sure I don't gain any weight.

PS I am starting nursing school in 2 weeks, I've already done 2 yrs of pre-reqs and maintained my weight.

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Specializes in ER, Med-Surg.

I gained a dreaded 15 pounds as well, ohhh the studying just makes you want to snack!! Advice to not gain weight? Don't fall into the easy habit of getting fast food and even if you feel like you have no time, exercise anyway, because you will always feel like you have no time once you start. I regret not being stricter with myself but it's so easy to let the stress get to you. I can't fit into any of my clothes anymore, but I refuse to go by a whole new wardrobe. I'm trying to get back to where I was before and establish healthy habits so I can keep it up this time!

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Weight gain - like 5 to 10 lbs, anxiety every test day and while trying to write up patient preps.

I exercise whether I have time for it or not. Try to let go of a bad test score and move forward. Listen well and follow advice from instructors and great nurses.

Just curious what kind of exercise do you do?

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Does anyone have tips for how to NOT gain weight?? I am at a healthy weight now and I exercise almost daily/eat well...I am getting married June 2012 (after my first year of nursing school) and I need to do everything I can to make sure I don't gain any weight.

PS I am starting nursing school in 2 weeks, I've already done 2 yrs of pre-reqs and maintained my weight.

One thing that helped me was consciously drinking more water. There aren't any healthy food options for me at school, so I started bringing a refillable water bottle with me every day to class. If I have something to drink I'm way less likely to want to go get a bag of potato chips or a candy bar or something. Drinking tea also helped, and tea makes me a lot less jittery than drinking coffee, which is good for my anxiety.

Definitely make an effort to eat breakfast, esp. when you have early morning class/clinical. I don't even like eating in the morning, but if I don't I just want to stuff my face when it's lunchtime. I usually grab a Tupperware container on my way out the door and pour some granola in it; mix it with vanilla fat-free yogurt and a little honey. It fills you up really well and takes about 20 seconds to make.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

ive gained weight, maybe like 10 lbs... which puts me at about 110 lbs, im a small person.

I am in a fast track program... we go through summer, usually a week off between semesters. and i work on weekends as an employed student nurse. busy busy. i can say that i havent had a good sleep since 2009.. lol, and im constantly tired.

i think i deal with the stress well, but i can feel those depressed days come on where i just dont have the motivation to go to school or go to clinical.

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Does anyone have tips for how to NOT gain weight?? I am at a healthy weight now and I exercise almost daily/eat well...I am getting married June 2012 (after my first year of nursing school) and I need to do everything I can to make sure I don't gain any weight.

PS I am starting nursing school in 2 weeks, I've already done 2 yrs of pre-reqs and maintained my weight.

I haven't started my program yet (11 more days!) but the person at the scrubs store who handles our uniform orders tells all the girls that we will gain 15 lbs. our first year.

I am planning on having lots of healthy snacks available, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. I think that if you can purchase them before your week starts, you'll be able to wash and cut them up so they will be readily available for you during the week.

The past 2 years while I have been taking pre- and co-reqs., I've made all fruit smoothies to take to class with me, or even a low-fat granola bar. When the other students would venture out to the vending machines, I would stay behind or eat a banana.

I just always tell myself that my body will run more efficiently and I will have overall better health if I plan for eating healthy (healthfully?)! :)

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As I'm already overweight I really hope I don't gain weight. I have started to change my eating habits, switching coke for diet( I drink a lot of it so it saves tons of cals)No fried foods and treats are not coming into my house so that late night munchies isn't happening. I tend to forget to eat when super busy, hopefully these will help me keep the weight off.

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Specializes in SDU, Tele.

I start in the fall and these are things i am going to do that will hopefully help. BTW I work 17 hrs a week and plan to keep it that way at least for the first year.

  1. Frozen fruits. I go to the freezer section at my grocery store and get Dole's frozen mango, as well as peach, strawberries, etc. They also came out with pineapple and cherries. This is the easiest way to go as they are all clean and cut and ready to eat. I have these in my smoothies every morning, in my yogurt, and even desert.
  2. Cut the soda for good. I'm serious. Switch for tea or flavored water.
  3. Coffee only 3x a week, if needed.
  4. Make Ahead Meals. I chose Sunday to cook for the rest of the week. I am making all my grocery lists now, and am assembling allll the lunches/dinners I want to make. Most of it is sanwiches or soups, with whole grain breads and salads. For example I found a really easy cream of asparagus soup. Just boil the asparagus and your spices, add plain yogurt, milk and put it in the blender. Seriously shouldn't take more than 1/2 hour to make, and I am going to freeze it in small portions for the rest of the week.
  5. Walk the dog. I am going to walk my pooch even if it kills me, lol. Every other day at least! I'll listen to my ipod in the mean time. If I really have to, I'll listen to a lecture, but really I want to listen to my own music or something to chill out.
  6. Active activity. I am going to do something fun and active once a month. Go to the zoo or park and just relax with my family or something. Might even escape, turn off my phone, and hit the pool all by myself. yea, sounds like a plan. :up:
  7. Keep healthy snacks on you. The produce section carries sliced apples in little baggies. In fact, I even saw celery sticks and carrot sticks and all that. Munch on my way to class.

Hope this helps =D

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I gained 10 lbs and seemed to get sick all the time. I had respiratory infections throughout school. Maybe it was the stress weakening my immune system. Then about a week after I took the NCLEX I went to the ER with chest pain, ended up being from severe anxiety, not heart related. It all just boiled up to that point because I didn't realize how much anxiety I was really having, I guess I was trying to repress it and not think about it, but it was there. I've never been one to suffer from anxiety before this, so I know it was school stress related.

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