Just thought this would be an intersting topic since I am becoming more aware that some of my peers aren't completely ready, including I.
I am speaking on terms of physically and mentally/spiritually.
To share where I'm at, I feel I'm not ready on the physical aspect of nursing. The idea of ambulating a patient over a specific weight by myself is a little daunting. I'm hoping (for safety concerns) I'll never have to do some of these things by myself. I am currently working on trying to strengthen myself in this area.
I combined spiritually and mentally because many people do have belief systems that limit them, whether they realize it or not.
My advocation on this is that I will be able to treat a patient as fairly as the next patient without preconceived judgement due to a limiting belief. This goes for many unlisted "controversial" topics that currently exist in healthcare.
My mind is capable of wrapping around the fact people are different, and the patient should come prior to whatever my beliefs are.
So, how ready are you nursing school, physically and mentally?
I've been waiting three years now, taking pre-reqs, co-reqs, waiting for the evening nursing program to come around again (every 18 months at my school). I'm just tired of waiting. I start in August and I think I'm as ready as I can be.
We just had our orientation on Friday. Mostly a waste of time, but it was required. I just want to dive in and get through so I can start finding that RN job at the end of the rainbow.
I never really thought about the physical aspect...now I'm even more nervous. I need to find a way to relax because I feel like I'm wound so tight worrying about everything that needs to get done. Today, I actually sectioned off my old A&P book (it's been 5 years since I had the class) so that I can get through the whole book by the time class starts. Add that to work, a dosages course, OSHA course, and 2 summer classes and I think I might be trying to do too much. I think that when I applied, I made the mistake of thinking "I already have a degree, this isn't going to be any harder" but I'm starting to realize that this might end up being more difficult than anything I've ever done, and I am stressing OUT about it.
All I've been hearing from other students is that they wish they just relaxed and enjoyed their summer before nursing school. Considering I haven't been in their shoes I decided to take their advice. I'm not taking any classes, but I have been reviewing medical terms, pathophysiology, watching medical related videos, reading nursing stories, and a few nclex questions here and there. All when I *want* to. I spend about 3-4 hours a day actually wanting to do this, because it takes no effort to sit and read things that interest me anyway.
The majority of the time I do change it up and watch my favorite shows, play my favorite games. I try to play strategy games, memory games, or anything involving numbers.
I'm nervous about the physical aspect too, but I try to walk a little over a mile at least every other day and do weights as much as I can. That and try to eat small meals through out the day vs over- loading 2-3 times a day. I try to take it easy with the carbs and dairy as much as possible.
@ openyourmind: I am so glad that someone is taking the advice to enjoy their summer! You'll understand why after you start and you'll be glad that you did. :)
Physically? I am not ready. That is what I am working on right now. I'm an older student and some of the issues are age related and health related. But most of it is because I have spent to much time at a desk. I have planned to take this time to focus on this issue. Or it will cause a problem when I start my program.
Physically? I am not ready. That is what I am working on right now. I'm an older student and some of the issues are age related and health related. But most of it is because I have spent to much time at a desk. I have planned to take this time to focus on this issue. Or it will cause a problem when I start my program.
You can do it.
I feel weight training is what's really helping me. I do a one mile walk, stretch, then do weights. I can feel my muscles waking up. As long as you develop a good sweat you know you've done well.
I'm not ready..... physically I'm a thin person, but with no upper strength so I've started taking strength training classes Friday Saturday and Sunday to help with that. I'm also an organized chaos kind of person...how do I explain this? My desk through community college was chaos, but organized chaos, I knew where a certain assignment was in my pile and only I knew where to find it, and since I've been accepted in to nursing school for this fall(BSN) my husband has called me out on it. My husband is the one that has made me aware of my chaos and said I'm not going to get very far in nursing school if I don't learn now how to be organized, he's right! SO I've cleaned my desk, gotten rid of a lot of junk and I'm managing and continuing to learn how to keep things organized. My husband has also called me out on time management. He tells me I don't know how to manage my time and states that's why I'm always running around the last minute-again guilty! I've managed to be a very good student through community college with chaos and time, but I know I need to change my habits for nursing school. So! it's all one step at a time that I do hope to change so that I can be successful. As far as mentally-No I have no idea what to expect in nursing school, I mean everyone I've talked to tells me it's HARD, well of course it's hard, but again I don't know what to expect!? emotionally and spiritually-I pray to the gods above to not leave my side and continue to give me the faith and courage for each day and to help me be strong for myself and for others in need of my care :) That's All!
-scared, excited soon to be nursing student fall 2014.
sj20fame, you sound like my sister from another mister. Lolol. A little piece inside of me hopes the hospital has at least a little to do with "organized chaos".
I used to be baaad but much like you I knew exactly where everything was and the minute it was organized by someone other than myself, it threw me off every time. Now I have necessary clutter and anything I don't need or use is organized nicely and put away. So anything I'm currently working with/on is out and I don't put it away until I'm done with it.
I've heard mixed things about nursing school. Doing my science pre-reqs wasn't as bad as I thought. I usually had a lot of down time to watch TV or do other things. I remember going through like what, 8 seasons of a TV show while I was doing A&P II. I'm just hoping I fly right through nursing school and learn a whole lot. I'm hoping for many eye openers, and hoping I can connect or see myself in various of the units I might be learning in.
Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.
I am actually close to the end, having one more semester to go after this one. I can say that nothing could have prepared me for what I've been through. The most important thing, in my opinion, is to be able to make adjustments as you go along. Your preparation for semester 1 will likely need to be tweaked or totally altered as you move on and become aware of the true demands placed upon you. It's hard to prepare for what you really don't know.
I'm so thankful for this site, I received my letter a couple days ago and it was unexpected I was accepted so soon (not completing required prerequisites) (in progress-*). I have been working for this for 2 years and it was very emotional when I got accepted because I thought I couldn't do it and it wouldn't be so soon. Physically I'm ready, and spiritually. Mentally, that will be a challenge. The stress of driving 40 min to school and back 3 days a week plus clinical's and then fitting in work so I can pay my bills. Time management and then dealing with the stress of being away from spending time with friends and family. It's a real dedication of 2 1/2 years of time and giving it your all I'm not looking forward too, but the end result is what will keep me going. The time I'll get back with my family will be greater when I only work 3 days a week as an RN, the money I'll make to not stress about finance, and most important the love I will have for my job and the satisfaction I will get in a career.
Physicality was not a problem throughout my first year of nursing school at all. In clinicals, there was always another student available to help turn or lift a patient. Ideally, there will others to help in the real world too (notice I stated ideally). I would say physically, nursing school can be somewhat physically draining (mostly due to lack of sleep) but if you are like me and can go on 4-5 hours of sleep throughout much of the week (with catch up sleep the other nights), you should be totally fine physically.
Actually, it never occurred to me that nursing school was thought or meant to be physically challenging until reading this thread...to me it's way more exhausting mentally -- lots of reading, memorization, cramming, the psychological stress of testing, deadlines, getting along with a diverse group of students & instructors in a fast-paced environment, etc.
In clinicals, at least for the first few semesters, you are only assigned 1, maybe 2 patients at a time so physicality should not be so much of an issue. It's more about keeping on your toes, knowing what you are doing, being organized, and not making any mental mistakes. Some programs will have you work up to 4-5 patients, but this usually does not occur until the last semester. Even then, it's only 1 day per week, 8-12 hours at a stretch and you would have resources available (perhaps another nurse, perhaps an instructor, maybe another student) that a real nurse might not have available to him or her.
There is no doubt nursing is physically and mentally incredibly challenging. In fact, our instructors keep drilling into us to use "back safe" techniques and they periodically remind us how physical the job can be. Not sure if it is accurate, but one instructor claimed nurses suffer more back injuries than any other profession/ job. However, so far nursing school itself has not been physically difficult or challenging at all aside from lack of sleep, at least in my experience.
My husband is the one that has made me aware of my chaos and said I'm not going to get very far in nursing school if I don't learn now how to be organized, he's right! SO I've cleaned my desk, gotten rid of a lot of junk and I'm managing and continuing to learn how to keep things organized. My husband has also called me out on time management. He tells me I don't know how to manage my time and states that's why I'm always running around the last minute-again guilty! I've managed to be a very good student through community college with chaos and time, but I know I need to change my habits for nursing school. So! it's all one step at a time that I do hope to change so that I can be successful. As far as mentally-No I have no idea what to expect in nursing school, I mean everyone I've talked to tells me it's HARD, well of course it's hard, but again I don't know what to expect!? emotionally and spiritually-I pray to the gods above to not leave my side and continue to give me the faith and courage for each day and to help me be strong for myself and for others in need of my care :) That's All!
PaulBaxter
145 Posts
I've been waiting three years now, taking pre-reqs, co-reqs, waiting for the evening nursing program to come around again (every 18 months at my school). I'm just tired of waiting. I start in August and I think I'm as ready as I can be.
We just had our orientation on Friday. Mostly a waste of time, but it was required. I just want to dive in and get through so I can start finding that RN job at the end of the rainbow.