I know this sounds crazy, but......

dkbstill · Jul 11, 2012

Kat,

We are somewhat in the same boat, in that I have a B.S. in Psychology and a Ma.Ed in Education. I am starting to take the prerequisites for entry into local nursing program (took the classes already but anything over 10 years has to be retaken). I must say that I have some nervousness in regards to the responsibility of being a nurse. You have the possibility of helping or hurting. For me I would say that it is disorganization. I have been in case management for the last few years and I sort of work in this chaotic state at all times (working w/ pregnant, homeless women). I think that if its your dream and you really want it then you need to go for it. At least you can say that you tried. This is exactly what I am going to do, try my best!

jonron1216 · Jul 11, 2012

Kat,

I used to have math anxiety too, and in high school I was a terrible math student. (I got a D in Pre-Calc) I hated math with a strong passion. In college I told myself I would only do the bare minimum required for me to get by in math. I ended up in a calculus class (still not sure how that happened) but I gave it absolutely everything I could and I ended up not only acing the class but loving math. It became an obsession. I went on to multi-variable calc, limits and infinite series, linear alg, differential equations, I was a math addict. It is funny how something I thought I hated turned into a passion once I found the right professor and the right attitude. Don't let the fear of taking math stop you from becoming a nurse, who knows... you could end up like me. :-)

Anyways I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

-JonRon

Kat_everdeen · Jul 11, 2012

Wow that is pretty cool. I wish I had looked at math that way in college. I took an avoidance approach, which hasn't made my fear of math any better. I did go onto a website that has med. calc quizzes, I actually didn't do bad I was really surprised. I do well when people teach math to me in a certain way, I had a math tutor for little bit when I was younger and was starting to do a lot better, I don't know why I stopped going to her.

pinknblue82 · Jul 11, 2012

Math and science are challenging for me, but I'm a competent nurse. And if you decide to pursue nursing, it is my belief that if you can make it through school, you can make it as a nurse. Not sure about psych as a whole, but in my area those jobs are available to new grads. Good luck to you as you figure out your path :)

Kat_everdeen · Jul 11, 2012

dkbstill good luck to you and thanks. I sort of feel the same way, like I have to at least try. I don't want to do nothing and look back and regret it. pinknblue82 I'm relieved to hear that I am not the only person who finds math challenging, and that you are a successful and competent nurse. You are right, if I make it through nursing school then I can make it as a nurse. Unfortunately for myself I am the type of person who thinks WAY ahead. So in my mind I'm already an impostor (something I hear is a fairly common feeling) nurse who knows nothing and is one step away from killing a patient. Again, I fully realize I'm thrown off, its just how I am. As far a far as being a psych nurse I actually just read and article/post on here by a veteran psych nurse saying something to the effect that the psych specialty is not necessarily appealing to newer nurses. Which is weird to me, I love psychology.

mstearns09 · Jul 11, 2012

I have a Bachelors in Secondary Education and I worked in public education for 10 years before I was forced out and burned out. I work as a CNA now and I love it. I'll start the first of my last 3 pre-reqs for nursing school this fall. I, too, am not that great at math but I feel that I've found my niche in the medical field.

Good luck!

suzilks1 · Jul 11, 2012

Kat,

I completely understand where you are coming from. I'm 47 and so want to be a nurse. I do great in science courses but math is my nemesis. I recently had to take a compass math test to be accepted into the community college I applied for. You needed a minimum algebra score of 20 to be accepted and I got a 19. Talk about being discouraged. BUT I checked out a site that people on here had suggested. It's called khanacademy.com. It is AMAZING for math challenged folks like us. I started out watching a video and then doing the "practice the concept" exercises. I have worked on that site for several hours each day and to my surprise, I actually like some of it! I also bought a few books to help me out, the complete idiots guide to algebra (ha the title says it all), Cliff notes math reveiw for standardized tests and the complete idiots humongous book of algebra progblems. Even though I bought those books I have to say I really have used the khan academy more than anything. I took the compass last month and I retake it next Wednesday. In that time, I have learned to do a TON of math I thought I could never do. I'm praying I get that extra point I need next Wednesday but if I don't it won't be because I didn't try. lol You CAN do it. If an old dog like me can learn new tricks so can you!! Do what you dream...regret is the worst!

johnny depp23 · Jul 11, 2012

Good golly miss molly, nursing math is easier than changing a light bulb. :thankya:

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 11, 2012

Good golly miss molly, nursing math is easier than changing a light bulb. :thankya:

I'm with JD on this one: you'll have a harder time with the nursing classes in general than with passing the math competency; math is typically the least-challenging of what you have to go through.

As for the rest of it, I think if a local hospital will allow you to do a job-shadowing for a day or two to see what nurses do, it'd be a good idea. Ditto getting a CNA job: spending eight to twelve hours a day cleaning up people, running for stuff, changing beds and putting up with cranky people in general will give you at least a tiny taste of whether you want to be doing this at all.

I realize you want to "help people" but there's a whole lot more out there in the way of helping people than putting yourself through nursing school, risking very possible unemployment, and when you do find a job--not liking it because you didn't really know what it was all about.

Try the CNA route, and/or job shadowing.

Kat_everdeen · Jul 12, 2012

@suzilks1 thanks I will check that website out. Nice to see someone else who has the same issues with math that I do.

Anyway, I am going to start studying for the nursing entrance exam, if I can't pass that then its not meant to be.

saramisu · Jul 12, 2012

If I did not try nursing school because of my past failures in math, I would regret it forever. I am entering a program in September. I am pretty muchwalking away from all of my securities in life (full time, decent paying job, health benefits, a steady income)to do this, and could not be more excited.

Before I'd applied for the program, I had never gotten above a C- in math or science. I believed I was bad at them both. I believed that I could only be successful in areas that didn't involve numbers or chemical equations. In 2008, I decided that I wanted to try and get into a 2 year nursing program and took an algebra class. It was hell at first, but I spent 2-4 hours a night, doing problems over, and over, and over, and over until the lightbulb went off. Usually when it did, I was tear stained and breathless, but did it feel good.

It took me 4 years to complete 6 pre requisites. I took my time. I took it slow, so I could focus while working 55+ hours a week. If you need some math done, I can do it now, no problem (well, Im slow..but who cares!).

No one is bad at math or science. Some of us just need more time than others, you can do it. Do not be afraid. When it starts to make sense, your whole world changes, I promise. You see things more clearly.

When I took A&P, I literally had no social life. YOu will have to make sacrifices. If you want to do this badly enough (and it sounds like you do) these sacrifices will be well worth it.

I wish you luck, and I hope your dreams come true :)