I just took my 1st Med-Surg I exam and I made an 80. I am so upset about it. That may sound stupid, but I have made all A's and high B's on every test up to this point (A&P's, Micro, & Fundamentals included) and this is the lowest grade so far...and with it being the first test, I am really down about it. It doesn't seem to be a good way to start. I am frustrated because I know that it only gets more complicated as the tests go on and the semesters go on! Because of this low grade and the pressure I already put on myself to make A's, I have just ADDED to my level of stress and am really sad. I actually teared up in class when we were doing test review. I could always narrow the answers down to two, but then it seemed like a 50/50 chance of me picking the right one...they all seem so subjective. I use every study/supplemental material I can get my hands on, including NCLEX questions, tutorials, study guides, etc. I just don't know how to make sure I pick the right answer. I have read so many test-taking skills websites, etc. I just don't know what else I can do. I know it sounds stupid for me to be whining over an 80, but for my own standards, it's just an awful way to start. Anyone feel like a pep talk??
I completely agree. Great grades don't always mean that person is a fantastic nurse. Now I am not saying your family member isn't, I don't know her so I couldn't possibly make that assumption. But I will say that my family doctor once told me when I saw him right after my first test and I didn't do as well as I had hoped...that some of the best nurses he knew got through school with a C average. They worked hard, did the best they could do...but never achieved a 4.0 or an A. However, they were just a qualified and just as great, better even..in his opinion. Some people have different "bests" and that is fine! Where my best might be a B, another person's is that perfect A. We're all different.
That really helped me to hear and while I do strive to do my very best, I remind myself that I'm not in this field to make all A's...I'm here to learn so that I can apply that to my job. So what if I didn't score the highest in the class, my heart is in it...I'm making the grades to get through school, and I know I'm going to make it.
It is easy to compare yourself and get down about things when you know someone else who has done better....but the overall picture and why you are doing this is more than numbers on a piece of paper could ever mean. Hang in there!!
I know many people who are like you and get all upset when they get in the 80's when they are used to getting A's... I look at it like this, do what you gotta do to get through, if you pass by the skin of your teeth so what you still passed and you are moving on to the next level of our nursing careers... My instructor told me their was a study done that stated that nurses who were C students in class made better nurses than ones who got straight A's because the ones who got C;s are both book and street smart... I dont know if she said that to make me feel better or what.. but hang in, you will do fine .. and serioulsy just be happy that you passed.. thats all that matters.. good luck on your next exam!!!
OK one big dose of reality here-what do you call a student nurse who goes thru school with all C's(passing) and a student nurse who gets all A's(very passing) at the end of their program???? A graduate nurse waiting to take their boards!
And I bet there is a thousand things that you excel better over your sister-in-law than you realize.
And do remember it is what you retain in your day to day clinical experience with patients and the material that you comprehend that is important.
I also agree with reading the question and then covering the answer and try to answer your 1st instinctive answer and see if it is there or close. Your first instinct is usually the correct answer most of the time unless you are rushing the exam thru.Take your time, do the best you can and do move on.
Smile Ms A student. Too much stress on yourself will give you wrinkles.
You guys are the absolute best! With every one of your replies that I read, I can feel my confidence getting higher and higher. And I think you guys are right...the grades don't matter, it's what you take from the class that matters - as long as you pass at least! I'm feeling better about this and I'm coming to the realization that I'll be okay with whatever grade I get as long as I pass and I'm good at what I do. That is truly my biggest worry. Whatever grade I end up with, I want to be a GREAT nurse and know at the end of the day that I'm where I'm meant to be!
First, if med/surg is your first "clinical" class, I'm sure you figured out the tests are very different from other tests you've taken. Not only do you have to know stuff, you have to use it and apply it and twist it around so you come up with "the most correct" answer, which can be hard and downright infuriating.
For your first med/surg test, and 80 is pretty good! I hope you will take the opportunity to review your exam with your teacher and understand the things you missed so you will be better prepared.
I'm one of those people who figures out what grade I need on the final to keep my grade, get an A, etc. One day I announced to my boyfriend "I only need a 72 on my final to keep my A!" and he said "Yeah, but if you get a 72 on it you're going to cry." And I had to agree. I want to do well, always. And I do get upset with myself if I do worse than expected, but I take a bit and pout about it, and then move on.
I'm (clearly) a grade nut myself and this summer I got my first B: an 89. I was bummed about it, but in the long run, B's are very much OK. I think there is nothing wrong with setting high standards for yourself as long as you realize that sometimes things are going to come up that might interfere with your ability to do your best, and you'll need to scale down those standards a little bit.
You'll be fine -- just reach out and ask for help, study hard, and try again on the second exam. And if you end up with a B in med/surg, it's not going to kill you... I promise. :)
Thank you all so much for the good advice and pep talks! I realize that I need to keep my chin up and move on. I think one of the main reasons I put so much pressure on myself is that my sister-in-law went thru the same program (AD) with all A's and then went on to get her BSN with all A's and has now just graduated from Emory Univ (a prestigious school in this state for those not around here) with her MSN and graduated with a 4.0! If that's not inspiration and unfortunately a load of pressure for me, I don't know what is! LOL! I know I shouldn't compare myself to her, but hey, in reality it's not that easy not to! But all of your comments have helped me lift my head back up and I appreciate that so much! I'll do my best to bounce back!
Wow, those are great accomplishments, but don't compare yourself to her. Nursing school is hard enough without setting the bar even higher. The fact that you made it in is quite an accomplishment.
Just focus on you and what you can accomplish. Hopefully your sister-in-law won't rub your face in it that she got better grades. I'm betting she's a decent, professional person and wouldn't think of doing something like that.
I was bummed about it, but in the long run, B's are very much OK. I think there is nothing wrong with setting high standards for yourself as long as you realize that sometimes things are going to come up that might interfere with your ability to do your best, and you'll need to scale down those standards a little bit..thumb.gif.fc0b5b00a77a1cf676541776e02de0f9.gif){kind=avatar}
southernbelle08
396 Posts
I completely agree. Great grades don't always mean that person is a fantastic nurse. Now I am not saying your family member isn't, I don't know her so I couldn't possibly make that assumption. But I will say that my family doctor once told me when I saw him right after my first test and I didn't do as well as I had hoped...that some of the best nurses he knew got through school with a C average. They worked hard, did the best they could do...but never achieved a 4.0 or an A. However, they were just a qualified and just as great, better even..in his opinion. Some people have different "bests" and that is fine! Where my best might be a B, another person's is that perfect A. We're all different.
That really helped me to hear and while I do strive to do my very best, I remind myself that I'm not in this field to make all A's...I'm here to learn so that I can apply that to my job. So what if I didn't score the highest in the class, my heart is in it...I'm making the grades to get through school, and I know I'm going to make it.
It is easy to compare yourself and get down about things when you know someone else who has done better....but the overall picture and why you are doing this is more than numbers on a piece of paper could ever mean. Hang in there!!