I am a new nursing student but am not doing so well

Always_Learning, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2009

Hey there utchick,

One of my recommendations would be to find someone to watch your son so that you can study on a regular basis. I have heard that it is well worth the money of hiring a sitter so that you can focus on whatever material you're looking at. And it will probably take you less time if you're not interrupted.

Also, check with your school's academic resources (and don't wait until you're so far bogged down it's hard to see above water!) Above all else, I think nursing school is an exercise in being proactive, and if you feel like you're behind the 8-ball, you usually are. Check with your advisors and see what they can suggestions they can offer that are specific to you; everyone learns and studies differently, so they may be able to guide you and give you better advice than we could.

Best of luck to you!

Callisonanne · Nov 13, 2009

How old is your son? If another student has a child of similar age maybe you can do a play date and study together. I do agree with the above poster. You could probably get a younger but safe sitter to watch him while you study in another part of your house. Also see if there is another nursing student possibly a senior in a similar situation that you can talk to. I know that whenever I freak out about something I email my senior mentor and she calms me back down :)

Zoe*aka*studentnurse · Nov 13, 2009

hi,

First congrats on nearly being finished with semester 1!!! Keep you chin up:-)

I agree with the others, if there is a way of studying with either others with kids or having someone to watch your little one it would be great. Also go and chat to someone at uni, they can't help you unless they know you need the help.

My group at uni consist of 5 of us and we all have children ranging in ages from 12yrs to a few months old. We get together often to study on the weekend at someones house so a hubby or older child can keep the kids entertained, or all together with fun stuff to keep the kids going.

Good luck, :-) Zoe

ChuckE · Nov 13, 2009

Utchick - I'm about to go into the 3rd of 6 semester in a RN program. Here's my day and how I weave school in with my kids (4G, 4G, 2B):

- I wake up between 5:30AM and 6AM. My wife may be awake long before then as one or more of my toddlers wake up early.

- I have the coffeemaker on timer so it's ready when we wake up.

- I shower at night and I shave my head so no bed-head for me.

- We wake the kids and put G#1 on the potty as she's the first one to be in potty training. We get G#2 and B dressed, and fed. Then we go back to G#1 and dress her.

- By this time, it's 6:30 AM and we have to leave the house. My wife works so she takes another car while I load up the minivan.

- G1 and G2 are developmentally delayed so I drop them off at a respite house where the school bus picks them up for pre-school at 9:30AM.

- I drive B to his daycare house to drop him off.

- By this time, it's 7AM and I drive to school. If I have test that morning, I listen to the Chapter summaries on my MP3 player as I drive to school. I also eat a couple of apples for breakfast on the drive while trying to listen to the MP3 player. If there is normal traffic, I make it to school by 7:45AM to use the restroom before class starts at 8AM.

- Class usually ends by 9:30 AM and I am on my way back to pick up my son.

- After I pick up my son, I may go grocery shopping, and/or to the library to pick up some books for my kids.

- I'm home by 11AM and I feed my son and early lunch.

- My girls are dropped off in front of the house by the school bus at 12:40PM. I get them in the house where they eat a small snack like a PB&J sandwich if they are hungry. I send G2 and B off to take a nap while I put G1 on the potty. After potty, G1 is also off to bed. Now it's 1PM.

- The kids will be asleep until 3PM~3:30 PM so I lie down and close my eyes for an hour.

- I wake up at ~ 2PM and do some studying.

- At 3PM, the kids start waking up. I change diapers, pull-ups, etc.

- At 3:30PM I let the kids watch a DVD.

- At the same time, I do the dishes and start dinner.

- At 4:30 PM, I turn off the DVD and take all three kids for a walk down to the mailbox and around the block. When we come back to the house, they play in the backyard until 5PM or so.

- I bring them back in the house between 5PM~5:30PM when I wash their hands, and feed them dinner.

- At 6PM, the kids are fed and off to play they go in the living room. Around this time, dinner is ready to take out of the oven. If I'm rally hungry, I eat, otherwise I wait for my wife to get home.

- 6:30~7PM, my wife gets home.

- At 7PM, I get the kids in the bath.

- At 8PM, the kids are put down for the night.

- Of I have to study for a test, I do so now and go to bed when I can't read anymore - usually around 11PM~ midnite.

- If I don't have a test coming up, I take a walk around the neighborhood with my MP3 player to smoke a cigar while listening to the audio chapter summaries of whatever class is the next day. I'm back by 9PM or 3 miles and study.

- The next day, I repeat.

This was last semester. On Monday I start a new semester. I can hardly wait. lol

If CAN be done. Of course my wife and I don't go out, we don't socialize, for the next 16 months of nursing school, this is what we decided our lives will be like.

ChuckE · Nov 13, 2009

BTW, I have had A's in all of my classes up to now.

SAHMStudent · Nov 14, 2009

Where does sex fit in? Thank god my husband is in the same mindset your wife is in. He loves me, is incredibly supportive, and understands that he loses his wife for a semester at a time. He is very cool about having lonely nights.

As for the OP- good for you for getting this far. Raising a kid alone is tough enough, and going to NS is like having a whole other kid that needs all your time, energy, brain power and motivation. I second the use of an MP3 player. One of my classmates uses one and does very well on her tests. She swears she gets most of the information through the audio version of the text.

Sometimes I teach back to my daughter. She is 14 mos, and has no clue, but I talk to her and she gabs back. I tell her all about meds, categories, adverse reactions, nursing interventions, and other drug interactions. Whatever topic we are covering at the time, I use an NCLEX study guide, and try to remember certain areas and teach those key points to her. I've done this forever. She's the only kid I know who has taken Microbiology, Ethics, and Nutrition all before she was born.

utchick · Jan 20, 2010

It's been a while but thanks everyone for the advice I passed all my classes and am starting a new semester...... Ready to continue nursing cause no matter how crazy it is, it's all gonna be worth it- working my dream job (for which i have lots of passion) and making a decent living doing it, is way worth it .

AllThingsPink · Jan 20, 2010

Best of luck to you!!