I am a Pre-Nursing student and I have several questions. Thanks in advance!

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Hey everyone! My name is Amanda and I am a newbie! :up: I am a pre nursing student, but I am looking to change that after this year. I have already been in school a year, but I have a couple of classes left before I apply [Wake Tech does a points process.]

Anyways, I have a few general questions.

  • Any advice on Anatomy and Physiology? I am taking A&P 1 this semester and 2 next semester.
  • I plan on [fully intend to] apply for my Master's in Nursing at UNC-Chapel Hill after working for a year of so, saving a bit, and gaining experience and then after graduating applying to become a CRNA. I know some think that there is no need to go for your Master's, but you have to have a BSN, either way, and UNC offers a 24 month [or less] program for the Master's program, completely online, besides the clinicals. Is there anything I should know? I am doing my pre-reqs not only for my ADN but also to apply there for my RN-MSN. I then plan on applying to UNC-Greensboro's Raleigh Anesthesia School to become a CRNA.
  • Ok, now for the doozy. I am emetophobic. It is so frustrating, but I plan on going to see a therapist within the next few weeks. If you don't know what emetophobia is, it's a fear of vomiting. I am fine around people who aren't throwing up from a stomach bug, but if it's something that could possibly make me throw up, I run. I start having panic attacks. I know there are places to work where people don't often vomit from viruses, etc. But, do you think that during my clinicals, and cold + flu season, that it would be impossible for me to do this? I want to be a nurse so bad, it isn't funny. It just seems that everytime I think about how exciting it's going to be, I start thinking about the what ifs. Do you think that even with this phobia it would be possible for me to do well?
  • Lastly, students with small children, how difficult was the nursing process for you?

Thanks so much! :heartbeat

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As far as A&P is concerned I don't think there are really any magic bullets. Read and re-read often. Review notes while in traffic or in line at the bank. Get as good a grasp on those fundamentals because they will come back to haunt you in med-surg. There are a bazillion helpful studyguides out there. I liked the flash cards myself.

As for you phobia, get as much help as you can as soon as you can. In clinical you could get lucky but you might not. I went three semesters without seeing any vomit. Plenty of the other stuff though :icon_roll but then in my fourth semester it was all vomit all the time.

Good luck my friend.

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I think seeing a therapist or even psychiatrist will help, especially with the anxiety attacks, I'm sure that has a LOT to do with it. there are special techniques and relaxation methods that you can use when you are in that type of situation, like deep breathing. I don't have the phobia, but I used to have anxiety attacks, but haven't in over a year because I've learned how to manage them.

i hope this helps some what.

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For A&P make sure you study study study! There's a lot of material and A&P is not an easy class. In lab I brought my camera and took pictures of the models that we viewed (we didn't do any cadaver dissections) and then I would print out the pictures, have arrows pointing to the specific structures that we had to know and I would place them in a little sheet protector and label them over and over with a dry erase/washable pen. If you want flashcards, Barnes & Noble/Border's sells them but I never used them. I was also a big fan of the Anatomy Coloring Book and the Physiology Coloring Book (both ~$20/ea. brand new). Good luck! :nurse:

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well as for A&P i had taken the course in college, i would recommend to defiantly study almost everyday. And learn that post its and flash cards are going to be your bestfriends for the semester. Well , what i would also recomend is A&P for dummies book its actually very helpful. Like study from your text and the dummies book. The dummies was great it was like a quick overview of what i had learned. What ever your lecture was about like lets say the digestive system read it over in your dummy book and do the questions in the book it really helps.

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Specializes in LTC.

For right now, focus on your BSN. And work as hard as you can on getting the best grades possible. My kids call me a school-aholic but I pulled off mostly A's with 2 B's, so far. My husband helped soooo much with the kids. If you have a support system and you are willing to neglect your children (just a little bit) you will be able to do it.

As far as the puking thing :imbar ...One day, when you're a nurse, someone is going to unexpectedly vomit for whatever reason. You might vomit right along with them, you might have a panic attack, or you might realize that you have to take care of the pt first and then puke or panic or whatever later. No matter what happens, your first experience will probably be horrible but then you will know how to handle it in the future.

:heartbeatWith any luck, it will happen while you are in school and another nurse or student or instructor will be right there to help you out!:heartbeat

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Everyone did a pretty swell job of anwsering your study questions, I just wanted to say a thing or two about your small children comment. I have a 4 and a 1 1/2 year old and I just finished a&p 2. If you stay at home like me it will be a challenge. Try to get some help from your husband/boyfriend or however you trust so you don't pull your hair out while you study. Or the advise I got was to lock yourself in the bathroom and turn off the phone. If you have little children like myself, try to set up a game for the older one while the younger one naps. Best of luck.

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I have a really big fear of contagious vomit!! I want to be a nurse but I am just worried that I will not be able to handle it many times a day everyday.. do you get a little desensitized this? Other stuff, blood/guts/poop/phlegm, I should be fine with but vomit (especially when there is the potential for me to catch something) just makes me panic.

I really do want to do nursing, I love people as well as biol (human anatomy etc) and taking care of others. I just can't wait to do something where it will feel like I am giving back.

Em (from Australia)

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Specializes in Private Practice- wellness center.

Em- you would be amazed at how little it actually bothers you. I was TERRIFIED of having to be around someone who is vomiting/coughing up sputum/having diarrhea. TERRIFIED. It ended up not being an issue until I left the room. (And then the only time it was an issue was when our noses diagnosed C-Diff. LOL!)

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Thank you for that- you don't realise how much encouragement this website has given.

I am currently in the wrong degree as after highschool I was unsure about Nursing or Vet and then I went with Vet... Now I have changed my mind- I want humans not animals!!

A big reason of not going for nursing was my "small" fear of vomit as well as a lot of discouragement from a lot of nurses I know.

Now I just can't wait to get into nursing next year :)

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Specializes in Infusion.

Outside of the hospital, I hate puke, poop, etc. In the hospital, it is all completely normal. If a patient is puking up something contagious, gown up, put the mask and goggles on and you'll have a little protection. Reality about CRNA, it may take years of being a really good nurse with great grades to even get into a program... and with anesthesia, there is vomit. You'll need to know how to deal with providing an airway and preventing aspiration if a patient begins to vomit. Hopefully your first full year of clinicals will desensitize you.

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