I am really really nervous

ADPIE10 · Aug 5, 2008

There are many ways of helping people. Nursing may not necessarily be your way. Try becoming a CNA before committing yourself to becoming an RN.

SusanKathleen, RN · Aug 5, 2008

I think you have a well thought out beginning. You will likely become less anxious as you move through your prerequisites. Once you finish more classes, you will gain more confidence. Your concerns are quite normal. There is a lot of strength in knowing your weaknesses.

When you have difficulties with any particular class, just get some help. Help is everywhere. This message board has many discussions and websites for help on any subject, and how to study properly.

Allow yourself enough study time to learn the material each semester, follow all the advice (found here or elsewhere) about how to do well in class, and you will be fine.

Good luck to you, and let us know how you're doing.

LMRN10 · Aug 5, 2008

Are you kidding me??? I'm still nervous I'll screw up and I feel horrible if I do!!!

Hang in there...have confidence in yourself and know that sometimes, mistakes will be made. But our instructors are there to guide us through the semesters and it will be ok. It is scary to us because this isn't "just another class." This is our training!! So, just remember, you aren't expected to know certain things right off the bat...that is why we are there, to learn!

As far as math, just keep working on it. I was HORRIBLE in high-school, but I finally got it in college!!! And I picked up on the dosing calculations as well...as long as you know why your doing it, it will eventually make sense.

If you need any help, let me know! I can try!

LAM2010, BSN · Aug 14, 2008

Some good advice I got last semester was, keep your focus on your patient, and not on how nervous you are, and that will help. Just go to each patient with nothing but their well-being and comfort on your mind, and things just follow through (once you have practice with the skills, that is!).

And just allow yourself to be confident. The way to be able to be confident is to know your stuff and be prepared. You get tested on your skills before they unleash you on anyone, and they won't let anyone do anything on a patient if they don't think you can handle it.

Repetition is a good way to practice your skills, and also just think your way through things, use common sense while keeping your patient's safety and comfort in mind at all times.

Same for the math. I was always a math dud. And honestly, I have taken algebra so many times since junior high and high school...keep practicing and you'll get it. Things make more sense when you apply it in practice, too.

I was always shy too, and you do eventually build confidence. I never worked in healthcare until I enrolled in nursing school, and I still love it and probably am just as capable as a student who has already been a CNA. Except the CNAs were better at bedbaths and transferring right off the bat...I usually paired up with one of the girls in my group who I knew was experienced and I was her helper.

Never in your life will you experience the teamwork and cooperation that you do with the people in your clinical group - at least that has been my experience at my school. Everyone is willing to help each other. You'll have so much support.

OK well that is all I can think of right now. Good luck!

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2008

What should I do?

You said nursing is your dream. If so, then go for it. Continue on and make it happen.

Has anyone else ever felt this way before applying to nursing school?

Definitely. I felt the same way before starting nursing school ..... and because of that, I kept putting it off. But then I realized it's what I really wanted and I wasn't going to let anything get in the way of it. I knew what had to be done to be a nurse ..... so I went through nursing school and got my license. It's hard work, but the pay off is great.

how should i go about handeling this new fear?

I think the problem is is that you're looking too far ahead. It's good to look ahead and see what you want ..... but you're seeing all the barriers and things that you think may be a problem. Just focus on the now. A lot of times the fears we have, end up not being that big of a deal when we actually get into the situation.

There's a great book out there called "Who Moved My Cheese?" that I would recommend you reading. Throughout the book, the question is asked "what would you do if you weren't afraid?"

casi, ASN, RN · Aug 14, 2008

It's normally to be nervous about nursing school.

If you are worried about overcoming being shy maybe try becoming a CNA? I'm not a very outgoing person, but working as a CNA has forced me to open up a lot. I went from being afraid to approach strangers to going into a room of a person I've never met and helpping them into a shower.