I start in the morning, and I'm kind of bugging out.

[MedicalPartisan]

I want this, I really do. But the past three days have yielded some previously non-existent anxiety (for lack of a better term). I know now, and I knew going into this that it would be hard work. I didn't expect it to be easy. But when will I ever have time to do anything... including study! You may or may not have read the thread I created about trying to formulate a routine. My schedule during the program will be 12-hour clinical days on Wed and Thurs, Work in the ER Fri, Sat, Sun, and lecture/sim on Monday and Tuesday. 5 12-hour 'shifts' a week is a LOT. Who can study after all that? And that leaves Monday and Tuesday to go to lecture, sim, and get every bit of studying I have in those two days. For 18 months straight.

Can someone slap me out of this? Really there is NO option but to deal with it and make it happen so I don't know why I'm posting... to vent? To seek opinions? I didn't expect much free time but this just seems crazy. :/

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

That's definitely a very full schedule you have. You're going to have to learn to be very efficient in your studies if you're to have a decent chance of getting through school without too much difficulty. It's not going to be very easy or pleasant, but you'll need to find time to study as much as you can and you're going to have to maintain a decent sleep schedule or you're going to be truly hosed.

Set aside time every day to study and stick to it. This way you'll become accustomed to studying at certain times and you'll just have to be very firm about your study time. Also make a calendar and fill in your schedule so you can see what's going on today, tomorrow, and what's coming next week and so on all at a glance. This will help keep you organized and on-track.

Speaking of "organized," that's going to be something you're going to have to learn to be if you want to make life as easy as possible. You're going to need to keep track of everything that you do, plan to do, what's due, and when. You do NOT want to get behind in anything because it'll make your life a living hell to try to catch up, given the very tight scheduling you're going to have.

This is doable. Try to have, and keep, a positive attitude and that will help keep you from feeling like you're going to be buried by all the work and time constraints.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

Welcome to nursing school . The realization that there are only 24 hrs in a day and 28 hrs worth of stuff to fit into it. It is not about more time, it is becoming more efficient at what needs to done. You need to figure out what works for you and quickly change what doesn't.

Sleep is usually the first thing that is sacrificed.

[missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN]

Your post makes me a little anxious! Take a deep breath, breathe, and relax. Nursing school is hard, but it's not so difficult that no one can complete it. You have a full schedule.

Deep breath. One day at a time. Take each day as it comes, analyze it, figure out what you can and cannot do, and move on from there. If the goal is to become a nurse, you will figure it out. Don't sweat the small stuff, so to speak. If your work schedule doesn't work, you'll figure it out. If the way you study doesn't work...you'll figure it out. If you have to change your entire life, but nursing is your dream, you'll do so knowing that the end result is worth it.

Nursing school is hard, but it's not as difficult as the scenario you are presenting. Take a deep breath, calm yourself, and study. While you are studying, remember that these patients depend on your knowledge. Go from there. Honestly, it's not as hard as you've built it up to be. If you want to be a nurse, then critically think and figure out how to make that a reality. Learn from your first test, cut what you can cut, but it is NOT a 24/7 study session. You've got this one day at a time.