I'm scared!

hang in there it will all be worth it if you stay. nursing can and is a wonderful fullfilling career. just hang in there. you can do it. it is a little different but talk it over with your teachers and have a little faith you can do it...!!!!!!!!

bumblebee...

I understand your fear and frustration. I am currently a nursing student in my final semester of school. When I first started in the program I was overwhelmed by the course load and the elevated grading scale. I remember the anxiety I felt because I was afraid of "failing" even though I have always been a good student.

My question to you is: What is your idea of failing? The reason I ask is because I have always had high expectations of myself and I put all this pressure on myself because in my mind anything less than an "A" just wasn't good enough. Ease up on yourself and keep in mind that just passing nursing school is a huge accomplishment. I work as an aide currently and have come to realize that the grade on your report card doesn't determine how good of a nurse you will be. I have seen nurses graduate with "A" averages who were afraid to touch a patient and I have seen "C" students who provided excellent patient care.

If nursing has been your life long dream then I would encourage you to stick with it. If I would have known all the hard work involved in becoming a nurse I may have been too intimidated to give it a shot, but I'm glad that I stuck with it. I can say that nursing school becomes "easier" as you continue. Don't misunderstand me, nothing about nursing is easy, but eventually all the information ties together and becomes more understandable. With dedication, a love for nursing, and time management (as well as a lot of hard work), you will get through this.

I hope I have been of some help or encouragement. I wish you success!

Hang in there. Just try to remember that nursing is not all about how smart you are, but can you think your way thru problems and look for alternetives. I remember alot of students in my class who were brilliant and graduated with honors, but have had a hard time adjusting to the real world of nursing once they got out of school. The tests in school were not like any test I had ever taken before. Alot of times there were 2-3 RIGHT answers, but we had to choose the best answer. And the final thing I believe to getting thru school was COMMITTMENT. Being committed to succeeding and putting my hobbies aside. Its time consuming but if you want it, COMMITT to it.

Bumblebee: You get through nursing school one day at a time. Try to finish everything each day. If you're a procastinator - as I am - this may be one of the most important things to remember: try not to go to bed unless you have read that chapter, typed those notes, gotten that question answered, talked to that instructor. You may need to learn to say "no" to social activities and family requests. The ultimate sacrifice for me was to give up recreational reading. I didn't read anything except nursing related literature the whole time I was in school. Well, maybe Peanuts on Sunday, but that was it. And as Rileycat says, you don't have to be a straight A student to be a good nurse. Focus on the real learning part - taking care of patients. Find good role models, follow them around and pick their little brains, watch how they interact and advocate for their patients. Some of it is like being on a diet - if you fall off one day, you pick yourself up and start again the next day. If this is your desire, and it sounds like it is, you will succeed. Best wishes. By the way, I love Spokane!

Bumblebee, Hang in there. I was pretty scared when I started nursing school (and I was far from being a kid) but now a few years down the line am back in school trying to go farther in my nursing career. Remember we all felt like all thumbs when we started. Your care and concern for your patients will show through.

I'm a first time nursing person and I'm hoping that all you experienced nurses out there can give me a little confidence. I just started school in Spokane at a local nursing school and I'm scared to death that I'm not going to succeed. I've got very good grades all of my life and succeeded at everything, but the classes are so hard that I feel this might be my first failure. I've wanted to do this since I was very little, but I don't know if I can do it. Am I crazy!? Please tell me it gets better![/b]

Hi bumblebee. Breathe, relax. Nursing is a challenging and stressful profession in school and out. If you are committed as one poster suggested, it will get easier for you as you become more and more confident in your abilities and knowledge. I want to concur with the posters who indicated that you need to stay in the present and focus on grasping the basic concepts of your training. You want to be able to understand how to apply what you are learning not just what you are learning. Good grades are important, but in my opinion, they take a back seat to caring, common sense, concern, and intuition. Most of these necessary ingredients improve in practice over time. So, I suggest that you do daily meditations, stretch, exercise or whatever relaxes you and just plan your day each day and stay focused. Best wishes.