In need of some encouragement, please...

juliaann · Mar 23, 2010

I know the feeling. In my physiology class, 23 out of 24 students are pre-nursing (the other is a pre-dental student). Intimidating, hmmm? It's almost like we're competing already for those nursing school spots with our quiz grades! It's actually a pretty competitve atmopshere, which is kind of a drag. My lab partner cried when she saw the first test grades - hers vs. another student at our lab table who "she's so much smarter than." It's ridiculous. Everyone's always sizing each other up and making immature comments about the students who screw up the curve. I can't wait to get away from the posionous environment.

Just stick with it, set yourself apart from the crowd with awesome grades, and know that those who are meant to be nurses will make it into (and through) the program, and many of the students flocking to pre-nursing because "nursing is a recession-proof" career will be lost along the way.

Don't let this scare you away if it's what you're meant to do with your life! If you're 100% sure, use that confidence to stick it out. If you're not 100% sure nursing is right for you, consider getting your CNA or PCT and working at a local healthcare facility. If you don't have time to work, try volunteering on the weekends. It will help you realize if nursing is right for you and give you the incentive to keep working towards your goal. And it'll look good on your application and may help you get a job down the road. :)

I know how you're feeling...

Sammygrll · Mar 24, 2010

I'll be very honest here....

Have I ever felt discouraged? Sure...a little bit..who hasn't right? We have one of the more competetive majors for sure!

However...I DID NOT let that stop me one bit.

Are you really going to let some fellow classmates that just happen to have the same major as you alter your MAJOR?? Really? It's the fun of the competition..to me at least.

All of my science classes, about 95% of them were nursing majors...I did not get all A's, but I tried the best I could..and just received my acceptance letter to my first school choice! I will start in August, pending I pass the Teas test.

Any major you attempt will have competition. Stick to it, if you REALLY want to be a nurse. I know I do..and nothing is going or has stopped me yet.

I don't know how far you've come..but if you have done your sciences, I say stay with it! I don't only love learning about the body and how other to help other people, but I LOVE the competition. I love working hard and knowing I did my best for something I truely enjoy.

Good luck to you, let us know your outcome.

-Samantha

tiredstudentmom · Mar 24, 2010

Competition is a good thing when you are competing against yourself and trying to one up on how you did the last time. However, it sounds like you do have a good start and just keep up the good work! If my mother in law, a single mother in the late 70's and early '80's can work, raise kids, AND get into nursing school and succeed, then I know that you can do it too! Don't let anyone talk you down, make you feel badly, or that you can't do this because you can! You sound like you have the drive. Go with it. Pursue it so that you know that you can say that at least you tried! Go for it!:heartbeat:rolleyes:

Shiningstar05 · Mar 24, 2010

I agree with the above posts. I felt intimidated my first day of Anatomy and Physiology, but I never thought that I would change my major because of it. It reassured me that I needed to work very hard. If you have doubt that easy whether or not nursing is for you, maybe you should sit down and really analyze if it is. Everyone feels a little intimidated and unsure, but before you go into an even more stressful environment such as nursing school (and career), you want to be sure that you actually want to be a nurse...If you do, then it will all be worth it :)

45whenimdone · Mar 24, 2010

THANK YOU!!!! REALLY. I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!!!! I KNOW being a nurse is what I've wanted my whole life. I have been a CNA/HHA and worked in the medical field. I love being around the elderly and helping them.

THank you for allowing me to vent my fears. Bc when it comes down to it, everyone is right, I AM just as good as anyone else. And yes, competition CAN BE a benefit for MYSELF to PUSH me into knowing what I already know deep down: I'll be a nurse one day.

Thank you for the encouragement. I feel soooooooooooooo much better now! :redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:lol2:

vccorscc · Mar 24, 2010

go for you dream and dont let anybody get in your way =]

i went through the same thing , in like every pre-req class i took, ESPECIALY microbio ....it just seemed like all the students were 10x smarter than i was ...then i learned a little secret .. they werent . just 10X more confident then i was at the time . walk with your head high and your chin up =]

srobb11 · Mar 24, 2010

You are not alone. When I started back to school last year, the first class I took was psychology and 24 of the 26 students were pre-nursing. I was definitely thrown back and felt somewhat concerned. I took the class online so I really didn't have to deal with competitiveness within the class itself, but the number of pre-nursing students was an eye opener and it actually helped to push me into making sure that I got an A in the class.

Have you taken your sciences yet? I'm asking because after taking psychology, I took A&P 1. In my A&P class, there were 17 out of 23 that were pre-nursing. As the quarter progressed, more and more students were dropping the class left and right. We ended up with a total of 12 students completing the class and 8 were pre-nursing.

My point in all this rambling is not to let the numbers discourage you from pursuing what you want out of life. You sound like you really have a good sense of what you want to do, so please don't let the number of people seeking nursing hinder your decision.