Is this normal??

kasia2 · Jun 28, 2007

i was just wondering if how i'm feeling is normal. i'm worrying about becoming a nurse. worrying that i won't be able to handle it. having trouble remembering how to do everything. i'm afraid that i'll mess up and hurt someone or worse. i'm also worrying that i won't be quick enough...... cause i know that you have to be quick.its to the point that i've consider either changing my major or quiting . is this normal to feel like this when being a first time pre nursing student.i also worry that i'll never get pass my lpn pre-entrance exam.because i've already took the exam twice and failed.sometimes i feel like i'm just wasting my time and money. has anyone else felt like this before?

how about that....im an officially a nursing student...starting ns in fall 2007...and feel the same way you do...i even bought a sphygmometer and stethoscope to practice at home before school starts...i definitely have nursophobia:lol2: i'm even having melancholic thoughts about clinicals, they like you stated, i wont remember basic procedures like changing beds...you are not alone...

NBMom1225 · Jun 28, 2007

So I'm not the only one who's already purchased a BP cuff and stethoscope and been furtively practicing before starting nursing school this fall?! :rollNow that I've been to orientation and am starting this August, I have been having paranoid flashes of failure popping randomly into my head. Things like being unable to retain lab value ranges...drowning under piles of reading and assignments...thinking I'll stink at starting IVs, ect...*sigh*. I think that these thoughts and fears of failure are common for those who have been accepted to any selective admissions program. Please know that everyone has their doubts, and if someone says otherwise they are probably lying or delusional!

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2007

"Normal" is a setting on your washing machine.

I'm sorry you are having a hard time. Have you ever worked in a health care environment? I think getting a part-time job or volunteering in a hospital would be a great idea. This way you could gain exposure to some of these aspects you are wondering about and answer some of your questions.

As far as how many times to attempt your entrance exams? Only you can decide that. Many years ago as a teen, I wanted to be an architect. There's no way I could have passed the exams for that. Engineering skills are just simply not an area of academic strength for me.

I recall seeing a news story recently out of India. A man was taking his high school competency exam for something like the 18th time. An older man. Some saw the story as inspirational. I'm not so sure. Maybe the man would have been happier had he made peace with his area of gifts and worked hard there. I don't know.

You'll have to decide how many times to try. However, if you are a square peg and you are trying to pound yourself into a round hole with nursing - you won't be happy. I know you want to work with babies. What if you found a career outside of nursing that you enjoyed because you had the opportunity to work with babies?

Good luck.

kasia2 · Jun 29, 2007

i was just wondering if how i'm feeling is normal. i'm worrying about becoming a nurse. worrying that i won't be able to handle it. having trouble remembering how to do everything. i'm afraid that i'll mess up and hurt someone or worse. i'm also worrying that i won't be quick enough...... cause i know that you have to be quick.its to the point that i've consider either changing my major or quiting . is this normal to feel like this when being a first time pre nursing student.i also worry that i'll never get pass my lpn pre-entrance exam.because i've already took the exam twice and failed.sometimes i feel like i'm just wasting my time and money. has anyone else felt like this before?

dont worry about your lpn-pre entrance exam i failed mine 3 times;) and on my fourth i passed, not because i was stupid but because we had 0.5 minut for answering one question, oh my god what a test,dont give up:nono:

avatar78 · Jun 29, 2007

Man, I feel the same way right now, so I hope it's normal. Just finished A&P 1 and I feel uneasy about being able to apply much of anything about the body, it's just so complex. I guess that's why nursing programs are measured in years, not weeks.

I'm guessing it's like learning a language. There's never a moment you stop and think, hey, I'm fluent! But after a while, you look back, and you can see where you've progressed from. And yet at the same time you feel like you could still improve so much more. Learning lasts a lifetime, I guess.