Is this normal

sheilahdee · Sep 14, 2012

I totally get it. Keep striving for the best. But I was warned that in nursing school....a B is pretty much the norm. An "A" can be hard to come by. Celebrate your B's and keep striving for the A's, but do not beat yourself up. wish I could be more helpful! Good Luck!

imjustme123 · Sep 14, 2012

When I got a B- recently, I was pretty bummed. Then again, all we have to do is pass and get through it....

Jazziepants · Sep 14, 2012

I got a b recently as well. I am striving for As but will take a b. If i fall below that i know i need to get my behind in gear. Striving to do the best isn't bad but realize you are just human and you'll have off days and unforeseen events happen.

Kimynurse · Sep 14, 2012

I was in LPN school also

We had one instructor saying

A today gone tomorrow.

Just know you are doing the best you can

Shoot for the moon you'll land amongst the stars.

Iâ™¥Scrubs, LPN · Sep 14, 2012

Completely normal! My instructor has been drilling this into us...(these are her words) ...even if you got A's all in high school you may not get them here. But that is OK. Some people will get A's and others will not. But whether you get A's or B's in nursing school doesn't matter... if you pass the boards, you are still a nurse and you got the job done!

Hi everyone!
I've been a long time lurker on this site, and figured i'd join since I started my LPN program last week.
Okay, I have been hard on myself and I strive to make A's on all the tests, quizzes and homework that we have had so far. I have done so, but today we had a test, and I know I missed a few and prob got a B rather than an A.
I'm just so bummed because I don't want to fall below an A. I know this sounds trivial to some, but it really bothers me. So, is it normal to be so hard on oneself? Am I going to drive myself batty if I don't let up? Can others relate?
Thank you for your responses!

LPNnowRNhopefull · Sep 14, 2012

It is natural to want to make straight As! We have been taught of all our lives to do the best you can do and strive for good grades. It does make sense also - because we have been taught that standardized tests are the best indication of an individual's understanding of content. So you just want to prove to yourself and to others that you take this seriously. I understand - because I did the same thing.

I would have no problem with having a nurse take care of my that received a B or C letter grade. But I certainly would not want a nurse that only strived to get by with a C. There is a difference of mentalities.

Make sure you study effectively, and remember to mix in some fun with your family/friends. You have to find a balance.

Shh..i'mstudying · Sep 14, 2012

Thank you everyone for your comments. I do feel better. A B is better than an F!

Some one just tell me to shut up already!

pwiser69 · Sep 18, 2012

Like others have said on my first day our instructors all told us at different intervals do not expect to make straight A's in this course. They explained that there have been students who got so wrapped up in trying to be perfect that they stressed out or had huge test anxiety take over and ended up dropping. Just go with the flow and dont worry about the A's and B's, maybe a little worry with the C's.

Oh that was almost a rap song lol

mitzijane · Sep 18, 2012

Get over it. Quick. Everyone makes mistakes, and you should make them while you're in school. Like I've said before, first module is like kindergarten, it's only going to get harder. If you expect to keep getting A's on your test through the whole program...then you're delusional.

CaliNursingStudent · Sep 19, 2012

Its normal to want all A's and it is possible but dont beat yourself up if you get B's. You can do it!! Do the best you can and good luck!

MrsCuoco · Sep 19, 2012

We were talking about this just the other day. For a long time, the name of the game was getting ALL A's to increase your chances of getting into nursing school. I did. I got and kept a 4.0 and even twice got the best A&P II exam grade in my class out of 130 people.

Examine why it upsets you to not get an A. Is it because you're competetive? It is the thrill of an A and knowing you came up with all the right answers? When my classmates and I were discussing this, we came to the conclusion that if you get a grade lower than you were hoping, the best reason to have about why it upset you is that you want to be sure you have mastery of information that's dealing with the care of human beings...YOUR care of human beings, and if you get an undesirable grade, you should have concern about that...not the LETTER of the grade.

I agree...get over it. Worry more about feeling that you have a handle on the most basic and fundamenat concepts. In everything, focus on the most important factors, and when you have an exam coming up, study to KNOW the information, not just memorizing words and phrases to get through an exam.