Is it okay that, I think, I'm too stupid for Nursing School?

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Hello,

I'm currently a PSW/CNA in Ontario, I'm 24 and will be 25 in a couple of weeks. I want to go back to Fanshawe or Conestoga for nursing (RPN) but, I think, I'm too stupid and incompetent. I'm slow at my current job, it sometimes takes me 20 or 25 minutes to change a resident in bed by myself when it should take 10 minutes or less. I didnt get particularly good marks in school or PSW, my grades in high school were 80% in chem, 78% in physics, 72% in math, 83% in english, 85% in biology and my GPA in PSW was only 3.6. I sometimes say stupid things or make stupid mistakes. Should, I just giveup? I'm barely a PSW, Im not even good at not job how could, I ever hope to be a Nurse?

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I should probably just avoid this thread because I am not Canadian and in no position to judge whether you will be a success in nursing school or not. But ... I do have a legitimate opinion on whether it is OK for you to have a low opinion of your nursing career potential.

My opinion is both "yes" and "no." As part of your decision-making about nursing school, you should be honest with yourself about your abilities. You may need to get some help with this from someone familiar with your abilities and the requirements of nursing school. Are those scores you cited sufficient? Are your work habits sufficient? Have you really worked up to your full potential in the past? (or have you not fully given your best shot at those things?)

If you've truly given your past studies and work your "best shot" and it's not been considered sufficient by instructors and employers, then you should be honest with yourself and think seriously about the possibility that nursing might not be a good fit for you. That's OK. It's OK to seek a career in a different field. Find what really is a good fit for your talents and preferences and have a great life.

But it is NOT OK to be overly hard on yourself and use words like "stupid" to describe yourself. Do other people think your previous scores are too low? Does your employer think that your work performance in inadequate? Or do you just beat yourself up because you are not as perfect as you would like to be? That's where getting the opinions of people who have seen you perform and who know the details of your previous academic experiences can help.

You need an objective assessment of your past performance -- not emotional reactions to your disappointments about not being perfect -- and not the anonymous, generic cheer-leading from strangers on the internet telling you to "go for it," "follow your dreams," etc. without knowing whether or not that is a realistic path for you or not.

Get that objective assessment from people who know you and your abilities. Then, and only then, will you be able to make an informed, rational decision about your next steps. Maybe it will involve nursing -- maybe not. Both paths are OK.

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I'm not really good at anything, I'm slower than everyone else and have to work harder. I have a lot of issues that, I have to cope with my issues from being born premature at 25 weeks. I have poor depth perception as, I only see out of one eye, I have poor fine motor and hand eye coordination, I use my shoulders for tasks instead of my wrists because there is a disconnect between my hands and brain. The scores I received in school are sufficient except for math, I suck at math and you have to be good at math to be a Nurse.

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It takes me longer to complete tasks than other people and, I'm surprised that, I havent been let go or fired from my cna/psw job for being slow.

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Because of my issues any career path, I choose will be difficult.

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It sounds like you are being really hard on yourself. I agree with IIg. I think you need input from some professionals in your life. Have you consulted an academic advisor? Or a counselor? Or even your current employer or collegues?

I will say this too.... Don't let your "issues" be excuses.

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Well, I just got my admission status from the college and, I was waitlisted.

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If you don't mind me asking, what did you score on the HOAE test for Conestoga?

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is this a joke?

you passed all subjects, your gpa is 3.6

my gpa was 3.65 and i got into 5/7 nursing schools i applied to.

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Specializes in Public Health.

I PROMISE you that you don't have to be good at math to be a nurse, seriously. I used to think I wasn't very smart either, sometimes we surprise ourselves.

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I am slower than a lot of people and work extra hard to make up for it and I am in my last quarter of nursing school if I can do it so can you but just know it will take a lot of effort. You won't truly know unless you try.

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On 2/26/2019 at 10:39 AM, llg said:

I should probably just avoid this thread because I am not Canadian and in no position to judge whether you will be a success in nursing school or not. But ... I do have a legitimate opinion on whether it is OK for you to have a low opinion of your nursing career potential.

My opinion is both "yes" and "no." As part of your decision-making about nursing school, you should be honest with yourself about your abilities. You may need to get some help with this from someone familiar with your abilities and the requirements of nursing school. Are those scores you cited sufficient? Are your work habits sufficient? Have you really worked up to your full potential in the past? (or have you not fully given your best shot at those things?)

If you've truly given your past studies and work your "best shot" and it's not been considered sufficient by instructors and employers, then you should be honest with yourself and think seriously about the possibility that nursing might not be a good fit for you. That's OK. It's OK to seek a career in a different field. Find what really is a good fit for your talents and preferences and have a great life.

But it is NOT OK to be overly hard on yourself and use words like "stupid" to describe yourself. Do other people think your previous scores are too low? Does your employer think that your work performance in inadequate? Or do you just beat yourself up because you are not as perfect as you would like to be? That's where getting the opinions of people who have seen you perform and who know the details of your previous academic experiences can help.

You need an objective assessment of your past performance -- not emotional reactions to your disappointments about not being perfect -- and not the anonymous, generic cheer-leading from strangers on the internet telling you to "go for it," "follow your dreams," etc. without knowing whether or not that is a realistic path for you or not.

Get that objective assessment from people who know you and your abilities. Then, and only then, will you be able to make an informed, rational decision about your next steps. Maybe it will involve nursing -- maybe not. Both paths are OK.

This was so encouraging. Very well spoken! Thank you!

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