Last semester nursing student...Help !!!!!!

chevyv, BSN, RN · Aug 15, 2008

I too am starting my 4th and final semester and feel the same way. I know plenty of people who didn't make it. I'm taking my LPN exam this coming Monday just in case I fail miserably. I do have faith and I do have a plan to help me succeed, I just can't shake the bad juju of the last semester scare! My mind fills with what if's, too much info, and everything I haven't been told. It's quite ridiculous actually. I get worse as it gets closer. I start at the end of the month. What I need to do is take it one day at a time and do what I've been doing all along. I think the feeling of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and the start of a new career might be adding to the fear.

You are not alone! Good luck

Leebebebe · Aug 15, 2008

I graduated this past May and know where you are coming from. Everyone had hyped up this last semester as being very difficult - and it was! But weren't they all? Patho was no walk in the park and you made it through that I assume. Stay focused, very organized, don't procrastinate a thing. Oh, and enjoy it a bit too! You have come a long way and you are on the edge of something really great. Maybe you need to look back and take stock of your accomplishments and give yourself a big pep talk. Good luck to you and your bright future

DoeRN · Aug 16, 2008

I will start my last semester too but I will only have one class nursing synthesis. The semester I am in right now has been the hardest semester in my life and I already have a bachelors degree in another field. I got through it and I and you will too get through the last semester. What I am scared of is working as a GN.

starletRN · Aug 19, 2008

You're not alone. I will start my last semester on Monday, and I've heard all the horror stories. I thought my 3rd semester was hard and had heard plenty of horror stories about that too.

But I survived it and we'll get through this last one too. One of these days we'll look back and see that it was all worth it.

On Monday I will start my last semester at HACC Lancaster for my RN. I am freaking out!!!! I have heard horrifying stories, and have felt as if I have struggled enough thus far. I have not had to repeat a semester yet, but can't help but feel as if I am not cut out for this last one. I don't feel as if anything is sticking....just too much info in such a short period of time. I am losing confidence and didn't know if anyone else went to HACC or if you had any advice at all it would be greatly appreciated. Thanx.

NewRN12109 · Aug 20, 2008

Hi There,

I just graduated last weekend and I totally know what you are going through. I won't lie my last semester was the absolute worst and hard as heck but I stayed focused, and stayed positive, failure wasn't an option. The more you doubt yourself the worse it is.Go deep inside and see how bad you want it if it is bad enough dig in and you'lldo fine.Positive positive positive. YOU CAN AND WILL GRADUATE

starletRN · Aug 20, 2008

Thanks NewGN for the words of encouragement. That's some good advice. I feel called by God to be a nurse, and I know that He won't have me do something He won't prepare me to do. But in my moments of weakness the dread sets in.

BTW, do you know what you want to do now that you've graduated?

healinghands201 · Aug 20, 2008

Thank you for all the replies. I know I am not in this alone,,,,,,but boy do I feel like it sometimes. I have only gotten this far by a nosehair, and can't shake this fear. I feel so nervous that I go completely blank sometimes.

Wicked Wahine · Aug 25, 2008

I'm getting ready to start my 4th and final semester and I've also heard that it's the hardest semester. I printed out all of the powerpoints that we're going to be using over the next 10 weeks and it's a truly ridiculous amount of information. But. I'm not worried. I'm determined. I have no doubt that I will pass this semester because I refuse to fail out and that's all there is to it. Clearly I am going to have to get very disciplined but I've done it before and I'll do it again. I'm lucky that I don't have to work right now so I can devote the time and energy to studying, so my job is to actually follow through with that!

Fretting about how hard a semester or a test or a final or the HESI is going to be gets me absolutely nowhere. All I can do is study the best way I know how (and that's worked well for me so far) so that if I don't do as well on a test as I hoped, I at least know that it wasn't due to me laming out on it, you know? That takes a lot of the stress out of it for me because all I can do is my best. So far my best has been good enough!

So my advice is to do your best and be confident. Do NOT stress yourself out, that will only hurt you!

narcissus · Aug 26, 2008

Hi there,

I'll be starting my last semester on the 28th of this month and i know exactly how you feel. I am scared to death but imagine how you felt the very first day of nursing school, then imagine how you felt the first day of the 2nd semester and the first day of the 3rd semester. It's the same nervousness and the same anxiety. I think that it's intensified times 10000 but it's alright. If you had enough courage and determination to get through those first three semesters you can definitely make it through this one. I'm not minimizing your feelings by no stretch of the imagination b/c i'm in the same boat. Please don't doubt yourself. We have all made it this far and we got to keep on going!!!:hlk:

psalm, RN · Aug 27, 2008

You can do it! I think part of the terror is that you are so close to the end of the tunnel and yet don't feel prepared..."too much info in such a short period of time". What you will find, is the more clinicals you have, the more you will be applying all that info. It will begin to make much more sense. AND you will have a preceptor to refer to and use as a resource.

So try not to panic. Make sure you go to school and clinicals well-rested, hydrated and fed...you need the glucose for your brain to work! Don't get behind in any of your assignments and don't be afraid to ask questions. Look up your pt. diagnoses to review.

Hang in there...

healinghands201 · Aug 27, 2008

Thank you soooo much for your encouragement!!! I needed it. :bow: