Losing hope - student struggle stories

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Share your story as a struggling nursing student...just so I know I'm not alone in feeling like this. What's your story like? Have you ever felt so inadequate to finish, or even start, nursing school? How'd you get through it?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Oh gosh, there are soooo many tales of woe here on AN. If you're looking for inspiration, I think it may be a much better option to ask students to share their successes... stories of the moments when they KNEW that nursing was the right choice; when they experienced bone-deep satisfaction of actually making a difference in a patient's life . . .

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Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words.

Keep your words positive, because your words become your behavior.

Keep your behavior positive, because your behavior becomes your habits.

Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your values.

Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny

Mahatma Gandhi - Open Your Mind, Open Your Life

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You're right success stories are inspirational...but for me, they sometimes paint a picture that dismisses the struggles that had to be taken to get there. I wanted to hear the struggles because I can already see the success :) I see how the nurses here have become victorious in their studies, but I can't see the struggles they went through. I know it was there, but I want to know it's not just a general feeling. Stories of success are more beautiful to me when I can see the pitfalls too. But to each his own. Thanks for the advice.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I wasn't a stellar nursing student. Oh I did great in my science classes (was even a peer tutor paid by the school to help other students with Micro and Patho) , and did pretty well in nursing classes after some getting used to the NCLEX style ?s...

but I struggled in clinicals. In fact I almost didn't pass my 3rd med-surg clinical. I didn't like med surg, and I had put in for other units for my final internship (PACU and I can't remember what else). My instructor sat me down and said she was concerned about my ability to pass the NCLEX at the level I was performing at... :blink: but agreed to pass me if I would agree to do a med surg internship.

Some time into my internship, it clicked. It all started to make sense. As my confidence grew, I even started to enjoy floor nursing! (I managed a full pt load under my preceptor's supervision.)

I passed my NCLEX in 75 ?s, got hired onto the neuro/ENT floor of a big university hospital, and started working in the SICU less than 2 yrs later. In my first review, my even NM wrote I was a gift to the unit!

So there ya go. It's my success story which happened after I nearly failed. :)

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I am a mom and one in my kids has high functioning autism, I'm a domestic violence survivor and still have to deal with the guy as he is father of my kids, I have to pay private school fees and I didn't get a tax return today boo hoo. I don't have a baby sitter except for school and daycare which I use sparingly. I am a second degree student struggling, I am doing ok (A- or B but I need A's) in A&P but pretty sure I just bombed a chemistry midterm (I'm feeling 50% or worse) I know should have gone to workshops and tutor but I found I have been so tired I just want to get home or sit in cafe for a moment after classes. I intend to salvage chem somehow .. I'm also in my mid thirties so don't feel I have time to play with by doing a class one at a time. Feeling overwhelmed and very stupid recently. I will continue though! I hope to come back here with a success story :) just waned you to know there is someone out there with life struggles trying to preserve and recognize faults and address them

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Mom of 2 kids... eldest son I homeschool he's only 6 the other is 2 :). I'm turning 30 this summer and started pre-reqs spring of 2015; still doing pre-reqs. I'm doing really well in school. My issues revolve around child care- since I don't have any family where I live; I cant take much time away from the home. Trying to fit my school schedule with my husband's works schedule is a pain. Im currently struggling with some issues. my husband is disappointed, we will have to eventually put our son in school and he doesn't want that to happen. However , its impossible to go through nursing school and homeschool. Homeschooling is a full time job :). Since I don't have help from his family I have to try hard to make sure my schooling schedule does not collide with my husbands work schedule.I'm going to have problems next term with the schedule colliding. I know it!!!! :) also, I still don't have my driving license and living in Michigan means no public transportation. I'm in the process of getting my license. I have anxiety when I drive and I don't know why. Getting my license and my husbands rejection of public schooling are my main issues right now

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