how many (nursing students) are sick?

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I have seen my health decline since I started in the nursing program. Mostly BP problems that I have nerver had. An eye twitch problem that came and went. Now something that may be more serious. Understand I have always enjoyed perfect health. So now I am faced with a delimina. Nursing school seems to be killing me slowly. Reading about the stress response in school makes me see a connection. I was wondering, how many others are sick since starting nursing school? I am on my way to the doctor about my latest problem. My next stop is droping out of the program.

I still want to be a nurse, but it seems I am moving in the direction of patient.

You have no idea how much i needed to read this post right now!

i literally collapsed at clinical this past week and after almost every test known to man, the emergency docs and my pcp are puzzled as to what is wrong with me because i am still not "right" 5 days later...

seems it is probably attributed to stress!!!!!

nothing like this has ever happened before in my life. soooo scary....

this gets added onto my stomach ulcer that has appeared since nursing school started and also my 25 lb weight gain!

now i feel better because i felt it hard to accept stress as the cause of all of this. isn't this horrible?! i hate feeling so out of control... :( :( :( :(

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The question becomes. Can a person become a nurse without first becomeing a patient? Well, I can certainly say that I can relate to my patients better.

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Specializes in Orthopedics/Med-Surg, LDRP.
The question becomes. Can a person become a nurse without first becomeing a patient? Well, I can certainly say that I can relate to my patients better.

I can agree. After spending a week in the hospital, I had a whole new outlook on what a patient goes through. I slept horribly because I was having IV's hung all hours of the night, my IV kept infiltrating, I was put on Solu-Medrol so then I had to have accu checks run, meds all hours of the night, patients yelling up the hall, regular conversation in the hallways, people being paged overhead. It's hard to "recover" in the hospital. In the 7 days I was there, I was stuck with some sort of a pointed object 67 times in 7 days. 6 Hep-locks, accu checks every 8 hours, blood draws. It was rough. There were times that I wanted something, but knowing how much the nurses have to do, I tried to be patient and wait for one to arrive and not push the call button. I was bored quite often, so I had my text books brought up to me. I also found that I was treated better than the other patients becaus I WAS a nursing student and many had attended the school I'm in now.

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Interesting thread. Don't laugh (ok you can) but since I've started school I've had chronic flatus and my GI tract makes gurgling noises all the time! It gets really bad sometimes. I've tried cutting back on lacose and that helps a bit. Maybe I have something wrong with my GI system?

Toot toot!

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Well I have officially caught the crud. Woke up this morning feeling like death...went to lecture...made it an hour...vomited in the bathroom...asked to go home...came home...slept for an hour....now my head feels like it weighs 500 lbs.

Thank goodness I don't go back to clinical until Thurs...hopefully I will recover.

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Interesting thread. Don't laugh (ok you can) but since I've started school I've had chronic flatus and my GI tract makes gurgling noises all the time! It gets really bad sometimes. I've tried cutting back on lacose and that helps a bit. Maybe I have something wrong with my GI system?

Toot toot!

Are you drinking lots of soda pop to stay awake and study with? That can give you those symptoms.

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My biggest problem is hypchondria!!!!!

ROFL!!! This is my biggest problem too!!! I have the same symptoms of everything that I'm studying!! I could literally drop dead at any given moment!!!

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Specializes in Oncology.

I thought I was the only one!!

Since nursing school started I have gained 30 pounds, have developed major anxiety, hypoglycemic attacks because I don't eat right and I think I have had a cold every other week for the past 2 years and throw in a 3 attacks of severe vomiting and diarrhea for 48hrs!!!!!! :uhoh3: I never go to the doctor (i am a noncompliant patient) but I think I need to start!!

I still believe I can do it though!!

Jenn

:sofahider

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I just started Nursing school this past January and last week came down with an upper respiratory infection. I guess I look forward to much more!!!!!

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Specializes in LTC.

How is nursing school affecting me, hmmm let's see..

Anxiety

Constipation

Worry

Bouts of depression

Extreme fatigue

Restlessness

And general malaise

I sometimes wonder if this is all really worth it. No wonder there is such a shortage!!! My nerves are SHOT and I hope that as I develop confidence(Lord know when) that I'll start to adjust and feel normal again. It's horrible how all this stress contributes to these problems. Sheesh!!

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I'm no longer in school but I think the nursing profession in general is very stressful----long shifts, short staffed, not eating right, sleep deprivation, frequent shift changes, committee work......in addition to having a spouse, kids and trying to have a life!! No wonder all nurses are on the edge!!!

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

For those of us just waiting to get in school -- thanks!!

Notes to self:

  1. Lose twice the weight you want before you start school.
  2. Get an antidepressant
  3. Get bp meds
  4. Buy stock in the "Airborne" company; buy Airborne
  5. Buy stock in Depends; buy Depends
  6. Ensure health insurance stays valid
  7. Put more $$$ in HSA
  8. Build a separate wing on the house to save me from my family (or vice versa)
  9. Etc.
  10. Etc.
  11. Etc

Ohmigosh!! :bluecry1:

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