Most terrifying thing?

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What was the most terrifying part of being a nursing student? I've imagined thousands of scenarios of where something could go wrong in nursing school as a student: failing an exam, not getting along with other students, having my instructor think I'm a complete idiot, etc. I will hopefully be starting nursing school in the fall, and I would find so much comfort if you guys could give some of your input as to what your biggest fears in nursing school were. :)

Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.

The nightmares that I had every night before clinical. I want afraid of clinical, but some of those dreams were horrible. Some examples:

I had a dream that I showed up at clinical in the winter, and when I took off my coat, I had nothing on.

Another dream was that I showed up to the wrong clinical site. I had two different clinical each semester, and I was always scared I would go to the wrong one.

I dreamed that I was at clinical and my patient assaults me.

And on, and on, and on...

I do have to say that none of these happened, accept that the second day of clinical my bus got stuck behind a garbage truck.

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For me the most terrifying part was deciding to change my life and finally taking the first steps and applying.

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My fear was of the unknown, just didn't know what to expect, how to dress, act, but after the first semester you will settle in and relax and be a pro nursing student by the next semester. Skills check offs will make you nervous just be prepared and you won't be nervous. Prepare , prepare, prepare.. Will get you through just fine..

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Specializes in Hospice.
Thanks for all your input! I tend to be some who overworries and have anxiety with things that don't entail anxiety. It's gotten a lot better, but with something as big as nursing school, I can't help it.

@lorirn2b: Are skill check offs just a check off list filled out by your instructor? Sounds intense.

They are all the patient assessments, and all the skills like foley insertion/removal, trach care, bandage application, central line care, etc etc...... you have to be checked off on it in lab before you can do it in clinical, and at my school, we have a list of required skills that have to be performed before the end of the semester. It's best to try to get all these done while at clinical on a real patient, and if you have a few left at the end of the semester you have to do them in sim lab. I find these nerve wracking. But, I have passed them all after two semesters. Doesn't make them less intimidating to know in my head that "Hey, you know this, you can do this!" Because anything that is Pass/Fail is scary to me, and clinical is pass/fail, anything skills related is pass/fail. You don't get, for example, a percentage grade, like an 80% is passing in my theory.... no such leeway in skills.

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I was terrified of failing a class and having to stay back a semester. Happened to a few friends of mine and I was so scared about that, even though I graduated with honors and made good grades I was still afraid of failing!

That and the Exit HESI that we had to pass to graduate.

Skills check offs didn't scare me as much.

You'll make it! Just do the best you can and know that at the end of the day that's all you can do.

Most important thing for me all through my BSN program was balancing home and life. I had to make sure I didn't make my life all school. I managed my time well and still was able to have a social life, relax, and spend time with my husband on a weekly basis. That's so important to your stress level and state of mind!

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Do we have to practice doing foleys on each other?? :cautious: I guess classmates get to know each other VERY well during labs then....

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Do we have to practice doing foleys on each other?? :cautious: I guess classmates get to know each other VERY well during labs then....

Hahaha. No. We did however practice putting a bedpan under each other...fully clothed of course.

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For me - every time I did something for the first time, it was a little scary. First injection on an actual patient?! Eep! First catheter insertion?! Eep! First trach care (yuck!) ... You get the picture. But I will say that I kind of had a fake it till you make it attitude. I never wanted the patients to know I was nervous so I smiled, asked questions where I needed help, but otherwise just did it. Of course I may have been shaking inside lol but still that's ok!

All that to say - you are entering a totally new world with lots of new things. Practice, study, Be very observant and know when to seek help. You will do fine!!

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Hahaha. No. We did however practice putting a bedpan under each other...fully clothed of course.

I remember talking to one of the midwives during our OB rotation and she said that when she was in the program (midwife) that they had to do weekly paps on each other That's getting uber-cozy with classmates LOL

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I remember talking to one of the midwives during our OB rotation and she said that when she was in the program (midwife) that they had to do weekly paps on each other That's getting uber-cozy with classmates LOL

It must be a little awkward for any male who was in that program.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
It must be a little awkward for any male who was in that program.

Hahaha!

We never did anything nearly that intimate with each other, though when I was in the Navy, I performed Paps on many of my friends. We all worked in Family Practice, so that's just what happened. By that time, you're professional enough that it's not a big deal, but a little awkward at first.

I also did swabs on my male counterparts before there was a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia, and performed my chief's vasectomy. :)

When you work in healthcare, it's kind of part of the deal. My last day of my preceptorship I cared for one of the nurses on the unit (in postpartum), so I had to check her bleeding and assess her breasts every 4 hours. Again, all just what we do. You get used to it.

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Specializes in ICU.

I wouldn't say I am really terrified of anything. I am not there to make friends or anything like that. I could honestly care less what people think of me. I know in some of my classes these past couple of semesters you found out who the cliquey women were right away. I stayed away from them. I don't need the high school drama and crap. Their "study groups" consisted of them sitting in the nursing library complaining about how unfair instructors were and how hard everything was.

I am nervous about learning how to do foleys. I am sure I will be fine once I get the hang of it but I know I will be very nervous the first time I do it on an actual person. Or worrying about hitting a vein with IVs. But I also go with the saying, Never let em see ya sweat.

I have already been introduced to many of the instructors and they seem like super nice people. I am looking forward to learning from them. I have to say though, I am thoroughly enjoying my break right now. I don't take my summer class until June 9th.

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