very nervous, very stressed, any advice?

[bernikitty]

so, i've almost done it. i'll be starting my 5th and final semester in a few weeks and i'm terrified about everything.

so much is hanging on this, i've worked so hard, and my kids have sacrificed so much for 2 yrs and i'm so scared i will fail. i'm scared my preceptor will hate me, and think i'm a clueless idiot ( i know i'm not an idiot, i've have a b average in my nursing course, but i've had some experiences with mean nurses on clinicals and afraid that i'll get a mean nurse for a preceptor). we will have to live on an even tighter budget so i can afford the childcare i'll need since my kids are out of school.

it's a summer semester so it will be 16 wks of work crammed into 10 wks. the last summer semester we had, we alot of people freaking out from the frantic pace and lost alot of classmates.

i'm going to be doing 7p-7a shifts and i'm afraid i'll fall asleep behind the wheel trying to get home and my kids will be orpahned with only a deadbet dad for a parent! should i ask my doctor to give me a prescription for provigil? will i be able to keep up with all the clinicals, preceptor and lecture classes? i know i have to but i'm so worried.

and then there is my mother. she is truly driving me crazy. sometimes i feel like she is trying to sabotage me. it's like she's competing with me over whose life is more difficult.

i dread talking to her because she always wants to get something out of me when i'm doing all i can with my kids and nursing school.

my mother has no idea what i'm going thru and how difficult nursing school is. i finally blew up to my mother a few weeks ago when i was studying for an exam, and she called me to complain about how she doesn't feel well and she's sure she will be dying soon (she been telling me this at least once a week for the last 5 years-- since i moved back to my home state). she smokes at least a pack of cigarettes a day, and refuses to momitor her blood sugar and manage her diet properly, so i have very little patience with her complaining about not feeling well.

oh, and she wants to sign her house over to my name and put her morgage in my name when i have zero income and i'm just starting to get on my feet. when i tell her i don't want to do this, she threatens to sign to over to one of my cousins. she doesn't understand how anyone wouldn't be delighted to move into her house, pay her morgage and allow a loud, demanding ,controling, complaining, smoking 60y/r woman live there rent free. i know they will kick her out and she will be homeless.

my kids hate when she baby sits. she treats my 9 y/o like she's her skrink and complains about how her grandchildren don't like her and want to spend time with her. she wants my 9y/o to explain to her why this is. so i try not to use her for childcare unless it's absolutely neccessary.

i'm so stressed about how i will be able to get thru those 10 weeks with no support system, except the paid babysitter.

sorry for the rambling rant, vent i'm just so stress out. you guys have been thru the preceptorship experience, and i want hoping you might have some advice to make things easier.

thanks!

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

Find a way to take it down a level. I've been where you are, and while a little stress sharpens your determination, too much will leave you a quivering pile of jelly.

Take deep slow breaths. I can guarantee that your children have learned a lot about perseverance, hard work, and study habits from you.

Take each day separately. Use your organizer/calendar to decide what has to be done each day and in what order. Only think about the thing you are doing at that time.

Take some more slow breaths. Look at what you've accomplished. Help along a 1st semester student. Watch how impressed they are with you. That's because you deserve it!

If there's something you have no control over (like waiting for a test result after you've finished it) try not to think about it. I know, WAY easier said than done!

Tell your kids how much you appreciate all the support they've been giving you so far. Give them a big hug!

Get a song stuck in your head that gets you rockin! For me it was Tub Thumpin, Kick in the Teeth, I'm a Survivor. Whenever you start to feel overwhelmed, start humming it. Listen to it as loud as you can on the way to school every day. (And on the way home sometimes too!)

Good luck!

[danarooo, BSN, RN]

Take it one day at a time, one clinical at a time, one project at a time. This is all you can do. Do not look at ALL that has to be done focus on whatever is directly in front of you and then when that is done move on. It is stressful, but if you focus on your stress and all the hard work your focusing on the wrong thing. By focusing on what is right in front of you it keeps you focused and calm. It will go by fast, best of luck. You can do it!

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You're almost there. Despite all of the negative influences.

Don't make your fears the biggest negative of all. Focus on yourself and your STRONG POINTS!!!

You will absolutely ....be able to do this. Please don't project your thoughts toward failure.

Think instead.. your precepetor will appreciate you.. you will breeze through night shift..

and most of all ... you will become a wonderful nurse!

Good luck, pm me anytime.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

remember that the research on complaining shows people who have a negative experience with something will complain about it to 25 people, whereas people with a good experience will tell only 5 others. so about preceptors. the people who come to an to complain about how their preceptors were nasty, on average, outnumber the people who loved their senior or new grad precepting period by about 5:1, which fits neatly with the research. therefore, rejoice: you are five times more likely than not to have a great time.

your kids have learned a lot by watching their mom strive to accomplish a big goal; never doubt that this is a really good thing in a child's development.

you will have a paycheck! wah-hoo!

i'm gonna suggest a quieter song to carry in your head, because it seems to me you need something to help calm you down, not rev you up. my fave is "pokarekare ana," as sung by by hayley westenra. it's a beautiful polynesian love song. here's a great video of beautiful photos backed by her beautiful voice and a chorus. if it doesn't make you just want to lie down and deep breathe i can't think what might. :heartbeat

hayley westenra -pokarekare ana - youtube