Nursing is my passion but I feel like I am too dumb.

SirNurse312 · Feb 25, 2016

Katlin1315 · Feb 25, 2016

Thanks everyone for all the great advice and kind words!! It really means a lot to me! You've all listed tips that I think will really help. I try not to look at the homeschooling as too negative because I was there when my grandmother needed me the most and its taught me valuable life lessons. I still try to avoid mentioning the fact I graduated from a homeschool because so many tell me how odd it was that a sixteen year old had to fix medications,manage bills, and tend to my grandmother. It was a lot to manage but I feel blessed that I did. Again I can't thank you all enough!! Oh, and I hate to ask for anymore advice but is there a way to identify the tissues through the microscope better?

Davey Do · Feb 25, 2016

OP, don't ever say you are dumb.
A&P is by far the worst thing ever created in my own experience and opinion.

Hey jadelpn, thanks or saying this! Your words brought back a memory:

I did well in the RN program, making the Dean's list, and eventually making a "B" in A&P, but the only test I ever failed since junior high school was in A&P!

It was on muscles. I had worked four midnight shifts previous to the test. Had I identified the gastrocnemius correctly, I would have passed!

Yeah Katlin. If you're dumb, I'm there with you!

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Feb 25, 2016

A&P is no doubt a stinker. It is more straight memorization than anything else you will encounter in nursing school. As long as your grades are holding up, keep at it and you will get through just fine. I bet if you randomly asked a bunch of currently practicing nurses to take an A & P test today hardly any of them would be able to pass it. Heck I know I wouldn't!

Trust in Jesus, RN · Feb 25, 2016

Katlin,

You can do this! I took anatomy last semester and it was the hardest class I have ever taken. I'm in microbiology now, and so far I think microbiology is easier than anatomy. For me, the memorization of the anatomy structures was easy, but the comprehension of all the details in the book was super challenging! When I saw my grade for my first lecture test, I thought the teacher made a mistake (and I wanted to cry at the thought that is was my actual grade). When I finally accepted the fact that, that was my grade I began to reconsider nursing. I figured there is no way I can do this. But, my dad told me to put that grade (and others) behind me and start studying for the next test. I did that (eventually, after feeling sorry for myself all weekend) and by the time the semester was over I had improved. By the grace of God, I received an A in that course.

You shouldn't give up! Definitely, keep track of the drop date, in case you need it. But, do your best now! Maybe your teacher can tell you what studying techniques have helped other students in his class. Try to figure out what you did wrong or could have done better and then fix it.

Your story sounds a lot like mine. I got to spend a lot of time with my grandma taking caring of her before she died. It was those experiences that helped me choose nursing.

SteelGrey · Feb 25, 2016

Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't! Who cares if you were home schooled, don't let that stop you-- you can find a way. A& P sucks, as its lots of memorization on very technical material. Your learning style, the teacher and several other factors could be influencing your current predicament. See how you do on your test and go from there. You may need to acquire additional resources to help make things work for you.

School is hard. Just take it one step at a time, even if its at a snails pace. Also, don't be shy on considering many of the different fields of health care, or perhaps starting off as an LPN and do a bridge to an RN program. Keep an open mind and good luck!!

Trust in Jesus, RN · Feb 25, 2016

For the tissue/microscope pictures, I took actual pictures of the slide on my microscope in lab and then made flashcards with it. My teacher tested me on the microscope with the same exact slides, so this worked out great! Hopefully this helps you!

purplegal · Feb 25, 2016

Hi, I'm new to writing on the forum but I've been stalking the site for awhile lol. Growing up I always loved taking care of others, and when my baby cousin was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease I spent a lot of time in the children's hospital. I decided then to pursue nursing. I haven't gotten bad grades in science but I'm currently in anatomy and physiology and can not comprehend what the teacher is saying. I find it interesting but he teaches from the book and it's hard for me to grasp. I feel so dumb, I want to be a nurse and it breaks my heart that I don't understand the stuff that's being taught. I didn't have anatomy in high school I was homeschooled and my curriculum was really focused on the fine arts. I'm not bad at math and I do really well in English but I can't seem to think scientifically on test. Do I need to find another field of study? How do I learn anatomy? I've asked my teacher for help but he made me feel even dumber. I just took my first test and I haven gotten my grade back but I went in thinking I knew some stuff and came out feeling like a failure. I went to the school tutor but again I don't get what she means. I learn by applying things to real life and right now everything is so technical. I have no clue what to do, please help!!

I was never a champion at Anatomy either. To be completely honest, it was a LOT of work. This was even after taking a Human Anatomy/Physiology Class in high school. The biggest thing is finding out how you study best. Sometimes, it takes awhile to figure that out. Also, do you know anyone else taking the same class? See if you can get into a study group. I would not have made it without my study buddies, to be honest.

KStudentNurse70 · Feb 25, 2016

Thanks everyone for all the great advice and kind words!! It really means a lot to me! You've all listed tips that I think will really help. I try not to look at the homeschooling as too negative because I was there when my grandmother needed me the most and its taught me valuable life lessons. I still try to avoid mentioning the fact I graduated from a homeschool because so many tell me how odd it was that a sixteen year old had to fix medications,manage bills, and tend to my grandmother. It was a lot to manage but I feel blessed that I did. Again I can't thank you all enough!! Oh, and I hate to ask for anymore advice but is there a way to identify the tissues through the microscope better?

When I was in a&p I actually used to take pictures of the slides through the microscope with my iPhone lol it sounds so odd but if you focus it enough you really can get a good picture, that way you can study at home and zoom in.

canigraduate · Feb 25, 2016

Did somebody mention the coloring books? Go on Amazon and order the Anatomy Coloring Book and the Physiology Coloring Book.

Also, it sounds like you are a kinesthetic learner, so you need to DO something with the information. Go to one of those kooky science stores at the mall and get the models that you can put together like a puzzle. I used to make charts, graphs, illustrations, drawings, whatever. Do something fun with the information, like make a pin-the-organ-on-the-thorax game.

What really helped me the most was playing back the lectures and taking notes on a whiteboard. I knew I would never read the notes again and the act of writing stuff down helped me to remember it. As far as slides and stuff, make copies of the pictures from your books or ask your instructor for copies of the slides from the teaching manual to study.

Mostly, A&P is about memorization and repetition. Figure out what you need to do to get things stuck in your memory and do it. My brother is an aural learner, so he would make up songs to help him. My Dad is a visual learner, so he made charts and graphs. It all depends on how you recall information.

Good luck!

NURSE2b_AtlÃ©ticoMadrid · Feb 25, 2016

You can become a licensed Clinical Social Worker or if you are up to the challenge a degree in public health. Try an introductory course in A&P, or a EMT course (not the crash course kind). If you can acclimate to these two previous suggestions, great, but if you can't you might be on a different learning curve. Theres nothing to be ashamed about that, not everyone who wants to be a nurse or doctor can handle the academic material necessary to enter these professions. Its the hardest thing to accept, but it may be a huge leap in your personal maturity to understand your own learning ability. I've tutored pre-health and pre-nursing students since 2010 and I love inspiring students with science coursework. The low wage i've earned as a tutor does not motivate me, its planting a seed of confidence in my students and seeing them pass or receive an A in a course they were struggling in. Find a new tutor or find a new professor. Do your homework on the professor and take some of the suggestions i've made. Shadow a nurse or doctor and take any inspiration you can receive. At the end of the day meditate or pray, collect your thoughts, and make a resolve to yourself that you'll give your goals a fair shot. If it doesn't work out, find something else to do. Goodluck, my door is open. By the way, check out Khan academy for A&P lectures, they've been very helpful for most of my students.

emmjayy, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2016

[quote=Been there,done that;8918836

I must say..your home schooling has NOT prepared you for nursing school. I would not pursue nursing.. if I were you.

I respectfully disagree on your last point. Oftentimes, home schooled students are very adequately prepared for nursing school, which requires self-motivation and a lot of studying on your own (something that home schooled students are generally quite familiar with). Sure, there may be an issue for OP in that her home studies were not focused on sciences, but as a former home schooled student (K-12!) that was also the case for me and I was told by my admissions counselor and interviewer that I was over-prepared for nursing school based on my grades in community college together with the grades I got on the A&P courses that I took online through a program approved by my nursing school. Struggles with A&P are not at all uncommon and not unique to home schooled students!

OP, it just sounds like you haven't found a study method that works for you. You say you learn through hands on and visual resources - that is GREAT for A&P! You can look at diagrams and models to memorize structures, and manipulate models to demonstrate how things work. You can draw structures (doesn't have to be great, just enough to help you understand). You can use your writing skills to re-write concepts into a way that is understandable for you. Look up Youtube videos and lectures on the topics you're struggling with. Utilize resources like Quizlet to access flashcards and labeling exercises. You can do it!