Nursing School Blues??

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You know how there is post pardum depression and pre mestrual mood swings.... can there be such a thing as Nursing School Depression??

Well if there is such a thing, I must be going through it!

I'm on my second semester of the ASN program, I get high 80's and low 90's on my exams and I haven't had no problems in clinicals so far.... I know I'm a good student but lately I've been self doubting myself, wondering if I would ever be a good nurse. I've lost my motivation to study as much as I used to. I always have a headache and I'm soooo tired all the time. I know Nurising School is rough and I expected it to be hard work so why am I feeling so down and self doubting myself?

I just got a job as a nurse tech and my first day I messed up on all the blood pressures, the tech that was training me just gave me a wierd look. I don't know why I was off on the blood pressures, I know how to take BPs but I kept messing up.... I felt like an idiot because I should have been able to take all the vital's, that's was one of the first things we learned in school. That experience did not help my mood at all!

Has anyone ever gone through something like this??

I, and most of my friends, felt that way at one point or another during last semester. What I continue to wonder is why nursing school is like this for so many people? I talk to other students, getting other degrees, and they never feel like we do (stressed out to the max!) What do you think is the problem??

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I am so glad I found this thread. I felt like I was the only one who felt this way. I was wondering how every one else was dealing. This makes me feel a whole lot better. Good luck everyone.

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I, and most of my friends, felt that way at one point or another during last semester. What I continue to wonder is why nursing school is like this for so many people? I talk to other students, getting other degrees, and they never feel like we do (stressed out to the max!) What do you think is the problem??

Because, chances are ... their degrees aren't as hard, in many cases. They don't have to learn as much, the material isn't as difficult and their tests are probably straight memorization ... not critical thinking questions.

:typing

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I believe that in my program there is such a prolonged HIGH LEVEL of stress knowing we can fail the week before finals that it causes an actual chemical imbalance!! You are constantly in the Fight or Flight mentality which means when you are fighting, the chemicals in your brain (serotonin, epinephrine and norepinephrine) are constantly high. Maybe a moment of downtime causes these chemicals to drop dramatically causing emotional depression. Theoretically it seems that must be what is happening. Sooo unhealthy. I am also finding that I am jumpy and react like a person who was in Vietnam! Any loud noise causes me to jump. Definate anxiety. I have for the first time in my life questioned whether any of this is worth it anymore. I don't even know if I want to be a nurse if it is going to so adversely affect my health. Seems to make the whole point of nursing moot. Hang in there to all of you who are feeling the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Hopefully it will be over soon for you all.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
Because, chances are ... their degrees aren't as hard, in many cases. They don't have to learn as much, the material isn't as difficult and their tests are probably straight memorization ... not critical thinking questions.

Well, and in a lot of these other careers/degrees, you can often make little mistakes or overlook things and NOT KILL PEOPLE!! UGH!!!

I worked in IT for 6 years and often had a ton of documentation that we were forced to create....it got to be a joke to some extent because if you ran across something you weren't sure about, and knew that no one really cared or would ever check and it didn't really affect your final product, you honest-to-God just made up something in to "fill in the blank"....on one of my first patient care plans that had to be turned in, there were some questions about living arrangements, etc., and I found myself just making some answers up to "fill in the blanks", when it dawned on me -- I wasn't in Oz anymore and that would no longer suffice!! Big wakeup call!!

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Wow I am glad that I found this site. I am in my first year of nursing school, about to go into my second semester. I made it through most of the first semester, but had trouble with my few exams because of too much stress. I know that I still want to be a nursing student, but I am just down right now. It has been Christmas break and I am already stressing and crying at little things. I'm am really hoping things get better soon and knowing that there is so many other nurses out there that have gone through or are going through the same thing is really comforting. I guess I will just keep slugging my way though. Any advice would be greatly appreciated on.

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I definitely know how you guys feel. I've been trying FOREVER to get into a nursing program. Even though I'm now in semester 2 of an accelerated 2nd Degree program, I'm still feeling the worthless depressed feelings I was feeling before I actually got in! I just feel like I'm not good enough to be a nurse sometimes.

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Okay..see if this makes anyone feel any better...

I went through a major depressive state during Christmas Break in 2005. I had just finished my 3rd semester (I'm in an ADN program) and was ready to start my last semester. Everything just kinda hit me all at once..My mother was diagnosed with MS and my grandmother was diagnosed with bone cancer..I was working 40 hours a week in addition to going to school and i was just overwhelmed and fed up with everything. So much so, that I contemplated hurting myself.

So onto the thing that might make you feel better...I was having a conversation with one of my instructors about what happened over Christmas..And she said to me "If you go through nursing school right, then you will experience some type of depression at least once in the program." Hearing that made me feel that everything was going to be okay..She didn't judge me, she was able to identify because we all go through it. Trust me, I still get the overwhelming feelings of self-doubt (especially since I failed my last semester and am repeating)...I think the doubt is even worse this time around because when you fail, you realize what all you are capable of losing...But then I have days when my faith in my knowledge is restored and I feel like i'm smart and capable enough to make an awesome nurse.

Just think of it this way...Nursing isn't an easy profession..If it was, then everyone in the world would be doing it!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.
You know how there is post pardum depression and pre mestrual mood swings.... can there be such a thing as Nursing School Depression??

Well if there is such a thing, I must be going through it!

I'm on my second semester of the ASN program, I get high 80's and low 90's on my exams and I haven't had no problems in clinicals so far.... I know I'm a good student but lately I've been self doubting myself, wondering if I would ever be a good nurse. I've lost my motivation to study as much as I used to. I always have a headache and I'm soooo tired all the time. I know Nurising School is rough and I expected it to be hard work so why am I feeling so down and self doubting myself?

I just got a job as a nurse tech and my first day I messed up on all the blood pressures, the tech that was training me just gave me a wierd look. I don't know why I was off on the blood pressures, I know how to take BPs but I kept messing up.... I felt like an idiot because I should have been able to take all the vital's, that's was one of the first things we learned in school. That experience did not help my mood at all!

Has anyone ever gone through something like this??

You are not alone. I went through this as well in school during semester 3/4. I could not FORCE myself to study, I had a prn tech position that I hated going to, clinicals were torture, and I even considered dropping out because I was questioning if nursing was really for me. I just kept taking things a day at a time and it finally passed. When I reached last semester, I got a surge of renewed energy. Kind of like when you see the last quarter mile of a marathon! You finish with a bang, so to speak.

After school was over, I had another little case of the blues secondary to anxiety over transitioning from student to new grad, saying goodbye to close friends, and losing my "I'm just a nursing student, let me get your nurse," safety net. haha. But it has passed as well.

If things continue and you are overwhelmed, perhaps a visit to your doctor is in order. Everyone handles stress differently.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
Just think of it this way...Nursing isn't an easy profession..If it was, then everyone in the world would be doing it!

Thanks for sharing....I hope things continue to look up for you; please know that your mother and grandmother are in our thoughts....

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I definately have those blues too..you're not alone

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You know how there is post pardum depression and pre mestrual mood swings.... can there be such a thing as Nursing School Depression??

Well if there is such a thing, I must be going through it!

I'm on my second semester of the ASN program, I get high 80's and low 90's on my exams and I haven't had no problems in clinicals so far.... I know I'm a good student but lately I've been self doubting myself, wondering if I would ever be a good nurse. I've lost my motivation to study as much as I used to. I always have a headache and I'm soooo tired all the time. I know Nurising School is rough and I expected it to be hard work so why am I feeling so down and self doubting myself?

I just got a job as a nurse tech and my first day I messed up on all the blood pressures, the tech that was training me just gave me a wierd look. I don't know why I was off on the blood pressures, I know how to take BPs but I kept messing up.... I felt like an idiot because I should have been able to take all the vital's, that's was one of the first things we learned in school. That experience did not help my mood at all!

Has anyone ever gone through something like this??

You have NO IDEA how perfectly you just described the way I've been feeling. I think 2nd semester is really tough because we have what feels like such a long way still to go, and we KNOW all the work we'll be doing from now till then. I DO think it's a real thing (like PPD and such) though it's not exactly a labeled disorder, LOL. I know a lot of my classmates are feeling exactly the same way as you describe.

I posted in another thread about finding a way to deal with my issues. I've been praying a lot more, offering the fear and fatigue, etc, up to God and asking Him to take it all and get me through, to help me and guide me, and he HAS. I don't expect everyone to be a believer, but that's what has made all the difference to me, I can't even tell you. I've found new enthusiasm and energy where I didn't think any existed. I believe strongly that we're called to Nursing, and the enemy will do everything to knock us off the path that we are on. We will be helping a lot of people - that's a huge thing! Hang in there - it will be tough but you CAN do it, and it will pass so quickly. The next couple of years are just a tiny drop in the bucket. Keep visualizing yourself graduating and getting pinned. It will be worth the dues you have to pay!

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