Nursing School Blues??

[Nili927]

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??

[thevez17]

I think nursing school does that to all of us. I'm a guy, and I generally don't tend to be overly emotional, but the other day all the stress that I hadn't been feeling hit me, and I started worrying about everything. I worried about what would happen if I didn't make an A, to which the answer is nothing, everything would be fine. I worried about all the projects I have due, all the skills I'm going to have to do in clinical beginning next week, all the studying I need to do for the next test, my drug cards, everything. I spent the entire day just feeling an odd sense of dread and stress. By the next day, the feelings had passed and I was okay. I'm one of those students who feels like he has to know everything for the tests, and I tend to overstudy so much that it isn't even funny. I studied for four days, and slept a total of six hours in those four days, leading up to the test. I made a 94 and didn't have to know half of the material I covered. As for your feelings, I think they will pass in a day or two. Right now things look dark and grim, nothing seems to be going your way, and you feel hopeless. Give it a few days or a week, and I think you will feel a lot better. I think nursing is so stressful that sometimes we all get overcome with the feelings. I hope things get better for you, and I really feel like they will.

Hi MattRN

I have the exact same feelings about I have to know everything because that was what I did during my prereqs but I agree with what you said. I have to stay positive . Thanks for the encouragement!!!

[GamerGirL337]

I already had my first breakdown 5 weeks into the program...like a full meltdown...wanting to give up and all....

My teachers are awesome though and they give us pep talks all the time...and it makes things so much nicer....heres one thing I will keep with me forever...my Fundamentals teacher gave us a great pep talk yesterday and this is what she said....

There are three parts to success in nursing school

Attitude, Aptitude and Available resources

Our teachers and school already know we have the aptitute to do this, we had the grades, we had the test scores we are the best of the best that was chosen to do this,

Our school and teachers also gave us the available resources, open nursing labs at the school, NCLEX books, study guides, they are there to help us and they will do whatever they can to help us succeed...

The only thing they CAN'T control is out attitude...thats up to us, we have to want this, we have to give up things to do this, take out loans, give up going out on weekends with your friends, give up whatever you have to...we all want that beautiful house, the fancy car and the great job...but just put it off...in 2 years we'll have the ability to attain what we want, whatever it takes...

It really made me feel so much better about everything...I know that this is just 2 years of my life and its going to change the rest of it...

Hell i get so upset for getting an 85 on a test, yet my teachers say i'm doing amazing compared to other students that have made it all the way through the program.....so i'm feeling a lot better...if i have to give up my job for it, its worth it...

[RN2011A]

I definately get the blues in nursing school. I do well in classes/ tests but clinicals kill me, when m nervous I mess up and not really in a big way, but I do try to change my nervousness . My biggest problem in nursing school is bullying. Lots of girls jealous when little do they know there lives r going better than mine lol.Im in nursing to get a career and help patients and I have made way too many sacrifices to count to get where im at and I still have a long way to go.Bullying is not new to me girls have always been jealous of me so i should be used to it by now lol. I just thought this being a professional program people would be more ummm profesional lol. Theres alot of clicques in my program and I chose not to kiss anyones behind im nice to everyone.I get the school work I enjoy studying and I do well on tests. I stay positive and remind myself why i'm there every day lol hopefully i'll graduate soon.

[Peny]

Just relax and think about what you are doing this all for. I get sad at times then I bounce back, it happens to all of us. Now wrap your arms around yourself and that is a hug from all of us here at the forum to you!

[mharrison3931]

Wow this was started a long time ago! I had a conversation with an RN in clinicals who gave me some wonderful advice she said you are not the only one who feels clueless and you will feel like that for a year or two after you graduate. She said you are not alone and just remember all nurses have been there at sometime and dont be afraid to ask for help if you need it. I hope I remember this forever and can use it to get through these moments of doubt and depression. I think all nursing students have a moment of "can I do it?" talk to your class mates or advisor for any advice they know how you feel.

[runforfun]

This is an old thread, but still so relevant. Even though things are not going poorly, school doesn't always go as well as I would like. I'm a pretty upbeat person, and every now and then I get snappy, and I've broken down crying more than once already! I've found that when I start feeling bad, it's either time for bed or some exercise. There comes a time at which I realize I will do better if I find balance in my life than if I force myself to suffer.

Chin up everyone, there is nothing wrong with being sad, frustrated, or overwhelmed. The problem comes when you let it consume you. Take 5, eat your Ben n Jerry's cry, whine, be ******, be sad, let it out. Then, realize that to have even gotten as far as you have proves that you know too much to fail. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and hit the books!

[krcs]

I'm glad this thread popped up because I sure needed it. I have the blues myself and I'm only a few weeks in. I'm so used to being a perfectionist and doing everything perfect all the time. It's hard to come to the realization that due to all the information and all the variables that you're just not going to be perfect. I've had it my way so long that it's causing some blues.

I think another issue we nursing students have to cope with is the complete loss of a life. I actually feel like I'm somewhat in mourning of the life I used to have before nursing school. I mean there is occasionally time where we can relax but I don't know about you guys but even in my down time my brain thinks about nursing. I dream about nursing. I keep telling myself it's temporary. I hope I get better with coping with it as time goes by. Until then I just take it one week at a time.

[QuarterLife88, MSN, RN, NP]

Two weeks back in school and I'm tired, unmotivated, and just plain sick of schooling all together. I'm doing what I need to make it out and that's it. I have no more passion for this profession. It is a job to me; something to put food on the table and a roof over my head, just like others go to school so they can get other jobs. Screw having to have a "calling" for it. That ship has sailed. Maybe if there wasn't much b.s. in the atmosphere, and if nursing school wasn't always trying to lace a chokehold on my life, I wouldn't be so jaded. The only reason I haven't quit is because I've put 3 years into it. So I'm gonna get something out of it, but there will be no rainbows shining out of my orifice.

The only thing that keeps me going is my free time, which I make, and didn't much at all last year. Now it's reversed. I get my school work done as fast and as efficiently as I can so I can do the things I actually do enjoy most of the day.

[witty_online_moniker]

This is exactly what I needed to read this morning, even though the original post is ancient. I had my first day of my advanced med/surg clinical rotation yesterday and was feeling down over my general incompetence at this point. The combination of inexperience, figuring out the equipment in a new hospital, learning how to chart using their computer system, and trying to remember the finer points of skills that I have done mostly in the lab setting and rarely on real patients left me feeling a bit overwhelmed. My clinical instructor and assigned nurse were great -- they corrected me nicely and didn't make me feel stupid for not doing everything perfectly, but I'm used to being the kind of person who "gets" things the first time. Even gentle corrective feedback makes me feel like I must not have any idea of what I'm doing. :-(

Rationally I know there is a HUGE learning curve here and that all the reading and studying in the world isn't a substitute for actual experience, but ugh. I'm doing well academically and I haven't been given any remedial skills practice assignments yet, so I think I can probably operate on the assumption that the mistakes I am making are part of the learning process and I'm right where I'm supposed to be at this point. When I think about the actual number of hands-on hours we get during nursing school, it's no wonder people still feel clueless for at least another year. It's enough to get comfortable with the basics, but it's incredibly difficult for the finer points to become innate if you just don't have the experience.

My goal for today is to appear like I have half a clue and not repeat little mistakes that I made yesterday. And not get lost.

[krcs]

witty_online_monker. You just described my experience to a T. I felt fairly incompetent. I didn't exactly have a Scrub's moment where I cried in the supply closet like Elliot but I definitely was in no rush to leave it after I found the cup I needed lol.

Only difference was that my nurse was scarce. I barely spoke two words to him because he was so busy so I did most of my tasks on my own and did my best to stay out of his way.

I know the same things you said. Rationally I am not going to be perfect but the perfectionist inside of me is screaming. I think it will get easier for us as we move ahead in clinicals. We'll learn the equipment and how things work and gain confidence as we learn. Hope your clinical went well today!