Nursing student struggling, needs tips on how to pass classes and succeed....

[Wheaties]

Nursing student struggling, needs tips on how to pass classes and succeed.

this is a nice forum by the way, i'm glad i found this page.

i'm a second semester nursing student, 21 year old. i'm on the BSN program at my university here near the bay area which is a 6 semester deal, and i'm on my 2nd semester.

Basically I am now feeling the pressure of how hard the classes are and the amount of "outside of the class assignments" that needs to be done especially the large amount of care plans that we need to do per week on clinical per patient.and i'm working 18 hours a week.

i'm actually thinking of quitting my job for now during the school year. when i get home i usually watch tv coz i am so tired to even read the books.

sorry if sound like i am whining here coz i know i am whining :) . I just started the 2nd semester this week. and everything is just orientation so far. but from what the teacher said what we needed to do, man i feel so swamped.

everytime i go do my skills test, the teachers check off to see if i did it right. but whenever i go up there to do it on the mannequin, i get so nervous that i forget some key steps and i get tachycardia and i get dizzy, and depressed afterwards coz i didnt do too well.

and i have no medical experience prior to entering the program never worked on a hospital whatsoever, i dont even know what certain medical supplies, materials are called. so whenever i do my clinicals a the hospital, i get nervous.

i just finished last semester, which is basic skills and i forgot half of what i learned in skills in the first semester.

for those who graduated already or are still nursing students, i just need some tips on how you got through the program. did u read all the assigned readings? what was your study style to do well in the class.

i got into the nursing program by fluke, somehow i got a lot of 87% on the prereqs, but the teachers let me slide with some A's. if it werent for that, i wouldnt have made it to the program.

also, any tips on how to improve communication skills? i am from asia and i got a strong accent and bad grammar that makes it difficult for my patients, or other nurses to understand me, plus i am a quiet person who cant start conversation and keep it going. i get a lot of "moment of silence" during a conversation with classmates or patients.

[rama30]

To Cweeks,

The respond posts has helped me as well. I'm a new nursing student whom needed some advise in how to study and retain as much as possible. I not only want to pass my nursing classes, I also want to retain the information so once in the field as an RN, I can provide the best of care to my future patients. I have been feeling some stress due to the amount of information that has to be learned. I know if I work hard, I will surprise myself. There are times though when I do feel a little insecure. Will I able to succeed? That is what lead me to this site. After reading all the responses to Wheaties, it has been helpful to me too. Hearing the experiences of others, and how difficult it was for some, gives me hope that I too can succeed.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

you probably didn't notice ... but the original post to this thread is 3.5 years old. i am sure wheaties either found a way to succeed or has moved on to something else by now.

i would say wheaties found a way to succeed..

good for you wheaties! you had recieved some very good advice. you obviously found your self-confidence and ways to study and get through school. hats off to you!

wheaties

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getting called to work an extra day because of short staffing...

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i've been an rn for 6 months now. i work 12 hour shifts. this weekend i'm going to work a three 12 hour shifts in a row. i'm working 5 days this week all in all. i just got back from working 2 days in a row so far this week. now i get this call for the first time in my nursing career, and the charge rn left a message to see if i am willing to work tonite because they are short staff since people called in sick.

anyways, my delimma is how should i go about this? i want to help out because i know how difficult it is to be assigned with so many patients, and there are not enough nurses. then again, you know, i'm tired, i only got 4 hours of sleep so far today, and i'm working again this weekend for 3 days. how do you folks handle this situation when u get called in to to work extra day because of short staffing? i'm new to this kind of situation, and i jus want to hear your take on it.

[longjourneydream]

To Cweeks,

The respond posts has helped me as well. I'm a new nursing student whom needed some advise in how to study and retain as much as possible. I not only want to pass my nursing classes, I also want to retain the information so once in the field as an RN, I can provide the best of care to my future patients. I have been feeling some stress due to the amount of information that has to be learned. I know if I work hard, I will surprise myself. There are times though when I do feel a little insecure. Will I able to succeed? That is what lead me to this site. After reading all the responses to Wheaties, it has been helpful to me too. Hearing the experiences of others, and how difficult it was for some, gives me hope that I too can succeed.

Yes, it is a hard road.

It takes hours upon hours of study. Flashcards, highlighting, memorizing, critical thinking etc...

Most of all it is determination, and the drive/desire to become a nurse.

I still have to keep my books out as a new grad. to refresh what I have just learned to reinforce my forever learning.

Nursing is hard, as well as rewarding.

NOW YOU GO GIRL!!!

[Dragonnurse1, ASN, RN]

Iwent through nursing school when I was 40 years old, 23 years after I graduated high school. The program was 7 semesters straight through with one 3 week break in August. I had no college experience so I took my reg. requirements at the same time I was taking my nursing classes. Oh did I forget to mention I had 4 children at home the oldest 12 the youngest 1yo. I learned that you read every thing in your med-surg book that is in a box or has a bold word in the paragraph and to LISTEN is class. I missed one class (now ex had a wreak :angryfire) which meant on the last day of classes I had to take 2 pharm. exams. I finished with a 3.2. I was in the last group that had two day pencil and paper license exam. Again amazing myself, I passed 1st try. Did I read every word of my assigned reading, no see above about reading. I worked 9 years and 5 months in the ER and then had a massive latex allery reaction. Now I cannot work. That was 4 years ago and I still miss my work. I loved nursing, I loved the fast pace of the ER, the chaos, never really knowing what was coming in.

If you are meant to be a nurse you will be like a sponge and soak up everything medical that you see, hear and read. Prior to nursing school I was the "family nurse" every dx. and every rx I checked up on and I lived out of my pdr. Now I have a 21 yo son trying to get into nursing school despite my discouragement.

However he grew up listening to my stories of the ER and to many people he is a surprise because he can listen to a list of symptoms and give me 3 potential dx. and 3 different meds for those dx. So my advice is --- if you are not interested in making someones life better, can empathize with the family of the dead pt., and tell the MD when he has missed something then maybe you need to chech your motive and see if it is really Nursing that you want to do. Nursing is not a job--It is a calling:welcome:

[longjourneydream]

iwent through nursing school when i was 40 years old, 23 years after i graduated high school. the program was 7 semesters straight through with one 3 week break in august. i had no college experience so i took my reg. requirements at the same time i was taking my nursing classes. oh did i forget to mention i had 4 children at home the oldest 12 the youngest 1yo. i learned that you read every thing in your med-surg book that is in a box or has a bold word in the paragraph and to listen is class. i missed one class (now ex had a wreak :angryfire) which meant on the last day of classes i had to take 2 pharm. exams. i finished with a 3.2. i was in the last group that had two day pencil and paper license exam. again amazing myself, i passed 1st try. did i read every word of my assigned reading, no see above about reading. i worked 9 years and 5 months in the er and then had a massive latex allery reaction. now i cannot work. that was 4 years ago and i still miss my work. i loved nursing, i loved the fast pace of the er, the chaos, never really knowing what was coming in.

if you are meant to be a nurse you will be like a sponge and soak up everything medical that you see, hear and read. prior to nursing school i was the "family nurse" every dx. and every rx i checked up on and i lived out of my pdr. now i have a 21 yo son trying to get into nursing school despite my discouragement.

however he grew up listening to my stories of the er and to many people he is a surprise because he can listen to a list of symptoms and give me 3 potential dx. and 3 different meds for those dx. so my advice is --- if you are not interested in making someones life better, can empathize with the family of the dead pt., and tell the md when he has missed something then maybe you need to chech your motive and see if it is really nursing that you want to do. nursing is not a job--it is a calling:welcome:

amen...

if it is just a job to you, then you need to stay home, it will reflect in your work.

if it is a calling then, it will drive you everyday and give you a strong sense of purpose.

[melodramah]

This thread has been helpful... I'm starting nursing school this September and am very nervous but at the same time extremely excited! I cannot wait to be a nurse! I cannot wait to learn everything I'm about to learn! I'm fortunate enough to be able to focus totally on school... I'm quitting my job, I have no children or husband.. (and don't plan to for a very long time!!) I'm extremely grateful for the support of my family, but I'm still so nervous! I completely admire those who work full time and raise a family while in nursing school... I really don't know how you do it period. :bowingpur

These tips have been hepful... as of right now I'm curious as to what can I do to prepare for September? Or, should I just enjoy my life until I no longer have one for the next 2 years?

[Dragonnurse1, ASN, RN]

Go to local bookstore and buy drug cards - they come in a package kinda like 3x5 - Then sleep and party, go on a cruise, take a trip or just veg out with family. Do not obsess about September - do not even think about school because when you start it wil be all consuming so for now PLAY:cheers:

[f026163]

I have a terrible time with testing. I am more than happy to obtain just a C. I usually run here throughout the class, then when it comes time for testing, that test is laid in front of me and after 10 or 20 questions, they all start to run together. It is not that I don't know the stuff, my mind just freaks out.

Because of this I have had to repeat OB x2, Med Surge 1 x2, Med Surge 2 (going to be 3 times), Microbiology x2. With every class, except Micro, I miss passing by less than 1 percentage point. It is usually that I missed 1-3 to many questions somewhere.

This has cost me thousands of dollars more, time, frustration. I feel like a failure. Now I have to wait a whole year, being completely out of school for that year, before I can retake my Med Surge again.

I think I need to get out of nursing all together. How do you tell your family and co-workers that are expecting you to come in any day and say you passed your NCLEX boards and you have to say "Oh, I can't do that for at least another year".

I work a full time job, a part time job, have 3 kids, a crappy husband and all these extra classes have run me out of financial aid. I cant afford to not go on and finish, but I literally can't afford to continue.

FRAZZLED

[Prettyladie]

:bump: i hope the last poster is still on here, becuase im curious, i guess i could have PM but i decided to post, what nursing school lets you retake that many courses over that many times?

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Please hang in there; go to your advisors and find some test taking, note taking, time management for students programs.

WE all were there at one time or another.

If you really want to do it, you can.

Just HANG IN THERE.

[kugalde]

LOVE the advice! Wheaties, you have my deepest respect for staying with it and taking all the advice to heart! Sometimes the best way to get it through to someone is straight forward without all the mushy stuff in between! I am starting nursing this fall after graduating from college over 10 years ago. Am a mom of two and work at a local hospital in the ED (wanted to get some knowledge of what is was like in the real world before I decided to go to school). I am excited, nervous, you name it but absolutely looking forward to jumping in headfirst and seeing my dream become a reality. Great advice you have all given Wheaties (and those of us starting school). Please keep up the advice, I am sure I will be needing it!

[tripleplay]

Thank you all for sharing your stories. Very helpful and encouraging.

I have a question for the people who have or have had young children while going to nursing school. My kids are not adjusting well to me going to school and studying. Any advice on how to best handle? Also, what's the best way to explain it all to them?

Thanks again!