Only 2nd week into school and already stressed. Anyone else?

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It's only my 2nd week and I'm already really stressed. We've had one test this week and two more to go. It's not even the amount of tests that is stressful but how well I want to do on them. I've been in school for awhile and never really cared about what I made on tests. Now I am putting so much pressure on myself because I guess I feel if I don't do well on tests I will be a horrible nurse. I know this is crazy but I can't help it. Does anyone else feel this way so early in your program? At what point did you let go of the idea that you had to do extremely well on tests or you would be a horrible care taker when you graduated? :eek:

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I'm not even a week through (well, if you count orientation last week then I am)...but I feel the same way as you. I'm so tired and so stressed...and I'm really just hoping that once I get into the groove of things it'll be better!

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Ugh, I just started my third semester and I have never let go of the idea that I have to do well. It puts a great deal of stress on me to get A's, but so far it's working. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Don't worry, I feel the same way and I just started Monday! However, I attribute it to having such a great, relaxing summer that coming back to all this work is HARD. We'll get into the school "funk" soon :) I am telling myself to take it one day at a time, but boy is it hard not to be stressed about taking care of cancer patients your first day of clinical.

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I feel the same way. I have always been a straight A student, but my first nursing test was an 82. :eek:

My mom is a nurse, and she is letting me guinea pig her for my skills (vitals signs, etc) and she told me not to stress.

I talked to the program director (our director is AMAZING!) and she told me that a "C" in nursing school is like an "A" everywhere else. Even the school counselors said the same thing.

I still struggle with the "needing to be perfect" thing, but Krispy Kreme cures that. Haha.

So, as far as returns go, find a family member/friend that doesn't mind you taking their BP a million times, their HR another hundred, and constantly staring at them at random times to assess their RR. Hahaha...

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Yep, same here! We haven't had any tests yet, but I feel like I really need to get organized and find some sort of routine. I just feel overwhelmed just looking over the syllabus with all the reading and stuff we need to know in so little time. We only have 4 tests each semester so the first one will have a TON of info on it! We have a competency tomorrow on vital signs, so I've taken my poor husbands bp a million times and still don't feel too confident about it..

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We have a competency tomorrow on vital signs, so I've taken my poor husbands bp a million times and still don't feel too confident about it..

Our VS Return is tomorrow as well! Haha.

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Today was my third day, and I'm already very stressed-out! We all are, you're certainly all alone. One of the first thing that our theory instructor told us is that nursing school is a whole different ball game, it's not going to be like any of the classes that you took previously. The tests are going to be very different, too.

I'm sure that your instructors do not expect you to be a perfect student - especially in the first three weeks! Remember, we are students, and we are all still learning. Hang in there, work hard, and feel free to vent on here as necessary. :)

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I dread vitals:chair: which makes me feel so imcompetent already because I think this is one of the most important aspects of nursing. How lame is that?

ugh:hlk:

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Specializes in None.

Our director told us Monday (our first day), that C=RN. She said there's bound to be that one person who gets an effortless A on every test. However, we'll all feel amazing when we get our first 74 because more than likely the first test is going to be awful. I have a friend who is a RN and she also told me (before I got accepted into school) that "C" in the new "A" for nursing students.

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Specializes in My goal is to be an Oncology Nurse.....

HI.

I started Monday and I am exhausted!!!! :bugeyes: My instructor did say that the first 3 or so weeks of NS "suck" because you are getting used to an academic format that you simply have not had before. She also said dont be surprised if you bomb your first test because most new student nurses do and a C is the new A!!! 75 is passing right?? :) She is right! I love the fact that I am in Nursing School and it is amazing what I am going to be learning. I have made new friends already and we call ourselves the "three amegos" and are destined to suffer through together. My slight issue is understanding how nursing questions on tests are asked. What i think is the right common sense answer seems to be wrong and I am not sure why.

The best advice I can give here is that "You can only fish one species at a time." Nursing School is a fish species. You can only take it one day at a time. You cant rush the transition from an academic scholar to a Nursing Scholar. Let yourself have time to adjust and work a little each and every day so you arent behind. Also find your study buddy. they are probably feeling the same as you are right now. I know mine is.. :0)

Good Luck All

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I am wrapping up my first week and I am thinking to myself, "Did I accept a crappy school?" They called ME to be in this program (BSN) but they're so unorganized and everything seems like bam-bam-bam-bam-bam.....learn this, learn that, read these 20 chapters, read this 150 pgs of orientation.....I am hoping this is not the routine at their school. If so I do not see myself completing it.

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