Please help - should I just quit Nursing school?

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Mar 14, 2008

no don't resign.. i would tell my CI that i would like a med pass and tell her you would like complicated patients... the CI's don't know until you tell them.. good luck i school and keep me posted

meditate · Mar 14, 2008

No Way! Don't quit at this stage of the game, and don't let others "poisonous" opinions get you down, that person has no right butting in to your business. Obviously you are capable of doing this because your grades are good. Don't give up!

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 14, 2008

should i just resign from the nursing program? it just seems obvious to me and probably to the other students that i can't do the job so why am i in the program? would a school really do that?
please help, i just don't want to waste any more of my time and anyone else's time when it seems the clinical instructors have no faith in me.

you can't be serious about quitting!!! i read your post and was waiting to read that you did something egregious such as harming a patient. do not get me wrong i have some idea of how you feel, though i never wanted to quit.

i got the highest clinical grade in my first semester despite the fact that i felt intimidated by the staff and other students (current cnas and hospital techs). i looked at them as being much faster then me when performing basic tasks and skills, even though they could not critically think their way out of a paper bag let alone write up a simple care plan. therefore, like you, the other students pointed to my paper work and lecture grades and declared me to be no more then book smart. looking back i can see that being book smart is a complement; good nurses are able to critically think! however, at the time i felt incompetent.

long story short, i applied to the hospital over the summer (between first and second semester) and landed a job as a tech. after last summer no one intimidated me in clinical any more. not even the students who were cnas or lpns for a million years prior to nursing school.

currently, i am in my third semester, a nursing extern, and i am still one of the best students clinically and academically. in clinical i run circles around most of the students (the one thing you learn when you are a tech is to move fast) and my paper work is still outstanding! in fact, most students come to me for help, which i am happy to give.

my advice to you is to stay focused. don't let the others make you think that they have more going for them then they do. you passed first semester clinical because you met the standards. so, stop beating yourself up or questioning why. the other students who passed met those same low standards!

secondly, if students are getting to do more in clinical it is because they open their mouths and show confidence. if you want to take on more complex patients, open your mouth and show confidence.

at my school we pick our patients and i have always picked the patients that gave me opportunities to perform skills as well as those that enhanced my learning in the classroom. i remain very much focused on those goals and have not allowed anyone to distract me. remember no body in your class is a nurse yet!!! thus, stop looking up to them; look up to those that have already made it!

last but not least, become a nurse extern. you will have the opportunity to have a preceptor who will train you to be a registered nurse. if you cannot be a nurse extern, then get a job as a tech. either choice should definitely enhance your speed and confidence in clinical!!! gl!

Asia53 · Mar 14, 2008

Absolutely not! Don't make me cyber-punch you in the arm! :madface:

Something very similiar happened to me 2nd semester. My CI was younger, about the same age as the others in my group. I was 20 years older than the CI and the rest of my group. She clicked with them, and not with me. I'd see her at the beginning of our clinical evening, and wouldn't see her till the end. The CI was helping all the buddies in her clique, but not me. That happened twice. My classmate told me, the CI felt sorry for me, because I was older. My response----"Oh, really? Watch this!"

Next clinical evening, I went with a list of things I wanted to do. I told the CI, if she didn't have time, I'd ask my assigned RN to help me.

Pfffft, I did my complete list that clinical rotation. The classmate with the big mouth---well, she never did like me! Whatever! :devil:

Like the other posters have said---Assert yourself!

Good luck to you.

Asia :nurse:

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2008

i also had a very poisonous clinical classmate who told me that "they are passing you because you get good grades and therefore can help the school get their nclex passing rates up" - she told me this more than once.

how could this student know this? why would you believe her? the fact is that all patients are different. it may be that the instructor just made poor patient choices for you. it happens. one of my fellow students had one patient after another code and die on her one semester. she felt horrible and so did the instructor even though she tried to make sure the student was getting patients who weren't going to die on her. stuff like this happens. the pendulum swings the other way too.

if this is something that would make you drop out of nursing school, then you don't have what it takes to be a nurse. nurses have to be tough. nurses are leaders and problem solvers. is that you?

ParrotheadRN2B · Mar 14, 2008

I don't start nursing school until May but for what it's worth I would say that you are obviously very bright and to give up now would be silly. This "poisonous snake" is clearly jealous of your performance and playing manipulative head games with you. DON'T PLAY HER GAME! YOU ARE BETTER AND CAN DO THIS!!!

Best of Luck to You!

Parrothead

Esther2007 · Mar 14, 2008

I would not quit if I were you. Do not allowed the first semester student to get the best of you. I would do the following if I were you: go to the lab and practice all the skills with a lab instructor, meet with your clinical instructor and ask if you can get more out of your clinical experience, in clinical bring skill sheets with you and review before you perform the skills, if possible, get a job as a student tech, shadowing if possible and find a student in your group you can work with in clinical.

I would do everything before quitting. You have to exhaust all options before quitting if nursing is really what you want to do.

nyapa, RN · Mar 14, 2008

The NCLEX argument that student used is flawed. No school wants the reputation of turning out nurses with good grades who have poor clinical skills and can be downright dangerous!

Its just jealousy.

I'd suggest:

practise a little of your skills each day but don't stress out
try and think of ways to improve time management
find avenues away from your studies that have nothing to do with nursing; ie socialising, exercise etc
learn relaxation exercises
eat properly

All common sense things, but when your focused to breaking point, having other avenues can help you see things much more clearly...

Please, don't give up. You obviously have alot to offer, or, despite what that student says, the school would not allow you to continue!

Hugs,

Jay

mrs.captain.kangaroo · Mar 15, 2008

Thanks to all of you for your support and suggestions. I did talk to my CI and she was receptive, it seems I was giving off 'fear vibes' so she didn't want to overburden me. I realize I am afraid but have to go forward and do these things that scare me or I'll never be a nurse. So I more than anyone have been holding myself back.

She let me do IV push drugs and hang IV piggyback and I felt much more confident. In this group, we also follow each other around to learn as the others give drugs and I found that others were insecure and didn't do everything perfectly as well, even those with more drug giving experience than myself.

I think I am lucky with my current clinical group and CI and with you helpful people on this board.

Now I can have a smiley face thanks to all of you.

:)

LaceyRN · Mar 17, 2008

I am very depressed and feeling like quitting my nursing. My grades are good, it is my clinical experiences that are not going well. I am in my 2nd semester and have now started 2nd semester clinicals.
My first semester I was way behind the other students in my clinical group and given much less demanding assignments than the others. By the end of the first semester, everyone else had given shots and passed meds, the only med I passed was tums and that was when we had a substitute teacher. I brought up the disparity in my performance and what I was given to do to my CI - but any kind of my not doing a good job was denied by the CI. Despite this, the teacher passed me and gave me a good clinical rating. I also had a very poisonous clinical classmate who told me that "they are passing you because you get good grades and therefore can help the school get their NCLEX passing rates up" - she told me this more than once.
Well now I am starting to believe her that clinical classmate. Here it is the 2nd semester of clinicals, again everyone else in my group is passing meds and even doing IVs, while I haven't passed a single med. I am always given the 'simple' case while others are given more complex cases. Now I am starting to believe my poisonous classmate from the first semester. If I can't do the job, why are they keeping me around? I feel very humiliated when others in my group are progressing and going on far beyond me.
Should I just resign from the nursing program? It just seems obvious to me and probably to the other students that I can't do the job so why am I in the program? Would a school really do that?
Please help, I just don't want to waste any more of my time and anyone else's time when it seems the clinical instructors have no faith in me.

This sounds like a situation to discuss with your CI in private and also get insight from your advisor. You deserve the opportunity to grow and learn the new skills right along with your classmates. If you are not performing up to standards you should be told this and given an opportunity to sit with you CI to come up with a plan to get you up to speed. Ignor your classmate... her comments are cruel and toxic.... she is most likely unsecure and perhaps jealous of your good grades.

Hang in there... and whatever you do, don't quit! :icon_hug:

BSNstudent09 · Mar 18, 2008

I am very depressed and feeling like quitting my nursing. My grades are good, it is my clinical experiences that are not going well. I am in my 2nd semester and have now started 2nd semester clinicals.
My first semester I was way behind the other students in my clinical group and given much less demanding assignments than the others. By the end of the first semester, everyone else had given shots and passed meds, the only med I passed was tums and that was when we had a substitute teacher. I brought up the disparity in my performance and what I was given to do to my CI - but any kind of my not doing a good job was denied by the CI. Despite this, the teacher passed me and gave me a good clinical rating. I also had a very poisonous clinical classmate who told me that "they are passing you because you get good grades and therefore can help the school get their NCLEX passing rates up" - she told me this more than once.
Well now I am starting to believe her that clinical classmate. Here it is the 2nd semester of clinicals, again everyone else in my group is passing meds and even doing IVs, while I haven't passed a single med. I am always given the 'simple' case while others are given more complex cases. Now I am starting to believe my poisonous classmate from the first semester. If I can't do the job, why are they keeping me around? I feel very humiliated when others in my group are progressing and going on far beyond me.
Should I just resign from the nursing program? It just seems obvious to me and probably to the other students that I can't do the job so why am I in the program? Would a school really do that?
Please help, I just don't want to waste any more of my time and anyone else's time when it seems the clinical instructors have no faith in me.

I am a level two student in a fast tract program. My classmates passed meds a whole six weeeks before me. It was humbling. One of the other students was also falling behind. We went to the dean and expressed our concern and found that help was available. I am now passing meds and the other student has more help. Some students say we are to slow to remain in school. I use the Q-Tip method to deal; Q=quit, T=taking, I=it, P= personally. I think we get so competatie to gain a seat that it is hard to change modes and help each other. I found a student that neeed help that I could provide, she found a student who needs help she can give, and now ten of us are working to make sure not one more washes out! Kindness is contagious! Hang in their. You have book smarts and will pick up clinicals in time, If you have a heart for nursing stick it out. You don't have to be with that student after boards!