So sad

Students Pre-Nursing

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monkeykiss

86 Posts

Hi Coachswife09,

Don't give up on your dreams yet...you have a lot on your plate with having to take care of 2 kids and work full time. Just like what the others suggested, it might help you taking bio first.

Just an FYI....some schools (NOT ALL) will not let you apply in the program if you have repeated any of the science pre-reqs, so I highly suggest you talk to a councilor.

coachswife09

5 Posts

Luckily, my school does allow you to retake the class. Your most recent grade is what they count. So even though I got a D this time, when I take it again and get an A, they'll count the A.

I'm really thinking it would benefit me to take Bio first. It's not required, but it might help me to get used to some of the terms and the basic processes. I'm not a science minded person and it's been a LONG time since I've taken a science class.

Thank you so much for all of the suggestions and words of encouragement. Nursing has always been my dream and there really isn't anything else in this world that I want to do with my life. It just sucks letting myself down like that. All I can do now is pick myself back up and keep going!

blueheaven

832 Posts

Don't beat yourself up!! My goodness! You have so much on your plate. Retake it, you know what areas you had difficulty with and will pass it with flying colors! I'm going to take a couple of classes over so that I can boost my GPA.

Specializes in Med-Surg; ER; ICU/CCU/SHU; PAR.

Oh my dear, hang in there and do not give up on your dream! I always tell students that if you can keep in mind why you want to become a nurse, you will figure out how. So ask yourself why it is important to you to become a nurse...what is it that drives you to go through all this work. Then keep that "picture" in your mind when you feel down or want to quit.

I will tell you that LOTS of us nurses failed classes during school! I failed my organic chemistry class, and I wasn't juggling a job and children! I just had to take it over. I don't remember what I got in Anatomy, probably a low B or a C. But in the end, it didn't really matter.

Anatomy is a class that's all about rote memorization. You can't push it into your brain in large doses. I think the best way to learn it is to make sure you spend time each and every single day, just building on what you started memorizing yesterday. Do not let yourself miss this time, unless you have a real emergency that has to take priority, like your kids are ill or truly in a crisis over something. You don't need hours and hours, just steady and consistent. I don't think that a study group is necessarily a good thing here. It might waste more time than you're getting actual benefit.

Physiology is more of a "processing" class. You process the principles that you've learned, and often they just "make sense" and you can remember them. Other times it's so new, you have to do some memorizing, but it's not rote memorization like anatomy.

When I did physiology, the way I learned it was to lecture to a pretend class from my notes. I'd find a room that I could close the door to so no one would make fun of me...then I'd just go part by part and explain it, out loud, to my "class."

I hope this helps a little, and encourages you a lot! I wish you all the best!

Lori RN, BSN

engima2174

102 Posts

coachswife! I definitely think taking basic bio class will be helpful in the long run. I have just completed my 1st year of nursing school and most everything revolves around your understanding of Biology. Like many posters have said, you are young! I have classmates in their late 40s and so, you have time on your side. Most importantly, look at what is on your plate and how much you can put into school. Review the class that you didn't perform as you would like, and figure out what went wrong? where could you have fixed things? and then go for it- if that is what you really want!

Best

S.vincent

79 Posts

allow me to tell u my story, it might help you to keep motivating and going to pursuing your dream...

i use english as a second language. i have a problem with language barrier. i had to open dictionary looked up for the words all the time. many times, i wanted to walk out i just wanted to say" forget about it" i felt i am the most stupid student in the class. it was only me an asian woman among native speakers. i have problem with writing, speaking, and listening. when i talked to my classmates no one understood me. i came home and cried, cried, and cried. but, my husband kept telling me, " honey, you can do it, you are a smart person, don't think you can't do it. you can do everything if you put your mind into it" so, i told myself, " all right, mrs. vincent, if everybody can do it, u can do it as well."

then, what i did in a&p i and ii, i studied more than 6 hrs a day. i got up at 3 in the morning, studies a chapter before went to the class and studied after the class. while i was driving to school, i gave a speech the chapter i'd read. it sucks, but, eventually, it paid me off. i got an a+ in both classes. i got the highest scores in the class often. after that, i didn't feel i am the most stupid student anymore, and i knew my husband was right about people can do everything if they put their minds into it.

my point is you have to study more. try to find out what is the problem, what sections you are struggling with and then go to meet the professor, and let he/she explains to you again. use the tutoring center if you have to. also, you should take basic bio before you re-take a&p classes.

don't give up your dream, my dear.you will make it and you will be very proud of yourself.

sorry, for sharing my long story, i just want to encourage you. cheer!!

kitti419

132 Posts

This is my first post here but I really need some encouragement.

I'm a 24 year old student w/o a degree. I decided a year ago that I needed to follow my dream of nursing and just go for it! I'm married and have 2 small children (5 and 3). I work FT (not an option to quit) and am taking 1-2 classes a semester right now until I can start the nursing program. I was hoping for a Fall 2010 entry. By then I would be able to quit working FT, but just right now it isn't an option.

Anyways, I've been working on my pre-reqs and took A&P1 this spring. I studied practically every night, made notes cards, had a study group, etc. But I still got a D. I had a few tests that were really bad, a few that were great, and several that just weren't good. It was a long rough semester and the only class I took. I am HEARTBROKEN. Nursing is all that I've ever wanted to do. And to not even be able to make it through A&P? :sniff: Ugh, I'm so darn mad at myself and embarrassed to be honest. My hubby is extremely supportive and says that he is still proud of me no matter what.

So what do I do? Give up, pick a different career? Try it again? Will that look bad on my transcript that I had to take it twice? Sigh...I'm just at a loss right now and have been in tears all morning. Anything at this point will be helpful.

TIA!

Don't get discouraged! What kind of nurse do you want to be?

At my school, you would not be eligible to take A&P I w/o a general bio w/ a "C" or better. If you were going for LPN/LVN, you could get in with an "Intro to A&P" course. Have you considered this route?

This might be the long way, but could be more feasible if you have to work.

I took A&P online b/c I was pregnant w/ my 2nd child and due in the Fall but didn't want to slow down on my prereqs.

I also got ahold of an old edition general bio textbook for free from the college bookstore & used it as a cross reference for topics I was rusty on, like mitosis.

A HUGE factor in my success in the class was my outstanding instructor. She posted many, many resources, other websites, links to virtual quizzes, etc. Even though A&P is a lot of memorization, if you don't understand what's going on, the minute you get a critical thinking question, you will be lost.

My advice: definitely retake the course & find out if your school has a tutor lab.

Also, utilize this website: http://www.pickaprof.com/

If your school participates, you can check the professors who are available to take the course w/ and see how students in previous semesters did. This might give you an edge on picking your section & avoiding a notorious instructor.

You would be amazed at how much different one teacher can be from another! Also, now that you have allnurses.com, you can come to some of these A&P threads & get help.

Good luck & please don't give up. One way or another, you will get there!!

my4helpers

355 Posts

coachswife09, i am sorry about your low grade, but i would not give up! i will be just starting my prereqs this fall of 09 and two weeks ago i signed up for classes. the advisor told me from the beginning that a&p (which they do not call it this at my school) is a very hard class. they normally have a class size of around 80 and by the time the semester is over only 40 are left. the bad thing for me is this class is one semester instead of two so i am freaking out! anyway, since i have not had bio for 14 years the advisor recommended me to do an into to bio and i start that this fall. then she told me to take a&p in the spring of 2010 that way it's still fresh in my mind. she also said that people who take bio before this class do so much better! so if i were you i would really consider the intro to bio first and then start a&p in the spring of 2010.

morningdew

183 Posts

Just a thought as I am thinking about the fall semester...I wonder if taking General Biology first would help me to understand some of the basic concepts better so that the harder stuff isn't so hard...I took bio in high school, but not in college (it isn't required to get into the nursing program). What do y'all think?

I'm 24 years old also and doing the pre-reqs for nursing. I took a General Bio course before A&P because my last class before that was in HS as well. I think that it helped me a lot before the first few chapters of A&P were things that I learned in Gen. Bio. It also helps to have taken Chem too, because together those are the basis of A&P.

I wish you the best of luck and don't give up!

greeniebean

447 Posts

Specializes in Alzheimers and geriatric patients.

I feel your pain! I work full time and there is NO way i can reduce my hours at work, and i've got a 4 year old and a 2 year old (ah the joys of the terrible 2's while in school!). I try to study as much as i can but I can't just ignore my other responsibilities.

I'm taking A&P 1 this fall and I am so nervous! But hey- there are always study groups here on allnurses to support us. You should definatly retake the class. The semester is over. you didn't get the grade you wanted but you can't change it now. Get right back on the horse!

Also, i have taken general bio in college, but my teacher spent over half the semester on conservation biology so i doubt it did me any good!

I wish you the best of luck!

greeniebean

447 Posts

Specializes in Alzheimers and geriatric patients.
Luckily, my school does allow you to retake the class. Your most recent grade is what they count. So even though I got a D this time, when I take it again and get an A, they'll count the A.

I LOVE how you stated that. WHEN i take it again and get an A!

That's the power of positive thinking. Keep repeating that to yourself! We all know you can do it and so do you.

((Hugs))

BabyLady, BSN, RN

2,300 Posts

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

A&P is tough...if it's of any help..I never had a class in nursing school (I just graduated) that was as difficult as A&P the entire time I was in....nothing was even close.

A&P, however, when I took it...took over my life. What you have to understand, is that the material is so vast, is that you have to overlearn everything because there is no telling what will appear on an exam...and that is what makes it hard.

Also...check on the reputation of the professor at your school...are A's rare? Or are they thought of to be impossible?

A's at my school were very, very rare for the A&P professor....I took it at another college and got A's in both sections.

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