Published Apr 9, 2014
jamiee13
16 Posts
Just here to rant. This is my second week of nursing school and I totally bombed my first quiz 55% to be exact. It wouldn't be so bad but we are not allowed to use calculators! Ugh I just wish all of the math classes I have taken in college prepared me for this. I've always gotten A's in math and this is depressing for me. I've come too far and fail. I know I have plenty of time to bring my grade back up but I just can't seem to get the right numbers without using a calculator! . What makes it even more frustrating is all of the nurses I know are allowed to use them out in the field.
onmiwei
33 Posts
I understand your frustration. I had been out of college nearly 20 years when I went back to nursing school. I hadn't done math without a calculator since high school. I have education in accounting and had worked in banking for quite a few years. I was never very good at math just because I don't like it but with a calculator I was good. I swear the easy stuff on the first few tests I was getting horrid grades. I was irritated. But once I got back in the groove of doing it on paper and in my head my grades improved and by the end of the class I was getting all A's and understood what we were learning better than the others in my class who were good at math.
I know my daughter who is 19 always used a calculator for math...I think the schools have had the kids use calculators way too much so really doing it on paper and in their heads is a "lost art" kind of. I know it is frustrating but once you get the hang of either doing it again or doing it on paper you will get it and it will be all fine.
Thanks! I've been practicing and I'm definitely getting better! I have my next quiz thus coming Tuesday I feel more prepared. This teachers grading is a little strict. I didn't capitalize the L in mL and got the entire problem wrong despite doing the problem correctly.
rscs92
13 Posts
Our school is strict on the ml vs mL thing and other abbreviations also. It's not exclusive to your school. I know how you feel though, in the beginning I was overwhelmed with everything and was thinking " what did I get myself into ". But it will get better. Not meaning easier, but it gets better. I had to learn how to manage my time and once I got that down, it was better. I'm less than 3 weeks away from graduation and I never thought I would make it. If I can do it, anyone can. Keep your chin up, stay focused on your dream and keep believing. The time flies by and you will be a nurse before you know it. Study like you mean it! Good luck future LPN
update, after failing the first test I've managed to putt my grade back up to a high B! I've gotten A's on all the other exams and she started letting us use calculators on the last one. Glad I got past that, now into abbreviations woo!