Biol20fan

IMO if you are already halfway through and if there is any conceivable way that you can continue on, then by all means do so (trust me on this one, I went though absolute hell in my life outside of school while I was in the program...as though school isn't hard enough!). However, if after you consider all of the options and find that it would be best for you to take a break, then do that. Only you can really decide what's best for you. Good luck, and keep us updated!

To my clinical group - I could not have made it through yesterday without your caring and support. Once again, you had my back and I will never ever ever be able to thank you enough for it. I am proud that I will soon refer to you not as my classmates, but as my colleagues. :heartbeat

I agree with the previous posts; that feeling never fully goes away. I have four clinicals total left (WOOHOO!!!!) in nursing school. I feel more confident, and there are days where I feel like I've really had a great experience, when I've earned my (soon-to-be) nurse stripes. But then I can come back in the next time, and it feels like it all falls apart. You just have to get back up, dust yourself off, and keep on keepin' on. Trust me, I know what you're feeling, and I know that feeling of dread when you wake up at the you-know-what crack of dawn to go to clinicals. It's not fun. But believe me, you will have those wonderful days (really, I swear!) when you end the day certain of the path you've chose for yourself. That's what keeps me going! Keep in mind, not everyone is perfect. You are there to learn, and as long as you stay open to everything (and that includes all of the the yucky stuff), you will make it through. :loveya:

DM = Diabetes Mellitus CVA = cerebrovascular accident (yes, a stroke)

From my understanding, for those students who have been in the lottery for four consecutive times, they then get put into another drawing. A certain number of the lottery slots are set aside for those people. If you don't get picked in the first "special" drawing, then your name is put back into the general lottery. Ergo, you get two chances when you are on your fifth go-around. Now don't quote me on that, but that's what I think the situation is. Thanks for the kind words, btw. Slowly but surely, I'm making it. You will too!!!

Know who is around you at all times, don't go into a patient's room alone, and always make sure you have an exit. Also, the patients are still humans, so treat them as such (not saying you wouldn't :imbar), no matter what their dx is. I had some of my best clinical moments in Psych. I truly miss that experience, because it stretched my ability for compassion, awareness, and understanding like no other clinical has. Plus, it's a blast when you are playing Scrabble with the patients. Bottom line: be aware, but be present. Go into it with an open mind and open heart, but not so open that you could be taken advantage of (if that makes any sense). Sorry, I'd explain more, but my brain is fried right now (do we have "brain frying" or "brain melting" smilies?).

I got in on my fifth try. From what I understand, that is about the average. It's frustrating, I know, but don't give up! I've got one semester left. Sometimes I never thought that I'd make it to this point, but now I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Feel free to get in touch with me when you get in. :heartbeat

You definitely would need to get a nursing dx book; they break down the dx by the different dz (and medical dx), and then you can see the related factors and what the dx would be evidenced by. The one I have is Nursing Care Plans: Nursing Diagnosis and Intervention (6th edition) by Gulanick/Myers. It's the only one I have; there might be better ones out there, but I can't afford to get any others. Hopefully Daytonite will come across this thread. She has always provided great help to me (and I've received good grades).

Anxiety can be one. Instead of breathlessness, try Ineffective Breathing Pattern. Hypoxaemia and hypercapnia would be medical dx, not nrsng dx. However, it also depends on the related factors. Do you have a care plan book? The one that I have has a special section just for asthma.

Some you will click better with than others, but for the most part, my instructors have been outstanding. Just prepare, prepare, prepare, take initiative, show interest, and that will count for a lot.

OMG heck yes it annoys me! (I would use some other words, but I'll be a good girl) IMO the thing that fuels that view is the fact that nursing seems to be the career du jour (like the computer field was a while back). I overheard one woman (well, more like girl...she was 19, but acted 13) say earlier this week when questioned about what she wanted to do when she went to college, "Oh, I think I'll go into nursing," in a very flippant manner. People seem to think that just because there is a lot of demand to get into nursing programs, that it's easy. And as we all know, that's so far from the truth. All I gotta say to those people is, "Walk a mile in our Z-Coils. Then you'll know what I'm talking about."

Get some review books from your local library. Honestly, though, the review book that my school provided was the best resource. As for Math and Science, from what I remember the info was pretty basic. Study your decimals, fractions, conversion factors. I remember hoping that there would be more biology questions, but I ended up getting mostly earth science (which I'm not the best at). But I still did pretty darned good. The best advice I can give - prepare as much as you can, but don't forget to take breaks to give your brain a rest. Get some good sleep. On the day of the test, eat a good meal with some protein so your blood sugar doesn't crash. Get there with plenty of time to spare. Oh, and don't forget to breathe...

D'oh, forgot one more thing - look at your name. Believe that all really is possible. :redpinkhe

Med-surg is a tough class, no doubt. I had a class where I went through the whole thing and still wasn't able to figure out how to study for it (normally I'm able to get the feel of things after the first or second test). Is this your first NS class? If not (or even if it is), then look at what has helped you in the past to retain info. I bet that you are not the only one in this situation, so I also suggest getting into a study group. I don't think I've cried so much in my life before NS. It means a lot to you; I know, because it means a lot to me. This isn't just a job; it's a career, it's a profession, it's a way to change others' lives. Plus, it's a way for me to give my family stability (my hubby's unemployed right now d/t the oh-so-lovely economy, so there's even more pressure on me to succeed). The only other advice I can give to you is try to decrease your anxiety. Anxiety decreases your ability to focus and concentrate. I say that from experience because I normally am a big bundle of nerves, and I had to receive a good grade on one of my recent finals to pass the class. When I felt myself getting freaked out, I closed my eyes, breathed deeply a few times, and said to myself a few times, "I will succeed." Hokey, I know, but it worked for me. It helped me to focus. I've kept up that little de-stressing routine, and I'm currently getting 90% and above on my tests in my current class. Bottom line is, no matter what, you will either pass or you won't. Soon enough, it will be over, for the better or the worse. And I have a feeling that you will do just fine. For me, the not-knowing is worse than the knowing. Oh, almost forgot - mnemonics. Make them personal; that really helped me, too. Keep us updated!!!

I am right there with you! My hubby got laid off about two months ago, and it's been pure anxiety ever since. Becoming a nurse will be the thing that stabilizes my family's future, and I can't wait for it! As for what fun things I'd like to buy [other than a house with a yard for our boys to run around in (we currently have an apartment)] and a new vehicle for my hubby (his is over 14 years old), plus getting good health insurance and getting off of public assistance - *new bathroom accessories and towels in the colors and styles that we like, not the ones others buy for us *for that matter, furnish our house with things we like (and no more hand-me-downs) *take our boys on a vacation, and not have to worry about penny-pinching the whole time *my SIL is a massage therapist; I'd like to go at least once a month *going out to dinner more (a luxury that I miss) Edited to add: sitting within the first ten rows at a Depeche Mode concert!!!