CANsgStudent

It may be. I was a 4.0 student. I came out of 1st semester with a 3.2 *shrug* It's completely different from being an English or Business major. Focus on your skills and critical thinking, and the rest will follow. If you see a downward trend developing in your grades, then worry. You may just be a "B" nursing student!

It sounds like your problem is your unrealistic expectations for yourself. Most people don't graduate nursing programs with a 4.0. Pressuring yourself in to obtaining grades you may not be capable of achieving is self-defeating. Give yourself a break, you're only human! Be proud of your B's! Once you graduate, the only person who will care about or remember your GPA in school is you. Concentrate on being the best clinical nurse you can be.

The best thing I learned from my OB teacher was that 2nd semester is when the tests start asking you to show your critical thinking skills. With my instructor is wasn't about knowing the material cold, it was knowing the *concepts* and how to apply them. You'll do fine. Now you know what to expect as for how your instructor tests, and what questions to ask to help you study. Does your program allow for exam review? Some teachers may sit down with you with the test and review the questions you got wrong. Good luck!

I'm in my second year of nursing school, and it seems like I still struggle with formulating care plans for my clinical instructors. Psych has especially thrown me for a loop, as I feel very out of my element and uncomfortable. I'm trying to write a care plan for a adolescent patient with major depression. My nursing diagnosis is "ineffective coping r/t anxiety and altered body chemistry". I'm having trouble with my "as evidenced by" and so far have: grandiosity and somatization. It doesn't sound right, or cohesive. I haven't even started on my interactions yet. Blah. Am I really far off base?