scoacrafter

It took me a year in the OR before I knew that I liked it. It is overwhelming and a lot to learn. You need to give yourself more time and take the experience in stride. There are a lot of Pros and some cons, but not many. The more experience I get and the more comfortable I get the more I like it. I feel really good about myself when someone comes to me for help and I know the answer.

I have 30 minutes. Also there are call rooms available to sleep in when the weather is bad or if you live further than 30 min away.

I work 12's 0630-1900. I am on call from 1900-0630 the next day. There is a chance that I could work all night as well. I have worked 17 hours straight and it gets unsafe. We try to give breaks and switch staff when necessary when long shifts occur. If I am also scheduled to work the next day as well I would be the first person to get "cut" or get sent home due to the long work hours that I did the previous day. Also, I am able to tell the charge nurse that I am exhausted and feel unsafe and I can usually be replaced. Sometimes it sucks, but we can usually get a break between cases where we can eat and catch a nap.

This is awesome, thank you for taking the time to do this!

Oh my goodness, you poor thing! It sounds like you don't have a very nice instructor. Remember WHY you started this journey...you want to care for others. Don't let that day discourage you. Some days you leave feeling defeated and others you leave walking on air because everything went smoothly and you made a huge difference in someone's life that day. Things will get better, just keep going, learning, and it will just come naturally. Hang in there!!!:chair:

Where am I going, and why am I in this basket?:smilecoffeecup: just kidding, seriously, "I have come this far and I'm going to finish if it kills me"

Absolutely NO FREE TIME. There is not even enough time to study and read everything, but man, do we learn stuff. :smilecoffeeIlovecof

The prereqs were very hard and there was so much pressure to get an A. Nursing school is a different kind of "hard". It is interesting, and I love it, but I am having to work hard to "get it" because it is stuff that I have to know and remember. I have no free time for fun stuff, but it will be worth it for me. Just keep plugging away and if you think that it will always be hard, you will be pleasantly surprised with the roller coaster ahead.

I am 36 too, and I start in one week!! I am scared to death. I am married with two boys and I am pretty much planning on no social life for 2 years. We can do it, we got this far! Good Luck!

I agree with alot of the previous comments. I have given up literally all of my recreational activities. I don't watch TV, I don't sew, I don't do anything but... study, go to school, work 32 hrs a week and try to stay sane. Thursday and Friday nights are "family" nights where I read books and play with my two boys (11, 7) The rest of my "free" time is spent studying and reading. Any spare second that I have I spend with my family. So far, I have been balancing things ok most of the time. :wink2: It is hard, but temporary. Good Luck!!

What is the Net test?