Jinx500

Seems like you are concerned about two things - being male - and being 50. I can't speak about the gender part - but I was 42 when I received my degree. I found that employers like older applicants. They find them more mature and reliable. The downside is... that while you may "look" like you've been a nurse for many years - you haven't. People will assume you have knowledge that you don't. So - you will have to make every effort to make sure you are learning what you need - and to ask questions when you don't understand something. I work in Upstate NY... there are many male nurses here. Some hospitals actually have more male nurses than female ones. Good luck to you!

You know you're in nursing school when... You reach over to hold your husbands wrist.... and he asks you: "Are you taking my pulse?"

We use MedsPub at my school. The questions are nothing like the ones we are given on exams. But... I like to see the rationales - it helps solidify the information in my head. One thing most students in my class overlook... are the cd's that come with your textbooks. They are a great resource... something new to look at when you get tired of looking at Medspub and your notes! Good luck.

I always read the textbooks. The first time - I read the chapters as if they were a really boring novel... lol. I don't try to memorize or even to understand completely. I read them to get some sort of understanding for when I sit in lecture. And, believe it or not - it helps. Then on... I concentrate on the lectures and power-points - but, I always go back to the text before the exams to brush up. You'd be surprised how much more sense it makes the second time around.

I can tolerate the questions... even if it is the same question over and over and over... sometimes, people just don't understand. What makes me scream "shut-up" inside my head is this: the students who don't allow the Professor to complete a thought before they interrupt them with a question. The poor Professor gets halfway through... and you hear the voice: "Professor?" OMG - shut up!!! LOL - seriously though... b/c we've all done it... I've found that if you just wait a few minutes... the concepts become clear. Just let the Professor finish... then, if you are still confused - ask your question.

I miss my mom a lot too. The first year was very hard. I found myself talking about her all the time. At first, I could see the looks on my friends faces... (kind of uneasy because they didn't know what to say)... but, my true friends would just listen and allow me to get it all out. I don't know... it helped me heal to talk about her. I didn't want her forgotten. My mom passed just a few weeks before I entered the nursing program... the first semester is a big blur... but, I did successfully get through it. Studying was my escape from reality - I didn't have time to dwell on the void in my life. But, I still cried a lot. I called them "Rosie Moments". My kids would ask - "Mom, what's the matter?" and I'd tell them I was having a Rosie moment and they understood. I know my mother would not have wanted me to give up on nursing school. I know she would have wanted me to get through it. And, I truly believe on some level that she is guiding me through it every day. Does it get better? No. Do you learn to accept it and go on every day? Yes. You already see that you are not alone... you have others in your group in the same position - so, you should try to use them as a resource - to talk to - to vent on - to lean on during times when you are down. You will get through this difficult time...

I'm sorry you had such a bad day. Yes... once you get into the program you get slapped with reality really quickly. I too - was an "A" student in all my pre-req's and it came as a shock that I would probably never see a grade in the 90's again. But... you have to get over that quickly - and move forward. I used a great book in my 1st semester - it was called "Fundamentals of Test Success". It taught me how to rip those critical thinking questions apart -and how to answer them correctly. It gave hints like: if an answer has "always" or "never" - it's usually not correct b/c very rarely is anything ever written in stone. It taught me to underline key words, circle others and read EVERY SINGLE WORD - lol. You may want to think of using a resource like this to help you get started. Also - I know you are probably overwhelmed with the quantity of the work involved. Planning is key! Decide when you are going to read, when you are going to study, and when you are going to do your written work. If you have a schedule - you're more likely to keep to it. This way you don't have to feel like you have to complete everything at once. Hang in there... it will get better. Try to find the thread: you know your a nursing student when.... You'll see stuff like: "C" means: see you at graduation! You're not alone. Don't let the grades get to you. All my best.

ILUVIVT, Thank you... this is exactly what I was looking for - a perspective of someone who has seen many patients. My initial reaction was based soley on what I have personally seen (when my mother had chemo). However, you have opened my eyes and I can now see how the questionnaire can be helpful for many patients and how it does not have to be specific to one patient. I never even thought of using the results to possible help others prepare ahead... (great thought!). Thank you so much! I didn't think anyone was going to reply - lol.

No she didn't... ...use a bedpan for a morning bath because she couldn't find the basin (I swear it wasn't me) ...interrupt lecture (OB) and go on for 10 minutes about her own personal views about abortion (to which the professor told her that she might want to work in a different department) No he didn't... ...raise his fist to me (oh my... what do I do now? I can't give up - I'm going to have difficult patients... I must continue on!) ...ask me to kiss him while I was giving him a bed bath (same patient) ...did not try to grab my boob the next morning (same patient) LOL - gotta love 'em. They certaintly keep it interesting!

I definately feel your pain.... I am a stay-at-home mom of 3 and full-time nursing student. My kids are of school age - so I tend to "study on the run"... I bring my notes everywhere and study every spare chance... You spend a lot of time waiting around when you are a mom... lol... like: waiting for dismissal time and waiting for extracurricular activities to end. Sometimes, I would drop them off somewhere (like gymnastics) and go and study for the hour between the time they went in and when they got out. Today my son had a birthday party at an amusement park... I wrote all the meds I am studying (on my HAND) - so, I could go over them while he was on the rides - lol. Seriously though... it is important that you speak with your husband and get it all out in the open. Noone ever said it was going to be easy - and I know that my professors tell the class: "you are ours" - meaning - forget everything for the next 14 weeks. Maybe your husband just needs to verbalize his feelings in order to move forward. This is just temporary - and when it is over, things will be much easier for you and your family. Living on one income is very difficult these days and I feel the pinch every single day. But I have to keep my mind set on the goal. Now that I am in my second year - that goal is within reach... and it makes things a little easier. You said you are feeling like a bad mother... more than likely you just aren't spending as much time with your child as you would like to. So, perhaps you can set aside a certain time of the day that is exclusive for the two of you. It can be reading a book at bedtime, or the nightly bath... Something for the two of you to enjoy every day. Taking a half hour a day off from studing may even benefit you. You'll feel better about spending time with your child, and your mind will be clear to concentrate when you open the books. Good luck to you. I wish you and your family well.

I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my Mom in the middle of a pre-req - and just a few weeks before I entered the nursing program. You need to speak with your Professors as soon as possible. They will definately give you some slack on your deadlines... but, they can only do that - if you open up to them. You mother will become your strength... she will get you through this difficult time... you will do it for the both of you - and you will succeed. I wish you all the best in the next few months... they will be difficult, but you can do it.

What a great thread - thank you!!! You know you're a nursing student when... you get an 80 on an exam and you think that it is the best grade EVER!!!!

Hi.. I'm a second year nursing student working on a paper and I could really use some advice. The paper I am writing is a reaction-paper... based on an article that has to do with developing a quality of life questionnaire - to be given to patients with chemotherapy induced neutropenia... The goal of the questionnaire is to help nurses determine which interventions would be beneficial to the patient. However, the questionnaires would be compiled (results tallied) and put to use in the clinical setting. My initial reaction was that - lol - I didn't understand a word the article said... however, after reading it several times - and defining the various terms and acronyms - I think I have a pretty good hold on it. So - my second reaction was this: Quality of Life is very subjective - and I don't think that tallying the results would be beneficial. I would think that if the questionnaire was used to come up with an individual care plan - it would work better. In addition, the questions are subject to interpretation by the individual. And finally, I would think that the answers would vary if it questions were asked verbally versus a patient just filling out the form. So - here is where I need the advice... Is this something that can be done? Is there actually time for a nurse to verbally ask the questions and ensure that the patient understands them - and answers them accurately? Do you think that this type of questionnaire would help a nurse come up with beneficial interventions to give the patient a better quality of life? Can you think of any alternatives? I know it is a lot... but, I thought i could pick a few brains and perhaps see through the eyes of the more experienced. Thank you.