littlebear23

Don't be too hard on yourself! Nursing school is a very tough program and will bring out the best and worst of all of us. I am constantly finding myself panic over the possibility that I may not make it to the next semester. I had to repeat Fundamentals of Nursing, and personally that was a blessing in disguise. All of the murky stuff became clear, and it allowed me to really understand the concepts. I don't know how your program is structured, but if you have to sit out of the program until the MED/SURGE class starts, I HIGHLY encourage you to keep studying! Read your books, read your lecture notes/powerpoints, go on youtube and find videos that will help break down the information for you, do whatever you need to do in order to get stronger. Try not to focus on the "what if's" but rather on the now. x

Thank you for all of the responses. I understand the whole patient-safety issue especially when narcotic pain medication is involved. I am prescribed 90 pills per month as needed, and I haven't once needed a refill for the past 4 months. Don't get me wrong, I do have my bad days, and I definitely know better than to pop a percocet whilst in clinical or class. Usually a few ib profen will take care of most of the pain until I get home and I can then take one before hopping into bed. I am going to ask my pain specialist to take me off of the percocet since it isn't worth the trouble. My benzo is needed for my seizures indefinitely. I was off of it right after returning back to the program and while embarrassing to say, I had a seizure in the middle of an exam! My neurologist had a hay-day chewing my butt off for not taking it, and rightfully so. What I don't understand is that I have been giving paperwork to my school all the time from my doctors. Sometimes I feel like my poor doctors get tired of writing the notes and even expect to write one before I leave. I'm just so scared. I have copies of all my doctors' notes and all the pill bottles and pills. The DON is very familiar with me and my condition, I guess that's why I'm so nervous.

Hello everyone, I had a drug screening for my nursing program and am under the care of a couple doctors. I am prescribed Adderall 20 mg XR for the mornings, Adderall IR 5 mg for the afternoons, a Benzo for seizures (while I understand most docs won't prescribe Adderall to an epileptic, I have tried Strattera and other non-stimulants for my ADHD and nothing has worked, all over the course of 2 years and am seen VERY often to make sure my levels are normal). Then because I have a fractured skull and mild brain damage, I have Percocet to take as needed for pain. I am on Celexa for my mood instability to do the brain damage (my fronal lobe was injured and it is hard to function off of it). I take Midodrine, a blood pressure vassopressor because I suffer from Paroxysmal Hypotension. My college has all of the paperwork needed for proof that I am considered 'disabled' and they have all the doctors notes, and they continue to get current doctors notes on how I am progressing. So here is my question, why would the DON want to see me in private about my drug screening? Will she kick me out? I'm so afraid because nursing school is everything to me. I am one of the academically strongest, (not to toot my own horn) because I put a lot of time and effort in to studying and practicing and take pride in it. During my recovery from my accident, it was the need to get back into nursing school that kept me going to physical therapy everyday, to cognitive re-training therapy 3x a week, and to keep up with all the other road blocks along the way. Should I be worried? I don't know who else to ask before sitting down with the DON.

Wow! I wish my high school allowed for dual enrollment! I'm 25 years old and one of the youngest in my cohort. I'm pretty sure the youngest just turned 21. I WISH I was done with nursing school long before this age! Now I feel old haha

Also, research WHY hyperglycemia would be treated along with hyperkalemia. I'm really kicking myself for giving the answer. PLEASE review your material!

I would say hyperkalemia. A high potassium level can kill your patient a lot faster than any other one of those others listed. I would say that you REALLY need to review this because it is apparent that you are weak in this area.

Yeah, I felt the same way before entering nursing school. One of my biggest arguments (and retaliation toward the program directors) was why did I need chemistry, and why do I need to know about the mole of a substance? Why do I need to break down different compounds of the most complicated and random elements? What in the world does this have to do with caring for a patient?!?! I would go on tirades to my family members about it. I HATED my advanced English/Literature courses because again, why the heck do I need to know that stuff? However, I have found that Chemistry has in fact really put things into perspective when learning about different drugs. Had I known that at the time, I probably would have taken my Chemistry course a little more seriously. The English courses have given me the ability to write and read material in a more advanced manner which came in handy when reading my nursing books and taking the exams. It still is questionable about some of the BSN courses and how they have any relevance to nursing and patient care. I have to jump back from that old way of thinking, and realize that some of these courses just might shed some light and help me as a future nurse and future nursing professor one day. It is my hope for the OP, and all other pre-nursing students that you will store away, and remember the information that is thrown at you in some of these brutal and dry classes for the future. It would be a tragedy to open a nursing book and not remember some the information that you had learned during your pre-requisite courses. Trust me, it isn't fun having to go back and re-study all over the most basic physiological processes of the human body; or having to go back and re-learn how to write a basic APA formatted paper. Good luck!

Practice, practice, practice! The only way to really understand NCLEX questions is if you practice! In order to think like a nurse, you MUST gain knowledge and learn to ask the question, "Why?" in your readings. For example, if you're learning about the cardiovascular system and the disease processes that go along with it and what meds are used, ask yourself WHY would a health care provider prescribe Metoprolol; then learn the MOST IMPORTANT adverse effects, (learn all of them, but figure out which ones are the most common) and what to do if toxicity occurs. Also, (and I can not stress this enough) RECORD your lectures! Definitely ask your instructor for permission first since you don't want to get in trouble for something like that. Most professors usually don't go into great detail about the material, but instructors almost always give hints on what to study for, and what the most important concepts you should be looking at before you sit to take your exams. Yes, writing down notes during the lectures is important, but there are things that are usually missed (i.e. you were taking notes and didn't hear, people talking, loss of attention, etc.). It's always helpful to listen to lectures at a later time and review the instructor's power points or notes along with it. My GPA in my test exam category (we have to maintain a grade equal to or greater than 76%) has gone from low C's, to high B's and A's because of this. If you don't already, read and review a HESI exam book, or NCLEX study guide such as Saunder's. They outline key points and keep out all the fluff that you don't necessarily need to know from your textbook. I know how tedious and exhausting it is to read 5 chapters and each chapter is well over 100 pages, so your study guide will help you understand what you really need to be paying attention to (please read your textbook, since the study guide books aren't meant to take the place of your nursing textbooks). Review, review, review! Constant reviewing of the material will help keep the information locked away in your memory. As you gain more knowledge, you'll find that it is easier to apply what you know to test questions. When you've finished your exam and you have received your grade, sit down with your instructor and see which questions you got wrong and ask your instructor for help on the murky areas. Even if you got an A or B, sit down with your instructor. Rarely do students ever get 100%'s and if they do, well.... they're a different breed of human. Nursing school is hard, but it is manageable. I hope this has helped. :)

I HATE Chemistry!!!!!!!!!!! I get no "fun" out of it, and the material is soooooooo brutal when the instructor is explaining it. My instructor doesn't like Chemistry either lol and she always says, "I'm sorry guys. I know it sucks". The labs are somewhat fun I guess. Watching what happens when you combine different solutes to liquid can be interesting. I only have a few weeks left of this horrid class. If I get a C- I will take it! In other words, I feel your pain, haha.

I have exams coming up, and after learning the new tools I need to succeed after my accident, I am very confident! Sure I'm a little nervous, but I think that's normal. My first nursing exam.... god! it was terrible! I totally bombed that exam, and like you, I studied so hard and dedicated every minute to Fundamentals. If you fail, don't worry! That too is normal! I'm not saying don't study, or put time into your studying, I'm saying that if you don't get a good grade on your first nursing exam, don't beat yourself up. Nursing exams are tricky, and a completely different learning style. Unlike your basic science classes, you cannot memorize the material. You have to apply what you know to the exam question. You will learn how to do this, it just takes time. If you don't do as well as you hoped, sit down with the instructor and find out what it is you can do to prepare for the next exam. Remember, nursing school is a learning process. You aren't expected to get good grades on every single exam. Good luck!

I agree with both of you. To an extent. In my college we have some great instructors and some not so great instructors. One particular instructor is a bit extreme and you don't know what you're going to get every day when having her class. She will either be sweet and understanding one day, and the next, absolutely neurotic. I would never dream of speaking out against her, since I have seen many fellow classmates do so who have gotten annihilated by her. She's made some flippant comments in the past that has scared students to even complain about her, or write a review that wasn't so nice. She's punished our classes for doing so. With that said, I think there are certain cases in which one shouldn't speak up, and there are cases in which one should! When it comes to a life, you're darn right I'm going to speak up, loud and clear if I have to, to keep a patient safe. When it comes to arguing with a professor/instructor why something isn't right when they're unwilling to listen and will brow-beat you and punish you, isn't worth it.

I second this. Stay away from the cliques because they're the ones with all the gossip and drama. Lay low focus and do the best you can in your academics. Also, put on a poker face when you're doing your skills and getting checked off in lab. Don't let your instructors see the fear and anxiety, because they will exploit that. Leave your problems at the door when you walk in to your classes; your instructors know when you're having a bad and they're assessing you to see how well you do under pressure and stress (meaning walk in with a smile and be kind and polite no matter what).

Fundamentals of Nursing shouldn't be easy for a first-time nursing student. The thing with Fundamentals is that you're being given all these knew concepts and then you will be tested on the concepts in a way that you have to apply what you know to the question/answer. Fundamentals was the hardest class for me because it really gets you to start thinking like a nurse. Most instructors don't reeeeeeally expect you to "get" the material until Med/Surg. When you look back to your Fundamentals class, that's when you'll start to realize that it wasn't as hard as thought. My best advice to you, is to read your book, read the power points that your instructor gives, and highlight the areas where he/she might say "hint hint" "you might want to know this for you exam..." etc. Invest in a Fundamentals study guide as well. Kaplan has some great study guides that I highly recommend. Good luck to you!

I understand your worries. When I was a CNA I remember being so anxious and feeling like I wasn't ever going to get things right. The place I worked at, only trained us for 2 days and then that was it. They put me on the hardest floor, and gave us (there were only 2 CNA's per floor) the most showers because we had the most patients. The thing is, if you're working with a really good CNA, he/she will keep on training you after your 4 days are up. I remember the CNA that I worked with (God bless her), even said that 2 days was ridiculous and that she was going to help. After your 4 days, and you aren't up to par, don't be afraid to ask for some guidance. Don't sweat it! You're going to be alright :)

I understand where you are coming from completely! I'm a bit older than you, 25, but in my classes I was the youngest (23 at the time!). I don't have kids, not married, and I don't work; lot of my fellow classmates are, and married. The majority are in their late 30's with the oldest being near 50. I had nothing in common with most of them, but a few of them took me under their wings. There was the occassional rude comments, but me and my friends didn't pay any heed to it. Don't sweat the small stuff! People who mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind. You're going to make it and do great things!