FNPhopeful

Anyone??

To all those just starting, all I can say is get used to a whole new way of life ! I sometimes had to pinch myself because I just felt like I was in a fog drifting through this alternate dimension called nursing school. Its like your not civilians anymore.... Everyday something new is introduced to you and everyday you are intimidated by someone or something. I remember showing up for skills tests every week and being terrified about doing the return demonstrations ( I hate being put on the spot or any public speaking type stuff). The funny thing is though is everyone is just as scared as you if not more. I cant tell you how many times we all sat around talking about how bad we were shaking and how many times we were gonna throw up (from nervousness). But ya know what ? eventually you finish that semester and now its a distant memory. Stay on top of your lecture classes- I saw people flunk out, from what I percieved to be poor study skills. The most helpful thing for me was to study things from every angle- if you are studying electrolyte imbalances read all about it on the internet as well, study lab values from actual patients, make sure you really "get" it dont just memorize it becuase nursing school is alll critical thinking. Tests are gonna want to know why that patients electrolytes are out of wack and what you should do next. Also take snacks and lunches with you to school/clinical. Make sure you are well nourished. I swear I was on the brink of exhaustion last year just becuase the stress was causing me not to eat. Also I highly recommended getting into some kind of exercise program wether it be a class at your gym or a jog every morning before classes. But throw something physical into your weekly routine- because your mind is gonna become strained and there's going to be loooong clinical days of standing around- you need to be in good physical shape for the sake of your mind, body, and spirit. Im not saying become a star athlete but make sure your getting frustrations out with some exercise, you'll need a release. Im going to widdle in an aerobics class this semester 4 days a week right after my lecture classes. Remember its only 2 years (3 for some) of your life, you can get through it. Those without kids may have an easier time. Take care of yourself so you can be your best, there'll be alot of exams and teachers to impress. (But that's another story)

So can any one tell me what to expect in Inter. med surg?? Just how hard does it get? Anything I can brush up on before the semester starts to get ahead?? lab values? procedures? Any help would be great! Thanks yall Cant wait for that mandatory math test that we all have to get 90% on the first week, thats for sure !! :uhoh21:

Hi thanks for replying to my post! (wow I posted that a long time ago) Yeah I applyed to Fresno State with a 3.6 and didnt get in. the cut off was 3.63 (one percentage point away!) Dont listen to rumors about GPA cutoff, I interviewed with the nursing adviser Penny, and I know for a fact the GPA cutoff was 3.63- It gets blown up to 3.8 and thats just not accurate. Anyway I got into Fresno City though, Im in my second semester already. I dont know if its better than State but certainly quicker. And I got in on the first try- so keep applying you get in eventually. Lots of people in my class had applied multiple times. And since I was ready to go to State I can just go right into the RN to BSN program when Im done, so there's advantages to getting general ed done. If you have any questions about the program just let me know, I'd be happy to answer them. I have 2 small children as well and it is very life changing to go to nursing school- but if I can do it anyone can. I live in Los Banos for goodness sake!

Wow Im sooo glad you guys all feel like me. (well not glad....but you know what I mean) I thought I was the only one who hated it, because at school everyday it seems like everyone is trying to put their best face forward and seem confident and pulled together. We rarely have moments of break down, but its nice when we do because then you know your not alone in feeling torn down. The other day we were talking in the locker room and one of the girls was like 'yeah i went home and cried to my boyfriend after clinical Monday night and told him I was gonna quit blah blah blah' and I was like 'Oh my god me too! I go home crying every Monday night!' (we get off at 11pm) So it was nice to know I wasnt the only one on the edge of insanity! Let me tell you, I commute an hour each way to school and sometimes dont get home till 1 am and then have to get up again at 4 am to get back to lecture by 8 am- so it takes every fiber of my being to keep going.......... It better be worth it!!

Ok good! Im not crazy. Alot of people hated it. I guess I thought it might be somewhat enjoyable, to learn all this new stuff. Which it is........but like a previous poster said its just nonstop grueling stress. Next week I have to give a presentation on a culture to a class of like 40! Public speaking is my BIGGEST fear. I hate people staring at me. Im totally gonna freeze up, throw up, and faint. I took Group Discussion for prereqs just to avoid this. Its totally riuned my maternity rotation- instead of enjoying the area I like most its been spoiled by having to think about this horrible speech I have to give. In any other situation I would have dropped the class, had there been a speech requirement. But now I cant.....what am I gonna flunk out because of one speech, (my brain says yeah but my heart says no). Ahhh I love #$%!@! this!

Thanks everybody. Im just soooo tired at this point, Im trying to push through....... But I know the feeling of quitting would be far worse than what Im feeling now.

I am in second semester and I am just sooooo tired and run down. Every week I feel like quitting. I have an hour commute and 2 small kids so thats an added difficulty. Is it normal to dislike nursing school so much? I know Im probably just not thinking clearly at this point being so exhausted, but please tell me it all pays off in the end! I, like many others worked toward this goal for so long, just trying to get in. I have always loved school. But since becoming an actual nursing student, I can barely get B's much less A's. I guess I thought nursing school would be so fun and interesting and full of cool new things to experience. But hard instructors and hours of clinical are more the case. And I feel so dumb all the time! Just trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I need help seeing the good in it again. Thanks.......better go study!

I know I have been sneaking my lecture notes onto my clip board.....but I dont want my instructor to see me and think Im doing something other than clinical stuff. But I honestly dont knw how they expect us to entertain ourselves otherwise. I mean the RN's there that are working are just sitting around!

Im finding myself with nothing to do for 8 hrs in clinical. Im on the OB rotation and we normally have 1 patient........needless to say I can only look through the charts for so long..... Me and my classmates literally stand around trying to look busy. There's just never anything happening. And dont get me started on the RN's we get assigned to who try their best to lose us every chance they get. Im so annoyed! Why does it bother someone that Im there to learn from them ?! I would be sooo flattered, I'd eat it up. AND then they act like I sucked when their filling out my little daily evaluation form. And Im just thinkin you avoided me, gossiped with the other RN's the whole time, and didnt wanna let me do anything. Its really quite degrading, because Im supposed to follow them around like a puupy dog and Im totally not wanted. And for what reason? Im the nicest person ever....they just dont wanna be bothered? Im sorry but for lack of a better word, thats ******. I

Good freakin grief! Please tell me how people end up getting ulcers as bad as the ones in our textbooks! Is there no care where these patients are?! They must be people bed ridden at home. I did a Yahoo image search on these and saw sores where I thought the person MUST be dead but apparently not. Not on my watch!

Anyone up to 2 patients yet in clinicals? Is it tougher? We start passing meds next week so Im predicting things are gonna get a bit more stressful and we'll also get 2 patients. Any organization tips? mental or otherwise? I tried carrying the clip board around but it got irritating to tote so I switched to a small pocket size note pad.

Thanks everyone! I wish you guys were in my class! The whole situation just sucks. I mean take an already trying situation like nursing school and throw social anxiety into it as well and it really sucks. I may be part of the problem as well, Im pretty soft spoken and quiet, maybe I need to draw attention to myself, Im just afraid of looking dumb I guess. Anyone have a confidence pill? I just need a friend ! wahhhhhhhh

I have never had such a hard time "socially" in my life. I feel like an outsider in my nursing class, no one talks to me in theory at all, but they all seem to know each other. My clinical group is a little better because its a smaller group but its even got little cliques in it. I think part of the problem is I live an hour away and no one sees any point in befriending me because they know they'll never see me outside of class. I try and talk to them but I end up feeling like they dont care about knowing me. So needless to say every day of class is like a day in junior high, just hoping you'll have some positive interaction. It really makes no sense to me because my non nursing friends love me and we have great friendships. Im not socially retarded by any means. Should I just not let it bother me? or ignore it? I want to have friends at school Im only human. But this whole situation is really making me hate school and think Im unlikable. Just needing to vent

For those that are in Fundamentals, I thought it be kinda helpful if people could post their test questions (if ya can remember them) here on a thread and we could accumulate alot of practice questions that way. I know my chapter tests in my textbook have very few questions. But I wouldnt mind posting some of the questions on my exams to a thread afterwards for others to get practice........I can probably remember quite a few. (We dont get to keep our exams) Just a suggestion, it may be too time consuming to type questions up on here but I'd be interested to read others stuff ~Jasmine