Quitting Nursing school before it even begins?

Scottishtape · Jan 16, 2018

Being overwhelmed looking at everything you'll have to do is normal.

It happened to me, and it's happened to a lot of other people who have gone through the process.

My advice: don't look at *everything*. Look a week at a time. Take one step at a time and take one bite at a time.

This will help stop you from getting too overwhelmed and allow you to deal with things as they come.

Good luck!!

FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP · Jan 16, 2018

Please seek counseling and treatment for you anxiety. No matter what career you choose, you need to deal with this.

Info Tech is not easy - that was my previous career. It is an industry that demands long, long hours, often with travel thrown in. You will have your bosses and your customers on your a** all the time, demanding you get this done by such and such a dated or else! It is also a very tumultuous industry, with constant lay offs for no fault of your own, as jobs are commoditized and outsourced to India, Eastern Europe, etc.

Again, please get help for your anxiety. Good luck.

guest517 · Jan 16, 2018

Thank you! I definitely will get some professional help with my anxiety.

Banana nut, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jan 16, 2018

My 3rd semester starts tomorrow. I've been up since 430am today doing mandatory prep work, setting up my schedule, setting my alarms on my phone, printing out hundreds of pieces of mandatory paper work needded for the first day, organizing them, getting my uniform together, food prep for the month and studying because we have aTest the first day before lecture on the content we were given over Christmas break. It is stressful but you can do it and so can i.

It's not easy but once you get settled in everything is manageable. And if you go to a good school you will be sported by staff and other classmates. Nobody is left to dry because everyone is under the same pressure. We all need help staying organized and a good school will promote collaboration between peers so that the objectives are met by everyone.

You can do it with help just like i can!

P. s. I have to keep telling myself that i can do it everyday or else i will break too haha! Because i know i can!

Best of luck

lehaley1989, ADN, RN · Jan 16, 2018

I just began my second semester of nursing school. I didn't feel like I had a decent handle on things until about week 5 of my 1st semester. And that feeling of being completely overwhelmed? Yeah, that comes and goes. It likes to sneak up on me at least once or twice a week. But here's the secret - all of your classmates feel the same way! It will never be just you.

Take a look at your study habits and time management skills before classes start. Do you feel like they need improvement? Make a plan to keep yourself on track, but keep it flexible. I personally had to change my tried and true study habits early on in order to keep up with the workload. (Quickly realized that writing things over and over wasn't super practical!) Do you have any methods that have worked for calming your anxiety in other situations? If so, use them and use them often! I have anxiety, and I'm a big fan of deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. They're both quick and effective at calming me down. I also got about halfway through my first semester and realized that I had been putting things I enjoy on the back burner. I love to read, and I realized that I hadn't picked up my Kindle since August. Don't do this! Forcing myself to step away from the nursing books and picking up my Kindle, turning on Netflix, or taking the dog for a walk at least once a day has really helped with my stress levels.

Nursing school is 100% doable, and you're probably way more capable than you think. You've gotten this far - don't give up on it yet!

ItsThatJenGirl, CNA · Jan 17, 2018

Does your school offer counseling? I'd look into that if I were you. My school also offers peer mentoring, tutoring, assistance with time management/schedules and other things. Heck, they even have massage chairs when things feel particularly bad. Use those resources if they are available.

I started school last Monday. Yeah, it's really overwhelming. But it'll get better. I feel like you're thrown into the deep end, and your goal is to get to the shallow end. But everyone else is right there in the deep in with you. So far my clinical group has been INVALUABLE at normalizing my feelings. We decided together to assign one person to each class, and they review what's coming up/due/expected and email the group with updates.

One thing that has really saved my bacon is Microsoft OneNote. You can "clip" things and add them in there, take your notes in there, record lectures in there, all on one page for the week. You can highlight and add photos/screenshots. It has really, really helped me get organized.

As far as reading goes, I don't read all the things. I review the powerpoints that I'm given, and the objectives for each week and go from there. There are places that I have to read, but there's no way I can read everything I'm given in a week.

Don't quit now - you've worked so hard to get here. You can figure this out.

Good luck.

UnknownChild · Jan 17, 2018

Believe me when I say that I know exactly how you feel. I'm actually currently in my second week of nursing school. Its. Been. Insane. I've never done this much work for school in my life. I'm so scared that I'll somehow screw it up. I'll get kicked out. I'll fail. I'll make one lousy mistake. I worked so hard to get here. My sister has been working her butt off to get in & she didn't. That puts a lot of pressure on me from my family as well.

BUT . . . I just do what Scottishtape recommended; I take it a week at a time. I don't turn in any of the work I do (we're responsible to complete it & then we get tested on the readings before every class) but I still make sure to get it done. The other responsibilities such as clinicals/Sims/Validations/Papers are all sort of spaced out so if you just get the basic routine & then look a week or 2 ahead to get a heads up of when the bigger assignments are coming in, I think you'll be fine.

ALSO, other people in your cohort are probably anxious as well. Make friends. Talk about it if you're not too anxious with socializing. Get a study group (I'm currently in 2 separate study groups - it really helps!). I think you'd regret it more if you dropped it now. The mere fact that you wrote a post/ reached out could be an indication in of itself. Anyway, whatever you choose, make sure you're 100% positive =)

Best wishes!!

-Zara

jason4546 · Jan 18, 2018

Rob my friend, you and I are the same. I had one school that I focused on to get into when I was doing my prereqs and after getting all A's on my courses, I applied to the school and got in! It was a 1 year LVN to RN program so I knew it was going to be tough. First day, there was so much info and paperwork and homework given, I immediately felt like giving up. I eventually did BUT it was because I shouldn't have done the 1 year course. I got accepted into another program and am starting next month. No holding back, taking it a week or even a day at a time. That is the best way to get through it. Also, study hard and enjoy it. In the end it will all be worth it. Good luck Brah!

BAY AREA RN, BSN · Jan 18, 2018

just started my third semester and i feel the same way, once you get your lecture notes u will be find

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2018

Have you sought any professional help for your anxiety?

I don't typically struggle with anxiety, but I remember feeling SO overwhelmed when looking at syllabi

MiladyMalarkey, ASN, BSN · Jan 19, 2018

I felt somewhat anxious about actually starting nursing school and had to have a family member who is also a nurse talk me off the ledge. They also experienced that initial anxiousness about starting the program, so much so they waited until literally the last day they could to respond to their letter of acceptance.

If you want to be a nurse, don't drop out.

If you are feeling more than what you feel is the usual anxiousness, I'd see about talking to your provider or counselor. Better to get it under control as soon as possible.

Good luck.