I'm working 30 hours a week, have two moody teenage girls and a husband who travels for a living. I've been accepted to start nursing school this fall. I've been busting my butt for the last 16 months taking prereqs (A&P and Micro currently) and am honestly starting to break down. I've survived some horrible things so I thought I'd be able to tough this out. I've gotten all A's before and thought I'd be ok in tough classes. But now I feel so overwhelmed and am starting to cry over my homework.
I'm at a point now where I'm ready to quit. I feel too old (I'm 48), too exhausted and too stupid to do this. I know if I give up, I'll feel terrible and regret it, and it will be a bad example for my kids. But I'm beginning to doubt myself. No one else seems to be struggling as much as I am.
I guess I'm asking if anyone else has come close to quitting. Is what I'm going through normal or a sign that I'm not cut out for this?
15 page paper..YIKES!.....our prof just basically spits out info at us...goes a mile a minute....someone stops to ask him a question he seems anoyed....has a list of "potential" exam questions that he uses...and he says he will not stray from the sheet....ok...but there are like 34 essay type.....not good at essay type...give me a state board type anytime....no extra credit....3 exams and thats it....i know i probably shouldnt say this...but....i am so glad i am in the program and NOT banking on an A to get in from this course....I will give it my all...but for some reason i dont think thats going to be enough....
Yes, I am from TN, Knoxville born and raised. :thankya: Love my home state and home town for sure. My mom lived up in Kingsport for a couple of years, so I'm a little familiar with that area too.
Good luck in Micro. Mine is not essay on tests, but we're covering four and five chapters at a time for tests. Killing me!!! They all interrelate, so I get the point, but sometimes when I'm staring down 5 chapters, it's a bit overwhelming.
I had a prof who had "mini" essay questions, along the lines of "Identify the cell indicated by the pointer in the microscope. Discuss."
YIKES!
So, this is what we did.
We created a "form" that was pretty much the same format for all of these types of questions. For example:
The cell indicated by the pointer in the visual field is an example of stratified epithelium. This cell type is most common in areas of the body that are subject to friction and sloughing off, such as the epidermis. Normal findings of this cell type include: (Make a list of key components, usually three to five). Abnormal findings include: (again another list, 3 to five). This particular cell is an example of an abnormal stratified epithelial cell and is consistent with (insert disease, clinical presentation, or pathology process here).
Does this make sense? Basically do this for each one. Identify it in general, provide normals, provide abnormals, based on normals/abnormals identify the clinical significance and presentation.
Also! Practice writing these out as you get ready for a lab test. Most test takers "know" the information, but struggle with writing it in a concise and comprehensible manner. Practice expressing yourself concisely and comprehensibly in the written word. ALSO ALSO! If you have 20 possible slides for the lab practical exam, divvy up the work, but make sure to look a the slides yourself and "see" what your classmates identifiy.
We also set up our own "exams" in open session labs. We put up 14 microscopes and put unidentified slides, then took our own "test." Good practice.
So make "recipe cards." for each cell type. In our A/P and micro, we had some pathologies, you might or might not. Adjust the recipe as needed!
I am tried all the time. I am so sick of studying I am literally sick. It seems so much work... then I think of the last time I was in a hospital, and how I felt toward the nurses who took care of me.
That gives me the strength to do it, those nurses really saved my life and spirit, and I know that I will be a great nurse and will be able to help so many people. That is what motivates me to get through it all, and I will.
Everyone has to make their own decision on continuing through the tough times, and I do that almost everyday by thinking of all those I will be able to help.
Leekaye, you will hate that prof in the here and now, but when you "get" the real interrelation of disease processes and have to decide what the safest nursing action is....you will appreciate having had a prof that required application over memorization. Most nursing exams are written at the application and analysis levels.
I guess I'm asking if anyone else has come close to quitting. Is what I'm going through normal or a sign that I'm not cut out for this?
Close to quitting? umm. today, yesterday, the day before that, a couple days before that...
haha, I'm there with you. I work full time and have two daughters (19 & 10). It feels like I've been in school forever and there is no end in site. If I dare mention the words "quit" or "take a semster off" my husband (my rock!) literally gives me a smack in the back of the head (a tap, no he's not abusive) and says YOU CAN do this and you WILL do this. Gives me a kiss on the forehead and pats my head as he leads me back to my 'room' (my office/study room).
What you are feeling is perfectly normal. I try to take things in digestable pieces to see a light at the end of the tunnel. So instead of focusing on graduation and thinking its so far away, how will I ever do it etc, I think to the end of the semester, that light seems much closer
LobotRN, that is a GREAT idea. It helps me a lot to have something concrete to study rather than just hoping to cull the right info from the book. The only study guide he gives is that the test will include: anything from the 5 chapters in our textbook, anything from the anatomy animation CD, anything from the lab manual, anything from the textbook associated website or anything from his online PowerPoints. It's really overwhelming!
I think I'm ok at processing and critical thinking. But when I have to memorize photos so I can recognize an osteon from a lacuna on a slide, that's hard for me. I had an artery dissection and my short term memory/memorization is not quite what it used to be. So breaking it down into topics with an essay template is a fantastic idea! Thanks again!
Oh man. I so feel for nursing school students that have multiple demands on them with children and work (and an absent husband to boot!).
I went through college supporting myself/living alone and paying for college by working nights. I was young-twenties, with no children and living on rice and beans. That was hard enough!
To get to even where you are now, with all the responsibilities you have of adult life and the complexities just "living" in all this modern world demands, I'd say give yourself one heck of a pat on the back. Seriously. I'd also take it as a sign that yes, you are MORE than cut out for the rigors of nursing school, and the career itself.
If I were in your shoes, I'd be having serious family discussions about what it's going to take to get you there and why it's important you succeed. Teenagers and husbands can be especially oblivious to the demands of motherhood, let alone motherhood with a full college course load!
You need to get your family on board. Involve them (put your foot down if need be) in the process of teamwork to meet the goals as a family.
You are NOT a martyr, and should not feel burdened to carry the weight of it all. Outline the rules clearly, and how you expect them to help meet the goals as a family. This is not mom's knitting hobby or book club or weekly dog-walking outings with the girls. This is real life.
This can be an excellent life lesson for your teenagers, and they will gain invaluable life lessons if you involve them in the process (whether they like it or not).
If you need to memorize slides, there are a couple things you can do:
1) take a picture with camera/camera phone and review
2) Write down things that help you identify. Like bone looks like a tree or whatever.
3) Make digital flash cards. Our lab book has a companion site with slides that look like the slides in class.
We just had our first AP1 test and I know I got one answer wrong because I put 'stratified squamous' for the tissue under the microscope but in reality, it was 'keratinized stratified squamous'. We had a ton of slides to look at (over 20) and I didn't realize that I didn't add karatinized after I left the test. Oh well.
P.s., I knew a lady that involved her teenagers by holding a "quiz mom night" every week on the same day, every week.
She'd take her flashcards or notes with questions outlined, and have her teenage kids take turns quizzing her.
They groaned for a bit, but once the routine was set and they knew what was expected of them, it helped the kids feel consistently a part of the changes in family dynamic, and gave the kids an opportunity to become "cheerleaders for mom."
Mom's graduation day was a true family affair for everyone to appreciate, in ways that would not have been otherwise.
Very normal indeed. I was 45 when I started back to school. Husband traveled , I child still at home. So I can really sympathize with all your frustrations. I wish I could tell you it will get easier once in the program ...but it doesn't. I will tell you what helped me the most through it all....learning to set priorities and boundries. You deserve this for yourself...and it is going to mean TONS of sacrifice from your entire family to get you through it. But stand firm and keep your goal in sight EVERY day. It is okay if your life becomes a little less perfect, a few chores do not get done.....dinner is sandwiches more often. As one of the other posters said...having support and REALLY having support are different. What I do when everyone around me begins to "feel the stress" is remind them it is only for a season. In the long run you are setting a VERY good example for your family. Hang on ....and stay with it!!
momtojosh
518 Posts
15 page paper..YIKES!.....our prof just basically spits out info at us...goes a mile a minute....someone stops to ask him a question he seems anoyed....has a list of "potential" exam questions that he uses...and he says he will not stray from the sheet....ok...but there are like 34 essay type.....not good at essay type...give me a state board type anytime....no extra credit....3 exams and thats it....i know i probably shouldnt say this...but....i am so glad i am in the program and NOT banking on an A to get in from this course....I will give it my all...but for some reason i dont think thats going to be enough....