1st year STUDENT NEEDS HELP

bellarosa · Jan 5, 2005

Give yourself a day to freak out and then get focused. One C is not the end of the world. Chemistry as a freshman is rough. If CRNA is your goal, then keep looking forward and don't give up. As you know, that road is a difficult, competitive one. However, if it is YOUR road then make it happen. Maybe in a few semesters you can take the class over. Did you feel like you learned the material and then choked on the tests, were the tests a good relflection of the material? Look at the semester and try to figure out where the problem was.

I can tell you that I'm on my second bachelors degree to become a CRNA. I'm in an accelerated program. It is really rough, but I know where I want to be. No one is going to deter me. At this early point on your journey no one can tell you that you won't make it except yourself, so tell yourself you will make it and try your best this upcoming semester.

javanurse2000, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

the best advice i can give you is this...spend the first week or so "reading" your instructor! your first priority in any course or course of study will have to be to learn how to 'pull' the information out of your teacher...you could have taken that exact same class with a different instructor and gotten a b. although you shouldn't let a c discourage you, the reality is that you have to make as and bs for what you want to do. that means learning the instructors cues....sometimes i just listen to how many times he/she states the same information...more than once is going to be either directly tested or is a concept that other testable material is based upon. good luck! :)

hello everybody,
i'm a freshmen studying to become a rn, and then a crna. well i'm simply freaking out!! i just got my report card and i got a c in chemistry. my goal is to become a crna i have no back up plan nor do i want one, i did tutoring, extra study time, you name it, and all i got was a c. my first c. does this mean that i can't become a crna should i just stop nursing all together. what should i think? is chemistry that important anyway. well i need help, a word of advice, from anybody. please i'm in desperate help of advice from anyone who has or is going through this. thanks!!!!!

ayndim · Jan 5, 2005

Hello everybody,
I'm a freshmen studying to become a RN, and then a CRNA. Well I'm simply freaking out!! I just got my report card and I got a C in chemistry. My goal is to become a CRNA I have no back up plan nor do I want one, I did tutoring, extra study time, you name it, and all I got was a C. My first C. Does this mean that I can't become a CRNA should I just stop nursing all together. What should I think? Is chemistry that important anyway. Well I need help, a word of advice, from anybody. Please I'm in desperate help of advice from anyone who has or is going through this. Thanks!!!!!

You can retake the class, you know. Many students do and still end up getting into programs (be is asn/bsn, np, cnm or crna). I think it shows that you are serious. And chemistry is important but remember a C is an average grade. That means that although you didn't ace it, you did learn something in it. Don't stop nursing. You may even fall in love with a different area during clinicals. And if you still want to be a CRNA you will have 3 more chemistry course to prove that you can do it.

Kiwi, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

Science classes are very important when applying to NA school. Getting a "C" in chemistry is not the end of the world, though. I was originally a musician who switched into nursing, and chemistry was definitely NOT my forte. Like you, I took chemistry my first semester and got a "C". Instead of doing a nursing externship, I took science classes this summer and did well in them. Don't believe that people don't take classes over - they do! Take this as a learning experience and prepare for challenges in all of your science classes. Many NA schools expect at least a 3.0 in your science courses. A solid understanding in science is expected for an SRNA to be able to understand complex drugs and reactions that happen in the human body.

MizRani · Jan 5, 2005

Woah, calm down. I'm a senior in nursing school now. I got a C in chemistry too. First C. Freshman year. I think it was a 78.6 or something. Yes, it is important to know chemistry but I found that pathophysiology will cover the stuff you'll need to know from chemistry. Right now, you're building the foundation of knowledge needed for certain classes in nursing school. That's all, don't worry about it. Just as long as you try to keep your future grades from having too many C's. Believe me, when you get to nursing school, you're going to get grades you never expected to get. And the most important thing is how you handle yourself afterwards. Think of the pressure as a pretest for the real nursing experience you're going to have. Not everyday is going to be perfect, you need to learn how you're going to deal with hit infront of your peers.

BigDave · Jan 5, 2005

Hi,

I agree with nurse wendy above. A lot of what goes into a grade is related to how the instructor teaches the class. And, unfortunately, chemistry instructors are famous for sucking! Wait till you take organic chem...those guys are somewhere else altogether.

Yes, a "C" is a humbling experience, but it also can be a very powerful motivator. My wife had to work hard to get good grades (a dietician), but I am lazy. If it wasn't for my good memory I would be riding on the back of a garbage truck somewhere. Overall, someone who is motivated and works hard will win the race (CRNA?) in the long run.

In future "tough" classes ask around. If there are multiple instructors available, maybe you can slip into a class with a better teacher. When I was in pre-nursing at a junior college, there were a lot of people from University of Oklahoma in my anatomy class cause the instructor at OU had a bad reputation. If you go outside your school just make sure the class will transfer...and you want the baggage of multiple transcripts (I had to round up 6 for my CRNA application).

Good luck!

Dave