Surviving nursing school

Published

I need to vent. I am 43 years old, married with two young kids. I am in my 3rd semester (advanced med surg) and feel like I am falling off a cliff. I feel like all my classmates are "putting it all together" and I seem to be spiraling down hill. I failed my last exam (by 2 question) and it really shook my confidence. My clinical experience last week was horrific. My instructor makes me so nervous and incompetent. Lets not talk about my careplan writing. I just handed one in and she hated it. I cry everyday! I don't know how to get out of this rut. I am passing the class, but by the skin of my teeth. I hate being the weakest one in the class. Can anyone give me any advice on how to change this. I want so badly to be a nurse but I am doubting if I am capable of getting through this. This class actually makes me feel stupid.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU / Urgent Care.

Are you studying? If so, how much. Are you reviewing material after lectures? Do you minimize distractions during your study time? If you get a bad grade, do you see your professor and see where you went wrong and have her logically walk you through the right answer to see why you didn't get it?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yes to all of those things. I think my biggest obstacle is test taking. I get such anxiety. My ability to reason is completely lost until about 3 hours after the test when answers seem completely obvious then. My instructor even agrees that is it all my test taking ability. Thank you for your response.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Trust me, you are not alone! I am also in my 3rd semester and I know exactly how you feel. It's a struggle, but you can do it! You don't have much longer. I Often feel the same way. Everyone else is so smart, they have it all figured out. But what you don't realize, that I FINALLY did, is that they all feel that w way to a degree and they probably look at you and think the same. Have you talked to any of your classmates about this? My clinical instructors used to make me so nervous and I always freaked out about failing exams. Even though I knew the info, my fear was that my anxiety would cause me to fail. I had panic attacks and cried everyday when I got home. However, I actually have severe anxiety. I just got on medication for it a couple of months ago and it has really helped. Have you considered that? I'm here if you need to talk.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU / Urgent Care.
Yes to all of those things. I think my biggest obstacle is test taking. I get such anxiety. My ability to reason is completely lost until about 3 hours after the test when answers seem completely obvious then. My instructor even agrees that is it all my test taking ability. Thank you for your response.

When you get your exam, don't open it right away. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and relax. It has helped me tremendously. Also don't flip around seeing how long or thick your exam is, just take it one little bite at a time, starting on page one, problem one. If you don't know the answer to a question, skip it! Your subconscious will grind away at it, and more then likely when you come back to it closer to the end, you will have "magically" figured out the answer. Take the WHOLE time given to you, re-check everything you have circled.

Best of luck

Up Vote Up Vote ×

b747girl5

i wish I can give you advise based on my own personal experience, but I am not there yet.

I have started a journal to mark small accomplishments to remind me down the road how difficult each step was along the way. The only advice I can offer you is to sit and try to reflect back on the feeling you had upon taking and passing your Teas exam the feeling you had upon receiving the acceptance letter... Etc.

Sometimes remember the work we put nj to get us where we are makes it all worth while and might even give us that extra boost where you can honestly say to yourself, I CAN do it. I too have 2 children and know how difficult this can be, and I have only just begun. Stay positive. Remember you cannot change the past, just try to organize yourself in EVERY way, from home to school and don't lose faith in your self and your capabilities. You will be a great nurse one day. Not sure if you are religious at all, but nonetheless I will keep you in my daily prayers. Chin up butter cup. :0):nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

But you took tests the other 2 semesters and for your prereqs and did fine correct? I failed a test a couple of weeks ago and it shook me to the core. I was really upset. But I buckled down for the next test and got an A. I feel like everytime someone bombs a test they want to blame it on test anxiety and not take responsibility on themselves. Identify what you are doing wrong and fix it. The NCLEX is very much like your tests you are taking now. So fix it now so you can pass your boards in the future!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cath/EP lab, CCU, Cardiac stepdown.

The day before the exam you need to relax and get enough sleep. Limit yourself at most to 2 hours studying that day. It's more to review your notes because at that point if you don't know it, cramming ain't going to help you.

On the exam you need to focus on the exam not on what might happen after or anything else. Focus on the immediate, which should just be doing the exam.

While doing the exam, circle key words, like what is the diagnosis? Who is involved in the care? What are they asking you? Delegation? Priority? Assessment? Intervention?

Then write the rationale next to your choice so you can identify and solidify your answer. It becomes a systematic process. Example: delegation question: nope not a bc it's rn scope. Not b, lpn scope. Not c bc lpn scope. Ding it's d, a uap scope includes turning the patient.

Of course you don't want to write anything long, as you won't have the time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know how you feel and I am also in my 4th semester also taking med surge 2. I often feel like I am the last weed that needs to be picked from the flower garden. I have been struggling since the 2nd semester. I study daily from 8am until 2:30 and then at night when my baby goes to bed. I could tell you what closed angle glaucoma is vs. open angle and tell you all of the surgeries and meds etc. I study each thing the same way. No matter how I try to change it up it seems that I always get caught up in the "common sense" questions. I am amazingly (at the end of the semester :) ) starting to realize that I have been spending too much time studying. I think that I focus so much on these things and I think by the time I get to my test little things throw me off because I am so caught up in what I know and not what a nurse should do. I focus to much on the facts and the test. I studied only two days for my last test and made a 93% where as when I study 5 to 6 days I am usually luck to make a 78. I do know how you feel and I hope that things get better for you! You have made it this far and I am sure you can do it. I know how hard it is to see other people make A's when you may only make a C but in the end as long as you have truly learned the material I think that's what matters.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It seems as though we have the same study schedule. I study more than aenyone else in my class and have the lowest grades. I am sure I am not studying the most efficient way. Next week is my cardiac exam, that will be the deciding factor for me. Not to say all hope is lost, there is still the final but the final exams are the toughest exams. Fingers crossed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

I've posted this before, hope it helps.

These are a few things from Dr. Nolting's book Math Study Skills Workbook.

TEST ANXIETY

THE FIVE CAUSES OF TEST ANXIETY:

- Test anxiety is a learned behavior.

- The association of grades and personal worth causes test anxiety.

- Test anxiety can come from a feeling of a lack of control.

- Test anxiety can be caused by a teacher embarrassing a student.

- Being placed into course above your ability can cause test anxiety.

- Test anxiety develops from fear of alienation from parents, family, and friends due to poor grades.

- Test anxiety can be caused by timed tests and the fear of not finishing the test, even if one can do all the problems

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEST ANXIETY:

1. One type of test anxiety is somatic, which is what you are feeling.

2. The second type of test anxiety is cognitive, which is what you are thinking.

TWO REASONS STUDENTS LEAVE THE TEST ROOM EARLY

INSTEAD OF CHECKING THEIR ANSWERS:

1. Their anxiety level gets so high that they have to leave.

2. They don't want to be the last one in the classroom.

THE TWELVE MYTHS OF TEST ANXIETY:

- Students are born with test anxiety.

- Test anxiety is a mental illness.

- Test anxiety cannot be reduced.

- Any level of test anxiety is bad.

- All students who are not prepared have test anxiety.

- Students with test anxiety cannot learn math.

- Students who are well prepared will not have test anxiety.

- Very intelligent students and students taking high-level courses, such as calculus, do not have test anxiety.

- Attending class and doing my homework should reduce all my test anxiety.

- Being told to relax during a test will make you relaxed.

- Doing nothing about test anxiety will make it go away.

- Reducing test anxiety will guarantee better grades.

HOW TO REDUCE TEST ANXIETY

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

There are both short-term and long-term relaxation response techniques that help control emotional (somatic) and worry (cognitive) test anxiety. Once these procedures are learned, the relaxation response will take the place of an anxietyresponse.

THE TENSING AND DIFFERENTIAL RELAXATION METHOD

1. Put your feet flat on the floor.

2. With your hands, grab underneath the chair.

3. Push down with your feet and pull up on your chair at the same time for about

five seconds.

4. Relax for five to ten seconds.

5. Repeat the procedure two or three times.

6. Relax all your muscles except the ones that are actually used to take the test.

THE PALMING METHOD

1. Close and cover your eyes using the center of the palms of your hands.

2. Prevent your hands from touching your eyes by resting the lower parts of your

palms on your cheekbones and placing your fingers on your forehead. Your

eyeballs must not be touched, rubbed or handled in any way.

3. Think of some real or imaginary relaxing scene. Mentally visualize this scene.

Picture the scene as if you were actually there, looking through your own eyes.

4. Visualize this relaxing scene for one to two minutes.

DEEP BREATHING

1. Sit straight up in your chair in a good posture position.

2. Slowly inhale through your nose.

3. As you inhale, first fill the lower section of your lungs and work your way up

to the upper part of your lungs.

4. Hold your breath for a few seconds.

5. Exhale slowly through your mouth.

6. Wait a few seconds and repeat the cycle.

LONG-TERM RELAXTION TECHNIQUES

The cue-controlled relaxation response technique is the best long-term relaxation technique. It is presented on side two of the audiocassette How To Reduce TestAnxiety (Nolting, 1986). Cue-controlled relaxation means you can induce your own relaxation based on repeating certain cue words to yourself. In essence, you are taught to relax and then silently repeat cue words, such as "I am relaxed." After enough practice you can relax during tests.

NEGATIVE SELF-TALK

Negative self-talk (cognitive anxiety) is defined as the negative statements you tell yourself before and during tests. Negative self-talk causes students to lose confidence and to give up on tests. Students need to change their negative self-talk to positive self-talk without making unrealistic statements.

During tests, positive self-talk can build confidence and decrease your test anxiety. Using positive self-talk before a test can help reduce your test anxiety and improve your grades.

EXAMPLES OF NEGATIVE SELF-TALK:

  • "No matter what I do, I will not pass the course."
  • "I am no good at math, so why should I try?"
  • "I cannot remember the answers or I have forgotten how to do the problems. I am going to fail this test."
  • "I failed this course last semester, and I am going to flunk out again this semester."

EXAMPLES OF POSITIVE SELF-TALK

  • "I failed the course last semester, but I can now use my study/ math skills to pass this course."
  • "I went blank on the last test, but I now know how to reduce testanxiety."
  • "I know that with hard work, I will pass math."
  • "I prepared for this test and will do the best I can."
  • "I feel good about my self and my abilities. I am not going to worry about that difficult problem. I'm going to use all my test time and check for careless errors. Even if I don't get the grade I want on this test, it is not the end of the world.

THOUGHT-STOPPING TECHNIQUES

Some students have difficulty stopping their negative self-talk. These students cannot just tell themselves to eliminate those thoughts. These students need to use a thought-stopping technique to overcome their worry and become relaxed.

To stop your thoughts in the classroom or during a test, silently shout to yourself "Stop" or "Stop thinking about that." After your silent shout, either relax yourself or repeat one of your positive self-talk statements. You may have to shout to yourself several times during a test or while doing homework to control negative self-talk. After every shout, use a different relaxation technique/scene or positive self-talk statement.

Thought stopping works because it interrupts the worry response before it can cause high anxiety or negative emotions. During the interruption, you can replace negative self-talk with positive self-talk statements or relaxation. Students with high worryanxiety should practice this technique three days to one week before taking a test. Contact the campus counselor if you have additional questions about how to reducetest anxiety/negative self-talk statements.

REFERENCE:

Paul D. Nolting, Ph.D., Math Study Skills Workbook, Your Guide to Reducing TestAnxiety and Improving Study Strategies, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I know how you feel and I am also in my 4th semester also taking med surge 2. I often feel like I am the last weed that needs to be picked from the flower garden. I have been struggling since the 2nd semester. I study daily from 8am until 2:30 and then at night when my baby goes to bed. I could tell you what closed angle glaucoma is vs. open angle and tell you all of the surgeries and meds etc. I study each thing the same way. No matter how I try to change it up it seems that I always get caught up in the "common sense" questions. I am amazingly (at the end of the semester :) ) starting to realize that I have been spending too much time studying. I think that I focus so much on these things and I think by the time I get to my test little things throw me off because I am so caught up in what I know and not what a nurse should do. I focus to much on the facts and the test. I studied only two days for my last test and made a 93% where as when I study 5 to 6 days I am usually luck to make a 78. I do know how you feel and I hope that things get better for you! You have made it this far and I am sure you can do it. I know how hard it is to see other people make A's when you may only make a C but in the end as long as you have truly learned the material I think that's what matters.

You just took the words out of my mouth: I failed the first semester in nursing program( 1.5 points behind), because I did not know how to study! I used to spend hours in readings( which if you do not what to select in order to read you end up wasting so much time for nothing!) and was not capable to take the tests, while my classmates used to spend not even half of the time I spent and had high grades. I was so frustrated, I felt I was the most idiot one ever. I did not know about this forum to read and to understand how to approach the study, because at school, trust me, most of the classmates played genies, and I needed just a hint how to make it. Thank God I found this forum and started to read every day people's testimony and made a plan how to approach the nursing school again! First, I collected all reviews about the tests books and then purchased them. Then I started doing hundreds of questions in advance, even not reading the material, but I did that only to develop that" sense" necessary to chose the answers they look for. This was my weakest part, because my knowledge came in conflict with the type of the answers they were seeking for. And I started from 42%, 45%. I continued to take tests, again without reading any material, and now I am doing 65%,68% . I hope, when the material if lectured and the information is given, to be able to sort out easier what is important from what is not and I hope that all this journey through so many questions would have boosted my "test taker" ability!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion