Thinking of Quitting Nursing School

[nstudent2019]

I am in my eighth week of nursing school. I have two little girls ages 6 and 7. I work weekends on a specialty unit in a hospital to pay for my education. I am learning a lot there and it has been really good for applying the knowledge to my education. I knew that the work load would be significant and balancing school, work, and children would be tough. I was prepared to take it all on because I thought that if I can get through two years of it, everything would be worth it.

But the truth is, I feel like I'm not handling it. I'm constantly studying and still feeling like I can't catch up. I'm having a hard time participating in a good study group because I'm not making positive connections with my classmates. The ones we do have are chaotic and unproductive. My teachers are awesome but there is one teacher that seems to be working against us rather than for us and she is the class that we need to pass in order to move on in the program. As a result, I am overwhelmed and I am starting to resent nursing.

The final test is on Monday. I am studying but I have mixed feelings about this test. If I fail, that would be horrible because it would mean that I am out of the program. If I pass the test, then I have to do all this again and I'm not sure I have the energy for it.

I miss my kids the most. Their mom (me) is always gone. Even when I am home, I am not present because I am so busy studying. The stress has made me sick three times.

I am thinking about quitting. It just doesn't seem worth it. But if I quit, what do I do with all this time I invested in prerequisite classes and CNA training?

Any advice?

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

On 10/11/2019 at 12:47 PM, BSNtoPsychDNPhopeful said:

Hi,

I graduated 3 years ago as an RN and I am almost done with my BSN now. Nursing school is hell. There is no denying that. You have to keep your eyes on the prize - whatever it was that made you want to be a nurse. Also, nursing school is not like nursing. Nursing school just gives you the academic background. Actual nursing is so different.

As far as academics - one thing that helped me immensely (I got a 4.0) is recording the lectures. I would listen to the lecture the first time as I made my notes. Then I studied my notes whenever I had a chance. A couple days before the test, I would listen to the lectures as I fell asleep, and in the car on the way to school. I would read all my notes over again right before the test, even if it made me a few minutes late to class. Listening to recordings really helps because the professors sometimes emphasize something that will be on the test. Also you will notice different things that you may have missed the first time. And even if you are asleep when you hear the lectures, somewhere in your brain, you will know the right answer and will probably guess better on test questions you just don't know.

I wouldn't worry about study groups. They help some people, but I found they are mainly a distraction and a social group - which can be nice, but won't help you pass.

As far as negative professors, there are always those. In my last semester of my ADN program, our clinical instructor had half the class terrified they would fail. It was awful! Two people actually dropped out because of her and they could have graduated. ? If you can find a way to make that professor like you and help you, you will have overcome a major obstacle and it will serve you well if you ever have a supervisor like that or have to work with a bully.

For your family, your kids are old enough to understand at least. One thing that might help is planning with your kids what you are going to do for your next break. Also, you can plan a mini celebration after each test because you know you won't have to study as much then. They are going to learn so much about accomplishing goals from seeing you persevere.

As far as stress goes, I recommend watching this TedTalk. Actually, stress is good for you! It really makes a difference if you believe that.

Good luck to you and God bless.

I agree except about the being late for class. As an Instructor, I would not have tolerated that. Tardiness is just not acceptable, especially habitual tardiness, which it sounds like what you did.

Tardiness is disruptive and a distraction to your classmates and to the speaker.

If you are late to a job, especially more often than once in a blue moon, you will hear about it. It can be part of why you don't get a raise or promotion, it can anger the person who has to wait for you to relieve him/her, it is just so wrong.

I'm happy you made it, but advising the OP that tardiness is ok is wrong.