At precisely this time last year, after expressing my boredom with teaching, someone suggested I study nursing. I started out with one semester of requirements, loved it, and continued on to be accepted in the LPN program at our local Jr. College. I'm 52, and an Art/ESL teacher at the elementary level, but that was beside the point. Anyway yesterday morning, in Fundamentals class our teacher started a unit about anal tubes, catheters, and fecal impaction, oozing and other pretty stuff. Last week in clinicals I have to admit I was put off by my patient who didn't want to bathe. Hmm, then yesterday afternoon I miserably failed a practical, procedural test for changing a wet to dry wound. I REALLY messed up on that one. Then today I severely messed up on an exam in my Math for Meds class. I have made practically all A's, and high ones at that, up till now. Something about all those d*** GRAIN conversions, like 8 of those, if that wasn't enough, etc. etc. etc., then figuring them in to a ratio to find out how many milligrams to dose, well it was too much, so I just started guessing. Ok. I am beginning to feel like I won't be able to take care of people the way a nurse should, with the orgainzation, concentration & motivation to be THE BEST. But it has been fun, and I have learned so much. I think I feel called back to what I did so naturally, teaching, but at least I have tried to do something different, and it was enjoyable to meet all those new people and bond with the others in lab class. However bonding with fellow students, A's on written exams, do not a good nurse make.
I just feel embarassed in front of all my family and friends to have blabbed so much about nursing!!!!! :imbar And then no one likes to be called a quitter. Still I don't really want to spend any more time doing something which is not to my ability or inclination.
Do not give up!! Everyone has aspects of the program they don't like or can't get. Mine was pharmacology(sp) Math is my worst worst subject, I can't even balance my check book. I was told half of all nursing was math and observation. I wanted to give up. My adverage went down and I cried. I ended up being tutored in math and aced it.
If you are having problems with certain aspects of the program, find a class mate that does well and ask for help, also ask your instructor. What helped me was to write the steps on index cards and go over them till they were familiar. good luck
Thanks Virgonurse. Yesterday we had a Pharmacology test about the antimicrobials. I can sit down and do math problems with a particular idea involved, then when a test comes up and it's all combined, my brain goes off. I will try with the index cards and switch em around to mix up different concepts, or formulas. Thanks a lot. I started watching the videos to make up for my skipped clinic day. (8 hours r required). I found myself crying during some of the videos, at the bravery of some of the patients' loved ones, and at the neglect and abuse in other situations in the videos. I am wondering what nurses do when they feel like crying over a patient or family. Once I start crying, it's like the threshold for MORE crying lessens and I will cry when there is any slight cue. Maybe it's hormones. lol. Naaa, have always been a cryer.
. I am wondering what nurses do when they feel like crying over a patient or family. Once I start crying, it's like the threshold for MORE crying lessens and I will cry when there is any slight cue. Maybe it's hormones. lol. Naaa, have always been a cryer.
Hang in there! No one ever said nursing was easy. We all break down during class and lose it at some point during school. You just have to acknowledge that you feel the way you do and then take action to move onto the next step. I'm very proud that you passed your cath exam....my first cath exam was with a patient in liver failure with high ammonia levels that proceeded to have a bowel movement during the insertion and under the sterile field. My nursing instructor was proud of the fact that I kept my cool during the entire thing (and I thought I was shaking!)
Last week we lost a patient in our ER who was rather young with no PMH. We all cried when TOD was called, took 5 minutes, and then went on to our other patients. It took me a day to recover from the sadness for the family. But we have to keep a smile on our faces because we have other patients to take care of. Everytime I feel like maybe it's time to leave nursing, out of nowhere, a patient will give thanks or small hands will reach up to hug me after starting their IV. That warm feeling is what keeps me here!
At precisely this time last year, after expressing my boredom with teaching, someone suggested I study nursing. I started out with one semester of requirements, loved it, and continued on to be accepted in the LPN program at our local Jr. College. I'm 52, and an Art/ESL teacher at the elementary level, but that was beside the point. Anyway yesterday morning, in Fundamentals class our teacher started a unit about anal tubes, catheters, and fecal impaction, oozing and other pretty stuff. Last week in clinicals I have to admit I was put off by my patient who didn't want to bathe. Hmm, then yesterday afternoon I miserably failed a practical, procedural test for changing a wet to dry wound. I REALLY messed up on that one. Then today I severely messed up on an exam in my Math for Meds class. I have made practically all A's, and high ones at that, up till now. Something about all those d*** GRAIN conversions, like 8 of those, if that wasn't enough, etc. etc. etc., then figuring them in to a ratio to find out how many milligrams to dose, well it was too much, so I just started guessing. Ok. I am beginning to feel like I won't be able to take care of people the way a nurse should, with the orgainzation, concentration & motivation to be THE BEST. But it has been fun, and I have learned so much. I think I feel called back to what I did so naturally, teaching, but at least I have tried to do something different, and it was enjoyable to meet all those new people and bond with the others in lab class. However bonding with fellow students, A's on written exams, do not a good nurse make.
I just feel embarassed in front of all my family and friends to have blabbed so much about nursing!!!!! :imbar And then no one likes to be called a quitter. Still I don't really want to spend any more time doing something which is not to my ability or inclination.
If you stick with it and buckle down you WILL be rewarded in the end. Real world nursing is not like what you may be envisioning it to be at this point. Ive been in the field 16yrs. and never once seen an order in grains, as for your clinical skilld they'll improve as your more comfortable in the clinical setting. Everyone makes a few mistakes at first and rest assured your fellow nurses will be there to both protect and watchover you every step of the way. Have you formed any study groups yet? If not do so asap It helps. See you in the field some day. chin up till then.
I'm so happy! It was hard work. I studied heavily this past month...the Saunders guide, CD's and Kaplan's online tutor/question series for future LPN's. Just to let y'all know that my hard work paid off.
VirgoNurse912
11 Posts
Do not give up!! Everyone has aspects of the program they don't like or can't get. Mine was pharmacology(sp) Math is my worst worst subject, I can't even balance my check book. I was told half of all nursing was math and observation. I wanted to give up. My adverage went down and I cried. I ended up being tutored in math and aced it.
If you are having problems with certain aspects of the program, find a class mate that does well and ask for help, also ask your instructor. What helped me was to write the steps on index cards and go over them till they were familiar. good luck