Usually an A student--got a C on 1st exam

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I'm feeling pretty bummed right now.....we had three tests last week. Two of them I got A's, but the one with the critical thinking....I got a C.:o I studied for hours...and got a C. That is sooo frustrating...and I'm thinking maybe I don't have what it takes to be a nurse. If I quit by Tues...I get my money refunded. I would hate to continue just to fail out. We've only been in school for 2 weeks...and it's harder than I ever dreamed. I have no life....I'm just a nursing student...home and school and studying...that's it.

Please tell me...will it get easier...what if I'm just not a critical thinker?? I wanted this sooo bad, but I don't know how to turn things around. And now, with this C I feel I'll have to dig myself out of this hole I'm in, which adds even more pressure. I hate feeling stressed and sad. Will this get better?

Thanks

V

Thank you all so much for the pep talk. I really needed it. Someone mentioned talking with the instructer...but that's a problem too. She's outright cruel...I've never seen anyone behave like that. She's treats us like children.....almost verbally abusive. I wonder how I can handle a whole semester of that. I just hope and pray I won't have her next semester.

Thanks again!

V

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Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surg, Nursery.

Keep your chin up, it's gonna happen! I made better grades before nursing school too, but I am thankful for what I make in the program now! As for your instructor - I have had some like that and I find it best to ignore them if at all possible. Is there another instructor you can talk to? We are assigned an advisor and while I have moved up a grade and have a new advisor, I still pay my 1st year advisor a visit from time to time. It's helpful to get close with at least one member of the teaching staff, if nothing else they can give you a perspective that is helpful because they have been where you are and they are looking back from where we want to be someday.

Hang in there!!

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If you haven't yet, buy a NCLEX review book or a few. It doesn't matter so much which one, but I like to have a few different varieties. I have 2 that are mainly NCLEX style questions (Saunders and Mosby), one on strategies (Kaplan, plus I am required to buy the Saunders on this too), and the Illustrated Study Guide from Mosby that has a lot of review information plus some questions. As Daytonite said, critical thinking involves pulling information together from many different sources - if you have a few sources other than your textbook, you may have an easier time recalling the info you need to answer your test questions. It's a big learning curve for a lot of people. Does your instructor offer test reviews, where she gives out the correct answers and you can ask questions? It's probably more important to figure out WHY you got an answer wrong than to memorize the information it contained. And no, two As and a C is certainly not failing. We didn't have a single exam last semester where the class average was higher than a low B, and most were in the C range. Good luck to you, and please stick with it!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Just always remember A=nurse B=nurse and C=nurse. The NCLEX doesn't ask whether or not you were an A or C student.

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Hang in there! While it won't necessarily get any easier, you will get used to it and learn a little better what is expected of you. Critical thinking takes practice and you will gradually get better at it. As for your teacher, she may turn out to have a really nice side once you get to know each other! Stress can cloud perspective; I hope you stick in there and give yourself some credit for tackling this program. Put on blinders to other people's grades because that can drive you crazy in a fast hurry and undermine your confidence. Just keep on putting one foot in front of the other and you will go forward.

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You have only been in for two weeks don't expect yourself to "think " like a nurse yet. Nursing school is there to teach you how to "critically think" I think I heard that phrase so much in my first year that it will forever haunt me .lol Give yourself sometime to adjust. And remember even those that get A's all through nursing school it doesn't make them a good nurse per se. Keep working hard and have faith in yourself.

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Iwant to thank you for posting your concerns about getting c grades. I was a great student in school. I hold right now a 3.5-4.0 gpa. i am a first year nursing student. i just cried to my husband a few minutes ago about quitting nursing school because of my c grades. after reading everyone comments about grades and finally becoming a RN. i do not feel bad about my C's thank god I am passing and possibly move on to the next level. thank god for this forum. i do not know what i would have done. this is a humble experiences because i tell my kids they need to get good grades and i would tell them i have A's and B's. now i will accept what my kids get now and let them know as long as you passing with a c and better you doing fine. thank you again for your post it help me. :balloons:

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I'm a first year student (starting in two weeks!!!). We spoke with a lot of the second year students and they gave us a lot of good advice. One piece of advice that she gave that would pertain to you is: Stick it out! She was failing, yes FAILING mid-term her first qtr. Passing in our school is 80% and there is no rounding up (meaning if you get a 79.9% you fail!). She passed with an 80.02%. Remember, you're not in competition anymore! C=Degree!!!

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