on the verge of failing!

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Im in my first semester of nursing school and on the verge of failing! I'm wondering if others are going through the same issues. We've started with Nursing 1 and Pharm. The questions on the tests are worded as if it were the boards. Clinicals and labs aren't included in our grades, but if we don't do well in clinical and have a good grade they can fail us. Is that the norm? Our prereqs were Anat and Phys 1 and 2, Psychology, Soc,. and Math. I study and study and study. I'm making myself sick with worry. Our instructors have given us test taking tips and I feel confident after every test, but when grade time comes around it's not good. Does anyone have any advice..opinions?:crying2:

Thanks for the encouragement! Ive made an appointment with the instructors. I have to pull my grade up 7 points with two tests and a final left. Does anyone think this is possible?

Absolutely, I had to bring my grade up by 9 points in one test and I did it...You can do it too! just believe in your self:)

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Please meet with an academic counselor.

Do not try to figure it out on your own.

Trust me. I know.

Make an appointment today!!

Also, get an NCLEX book and do the practice tests. Don't be discouraged by what you get wrong. Read the rationales!!!

When you read the rationales and see why you got the question wrong, you may be very very surprised at what you learn.

Good luck!

Read the rationales even when you get the answer right. I am amazed how many times I read the rationales for questions I got right and discover my reasoning that lead to me getting it right was still wrong.

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Thanks so much for the encouraging words. I have an appointment and am hoping we can figure some things out. It's scary because I know if I don't get an 87 or above on these last tests, I fail. I want to be a nurse so much!

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Read the rationales even when you get the answer right. I am amazed how many times I read the rationales for questions I got right and discover my reasoning that lead to me getting it right was still wrong.

I agree. I did this for every single exam when I was in school, as did many of my classmates. It really helps. And after you meet with your instructor, you can try speaking with some of the other students in your class, to see what has been helping them. It doesn't hurt to hear what techniques they've been using. Maybe you can get an idea or two that will work for you.

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Specializes in Thoracic Cardiovasc ICU Med-Surg.

Just remember studying nursing is NOT like studying A&P. Bio was straight memorization and anybody can do that. Nursing requires and understanding of A. what the question is asking

B. What are the underlying conditions, signs, symptoms, complications and associated labs and

C What do you do FIRST? (Nursing Process ADPIE).

My advice: Read your textbooks. Recopy your notes. Read your text books. Think to yourself, if I was the teacher, what would I test on?

What I did--The more anxious I got, the more I studied. By the time I took boards it was something like 6 hours a day. (I was very anxious! lol) Good luck.

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I was thinking about how much I could relate to your initial post and how much harder nursing was for me than I think I ever imagined it would be. I guess I might disagree with those encouraging you to speak to your instructors. I struggled through fundamentals and felt like approaching my professor was a really bad decision - I didn't get the encouragement that I think others might be imagining you will get. I ended up doing well in that class despite my experience and only after I did better did I feel like I was treated with any respect (my prof actually told me that I probably wouldn't pass the nclex - it was obscene.) I did really well in med surge and have an A in my current class. I hope that you have a better experience - but please don't give up if you don't. For me just studying all the time day and night was the only thing that did any good - good luck!

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Thanks-I spoke with them and one instructor told me my pharm class was basically unsalvageable.:( I left with a very heavy heart, but when working with the numbers, it is possible. Fundamentals is borderline. Please wish me luck and prayers this week. This week will probably decide my fate.

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I will pray for you, they really helped me!

let us know how it goes:)

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Well my grade came up on this past test but i dont know if its enough. Ive worked sooo hard. Im almost ready to just finish it and let it be done! Its very discouraging. Our final exam counts for 15% of thegrade and we dont get to review or see old tests. So frustrated!

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