Well, this is worrying, and very scary

Columnist · May 9, 2009

Hello Ready,Able. Welcome to allnurses.

:spnngwlcm:

You will find lots of encouraging and informative posts throughout the site. Good luck!!!!!

athena55, BSN, RN · May 9, 2009

did any body else worry so much about being accepted? i look at my gpa and everything and i always think i'm doing the worst out of everybody, but i'm trying so hard. i'm passing, not having to retake classes, and doing the very best that i can. for some reason, i feel like that won't be enough and i will end up not getting into the program here at my university or any program what so ever.

hello ready,able:

re-read what you wrote: "....i'm trying so hard. i'm passing, not having to retake classes, and doing the very best that i can" that tells me a lot about your study habits. i do hope you feel a wee bit confident in yourself that you take some time out for you. i recognize your, anxiety, for want of a better word, over and about your future. you have invested a lot of time and study and you are concerned about your being accepted into the university of your choice.

have you spoken to an instructor or professor that you feel comfortable approaching about your concerns and worries?

do you feel you need to study a wee bit more for a specific exam that is coming up?

nothing i say here on this forum will make you feel any better. but something i learned a while ago helped me, just a little. {i still get those pre-test nerves, smile}. "believe in yourself". try to be confident in what you know. acknowledge that you do know "stuff". recognize that you haven't failed anything and you are applying yourself to your studies.

i'm sending you cyber hugs, kiddo.....

athena (been there, still sometimes feel like that)

Sarah Hay · May 9, 2009

You must be confident. When I applied to the RN program, I didn't really have my heart in it. I scored probably the lowest on the NLN-entrance exam but I got in because of my 4.0 me thinks. X) I wish you luck!

bananimal · May 9, 2009

Worrying is definitely warranted because most nursing programs are very, very competitive. However, some schools don't look only at grades, they look at entrance exams and experience, etc. It may take you a few semesters/years to get accepted into a program, a lot of people will realistically have to wait awhile, so keep that in mind. It may not be because you aren't qualified, it just totally depends on who the applicants are for that year.. I've been pursuing nursing since I got out of high school in 2005, and I just got accepted into a competitive program for this coming fall... about 1000 applicants for about 100 spots, and I didn't have straight A's or anything close to that.. you just have to have hope.. and keep trying.. don't be discouraged if you don't make it right away, there is always next year (: And if you don't make it, you could retake the courses you did poorly in to get a higher grade.. Or take a CNA course and get some experience.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · May 9, 2009

Ready, Able. . .30+ years ago when I was taking my pre-reqs I worried about it. Then, I was accepted, but only made it and was put on a waiting list. Finally, my turn came. When I finally got into nursing classes I worried about passing. Then, after graduation I worried about passing the state board (we didn't have the NCLEX in those days). When I decided to go back for my BSN I went through the entire process again. I worried about being accepted into the university. Then, worried about passing the qualifying exam the nursing department gave. We had to take a clinical practical exam to prove our competency as RNs and 75% of us that took it were failed and I was one of them. Surprise! It was a test to knock our attitudes down a few notches. Some programs, I guess, like to do that to get students into a pliable state of mind. The test was rigged and they deliberately failed those of us who were staff nurses (this was an program that trained managers). Then, with classes, they did some of the same thing and gave us exams where students could not pass. We didn't know at the time that they were jerking us around and testing our metal and determination. For those of us that stuck with it, we graduated and got our BSNs.

What I would tell you is this. . .what you should learn before dying is how to face your fears. You can do it now with nursing school. If you don't I guarantee that throughout your life there will be plenty of other opportunities to face fears. It is how we learn and grow as human beings. None of us knows what lies ahead for each of us. Perhaps it was my destiny to become a nurse, then a BSN and now someone that answers student questions on allnurses. Perhaps yours is to be an RN as well. The thing is that it is the journey that makes the person. And nothing that we experience is ever wasted. What you experience and learn today or next year could be called into service 30 years from now. So, as worrisome as all this may be, try to enjoy the journey. Those of us who have already been through it know exactly how you are feeling because we went through many of the same emotions.

My recommendations are that you keep a clear picture in your mind of you dressed as an RN doing RN things (a visualization exercise). Put this mental picture out there to the universe as often as you can and let universe do its thing. This is a metaphysics thing. If you are religious, then pray for it. Remember the story of Moses? It is a very spiritual thing to be molded first by facing many hardships of one sort or another before being rewarded. Rewards must be earned; they are never just handed to us. If your destiny is to be an RN, then it will happen because you earned the right.