Vent on Nursing School

[scubanurse]

So as many of you know, I'm in nursing school. I seem to have lost any and all motivation right now to continue. Some things in my personal life are making it more and more challenging to push through this downward slump I seem to be in. I'm so close to finishing but it seems impossibly far away. I've lost sight of why I wanted to be a nurse in the first place and that really isn't helping anything. Part of it might be that I'm missing Maryland and my family back east, hopefully a week there over Thanksgiving will help. It just seems like it would be so much easier to just give up. I haven't slept more than 5 hours in a night since April and it is really starting to wear me down. I have an amazing husband and wonderful friends, but I can't seem to reach out and tell them I'm struggling. I don't think they would understand. I've always been a really good student and I've always worked so hard to achieve what I want in life. I got a B last term though and I totally dropped the ball. I have no other excuse besides that. I just didn't study for the final and it dropped me to a B. Since learning that back on Monday things have only gotten worse.

I know I've been a stranger lately and mostly just lurke unless I have an opinion I care to voice, but some motivation from you guys would be really appreciated. I don't like this feeling of walking through the motions everyday and putting on a fake smile at school. I'm falling apart inside and don't know what to do.

I know this may seem like a small issue and most people will just think that I'm complaining and should be lucky to be in school and not on a waiting list like most people are, but I don't know if I'm cut out for this? I know the nursing aspect I can do. I will be a great nurse. It's just getting through the school that is killing me. How do I find that motivation to drive through the next 30 weeks until I'm done?

[DwayneEMTP]

My guess Girl, is that you're probably more or less where you're supposed to be.

Any decent school that focuses on medicine, I'm guessing, is going to try at some point to weed out the whiners and cry babies. Those that just can't hang. If you're feeling this way now, and we know that you're strong, and smart, then I'm guessing that there are plenty more fake smiles in your nursing class too.

There were times in the last year of medic school, which is likely less challenging than nursing, when it truly made me sick to my stomach to open my books again. I was so exhausted from the whole process that I just didn't think that I could do it. What worked for me is I'd say, "Ok. You've tried hard enough. Just go in and wake Bab's up and tell her 'thanks for all of your sacrifices, but they were for nothing. I'm going to quit now.'" and I couldn't do it. So then I'd say, "Ok. One more day. That's all. I'll go to class/clinicals/work just one more day so that I know that I did the very best that I could, but tomorrow I'm going to tell them that I quit." And that kept me going for months. That, and doing what you're doing, coming here and letting our City brothers and sisters carry me for a while...

If your husband had helped you through this, if he's shouldered more than his fare share of the family load to allow you to do this, then understand that you no longer have to do it for you...he deserves for you to do it for him, doesn't he?

Stop thinking about the future, stop thinking about why you want it, or if you need it...all of that is for another day. Now, just do today then get naked, get laid, recharge, and then tomorrow, just do that day too. Looking forward can create a massive burdon when the reality is that one day really isn't that much work, right? Would you be exhausted and demoralized tomorrow, if tomorrow was your last day of school?

Keep your chin up Babe....you've got this...

[paramedicmike]

I know exactly how you feel. I'm in school at the moment, too, and I felt what you're feeling not too long ago. I've only got a couple more months. But the apathy and lack of motivation, very similar to what you're feeling and brought on by the constant pressure and pace of school (not to mention all the BS busy work faculty wants us to do), is constantly present and a daily challenge.

Try this and see if it works for you. A friend of mine suggested it and it has helped me through the past two years of school. Remind yourself, at least once daily, that this is a good thing. School is a good thing. The stress you're feeling is a good thing. The total effort involved in getting through nursing school is a good thing. This is a good thing because it will all be worth it in the end.

Yes, it's cliché. Yes. You'll feel silly saying it to yourself at first. But it really is a good thing. It will be worth every last ounce of effort you put into this.

Hang tough. Keep breathing.

It's a good thing!

[scratrat]

It must be a nursing school thing. My wife felt the same way. She seemed close to a nervous breakdown more than once. She had also thought about dropping out but had to chug forward.

I don't know that what works for one, works for another. I don't remember feeling that way during paramedic school, but that was 12 years ago. Maybe my old age allowed me to forget about it. Be that as it may, don't forget " TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF/FAMILY. Easier said than done, I know. Even if it's 2 hours getting your nails/hair/whatever done. When she was freaking out I made her go out antiquing with the kids. That was her escape.

Believe me, I know that the workload is enormous and overwhelming. But you have to take a few hours off. Why don't you take your husband out for a dinner date?? No talking about school!! Just you two!! Couple of hours then you can resume learning, lol.

[scubanurse]

Thanks guys I know I can do it, it's just sometimes I don't even know how to get going. It'll all work out in the end and I'll be thankful for sticking it out through the hard times. Dwayne... your comment about going and telling my husband that I want to drop out made me cry worse! I can't let all the people in my life down, they would be so disappointed in me.

Mike you are so right... all the BS busy work is what's really doing it. We have to write these flow sheets out each week for different disease processes. I know they're trying to help us in memorizing it, but it's not how I learn. Sometimes it's like they're forcing us to all be the same type of learner and it just doesn't work that way.

Thanks for letting me vent and giving me some motivation/words of advice, it is really helpful

[rock_shoes]

Mike you are so right... all the BS busy work is what's really doing it. We have to write these flow sheets out each week for different disease processes. I know they're trying to help us in memorizing it, but it's not how I learn. Sometimes it's like they're forcing us to all be the same type of learner and it just doesn't work that way.

That seems to be a serious problem with many education systems. Rather than try adapting instruction style to the students, students are expected to adapt to whatever style is presented.

I've often thought programs should test students for their learner type, then break up the classes and instruction using the results as a guideline.

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[chbare]

Unfortunately, the Prussian educational system still rules. However, many programmes reinforce learning in multiple ways. This is part of the reason nursing schools incorporate labs, videos, paper writing, research, drug cards, care plans, group activities and so on. It allows a programme to employ multiple methods and reach as many people as possible. Offering a class for every learning style in a single programme would be a massive financial and logistical undertaking. I'm not sure it could realistically be completed. For example, I teach an allied physics class. I could not imagine having several sections of my class to cover every learning style. First, that would be a massive amount of time spent on a three credit class. Next, where would we find the space? Additionally, where will the money and logistical support come from? Finally, how do I ensure all the students have learned the material if the results of standard testing end up all over the place? Instead, I incorporate multiple techniques such as demonstration, group work, experimentation and you tube videos along with traditional lecturing in order to appeal as broadly as possible.

Also remember nursing programmes are accredited. Most likely, her programme is state and hopefully NLNAC accredited. These bodies mandate certain requirements and the nursing programmes often structure their curricula in order to meet said requirements. I remember absolutely hating our weekly article review assignments in respiratory school. Turns out, my programme mandated this because part of CoARC accreditation mandates a research component, a requirement that was met by doing article reviews.

To the OP. We all become amotivated and discouraged. Thirty weeks may seem like a long time, but it is deceivingly short. I too thought nursing school would last forever. Over ten years later, I guarantee you, it's a drop in the bucket of life. Push on and you'll receive the prize soon enough.

[rock_shoes]

Point taken Chbare. I do still feel that a great deal more can be done in adapting to varying learning styles. Firstly, and I think most importantly, the type of learner a student is can by reasonable extension be associated to the type of program that student chooses. I realize general education classes will have a broad mix of students, but this principle can certainly be applied to program specific courses.

Secondly, in my experience accreditation dictates the standard that must be met not the methods used to meet that standard.

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[chbare]

You are correct, but programmes must implement policies that do the greatest good for the greatest number of students. I do see changes however. Social media and technology is shaping the way we currently look at education. We cannot deny the impact of people such as Salman Khan.

[scubanurse]

For the most part it's good, but the way they have us organizing pathologies just isn't jiving with my brain. I had a teacher in highschool who let us outline however our brains wanted to. I think rather than a pre-outlined sheet to fill in, telling us to include the pathology, etiology, diagnosis criteria, treatment, nursing intervention, and NANDA's in a way that works for us would be better, but then it would take her more time to go through and grade it.

I feel much better now that I've organized my school work more and created a system of tracking assignments and due dates. Part of my problem is I am a completely disorganized type A personality. I like perfection and order but I can't ever seem to get my life in order. Sometimes it is a constant state of chaos.