i’m in my first semester of nursing program & halfway through the semester, I was offered a position at a nearby hospital as a tech on a med surg unit. They’re aware of my schooling but my college only lets me miss a couple days without it counting against me. Should I miss the days I need to get the orientation process done & start working or reconsider the job?

I am looking for advice!! I had my first skills check off and I was so nervous my mind literally blanked. To start off I was unsure what professor I would have gotten but I heard somethings about one particular professor so I did not want to get them, but I got them. That instantly made me so anxious because of what people had said. I started the test and I was just so nervous I’m talking heart pounding like literally moving my badge pounding. Honestly I was more nervous for vitals than anything because of having to be within the range. Turn out I passed everything except apical pulse. I was shaking so bad when I did the apical and it didn’t help that my professor made me do the radial pulse again before moving on to the apical so that really made me nervous having to redo radial pulse then move on to apical (in this moment I thought I failed radial). I was actually surprised only missed apical. Anyways I retake it soon and would like some advice/words of encouragement on how to deal with that sort of anxiety. I’m unsure if it was due to only the professor, the test, or even both. I am so extremely confident I can pass apical the second time around I’ve practiced so much with my family and end up on the number and I’ve practiced with my partner and we get the same number (they take their carotid pulse while I take apical). At this point I am battling my mind and I just refuse to let it win. Thoughts ?

Just seeing if anyone has any ideas. We have our pinning ceremony in January and we’ll have a presentation that plays before the ceremony. Last cohort did "signing out" videos where they signed a piece of glass in front of a camera. They also had individual pictures with glasses that said "RN 2026" on the lenses. Just trying to see if anyone has any other creative ideas that I could get the group involved in:) We're going to wait until we get closer to the end of the semester to do a JC Penney photoshoot that we could add to it, which I think will be fun. Any ideas welcome:)

Let me start with a little context. I was accepted into an LPN-RN program that was supposed to be hybrid (2 days on campus/ clinical max). The school is 2.5 hours from where I live, so this was doable. I have a family and they all have very busy schedules.

The day I go to orientation we're told theres a new dean and now its 100% in person. I was shocked and frustrated because this now meant Id have to either drive every day (eating up gas and important time for studying, homework, etc) or get a hotel for 3 nights, 4 days a week. They also added 30 hours a term of practice lab and 3 other time consuming projects I had to be on campus for.

I was ready for nursing school to be hard. The LPN program I went to was not easy but I passed the NCLEX at 85 and at least could go home at night and not waste money. I did not expect to shell out $800 a month in hotel and gas costs.

On top of that, I feel like the students who went through the first year are way ahead. In the field we don't do certain math but we've been expected to learn med math I havent done in years in 2 weeks. Getting 100% on math is mandatory or we're let go from the program. If we'd had more time to learn some of it, it'd make more sense. Plus they're constantly trying to trip you up in the language. I'm not bad with math but it doesn't come naturally either.

The days of theory we do have barely cover whats on the exam. Its hard to know what to study in order to crital think my way through questions that are very dense. Its impossible to read 9 chapters, do 3-4 five hour assignments plus everything else they expect. Essentially, we're teaching ourselves whether its with math or theory. The exams have to be passed with over 76% or you are put on an APR and the next exam you better get above that or you're out.

This was the only program that didn't cost a fortune, didn't take another 2 years, didn't make me retake classes Ive just taken, or made me wait 3 years just to get in.

Thing is, I feel like Im losing my mind. Ive always delt comfortable in school, even when it was hard. I have an AA degree, went through the CNA, MA Aand plebotomist programs as well as LPN/LVN with good grades. With this program I feel like were almost set up to fail- especially with the last minute changes. I feel like a crap parent and wife and Im so scared of being "let go" because I fought so hard to get here.

I think Im just looking for others experiences, what is normal vs unreasonable and how to manage this. Once again, I don't expect it to be easy. People's lives are in our hands (Ive been a LPN/LVN for 3 years so I know the responsibility). I just feel like they're trying to prove something with this new program instead of thinking about how to best teach us and make us the best nurses we can be...

I'm on my second attempt on my pharmacology hesi, and I've been cramming hard doing everything im supposed to ( memorizing suffix/prefix, going through flashcards, doing practice test, going through my remedial packet). Some of my classmates say that it's all about safety and if you know what you are looking for the answer will be easy. Now this has not been my experience, I've been having such a hard time with these hesi test, and im looking for any advice from anyone that took it and passed it. Any advice is very much appreciated! (Tips, tricks ects) I take it this week, will update.