What? First Semester of Nursing School is already over?!

By: Jae Kook Lim, University of Central Florida

THE TITLE SAYS IT ALL!! Last week, I finished my very first semester of Nursing school. I am still in disbelief that it has gone by so fast. Seems like yesterday, I was just attending the nursing orientation with 120 strangers. BUT, it’s over. My peers and I have finished all of our check-offs for the requirement. Those have got to be one of the most stressful things to do; not because of every step needed to be memorized but more of the fact that we were given only two tries to do it. I know couple peers from the past who were held back because of these check offs. Although I was nervous beyond anything, I told myself that everything was okay. These check offs are there to ensure that the future nurses know what they are doing, not to fail people purposely. Honestly, who wants to have an incompetent nurse taking care of them? I wouldn’t!

10 Action Steps to Survive and Thrive Nursing School

I’ve been a nurse for more than 23 years yet I can remember almost every detail from nursing school (mental scars). Getting through my program was probably one of the most stressful and challenging periods of my life! The expectation of mastering a mountain of information, always being “tested” by your instructors, the constant worry that you’re going to make a mistake and the never-ending list of demands from your school – it’s a wonder that anyone graduates!

But we do. We somehow manage to survive.

Nursing school doesn’t have to leave you with mental scars. You and your classmates can do more than just survive school…you can thrive!!

Follow these steps for nursing school success:

Top 10 Quotes to Inspire Student Nurses

I recently finished a doctoral program. I had been in that program for 5 years!! I truly believe that when you enter into a program, that it’s a journey – not a destination. That you focus on how each class teaches you something you didn’t know before and how each class can change your practice if you look at it that way. But, if I’m being 100% honest, all I could think about during my last semester was finishing!! It sure felt good to be done – journey or no journey!!

If you’re in nursing school, I bet you can relate. You may even have a calendar that you cross off the days until graduation! I don’t know why it is but it seems like the last semester is the toughest. For me, I kept saying that I only survived though the grace of God and an amazing husband. Well, and my evening glass of wine if I got my work done!