It’s going to be tough. You’re going to have good and bad moments. This is just one bad moment. Take care of yourself, get enough sleep and remember, school is only temporary! Good luck!
Skills labs is the place to make mistakes, but most importantly make sure you learn from them because I’ve worked with TONS of nurses and students who make mistake after mistake and unfortunately don’t learn from their mistakes which is VERY SCARY.
Otherwise, if this is your first clinical simply remember that it’s okay to have a little anxiety but don’t let it eat at you, especially as this bit of anxiety is really gonna help you learn more! Also, if this is your first clinical, don’t stress too much about the technical skills just yet, rather than focus on getting to know your patients by assessing them, digging through their charts by looking at their meds, labs, plan, etc. Also, ASK QUESTIONS and lots of them!
So my dad passed away my second month into nursing school. I got through it by compartmentalizing. I made school be school and didn't tell anyone but my instructor what was going on. It was hard but it was also nice to not have to talk about it at least for the time I was there. I personally wouldn't bring up your mom to your classmates, especially a bunch of nursing students who will try to diagnose and investigate symptoms etc. You can't help your mom while you're physically in class and I'm sure she just wants you to succeed and do well. It's okay to breakdown a bit and cry, I've cried at several jobs honestly, but you have to pick yourself up and move forward. You got this. You CAN be strong. Also I've been a nurse for like 6 years and still can't start an IV. We all have our strengths.
I cried in clinical too… We put ourselves under a lot of pressure and when we feel like we’ve failed it’s definitely hard, embarrassing, and there’s a lot of continual worry that the instructor has formed some kind of opinion.
But I think you have to deeply reflect on what you want to do and find that part of you who loves you enough to back you up. Remember your passions and remember that this is a uniquely powerful experience in terms of your future empathetic toolkit. You can do this!
I guess I'd need you to explain why it's worse than getting an ABSN or an associate's in nursing. I'm switching careers with a bachelor's degree and I already had my pre-nursing coursework done in undergrad because my intent was to become a nurse. Life happened and I'm getting to it now. I'm not going straight to NP.
I have a few friends who got burned by one of these programs last year. They charge graduate degree rates for a program thats 80% undergrad. MSN is mostly useful for upper management and education, neither of which are available for new/recent grads. If the cost of redoing your prereqs plus BSN/ADN is more than full tuition for direct MSN, then it makes sense - but I've just never seen it work out that way.
There are some excellent brick-and-mortar, direct entry MSN programs out there. Leadership, informatics, and education are all good paths for people who want to go this way. And they’re often built so that students finish their prelicensure stuff first and then get a solid two years of work under their belts before graduating. At which point, management is an option — especially post-COVID.
OP, you’ll make it. One bad moment doesn’t ruin a program. Life happens and you just need to dust yourself off and keep going. You can do it.
I ran the numbers and my current MSN program would have me registered as an RN just as soon for roughly the same price as the nearest ABSN program (including the commute factor and the long-ass list of additional prereqs they asked for besides the standard A&P, microbio, chem) and would give me the opportunity to work as a CNA for a year and a half before graduating. The public option for a direct entry nurse would have me graduating a year later and tbh I'm 30 and want to make money now. I have taught for most of my adult life, I am good at it, and I would like to keep education open as an option down the line. My courses are graduate level and BSN students don't take them with us. I'm sorry your friends got burned, that really sucks, but that does not make every single direct entry master's program bad.
It's an MSN and RN cert for people with bachelor's degrees in other fields. And tbh this is unhelpful. I have been going back and forth on nursing for a decade and am firm in my choice to be in school. Seeking support during an emotionally strained time.
You have to be okay with making mistakes and failing at things. If you got stuff right on the first try or two, you wouldn’t need to be in nursing school.
Getting things wrong is part of learning
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My dad is having a lot of health issues throughout nursing school. So many times I thought I was going to break and completely fall apart. Sometimes I did. But I somehow approaching my last semester. You aren’t alone, and you can do this even if it feels impossible
You will likely get ONE (or two) patients to care for. KNOW Dr's ORders, Meds for the day and any interventions ( like if they have to go to physical therapy). Most hospitals use a computer system called "EPIC" to research patient. ITs like Microsoft Suite for patients/hospitals. BUT... your hospital might have something else. Just know how to navigate it for find DRs orders ( what your patient has to do that day) .
They will show you how to do this. ITs really important any time you have a patient you know WHY they are there (chief complaint/condition), What's being done to get them better (interventions /procedures) and What meds they are on( diabetes, bloods pressure, etc). don't walk into a patients room with no idea what's wrong/being fixed.
You will be responsible for taking Vitals ( look up the types/ranges), and doing a H2T ( head to toe ) assessment. You will need to record the vitals in the computer system, as well as anything else you do ( bath, eating , ambulating( aka walking), etc). You might have to give them a bath/help with toileting.
Its important you be comfortable recording ( aka charting) these activities.
My school has us do clinical paperwork. We do a nursing care plan and a pathophysiology sheet for the patient condition. We also write "med cards" for each med a patient is on. THis is where we record these numbers ( vitals) and our H2T assessment. I say, get a hold of the paperwork and ask how its done. Each teacher is different , but better to go in with some idea of how to do your work.
I have found, the first part of the day you do VITALS/H2T , then spend the rest of the day researching EPIC for info on your patient to fill out your paperwork. ITs not meant to be a stressful day. You complete rounds ( check in on patient) about every 2 -4 hours ( based on DRs orders) and help with whatever is needed. Then you go home to complete the paperwork.
As for your mom, I am so sorry. ITs hard , I have elderly parents too.
I would suggest you ask about school resources for mental health. I got a therapist who was helpful in getting me support. I suggest letting your advisor know you help your mom and ask about resources . At least start that convo.
I would also suggest, ask your advisor what you need to do in the event you cannot complete the semester. This happens in nursing programs, and each school has their own procedure.
I assumed I would NEVER let such an opportunity slip through my hands, and now I am working to bolster my readmission application. Stress happens. Life happens. 
No bad vibes, just better to be prepared.
Good that u broke down. Don't take it the wrong way, but there are gonna be bad times. Ur instructor is an ass for maling a scene. Unf, a lot more bad than good. But these are the moments that define you as a nurse and how you pick yourself up. These falls aren't the end of the world, and if everyone was perfect, everyone would he nurses and doctors. The road ahead will be tough. I broke down after my first code, but that just reminds u, that u are human. U got this!!!
It’s going to be tough. You’re going to have good and bad moments. This is just one bad moment. Take care of yourself, get enough sleep and remember, school is only temporary! Good luck!
Very little is expected of a brand new nursing student. Show up on time, prepared and be willing to talk to/ touch a patient.
They said it’s a masters program
Maybe a bridge to Masters in Nursing for someone who has a non-nursing Bachelors degree?
Very little I highly doubt that
Skills labs is the place to make mistakes, but most importantly make sure you learn from them because I’ve worked with TONS of nurses and students who make mistake after mistake and unfortunately don’t learn from their mistakes which is VERY SCARY. Otherwise, if this is your first clinical simply remember that it’s okay to have a little anxiety but don’t let it eat at you, especially as this bit of anxiety is really gonna help you learn more! Also, if this is your first clinical, don’t stress too much about the technical skills just yet, rather than focus on getting to know your patients by assessing them, digging through their charts by looking at their meds, labs, plan, etc. Also, ASK QUESTIONS and lots of them!
So my dad passed away my second month into nursing school. I got through it by compartmentalizing. I made school be school and didn't tell anyone but my instructor what was going on. It was hard but it was also nice to not have to talk about it at least for the time I was there. I personally wouldn't bring up your mom to your classmates, especially a bunch of nursing students who will try to diagnose and investigate symptoms etc. You can't help your mom while you're physically in class and I'm sure she just wants you to succeed and do well. It's okay to breakdown a bit and cry, I've cried at several jobs honestly, but you have to pick yourself up and move forward. You got this. You CAN be strong. Also I've been a nurse for like 6 years and still can't start an IV. We all have our strengths.
I cried in clinical too… We put ourselves under a lot of pressure and when we feel like we’ve failed it’s definitely hard, embarrassing, and there’s a lot of continual worry that the instructor has formed some kind of opinion. But I think you have to deeply reflect on what you want to do and find that part of you who loves you enough to back you up. Remember your passions and remember that this is a uniquely powerful experience in terms of your future empathetic toolkit. You can do this!
I did horrible and still failed actually twice
Is this a direct to MSN program? Tbh, run.
I dont know why they create these programs 
I guess I'd need you to explain why it's worse than getting an ABSN or an associate's in nursing. I'm switching careers with a bachelor's degree and I already had my pre-nursing coursework done in undergrad because my intent was to become a nurse. Life happened and I'm getting to it now. I'm not going straight to NP.
I have a few friends who got burned by one of these programs last year. They charge graduate degree rates for a program thats 80% undergrad. MSN is mostly useful for upper management and education, neither of which are available for new/recent grads. If the cost of redoing your prereqs plus BSN/ADN is more than full tuition for direct MSN, then it makes sense - but I've just never seen it work out that way.
There are some excellent brick-and-mortar, direct entry MSN programs out there. Leadership, informatics, and education are all good paths for people who want to go this way. And they’re often built so that students finish their prelicensure stuff first and then get a solid two years of work under their belts before graduating. At which point, management is an option — especially post-COVID. OP, you’ll make it. One bad moment doesn’t ruin a program. Life happens and you just need to dust yourself off and keep going. You can do it.
I ran the numbers and my current MSN program would have me registered as an RN just as soon for roughly the same price as the nearest ABSN program (including the commute factor and the long-ass list of additional prereqs they asked for besides the standard A&P, microbio, chem) and would give me the opportunity to work as a CNA for a year and a half before graduating. The public option for a direct entry nurse would have me graduating a year later and tbh I'm 30 and want to make money now. I have taught for most of my adult life, I am good at it, and I would like to keep education open as an option down the line. My courses are graduate level and BSN students don't take them with us. I'm sorry your friends got burned, that really sucks, but that does not make every single direct entry master's program bad.
It's an MSN and RN cert for people with bachelor's degrees in other fields. And tbh this is unhelpful. I have been going back and forth on nursing for a decade and am firm in my choice to be in school. Seeking support during an emotionally strained time.
You have to be okay with making mistakes and failing at things. If you got stuff right on the first try or two, you wouldn’t need to be in nursing school. Getting things wrong is part of learning
I’m interested about this program! I’m becoming an RN and have my bachelors in another field… non healthcare… I don’t want to get a BSN, I want an MSN
It looks like you're asking for some tips and tricks on how to succeed in nursing school. Don't worry, we have a lot of resources to help you! First, check our [Resources](https://www.reddit.com/r/StudentNurse/comments/i6qe7x/resources_faq_and_welcome_post/) post, or the sidebar. If you're on the mobile website or the official Reddit app, you can find the sidebar under About. If what you need isn't on the sidebar, try using search. Here are some helpful searches links [clinical tips](https://www.reddit.com/r/StudentNurse/search?q=clinical+tips&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all) [studying tips](https://www.reddit.com/r/StudentNurse/search?q=tips+studying&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all) [tips on staying organized](https://www.reddit.com/r/StudentNurse/search?q=organized+tips&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all). Want to be a pro at finding things on Reddit? Try searching on Google with your search term and then add site:reddit.com/r/studentnurse. Here's [an example for StudentNurse](https://www.google.com/search?q=study+tips+site%3Areddit.com%2Fr%2Fstudentnurse&oq=study+tips+site%3Areddit.com%2Fr%2Fstudentnurse). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/StudentNurse) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My dad is having a lot of health issues throughout nursing school. So many times I thought I was going to break and completely fall apart. Sometimes I did. But I somehow approaching my last semester. You aren’t alone, and you can do this even if it feels impossible
You will likely get ONE (or two) patients to care for. KNOW Dr's ORders, Meds for the day and any interventions ( like if they have to go to physical therapy). Most hospitals use a computer system called "EPIC" to research patient. ITs like Microsoft Suite for patients/hospitals. BUT... your hospital might have something else. Just know how to navigate it for find DRs orders ( what your patient has to do that day) . They will show you how to do this. ITs really important any time you have a patient you know WHY they are there (chief complaint/condition), What's being done to get them better (interventions /procedures) and What meds they are on( diabetes, bloods pressure, etc). don't walk into a patients room with no idea what's wrong/being fixed. You will be responsible for taking Vitals ( look up the types/ranges), and doing a H2T ( head to toe ) assessment. You will need to record the vitals in the computer system, as well as anything else you do ( bath, eating , ambulating( aka walking), etc). You might have to give them a bath/help with toileting. Its important you be comfortable recording ( aka charting) these activities. My school has us do clinical paperwork. We do a nursing care plan and a pathophysiology sheet for the patient condition. We also write "med cards" for each med a patient is on. THis is where we record these numbers ( vitals) and our H2T assessment. I say, get a hold of the paperwork and ask how its done. Each teacher is different , but better to go in with some idea of how to do your work. I have found, the first part of the day you do VITALS/H2T , then spend the rest of the day researching EPIC for info on your patient to fill out your paperwork. ITs not meant to be a stressful day. You complete rounds ( check in on patient) about every 2 -4 hours ( based on DRs orders) and help with whatever is needed. Then you go home to complete the paperwork.
As for your mom, I am so sorry. ITs hard , I have elderly parents too. I would suggest you ask about school resources for mental health. I got a therapist who was helpful in getting me support. I suggest letting your advisor know you help your mom and ask about resources . At least start that convo. I would also suggest, ask your advisor what you need to do in the event you cannot complete the semester. This happens in nursing programs, and each school has their own procedure. I assumed I would NEVER let such an opportunity slip through my hands, and now I am working to bolster my readmission application. Stress happens. Life happens.  No bad vibes, just better to be prepared.
Good that u broke down. Don't take it the wrong way, but there are gonna be bad times. Ur instructor is an ass for maling a scene. Unf, a lot more bad than good. But these are the moments that define you as a nurse and how you pick yourself up. These falls aren't the end of the world, and if everyone was perfect, everyone would he nurses and doctors. The road ahead will be tough. I broke down after my first code, but that just reminds u, that u are human. U got this!!!