The Funny Side of Nursing School and being a Student Nurse

Anyone who has been to nursing school can tell you how stressful it is and how it totally occupies your life. One way of dealing with this overwhelming stress is to look at the humorous side of it. The ability to laugh at yourself makes for a happier environment for all involved, whether classmates, co-workers or patients. Humor will get you through most anything and it will make life-long friends along the way.

If you're just starting out in your journey to be a nurse, just remember to keep your eye on your dream, don't let anyone take that dream away from you, have some fun and know that this too shall pass!

In my lense I feature humorous t-shirt and gift designs for nursing students and real bonafide nurses.

If you want to go straight to my main source of funny clothing and gifts for nursing students here it is: BonafideNurse - Funny Student Nurse T-shirts Gifts < But don't forget to check out the rest of my lense!

Get your big girl panties and big boy briefs on and prepare to forge ahead. It will be tough, but you can do it because YOU ARE NOT A SISSIE, YOU ARE A FUTURE NURSE!

Nobody denies that Nursing School is going to be stressful. In fact, it may be one of the most stressful things you will ever do in your entire life. But, remember, you have planned for this day to arrive and you are ready! So, bring it on!

You will survive this thing, You will overcome the trials and the brain rearranging and you will become a nurse! So, there!

If you've read The Secret, you know the power of positive thinking. Here's a version of how to survive Nursing School on an old scroll that you can share with other students on your t-shirt.

Amazon has some books that you may be interested in if you are thinking about becoming a nurse or are already a student nurse. Be sure to check out the used books under the same title - if your'e in nursing school, your money is probably tight.

Everything seems scary when you are starting out in nursing school. Even learning the correct way to wash your hands can be intimidating. You feel so incompetent and like a real accident waiting to happen in everything you do. Just remember - everyone was in your shoes once.

Here is the perfect sign for those stressed student nurses: Danger - Nurse under construction. (Don't let anyone say you didn't warn them.)

What seems so simple after you've had some nursing practice and experience seems mindboggling when you are learning. That's what all those instruction manuals and simulation dummies are for - so you don't inflate a real catheter balloon and then try to insert it :)

You will probably question your decision to become a Nurse at some point during school. This is normal as you are discovering the not-so-glamorous aspects of nursing - it's not all about the nifty scrubs and the cute stethoscope after all. Give yourself a few minutes to wallow in the feelings and then cast them out (remember everyone has these self doubts at one time or another). Well, here's your doubt spelled out for you so you can announce it, laugh about it, and move on.

You know it's going to be tough, but you can do it. Just get your head on straight and emit positive vibes to all you come into contact with while in nursing school. Let your aura sing with this fun hippie design while spreading the love to your classmates and instructors. Oh well, sounds like a good idea, anyway. Can't hurt.

Just keep saying to yourself: Nursing School will not defeat me and repeat it over and over in your head until you fully believe it. Mind over matter. This design will announce it to anyone coming into your space just in case they wondered.

Get on your attitude: Love me some nursing school, uh huh! (Not to say you'll need it or anything like that.) This humorous mantra that you and everyone around can repeat to themselves will be a starter towards that positive outlook that your are going to cultivate in school, right?

You love Nursing School and it loves you - just keep saying this to yourself, and that's right, announce it to everyone.

A picture of a normal brain and your pickled brain in nursing school on a fun t-shirt says it all. (Just remember to eat some protein to fuel those brain cells before class and especially before tests)

Yes, the unknown can be scary and sometimes you would like to run or hide. Just remember that clinicals are where you learn how to be a nurse. If you hide and don't act enthusiastic or volunteer to try things, you won't learn how. You want to learn all you can so you will be ahead of the game when you start on the floor. Got it?

Oh, and another point or two - if you are finished with your patient, volunteer to help someone else who isn't. What goes around, comes around. Good Karma. Remember also that nurses on the floor take notice of students who are willing to learn, appreciative and perform well. (hint: this might be a good thing when you are looking for a real job). And, by all means, always report to them about what you have done and thank them before you leave the floor.

Oh, the dreaded clinicals! The scary patients, the even scarier instructors, the medications, the care maps, the total feeling of imcompetence. Just remember that we are learning and remember to laugh at yourself. Just don't feel like you need to blabbermouth when someone else screws up. We all make mistakes! And, therefore, here's your sign: What happens in clinicals, stays in clinicals.

Here's a funny take on how we handle Blabbermouths in school showing a vintage photo of a couple of nurses applying a large bandage around the snitch's jaw and reading "and that brings us to a really big one called the Nursing School Blabbermouth Bandage"

Amazon recommends this book to help you make it through Clinicals, which are one of the most terrifying and yet exciting part of nursing school when you actually get to do some real nurse stuff!

Most everyone hates doing those careplans and involved care maps. Unfortunately, they are a necessary evil in order to have a plan of care for your patient and to think like a nurse. It's just that it is hard to do them at 1:00 in the morning after everything else you have to get done. So here's your excuse for not getting yours done - a possum ate it. (Hey, if you're from the South, this could happen)

Here are some references for writing careplans which can help at 1:00 am when you are brain dead.

Here's your care map, student nurses, with the interventions for all those diagnoses: just graduate!

Trying to remember all the stuff you learn in nursing school is almost impossible unless you are blessed with a photographic memory. So here is your diagnosis about craming all that information into one small head.

If you have some spare time between all that studying and preparing for nursing classes, here are a couple of books that may help you remember important things. (Probably better to read them before you start classes, I'm just thinking.)

A common diagnosis in nursing concerns people who have skin breakdown and decubitus ulcers. Well, this could also apply to nursing students who sit for long periods of time while studying. Remember to get up periodically, take a break and move around. So, here's your shirt:

Did I mention how stressfull Nursing School is? Well, tis true, but look at the bright side - it doesn't last that long, it only seems to.

There are lots of reasons as to why you are tired all the time while in Nursing School - the huge text books, the hours spent studying them, the careplans, the tests, the lack of sleep, the lack of proper nutrition, etc., etc.. Just remember to take a little time for yourself and your family, treat yourself to something you like, eat something nutritious with protein for energy, meditate a little and don't stay up all night studying!

A humorous classified lost and found listed by a nursing student pretty much says it all,

You may have to take a break from all the things of everyday life that you take for granted such as family, friends, cooking, relaxing, vacation, etc., etc. One thing positive about it is that you will learn to appreciate those little and not so little things and they will learn to appreciate you right back!

When you get burned out, it's time to sit back and reassess the reasons why you decided to be a nurse. Is it to fulfill a dream? Is it to make life better for your family? Are you the principal bread winner? Do you want to travel? Keep your eye on the why and it will bring you through those tough times. It will all be worth it!

A funny look at how you can feel because you are so overwhelmed, but misery loves company and you've got plenty of it. Just pass around a little encouragement when other classmates are down and they will do the same for you.

Sometimes, when you are overwhelmed, it helps to put it down on paper. All the things you need to get done can just swirl around in your head and and seem even more intimidating than they really are. Just putting a list down on paper and prioritizing can make you feel more in control, more organized. You can even schedule in certains times to accomplish it all. When you are scheduling, remember to schedule a little time for yourself, even if it is for a little mini breakdown. Just get it out of your system, have a cup of coffee or special treat, take a hot bath, then move on. Here is a funny tee shirt that says it all.

Poor student nurses - they are always needing more sleep, more money, more time, more caffeine and a little encouragement would certainly help too. Here's a pyramid showing those needs. Deep breath everyone.

Sometimes it does seem like our nursing instructors are out to get us. Part of this is the weeding out process to see who is tough enough to make it in nursing - that is because it is a tough job and you have to put up with a lot of flack from doctors, patients, nurse managers as well as other nurses sometimes. Just remain strong, don't let anyone get under your skin and don't lose your cool. Show them that you mean business and you're not going anywhere other than to graduate and become a nurse!

One thing you need to know is that whatever they put on your plate, you had better finish it. In other words, don't make waves, don't bitch and complain - just do it. Remember, one foot in front of the other, one step at a time. Make like Florence Nightingale, and just go with the Flo. You can do it!

Before you know it, just when you think it will never be over, it will be. And you, my friend will be become an official Nursing School Survivor.

There is just one more big hurdle to jump - the dreaded NCLEX Examination that you have to take to get your official Nursing License. But, you will be ready. Remember to call and schedule your exam as soon as you can as the time slots book up fast. Don't stay up and study all night before the test. Go to bed early, eat something nourishing the morning of the test and remain calm. You can do it! You are prepared! NCLEX Schmenclex, you will pass that test!

You will be so happy, your family will be happy, your friends will be happy, your pets will be happy. Happiness will abound because you are officially a Bonafide Nurse. So, here is a little sign just for you. And give yourself a high five because you deserve it!

Everybody's blogging nowadays and so are Nursing Students. This site has a lot of blogs from nursing students as well as Nurses and some good links.

Have a question pertaining to nursing school or being a nurse? Chances are someone else has already had that question or experience. Allnurses.com is a wonderful resource that I used many times in the course of becoming a nurse.

Nurses and Student Nurses carry a lot of stuff so they need a smart, functional bag to handle it. They can do it with style and function with these fun bags made especially for nurses and nursing students from StudioGumbo!