Nursingschoolitis

Nursingschoolitis: (noun) [Nur-sing-skool-eye-tis]

There is something that “goes around” when one is in nursing school- other than the rhinovirus, that is.  While we nursing students are vigilant hand washers and precautionary germophobes (some more than others) this thing that we have been known to “catch” is not of a bacterial, fungal or even viral origin!

It is what I like to call Nursingschoolitis- and no, its not that inevitable aching inside of you that hates nursing school, and all the work that goes into it- that sucks the social life right out of you! Again- this is not it either!

Nursingschoolitis involves reviewing piles mountains of books page by page, memorizing the signs and symptoms of certain disorders.  Some diseases are simple fixes (i.e. strep throat- get that antibiotic!) others are far less forgiving such as cancer of any kind.  While we review and memorize and burn these signs and symptoms into our memories, for the brief moment that we stop for air and start thinking to ourselves “wow- I have bowel and bladder changes, I have headaches, I feel tired a lot of the time- and I know I feel weak and get less sleep than I used to- O.M.G! I have cancer!!!”

Lets dissect this really quickly- while all those symptoms are in fact signs of cancer- they are the most GENERAL and most COMMON S/S that exist in almost every disorder out there!!!!

Your bowel and bladder changes are most likely coming from that HUGE amount of coffee you just bought from the bookstore in order to get through this 3 hour study sesh! What are the side effects of caffeine? Increase urinate and frequent bowel movements! KNOCKED 1 OUT!

Heahaches- you have had your head in that book for over an hour and already finished that slide show and went to class- I bet you feel frustrated that you even went! It could be a tension headache or even tired eyes- give yourself a break! KNOCKED 2 OUT! BOOOM!

I feel tired a lot of the time- how much sleep are you getting now that you are in nursing school? I know didn’t get hardly any between 13 hour clinicals and studying EVERY day that we weren’t there! I was SO tried! Not to mention all that caffeine that we think we need has us begging for more after what feels like entrance into a coma after finishing it- drinking MORE coffee- having to pee more! Damn, I would be tired just from running to the bathroom that much!!! GOT ‘EM ! 3/3

I am not sure what it is that makes some student think that they have some of these diseases- but I know that their general practitioners probably get their annual bonuses based off of our crazy minds going to that place where we think the worst with out first analyzing ourselves and our situation.  

I do know a very small number of nursing students that did come back from their general practitioners with an underactive thyroid, or some type of digestive issue- I think it was celiac disease.  These are the small percentage of  student’s that did help themselves. 

The moral of the story is to pay attention to your body! Don’t let text books influence you or get you fRaZzLeD about something you are unable to control- educate yourself about your everyday habits and see if there is a reason for some of those S/S and if not- go to the doctor! This is the only way to rid yourself of Nursingschoolitis!! I hope for the best for you all!!! 

In all honesty, have you fell victim to the Nursingschoolitis? or even more interesting- have your intuitions been right leading you to a diagnosis? You can leave an anonymous comment! :)