# Nursing - Oh, no, a 45 minute presentation!



## Sunny Day (Aug 1, 2006)

Help!!! I just found out from a nursing student that she had to give a 45 minute presentation in the ADN program. I am considering nursing, but really don't know if I can do this. This makes me think I should just forget it. I can't stand in front of a class of students listening to me for 45 minutes. Heck, I don't even think I could get the words out without passing out. Why do we all have to do such things? I am a hard working person, but I am just not able to do this type of thing. What can I do???


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## quiet_one (Jun 14, 2006)

45 minutes? I'm in nursing school, and none of our presentations have had to be that long, more like 20 minutes; maybe you could ask to speak with an instructor at the college you're wanting to go to to confirm it. 
I know it's nerve-wracking, but please don't let something like this cause you not to pursue a nursing degree if it's what you want. The presentations I've had to do really weren't that bad because there's only one per semester and we didn't have to do it with everyone staring at us. You can get through it.


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## pokey (Dec 18, 2005)

DANG THAT IS INSANELY LONG! and I totally know your feelings..... it's like....we are willing to work so hard, but it's that one thing that trips us up. It sucks. I recommend lots of practice and BETA BLOCKERS (which you can get from a psychiatrist... I Have yet to use mine for school...but I will be soon...). if you are the type to have a shakey voice and the like.


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## Prodigal Son (Dec 11, 2005)

45 minutes!?


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## karmadust (Jul 21, 2005)

well crap. i was thinking about nursing school and this is not good news. but here's my advice - VIDEO! seriously, every chance i get, i find a way to make my presentation into a video with graphics and clips and whatnot (in order to disguise the fact that you're really only doing this to avoid talking in front of a bunch of people). it's so much more work, but for me it's worth it. i have a degree in women's studies and in order to graduate we had to write a 30 page thesis and present it to the students and faculty of the department, and then defend it against their criticisms. YIKES!!! so i recorded my voice reading my thesis and put it to a bunch of images (which i video taped off my computer screen since i don't have video editing equipment) and i was afraid everybody would know that i was a coward and that's why i did it, but the professors all complimented me on my creativity and said that the images really helped get my point across. it was like my prayers were answered. i definitely recommend it. 

oh, and the same is true of handing out visual aids. if you give every student a packet that they are supposed to follow along with as you present (say, an outline of whatever you're saying), you'll find that people look at the visual aid in front of them and the pressure of having so many eyes on you isn't so bad. this is particularly true if you include images and cartoons and anything that people will be drawn to that might be more interesting than what you're actually saying.


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