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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to not do a dissertation?

76 replies

FantasticRik · 04/04/2015 18:03

I'm in my final year of a nursing degree with 8 months until I qualify and have had a major wobble over the past few weeks.

Training to be a nurse has been my dream for years and i know I'm v fortunate to be in this position however the combination of placements, academic work, 2 lovely DCs, running a home etc has got to me. I have a supportive DH who does his fair share of housework and yet I feel like I'm drowning - over the past year or so I have felt increasingly low and a few weeks ago, during my last placement I had a bit of a meltdown (thankfully I was at home when it happened) and truly felt as though I couldn't carry on with the course (not life).

I am about to start researching my dissertation topic and I just feel so anxious about it - I can't concentrate at all and feel panicky about the whole thing. On top of this we also have 2 other assignments, a presentation and another 12 week placement before we qualify and it just feels too much.

An option would be to not do the dissertation meaning, as I understand it) I would still get a degree and be able to qualify as a nurse however I wouldn't get the 'honours'.

WIBU to not even attempt the dissertation? Or will I regret it in the long run?

So as not to drip I have sought support from the university's support service, and my GP (around my low mood) and am awaiting a reply from my tutor for advice. Thanks in advance for any advice!

OP posts:
Original poster
FantasticRik · 04/04/2015 19:51

Thanks everyone - so much good advice and lovely to have some support.

I have chosen an area I am passionate about but my supervisor said I need to narrow it down - this is where I'm struggling! I think once I have found the articles to critique I will be ok - it's just getting started which scares me and the literature search.

Thanks once again everyone Flowers

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 04/04/2015 19:51

Can you defer submitting your dissertation until next year?

Original poster
FantasticRik · 04/04/2015 19:54

Thanks so much Pippa - your post has brought tears to my eyes. I am so near yet so, so far! Have not long finished a placement and I am totally knackered (emotionally and physically!).

OP posts:
AyeAmarok · 04/04/2015 20:00

Everything's advice is great, especially the keeping a notebook with you. Honestly, the number of times you'll get a great idea and then forget it

Also, what I did was put all my chapter headings in a word doc. And throw ideas into the relevant parts as they came to me, eg writing critical review,but ideas came about the conclusion, fire a few lines in that bit, just as a reminder.

Also, speaking of the critical review of the literature (mine was over 4000 words, honestly you'll get to your word count no problem once the flow starts) when I was reading all the literature, everything I read that I thought might possibly be relevant I'd copy and paste that paragraph/sentence from the journal into the word doc (along with the reference!) . Just keep chucking relevant stuff at the page. Once you've finished reviewing the literature you'll be in a much better position to sift through what you've got in there and discuss/discard as appropriate.

Also once you start reading the journals, they lead you onto another, and another, and 5 more... There is no end of stuff out there to read. Journals, journals and more journals.

Some days you'll write a thousandso of words, others 10. It's okay, just go with it, and ride the crest of the wave on the good days until you're exhausted.

But yes, maybe change topics if you're not feeling it, you've got plenty of time for a rethink.

NakedBaby · 04/04/2015 20:01

At a similar stage my (diamond of a) DH packed me off to a hotel for a long weekend. There was a day of catch up sleep and a long breakfast to decompress from lifestyle pressure - then I fired up my laptop and got typing. Type/nap/stroll around hotel. Rinse & repeat.

It was so much less stressful than juggling everything. I got a lot done not just in terms of 'word count' but in terms of setting out the structure of the doc (so once I got home - I had a clear plan to follow).

Airport hotel work really well for this - because they can be pretty cheap off peak - but have excellent business services (good wifi, coffee shop, often a little shop where you can buy paper and pens and stuff, gym etc etc).

AyeAmarok · 04/04/2015 20:12

Oh it's all coming back to me...

The scope of your topic is too wide, you say?

When I started with my idea, it was a comparison of 8 industries... My dissertation supervisor was like Shock But I was sure that's what it needed.

In the end, I wrote it about ONE Grin 20,000 words on one! I don't know what I was thinking, there was so much to say on just one too.

If you do like your topic (we cross-posted on that) then I dare say you'll narrow it down very organically once you start your reading of the literature. So really, please don't panic.

Yellowbird54321 · 04/04/2015 20:13

Go for it if you possibly can OP - I've been in similar position and know it's a lot of work but it will be worth it. When I think back the worst part of the dissertation for me was deciding the topic and setting it up kind of thing, I remember being pretty stressed about the lit review too. Once you get going it will be time consuming yes but it will feel better than this 'shit I don't know whether I can do it' stage. Best of luck Flowers

Pandora37 · 04/04/2015 20:19

I would do the dissertation. I say that as a midwifery student who is currently in dissertation hell myself. Although at my uni I don't think not doing it would be an option - we have to pass all the academic components in order to qualify, and that includes the dissertation.

Spend as much time with your supervisor as you can. Break it down into large chunks - so spend the first couple of months on the introduction, the next couple on the critiquing etc. If you look at it as one big block of work it is so daunting, but if you break it down like that it becomes a lot more manageable. Regardless of whether it effects your future career or not, I think you'll be disappointed in yourself if you don't do it after coming this far. Get an extension or mit circs. if you have to. You can do it!

maddening · 04/04/2015 20:19

Is there a chance of doing the dissertation about something which is included in the presentation or assignments that you are doing - then one lot of research will count for 2 things.

threebyfour · 04/04/2015 20:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bebackforgood · 04/04/2015 20:33

OP, I really feel for you. I am in the first year of a degree and for various reasons it all seems to be going pear-shaped and I don;t know how to get things back on course.

I'm going to give you the advice I need to hear myself. DON'T GIVE UP. HANG ON IN THERE. Do your dissertation - it's 3 assignments. You can do this. You will never regret getting your honours degree but you may regret not getting it.

Take all the good practical advice from those in the know on this thread and at uni and GO FOR IT. Yes, baby steps, but please do it and then come back and tell me you did and hopefully I'll tell you I passed my first year too!!!

Big hugs to you Flowers

Purplepoodle · 04/04/2015 20:57

Best tip is to find a review article on chosen area and look at which publications they used. It will give you a good spring board for your literature search and give you links to other possible articles. Usually skimming the abstracts tells you if its a useful article. Break it down - I used to print off all the useful articles - handy enough to do on a nightime if you just spend 30mins each night doing this.

Then when you have say 20/30 possibles. Read 1/2 a night - highlight relevant parts - write on seperate sheet of a4 what each highlighted section you could use in dissertation ie intro ect.

Then you have your basis, you can roughly organise into what your going to write. Then a matter of writing it which is much easier as you have done all the prep.

Movingonmymind · 04/04/2015 20:59

Don't fall at the final hurdle! Break it down into steps to make it manageable. You're so nearly there.

Original poster
FantasticRik · 04/04/2015 22:40

Thanks for the support and reassurance everyone. It's good to know I'm not the first person to feel overwhelmed !!

Backforgood Don't give up either Flowers

OP posts:
PrimalLass · 04/04/2015 22:44

8000 is about 20 single-spaced pages. Does that make it seem more manageable?

HappydaysArehere · 04/04/2015 23:09

Try not to panic. Get things written down as the fact that you have actually put pen to paper gives you a sense of progress. Agree choose something that will be useful and interesting. Once you get the overall plan sorted it will be just a matter of hard slog. In six months it will be over and I expect the other students are also feeling the pressure. Good luck, this sense of being overwhelmed is normal. I remember the feeling and how hard it was.

MomOfTwoGirls2 · 05/04/2015 00:21

Just wanted to say, hang in in there, it will be worth it. You've got some great advise here.

Have confidence in yourself and go for it!
Wishing you the very best of luck.

Coumarin · 05/04/2015 00:36

Everyone's given you so much useful advice already so just want to day that my guy feeling is that you'll regret it.

I think what's happened, is you've looked at it as one big chunk, got scared and your instinct is to run from it. Totally normal and a very common reaction.

Use the great advice you've received here. Take a deep breaths, keep going. You're achieving a huge thing here and you'll be beyond proud of yourself if you get those honours. Good luck! Flowers

Coumarin · 05/04/2015 00:37

And yy, break it down. That advice applies to almost everything difficult in life. Prepare, plan, break it up.

MaMattoo · 05/04/2015 01:01

It would be a shame if having got this far you leave the honours out of your degree. Making a working plan and then producing a draft is always good. Get help from uni, start reading up, make reference list as you go along and you should be okay? No?

WestEast · 05/04/2015 01:09

I'm a nurse. I have a diploma, not a degree. The choice was stay with my diploma and receive a non means tested bursary and afford my mortgage it do the degree and default on my mortgage. Easy decision.
I'm now topping up to my degree care of my local CCG.
I honestly think the most you can do academically whilst still a student is the best way. It is so so hard to be working your way through preceptorship, a new job, a shit loaf of new learning and then shoving an extra unit module on top. And I wouldn't be doing the module if I didn't think a government somewhere down the line would de register me or introduce another two tier registration system.

Patapouf · 05/04/2015 02:44

Think of it as a very long essay. You've gotten this far, you can do it!
At my uni, if you don't do the dissertation you don't graduate. Not nursing though!

passthewineplz · 05/04/2015 04:07

My tutor last week said that you can pay people to write your dissertation...... And her friend passed with paying...

angeltattoo · 05/04/2015 06:28

Firsty I haven't read the full thread (apologies, on third night time feed with newborn) so apologies if this is repetitive.

I did a BSc Adult Nursing as the honours degree was not available to the February cohort I joined.
In no way has this hindered my career- a degree is required, so it would be different if you would get a diploma instead, but a BSc without honours counts. I qualified 8 years ago and have already worked my way to a 8a post, and am now doing my masters - which takes into account both academic and clinical experience when assessing entry criteria.

I am also only needing to finish my dissertation to complete my masters. Am currently on Mat leave and Uni have been very supportive.

Put yourself and your family first, it won't hinder your career at this point, or stop you getting a Band 5 post. You can always top up in future if needed for future roles. But you will generally need further training or courses which are specialty specific, and having the honours wouldn't change that.

And well done - nurse training is tough, and when trying to juggle family etc too is a real achievement.

Booboostoo · 05/04/2015 06:43

Great idea passthewine, the OP could just buy her entire degree, after all don't we all want to be looked after by a nurse who has no knowledge but could afford to pay for her degree? Same should apply to doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc, it would add a much needed aspect of whimsy and an 'anything might happen' attitude to getting an operation, crossing a bridge or proving your innocence in court.