Will my nursing school be stressful? *Schedule for semesters included*

[johnemmons]

hey guys, this my first post, i will be applying to nursing school in fall, 2 weeks, and i have a general question for ya. i'm 20, male, in college finishing up prereqs if that information means anything. okay so i'm asking this mostly because i keep hearing how dreadful, how tiring, how horrible nursing school is and from the look of the schedule it doesn't look too bad. tell me what you think, comment, suggestions, anything. i don't care, i like feedback, it helps me.

prerequisites to nursing science courses (aa-gps) i'm taking these right now and will have it finished before school starts

blo 2511 human anatomy and physiology laboratory i ..................................1 sh

blo 2513 human anatomy and physiology i ......................................................3 sh

blo 2521 human anatomy and physiology laboratory ii ..................................1 sh

bio 2523 human anatomy and physiology ii ......................................................3 sh

soc 2113 introduction to sociology ....................................................................3 sh

___

total 11 sh

the ones crossed out are the ones i have already taken and do not need to take

1st semester - freshman (aas-adn - when selected or admitted to nursing science)

eng 1113 english composition i ..........................................................................3 sh

nur 1140 professional development ....................................................................0 sh

nur 1119 nursing science i ................................................................................9 sh

psy 1513 general psychology i ..........................................................................3 sh

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total 9 sh

2nd semester - freshman (second semester in nursing science)

eng 1123 english composition ii ........................................................................3 sh

epy 2533 human growth and development ........................................................3 sh

nur 1220 professional development ....................................................................0 sh

nur 1229 nursing science ii ................................................................................9 sh

fine arts or humanities elective ........................................................3 sh

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total 9 sh

3rd semester - sophomore (third semester in nursing science)

blo 2921 microbiology lab ................................................................................1 sh

blo 2923 microbiology ........................................................................................3 sh

nur 2130 professional development ....................................................................0 sh

nur 2139 nursing science iii ..............................................................................9 sh

total 9 sh

4th semester - sophomore (fourth semester in nursing science)

nur 2241 professional development ....................................................................1 sh

nur 2249 nursing science iv ..............................................................................9 sh

nur 2242 nclex-rn® preparation ..................................................................2 sh

spt 1113 or spt 2173 public speaking or interpersonal communication................................3 sh

total 10 sh

so what do you guys think? manageable? clinicals are monday and thursday..i think..just two days a week for now is all i know. so let me hear some feedback my fellow nurses!

[rachelgeorgina]

If you don't need to work then quit! I can guarantee you will be busy doing LOTS of homework. Personally, I did not work in nursing school and didn't have any children. Between my aging parent's medical problems and nursing school, I was plenty busy.

If you can do homework at work - then I would keep the job.

I'm in nursing school, which takes up two and a half days a week in tutes, labs and lectures (clinicals aside, which occur between 1 and 4 weeks per semester) and I'm managing to work two casual CNA jobs, walk my two hyperactive dogs 1-2 times a day and care for my three grandparents (living in two different homes). Oh, & I maintain a distinction average.

I know that school always has an element of stress but I can't understand why everyone is making a fuss about nursing school being soooooo stressful. I wouldn't say it was anymore stressful than any other degree. My sister is doing science/law and she's got wayyy more work than me (plus she doesn't work or care for our grandparents!)

[rachelgeorgina]

Nursing school = stress.

Congrats on your decision and good luck!

What schooling DOESN'T equate to some form of stress? Seriously.

[ETovar]

Hi, my suggestion is if you don't have to work while you're in the program then don't work. A couple of my friends are nurses and they said the nursing program is intense and it takes up a lot of your time(clinicals, homework, studying, etc.) I'm working full-time right now while finishing up my pre-reqs and once I enter the program I'm going to have to quit my job and go to something part-time. My advisor told me I'll be in school Mon. through Fri. from 8am to 5pm (including clinicals) and then some weekends doing my clincals as well. I live with a roommate right now and there's a possibility I might have to move back home!!! (NO!!!) Hopefully I'll be able to pay my half of the rent when that time comes so I won't have to move back home. Anyway, I'm applying for the program next June and starting in the Fall of 2010. Good luck to you.

[VICEDRN, BSN, RN]

Nursing school is stressful from time to time but its partially a self-fulfilling prophecy. OP, tell us how you envision it and that will be your answer.

You CAN do it!

[SunnyAndrsn]

By definition, yes, NS is stressful...but I did it a lot like you, all my pre-req's done before the actual core courses. It did help, and so does knowing how to manage your time. You'll still have stress...don't worry!

Good luck!

[johnemmons]

Where are the clinicals in this schedule? I am going to be taking a hospital based program and while my coursework looks similar to this we start clinicals the first semester with an hour and half and proceed quickly up to 20 hours of clinicals for a 32 hour 4th quarter. I think mine is like 1.5 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 20 hours ... something like that .. the school is tri-semester and 2 years long.

Oh the clinicals is subtle, this was just on the schedule. The clinicals aren't on here because they don't count as graduation credits or hours. But there will be clinicals 2 times a week the first year. The professional development, i'm not sure what that would be, any ideas?

[johnemmons]

I'm in nursing school, which takes up two and a half days a week in tutes, labs and lectures (clinicals aside, which occur between 1 and 4 weeks per semester) and I'm managing to work two casual CNA jobs, walk my two hyperactive dogs 1-2 times a day and care for my three grandparents (living in two different homes). Oh, & I maintain a distinction average.

I know that school always has an element of stress but I can't understand why everyone is making a fuss about nursing school being soooooo stressful. I wouldn't say it was anymore stressful than any other degree. My sister is doing science/law and she's got wayyy more work than me (plus she doesn't work or care for our grandparents!)

Thanks this gave me hope. I feel much better now. I know there will be some form of stress, but everyone just makes it seem scary, etc. Well i'll still quit my job anyway, I hate it it. If this is going to be my career I want to learn everything and not just skimp by like in high school.

[johnemmons]

These are the pre-requisites, everyone! (Hence no clinicals, etc.)

Johnemmons, does your school allow you to take A&P I and II at the same time? I always thought that A&P I was a pre-req to A&P II. I hope you are at least doing one the first 8 weeks and the other the 2nd 8 weeks because you will drown in A&P II without having taken A&P I first.

Before I can enter the program I have to of taken A and P I and II and Intro to sociology. Why? i don't have a clue. I'm taking A and P I right now. In january I will take A and P II and then go on to nursing school that fall.

[SnowRain7489]

Wow! That is an easy schedule.

[Free2bmevt]

Nursing school was busy and stressful, the school lschedule was not aweful, but it certainly doesn't end there. I spent at least 8 hrs/week studying and doing schoolwork and often it was more than that. If you have to work it adds that much more into your already full schedule. It was a tough couple years but totally worth it now that i am an RN.

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

I'm in nursing school, which takes up two and a half days a week in tutes, labs and lectures (clinicals aside, which occur between 1 and 4 weeks per semester) and I'm managing to work two casual CNA jobs, walk my two hyperactive dogs 1-2 times a day and care for my three grandparents (living in two different homes). Oh, & I maintain a distinction average.

I know that school always has an element of stress but I can't understand why everyone is making a fuss about nursing school being soooooo stressful. I wouldn't say it was anymore stressful than any other degree. My sister is doing science/law and she's got wayyy more work than me (plus she doesn't work or care for our grandparents!)

To be fair, I gather you're in Australia. I did undergrad there, and postgrad here. Nursing school here is not the same as uni there - it is definitely more homework and more stressful from what I can gather (you guys don't have an NCLEX at the end of it!). There is also no requirement at uni there to maintain, say a 75% average or get kicked out of school like there is here. Seriously, people do that here and they are done. Not sure what uni you're at, but a distinction is usually over 80%, which is a B here. That is the minimum passing standard at some places here.

I do not mean to minimize the experience in Australia, but it's apples and oranges to compare to nursing school here I think. Just a different system and mindset.

I agree it's not as rigorous as, say, medical or law school, but that isn't what the OP asked.

[missy--kay]

What schooling DOESN'T equate to some form of stress? Seriously.

My point exactly. Seriously.