1st Semester nursing and A&P simultaneously - should I stagger them?

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I just received my "fat letter" so I'm planning ahead on how I'm going to juggle this fall's schedule. I will be taking A&P I at the same time as Fundamentals of Nursing, but A&P will be online through Rio Salado, rather than in person. Fall semester for the nursing program goes from August 23rd until December 11th. A&P has various start dates, and as long as I complete the class by the time second semester starts, I'll be okay. One start date for A&P is August 23rd, which means it would start and end at the same time as nursing - so I'll probably be dealing with midterms and finals for both at the same time. OR - there's another start date on October 4th and it goes until January 22, right before second semester starts.

I'm debating the pros and cons - do I take them totally simultaneously, which means double the homework and tests throughout the whole semester, BUT I will have over a month off in December and January where I will have NO CLASSES at all and I can enjoy Christmas break fully

OR

Do I stagger them, which means only two months of double classes, I can focus my first month and a half on getting into the nursing program without any other classes to worry about, and the last month and a half will just be A&P and I can focus on that without worrying about the nursing class. But I won't really have any break at all, once A&P ends, I'll be diving right into semester 2 nursing and A&PII.

Or, another option I can do is take A&P early - start it this summer, and it will overlap with nursing until October. It means I will be taking Micro and A&P at the same time this summer, and there will two weeks at the very beginning of the semester where I will be taking Micro, A&P AND Nursing. But I would only have a 2-month overlap for the two classes, and I will still have winter break totally free.

What would you do?

Specializes in Urgent Care.

Personally I would stagger them. I have talked to some girls doing both and they are totally overwhelmed. You can do both, but if you can split it up, I would suggest that.

I took A&P with my cna courses and the class literally kicked my butt. I'm taking it in summer school alone before I have to start my real nursing classes. Its a tough class, some people understand it automatically and some people struggle with it. If you can take it alone, I would reccomend that.

What would you do?

Have you taken online courses before?

Rio's A&P is a full time job, I kid you not. It is not that the material is extremely difficult but the work required to be submitted is very very time consuming. I know of two people who are taking A&P right now along with their full nursing programs and both would suggest you stagger if possible. This is true for both as one woman is in A&P I and the other in II.

Obviously a person can take the A&P and nursing courses but these two individuals have also taken two full course loads online for two previous semesters.

Stagger if you can.

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
Have you taken online courses before?

Yes, I've taken my psych and philosophy prereqs online, and I'm currently finishing up Bio online through Rio. I've heard that about the A&P - that it's really difficult. I think I'm going to stagger it so that I start A&P in the summer and finish it up in October.

Yes, I've taken my psych and philosophy prereqs online, and I'm currently finishing up Bio online through Rio. I've heard that about the A&P - that it's really difficult. I think I'm going to stagger it so that I start A&P in the summer and finish it up in October.

Then you are completely familiar with all the moans and groans that can accompany an online course. I ask b/c for someone completely new to online, they are sometimes shocked at the amount of time required compared to some on campus courses. Please no flames, I am not saying one is harder than the other just some online courses because of their nature, instructors will ask for more in submissions to make sure all students are understanding the material.

Another option might be to take the A&P I alone. Feel it out. If you feel you can handle another course at the same time, pick one up for A&PII.

It is really only something you know for sure. For some folks who may be single and/or have no other responsibillities other than themselves, there is always more time available for school work. For others, school work time is premo and taking more than one or two courses is just not something they feel sane about doing.

Good luck whichever way you decide to go. You will do fine with A&P as you lived through Rio's Bio which I hear is a bear too!

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

Several students in class were taking Nursing I and A & P. However, most didn't work. So it can be done.

Personally, I'd advise you split them if you can. Unless you're a really solid "A" or "B" student.

Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.

I am debating the exact same thing right now. I really want to take A&P this summer, so I can concentrate on Nursing alone in the fall. I have 3 options for A&P - CCConline (but I'm not sure my college will accept it, they've said they may not, mostly because they don't believe the lab portion can be fulfilled online, but I may do it anyway because CCConline told me that when they submit transcripts, it does not say anywhere that it is an online course). Option 2 is the tech college I'm at now - it's an 11 week course, from 8:30 to 12:15 on Friday for lecture, then 1:30 - 4pm same Friday for lab. I'd hate to leave my 4 kids alone all day on Friday during the summer, even if just 11 times total (my oldest babysits). 3rd option - attending the 1st summer session at the school I'm going to in the fall. They have a 6 week A&P 1 course that goes from end of May to beginning of July. My kids would only be out of school 1 1/2 weeks before my class ends. It would be MWF from 1 -4pm for 6 weeks. That is what I'm thinking about doing. The only downfall is cramming that much info into 6 weeks (and I have to get a B to have it count for my degree), and the commute is 1 hr each way. But I'm seriously considering that option.

Good luck! I wish I'd gotten all of my pre-req's done - I also have both A&P's and Micro. Why, oh why, did I leave the hardest for last???? :rolleyes:

I hate online courses. But, some people are good w/setting their own schedules. I took a course online once, and I didn't learn a thing, it was awful.

the only choice that sounds bad is taking the A&P early, only b/c you would have to take it the same time as micro, and fundamentals. That's too much. You'll be stressed over finals, and you may burn out and not be ready for fundamentals.

I think it's best to take A&P and micro before you ever even get into nursing school. Ideally, I would take the most difficult class (some schools it's micro, some it's A&P) during the summer, and only take that class during the summer, so you can focus on it completely.

Specializes in Gynecology/Oncology.

If you don't have to take A and P with your clinicals, then don't do it. It is a very time consuming class. You don't want to risk your grades because of that. That's my two cents.

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
If you don't have to take A and P with your clinicals, then don't do it. It is a very time consuming class. You don't want to risk your grades because of that. That's my two cents.

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately, I do have to take it with my clinicals. Our program is designed to be a true 2-year program, and it's expected that many, if not most, of the students will be taking A&P at the same time as their first two semesters of nursing. I decided to spend a year working on prerequisites (partly to relieve some of the stress and burden, and partly because of the age of my youngest), but A&P I MUST be finished before you start the second semester of nursing (likewise, A&P II must be finished before you start 3rd semester). So there will be some overlap, there's no way to get around it.

I did finally decide to take it the second half of the summer, which means there will be 2 weeks where I will be doing Micro, A&P AND Fundamentals of Nursing, but I figured that there will technically only be one week of Micro because the last week will be studying for the final. Plus, based on past classes, the first week of every class is often less labor-intensive that subsequent weeks because you're spending it going over the syllabus, getting oriented, etc. So there will be two months where I will be taking A&P and Fundamentals, but I think I'll be okay. Not doing okay is not really an option, so I HAVE to. :rotfl:

Or, another option I can do is take A&P early - start it this summer, and it will overlap with nursing until October. It means I will be taking Micro and A&P at the same time this summer, and there will two weeks at the very beginning of the semester where I will be taking Micro, A&P AND Nursing. But I would only have a 2-month overlap for the two classes, and I will still have winter break totally free.

What would you do?

Congrats on your fat letter ! :)

I would choose the option above. If you start A&P in the summer you only have a bit of hell during fundamentals instead concurrent-for-the-whole-semester-hell! Believe me... you will be one happy camper if you aren't studying for a WHOLE semester of both at FINALS TIME!!!!!

Do yourself that favor!

Good luck and Have a damnfine time!

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