A day in the life of a nursing student

Nursing Students General Students

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I will be starting a BSN program in May. I know 13 hours of nursing school is a lot different than 13 hours of pre-reqs! I'm wondering what to expect. Can anyone tell me what a typical day/week is like for a new nursing student?

i heard bsn programs are easier than adn programs.

I'm another guy who doesn't spend a lot of time preparing for class. No need for me really. With a laundry list of bio and chem courses under my belt, a previous degree, and healthcare experience I'm fine listening to lecture and skimming the text.

Are ADN programs more difficult? I don't know. I've never been in one, and I never will. However, the level II ADN students at my school take one seven hour medical/surgical course. They basically have three of those and a women's health course over two years.

We take four nursing courses every semester for four semester.

We have an ADN student in our program that dropped out to enroll in our upper level learning. She says our program staff are more student-friendly yet not easier. She's grateful that we're allowed to think and talk. Through her explanations the ADN kids are indoctrinated in the "be seen and not heard" mentality sitting much like you'd see recruits in chow sitting straight on the edge of the seat eating quickly while looking straight ahead. If that's what makes an academic program rigorous then hell I wonder what Harvard is like?

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

Yea it would definitely depend on the programs, some ADN's are crappy and some are great, same with BSN's. We have a couple local ADN programs and a couple of BSN's programs and I have heard from MANY MANY staff at 3 of the 4 local hospitals that they love students from my school, that the school produces really good nurses compared to other schools locally. Have had 2 nurse managers say the same things.

But I haven't been through any of the other programs, I have met a few nurses that went to them and they seemed like great nurses.

So I think at the end of the day it's really about perception. As far as how "hard" the program is. In my ADN course we have a total of 23 Credit Hours of Med/Surg We have 9 hrs second semester and it's half the semester, 8 third semester and it's also half the semester in length and 6 in our 4th semester. We have a dosage calc class that was an individual class and also incorporated into the program, fundamentals that was 9 hrs, 2 semesters of Pharm, than Psych, Peds, OB, and leadership and management trends.

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Here's my week :) I'm in 3rd semester of an adn program

Mondays -off :) but I usually work as a tech on Sunday nights so I sleep on Monday's. Also do homework/reading/study

Tuesday- wake up at 8, class at 930...relax, do homework, study, prepare for clinicals or whatever I need to do that week (it varies...and yes I said relax!)

Wednesday- wake up at 430, leave at 530, drive 1 hour to clinicals...clinicals from 630-230, home, take a nap, homework/study if I need to

Thursday- wake up at 830, class at 10, lunch with friends, class at 130, home by 330, relax :)

So my weeks aren't bad...I work anywhere from

8-24 hours a week and I work 3rd shift. I have to get up early that one day but I get to take naps and still make time to do everything I need to. You can do it! Keep a planner and stay organized

Friday-off. I usually work Thursday nights or weekends

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
I love it when someone else pops on who doesn't think nursing school is/was that hard.

I don't think it's that hard either. Pay attention, pass your tests, do what you're told and then learn how to do it without being told. Pretty straightforward. Then again, I'm a "mature" student.

This semester we pick 2 patients on Sunday for three weeks (after that we report to floor and go with a nurse for 3 patients).

Monday/Tuesday: up at 0330, at the hospital by 0500, post conference at 1300, home by 1500.

Wednesday lecture for 3 hours.

Thursday test and lecture for 3 hours.

Friday off.

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I will be in a BSN program starting in May. I was under the impression that the ADN and BSN programs included basically the same nursing education, it's just that you've had the additional general ed classes with the BSN. I've not necessarily heard that one is harder than the other. I mean, we all have to pass the same test when we're done! I have some friends that will start ADN at the same time so it will be interesting to compare notes and schedules.

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I will be in a BSN program starting in May. I was under the impression that the ADN and BSN programs included basically the same nursing education, it's just that you've had the additional general ed classes with the BSN. I've not necessarily heard that one is harder than the other. I mean, we all have to pass the same test when we're done! I have some friends that will start ADN at the same time so it will be interesting to compare notes and schedules.

The basic nursing is very similar because the licensing test unfortunately is the same. The BSN throws in some other courses that the ADN typically doesn't to augment the curriculum. For example, at my school, the ADN program has just the medical-surgical nursing courses and women's health. We have versions of those with different names, but ours focus almost solely on nursing, medical, and cooperative interventions since there are separate assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology courses that we've taken and are expected to retain. That's one example. Then of course there are supplemental courses like leadership and management and public health as well. The list goes on. The ADN program may cover something like cardiology in their nursing course and cover the assessment of the cardiovascular system, pathophysiology of the same, and pharmacology associated with it all as one unit, along with said interventions, which to me indicates less time dedicated to each particular element. They're all means to the same end, however.

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Oh I don't have to study because I have a degree in another field (what they're really saying is "I'm smarter than you are because of this.")

My program is the BEST. All the nurses love me. My patients love me. They cried my last day there....(Yeah, OK, Everyone's program is "the best"...the "other" programs are "sub-par" and that's why your snooty behind isn't in them).

"I'm there for my patients, which is what nursing is all about." (Then why are you always texting/hanging out at the nurses station, or complaining about the purse that Ashley/Brittany/Michelle brought to class).

OMG I finished the NCLEX in under an hour. It was sooooooo easy. There must be something wrong with you if it takes you longer or if you can't pass it.

In other words, the nursing students I've encountered are some of the cattiest, back-stabbing immature crybabies on this planet. But they will get theirs, because Karma works that way. When their "Oh we did it this way" routine doesn't fly in their "real job" either they will shape up or leave (and leaving is by far the most popular option). So much for your "perfect" degrees, and "caring" skills.

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I am an accelerated ADN student, with a prior BS, and who will be entering a MSN Bridge after I graduate. I chose the accelerated ADN because admission was quicker then competing for a BSN program in my area.

So far nursing school has come naturally to me and like some of the other posters on the thread I do not need to study for hours. I absorb info from lectures very easily because I am excited about the coursework and program. But I also spent 8 years doing a job I despise, electronics, so I am really happy I found something I love.

I would say based on my class, some people find nursing school easier then others. I would not say it is easy for me but I would say I am not struggling. I do not think I am smarter then anyone, I just think that I am really stoked about the coursework and my positive attitude helps me out. Maybe that is what some of the other posters were trying to express.

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I am an accelerated ADN student, with a prior BS, and who will be entering a MSN Bridge after I graduate. I chose the accelerated ADN because admission was quicker then competing for a BSN program in my area.

So far nursing school has come naturally to me and like some of the other posters on the thread I do not need to study for hours. I absorb info from lectures very easily because I am excited about the coursework and program. But I also spent 8 years doing a job I despise, electronics, so I am really happy I found something I love.

I would say based on my class, some people find nursing school easier then others. I would not say it is easy for me but I would say I am not struggling. I do not think I am smarter then anyone, I just think that I am really stoked about the coursework and my positive attitude helps me out. Maybe that is what some of the other posters were trying to express.

Prior exposure to a lot of the material help, obviously. Interest in the material helps as well, and that's probably the primary reason I got into the program. Half my class is uninterested in the material and often question the need to know what's being taught. Those are the students that are generally doing poorly.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

If you have a practicum at the end of your program, be prepared to "start all over again," regardless of your grades during class.

I'm currently in my practicum, and putting the pieces of clinical theory to application is key. It doesn't come as easily for me as I would like it to. For example, if I am doing patient care under supervision, I ask a question about something, and then when the answer is given to me, it clicks into place. My frustration comes from wanting the "click" to happen before I even ask the question.

For example, a surgical patient came in for an AV fistula revision. I hung LR on her per order. I asked the preceptor what rate I should put it at (there are no pumps and the rate is per nursing judgement). She said, "This is a renal failure patient."

CLICK.

I KNEW THAT, theoretically! Why the hell was I brain dead before I asked the question? AV fistula revision=dialysis=renal failure, that part I already knew before I asked the question. This part is where I wasn't connecting the dots: =risk of fluid overload=slower drip rate. I needed my preceptor to say it out loud to get it? Frustrating!

Getting through the nursing school test questions was easy compared to this. Test questions direct you to one of the four multiple choice answers Having a patient in front of you is directionless. That's where the critical thinking comes in.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
Half my class is uninterested in the material and often question the need to know what's being taught. Those are the students that are generally doing poorly.

If they do a practicum, they'll see where it's important. They'll be running back to their textbooks to study up on it, wishing they had learned the first time.

I've complained on this forum in the past about having no "skills labs" to speak of in my curriculum. Doing my practicum, I can say I now appreciate the heavy focus on clinical theory and patho. I can learn a skill by doing it once, thinking it through the second time I do it, then doing it more naturally the third time.

The clinical theory and patho...connecting the dots with a patient in front of me, even with a solid knowledge base in those things. Much more difficult.

I will not complain about lack of skills labs again.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
If they do a practicum, they'll see where it's important. They'll be running back to their textbooks to study up on it, wishing they had learned the first time.

I've complained on this forum in the past about having no "skills labs" to speak of in my curriculum. Doing my practicum, I can say I now appreciate the heavy focus on clinical theory and patho. I can learn a skill by doing it once, thinking it through the second time I do it, then doing it more naturally the third time.

The clinical theory and patho...connecting the dots with a patient in front of me, even with a solid knowledge base in those things. Much more difficult.

I will not complain about lack of skills labs again.

Dudette, I am wondering if you can explain how your program runs. You keep mentioning things happening or being a certain way if your program does a practicum. But I am having trouble understanding why the practicum seems to be so much different than what you have had your whole program. I am needing it to "click" lol. Does that make sense? I am guessing maybe it's something different or unique to your program that a lot seems to come out during practicum and not prior.

I start my Practicum soon, but prior to the Practicum, since 3rd semester clinicals, we as students are allowed to do everything as long as a CI instructor or Co-Nurse is present. We can take on a full patient load with our nurse as long as we are watched. Now the level of independence really depends on the nurse you are with. When we move onto our Practicum it is basically supposed to be much the same, but in this case the nurse is very clear that she/he is to shadow us basically, be there for assistance and guidance but try to let it be as if we were on our own. So depending on the CO-Nurses prior, some of us have got to come pretty close to that already.

We did have many skills labs as well and had to get checked off on a number of things, Mostly First and Second semester, third we had IV and that was it for check offs.

Anyway, I am not sure if my post makes sense for what I am wanting to say. But it sounds like your program has been different from this, so I am just curious how it was done for yours with clinicals and stuff prior to your Practicum.

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