Hard to take non-NURS classes w/NURS classes?

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Hi all -

I am struggling with a decision on whether to take non-nursing classes (not the set of 6 pre-req.s but the others required for ADN...like nutrition, A&P II, micro, sociology...) separate from or WITH my nursing classes. I have looked at my schedule and I would be taking from 12 - 14 hours every semester if I do the load-it-up method. And I would need to take 2 classes each summer. How difficult is it to do clinical work and have 2 or 3 other classes besides? My goal is just to really focus on school during the day time and weekends and leave the weeknights open for my kids/spouse. Is that reasonable or am I fooling myself? I plan to get up and go to school early each morning - to class or study - and stay until 4:30 each day. Treat school as a job and if I'm not in class, study. My nursing advisor said clinicals are 2 days from about 6:45 to 2:00 then one additional afternoon each week. I would have to fill in the other classes around that. From reading these boards, I'm wondering is there some "hidden" time that clinicals takes - I've read about working on care plans and going up to the hospital the evening before...sounds like lots of time.

Please share your advice. Thanks much.

hey every one,

i am new well i really would love it if some one could help me out i need some information on neonatal nursing! can some one help me? i need as much as i can get. i am going into the 11th grade and i am planning to become a neonatal nurse but i need to know what is the best school to go to in north carolina can anyone help me?

thanks,

stephanie ann:uhoh3:

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Specializes in OB/Gyn, Post Partum, Antepartum.

I took A&PII with 4 other nursing courses this year. The first 3 were 8 week courses and the last one was the second 8 weeks of the semester. I did great. The class the final 8 weeks was the weed out class and I received a B+, I got 2 A's and an A- in my A&P class I received a B, so for me it was ok. I just think you should really organize your time if you are going to do that. There were people in my class who were only taking the "weed out" class and still did not pass. I work part-time and have many other family and community responsibilities. I did it, I did not feel rushed or overwhelmed. I say schedule your time appropriately and you will be fine.

Just my opinion.

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Our instructors recommended we take A&P before beginning the nursing courses......I found this out after attending my orientation for the first semester last Fall....I was like, "Oh no! What am I going to do now?"....I mean, you get accepted and then find out that you're doomed? haha.

Okay, so I took the first part of anatomy with Nursing Fundamentals. Passed it with a C. I took the second/last part with this semester's Med-Surg....that grade hasn't been posted yet but I think I may have actually made a B this time...will find out Tuesday. Thing is, it IS doable but do know it only compounds your stress to overload yourself like that. Nutrition or Microbiology were not prerequisites. Nutrition is part of our regular nursing program. Micro is required for BSN.....I had thought about taking that next spring but I'll be taking Pharm II and Med-Surg II so, er, maybe I best not bite off more than I can chew.

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Taking all these classes is doable, but it would probably work better if you have no social life, no significant ofther, no kids, no job, and a LOT of time to keep up with all the reading, studying, and clinical preparation you'll have to do. I personally do not recommend taking them together. If you load-up nursing classes with other classes you are setting yourself up for severe stress, especially as you go further into the semester and the material gets more complicated. If I were you I would finish my nursing classes first and then do the 'fluff' courses like psychology, sociology, and history afterwards.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.

I was also nervous about taking A&P 1 and 2, plus Micro, with nursing classes. I'm taking A&P 1 starting next week - an intensive 6 week course, and maybe A&P2, if I can find an online one, before my nursing classes start in September. With all of the travelling I have to do, plus studying, I didn't want to add any more on top of all of that.

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My 1st semester I took Nursing 100, NAL, Drug Dosage & Calc, Anatomy, Anatomy Lab, Nutrition, and Psychology. Plus one day of clinical a week. Somehow I managed to pass everything but with Anatomy just barely squeaked in there. Mind you, I have been out of school for 30 years so this was quite a load. Would I do it again? I don't think so. I would try to get in as much as I can before nursing classes. But yes, it is do-able but it was (for me) extremely hard and stressing. I'm glad semester 1 is over with. During the summer session I will be taking Micro and hope to add Sociology on to that so I will get that out of the way before tackling the junior year and all that holds for me. But as the other posters said, only you can make the choice.

Good luck to you.

I am just wondering which program to apply to. (I am in Houston.) Some require different prereqs.

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I have finished all of my pre-req's and required courses before I was accepted into the program....all except Microbiology. I have to take 12 credits in order to get my entire Pell Grant. I did register for Pharmacology also, but I'm definitely going to go and drop that course via the web as soon as I get off this site....lol. That will just be too much, taking Nursing 107 (split up into Lecture, Tutorial, Laboratory and Clinical), Medical Calculations Math, and Micro...will be plenty....I'm just going to take some kind of Phys. Ed. course for 1 credit...that will equal 12 credits for me. School, a dh, 4 children and home to keep up....this semester is going to be crazy but doable.

Fatima

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I prepared myself for two different college programs, one being a back-up in case I didn't get accepted into my first choice. Then!!!! I changed my mind and my back-up choice became my first choice. So now I have 3 extra classes I have to do in addition to the nursing core classes and clinicals. They're nothing major, just a psych class, a speech class and a computer class but I really didn't want to have to do any of that during nursing school. In any case, my core focus will be on my nursing theory classes and clinicals. My goal for the extras will simply be to pass and I'm a 4.00 student so that decision doesn't come lightly! But definitely knock out whatever you can before you start, especially anything that takes a lot of your time and effort: like A&P or higher math etc..

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The nursing school that I am attending has a 3 yrs curriculum w/ pre-req's together or you can take all your pre-req's before starting and go throught the accelerated program that takes 2 years. I have finished 6 of the 13 pre-req classes needed. So I start my nursing classes this fall. I will be taking Nursing 100, A&P I, and Ethics. I don't think that is bad. Some of the students that attend the program advise to doing this because the pre-req's will help with the Nursing classes as you take them. I guess I will find out how things will go when I start this semester.

RN2b204, starting Sept. 2004, can't wait all excited!!! :) :) :)

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When I started nursing school, I had 6 prereq credits, they were electives, but I did it in 2 quarters, taking a total of 21 credits (including my nursing courses) for 2 quarters, and it just about killed me. I can't imagine like taking A&P or micro with nursing courses, yikes, I don't think I would have done well. You really have to be self disciplined, and make you don't fall behind in ANY of the classes. If you can finish them before you start nursing school I'd do that.....

Melanie

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