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

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Specializes in Psych.

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.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi Meredith,

How are you? I would not recommend doing pre-req with nursing courses. I am taking the nursing classes by themselves and I feel like I'm going crazy (in a ll fairness I work a full time job). I would suggest that you finish your pre-req, do well-I have found that ALL of those pre-req come back to HAUNT you in Nur 1. Fundamental of Nur. (Nur1) is a combination of psychology,sociology, A&P1/II, dosage calc., and the other nursing materials. I am telling you-sometimes I fell like I'm taking 5 classes in 1.. ohhh I forgot to mention ALL of the clinical materials. Certainly get other people's opinions..but please make your decision wisely.....

Sabee06

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Have you started the program yet?

If not, I reccommend doing the required electives separately from the required courses.

If have started, it's a lot of work to do the nursing courses plus all the others. Perhaps you could take one during each year of the program, or perhaps a spring/summer course, depending on how your program is set up.

Anyway, my advice is DON'T overload yourself. It's not unreasonable to plan time to spend with your family, but you may need to devote some weeknights to school work.

Anyway, good luck

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oh, yes, and to add

Yes, doing "care plans" for clinical does take up a lot of time. You have to research your patients and write up the plan and have it completed before working with your patients. This includes info about the conditions they have, what foci there are for specific conditions, the medications they are taking, physical/emotional health patterns, etc. etc.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I wouldn't recommend taking non-nursing classes w/ nursing classes. You'll be overwhlemed w/ just your nursing classes, trust me! I am taking 14 nursing credits and working full time. I live with my boyfriend and told him the other day that I miss him because I never see him!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I take everything together, 18 credits a semester. I manage (I hope, the semester just started), but I would not recommend this method. If you have the chance, definately at least get some of them out of the way before the nursing classes start up. I am also not married and don't have any children to devote extra time to... so I can imagine with those extras on the side it would make it even harder to do.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.

I also have to agree not to wait to take your pre-req's w/ nsg classes. *Especially* A&P2 & micro!!! I completed everything I needed except for Social Ethics (its only offered at the campus where my nsg classes are ~25 miles each way). I have decided to try to work on other liberal arts classes required for my BSN & I'm also thinking about getting my AS in addition to my ADN since I already have 70+credits. So, to sum it up I took History w/ Nursing 111 the first semester and completely lucked out with having an easy teacher. I really deserved a B, but she gave me an A. I am now taking Social Ethics w/ Med/Surg & OB this semester and already feel like I am in the weeds. I have not done one thing for that class, I'm so busy.

Also, I don't know how it is in your program, but in my program it goes like this: lets say you're supposed to complete A&P2 by the end of your second semester in the program and you either drop it or fail, you are out of the program even if you passed your nursing classes!

Ultimately, only you can decide if its "doable".

I work about 8 hours a week & I have no children, just a cat. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry, Stepdown.

I completely agree with all of the advice above. It's extremely hard and I'm only taking nursing courses as well. There are some people in the program taking their prereqs w/ nursing classes and are doing just fine, but they always tell me that if they had to do it over again, they wouldn't recommend it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

OTOH, a few months ago I posted, asking how difficult it would be to do Nursing and A&P at the same time, and I had a lot of people say it's hard, but doable.

I'll be doing that - Nursing I while doing A&PI, Nursing II while doing A&PII. Nursing III and IV will be by themselves, thankfully.

I hold no illusions that it will be a cake-walk, but with some effort, I intend to do it, because I don't have a choice.

I certainly don't think *I* personally would be able to do Nursing and 2-3 other classes, though.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

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.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

Ditto to most of the other answers. The non-nursing classes lay the foundation for the knowledge you'll be getting in the nursing classes. For instance, in wound care we are supposed to understand the role of phagocytosis and the components involved in the process. Without already having had micro and A&PII, that would have been greek to me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.

I knew I could come here for good advice! I am hearing loud and clear that it's do-able but difficult, and probably more difficult than I imagined. The only advantage for me to try to sqeeze it all together is MONEY. Quitting my full-time job early to take 4 classes the semester before I start the nursing program means I am without that income AND I have to pay for an extra semester of school. But if I figure out that we can afford it, I am going to lean that way on my decision based on what everyone has replied. Another advantage that had not occurred to me is having the subject matter under my belt before the program starts...probably means I'll do better in those with less stress, maybe less outside "catch up" studying for concepts I haven't gotten to yet...

You gals/guys are the best!

Again, thanks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment