Ist semester of nursing school

MLMRN1120 · Dec 2, 2007

Hi...I'm also in the first semester of NS, Final is December 11th. We had a success seminar last week where a former student came and spoke. She, as well as our instructor said that it is only a rumor that first semester is the hardest. In terms of content, every following semester will increase in workload and difficulty:uhoh3:. Apparently, people feel that the 1st semester is the hardest because the content is new to most people, and a lot of emphasis is placed on performing new skills. I'm just planning to rest up over Christmas break, then return in January and basically take it one day at a time!

Good Luck!

Tina

WDWpixieRN, RN · Dec 2, 2007

In terms of content, every following semester will increase in workload and difficulty. Apparently, people feel that the 1st semester is the hardest because the content is new to most people, and a lot of emphasis is placed on performing new skills.

I'm just getting ready to wrap up the 3rd semester of my ADN program and I couldn't have said it any better myself. Everything just builds on what came before and hopefully you were paying close attention, lol!!

Enjoy your break!! Believe it or not, you WILL remember things when you start back in January whether you spend every spare minute of your break in your books or spend it relaxing!!

:Santa2:

happynewLPN · Dec 2, 2007

I am just finishing up my first year, and I'd have to say that the first semester was the easiest so far. It starts pretty general, then the body systems get more and more specific as the coursework goes on.

Esther2007 · Dec 2, 2007

The vast amount of information of the first semester was overwhelming for most people and was also new content as the above post pointed out. In ADN program, the first semester usually covers: pharmacology, drug calculation and fundamentals (nursing process), that is like 3 classes condense into one class. Med Surg one for me, was the easiest thus far. It is also depends on the person too.

sddlnscp · Dec 3, 2007

I agree that it truly does depend on the person. The first semester is hard because you are learning how to deal with nursing school, which is unlike anything else you may have experienced before. I thought the second semester was a little harder, the amount of work I put into it was the same, but the information was far more detailed. I am finishing up 3rd semester of an ADN (as is another poster) and I have found it to be much easier because we are now building on all of the information and the foundation that we built the first year. Don't get me wrong, it's still a lot of work and it's not easy, but I am used to nursing school now, I know what the teachers expect, and I have a good foundation from last year to apply the information that I am learning this year.

Best of luck!!! Just keep doing the work and you will do fine. Most importantly though, take a break! Don't spend you entire Christmas break on nursing stuff, enjoy it, relax and refresh so that you can come back ready to take on the world again next semester!!!

Enjoy the journey!

Conrad283, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2007

The med/surg's get progressivly more difficult because you already have a baseline amount of knowledge.

Whereas, when you take OB, it starts out easier and gets more difficult because that's a completely new scope of practice.

neeniebean · Dec 5, 2007

I'm just getting ready to wrap up the 3rd semester of my ADN program and I couldn't have said it any better myself. Everything just builds on what came before and hopefully you were paying close attention, lol!!

ITA!

i'm finishing my 3rd semseter, too, and feel the exact same way. Although, i do have to say that i had alot more reading last semester (OB, peds and Geri) than i did this semsester (med-surg), but i think that possibly has more to do with the professors themselves than the actual courses.

looking back, i definitely think 1st semester was the easiest. 2nd semseter had the most reading, and 3rd semester i realize that i'm doing alot more independant research because the notes and text just arent covering all of the material that we need to know for the test (but this, too, might be a product of my professor this semester- are we seeing a pattern here lol).

zlatamoya · Dec 5, 2007

Hello! Congrats on finishing your first sem! I don't necessarily believe that the content of the first semester is all that challenging, however, just getting used to nursing school in your first semester is what I believe to be the most challenging. You now have clinicals, many new classmates to get to know and on top of that you do really have to study more than you did in your prereq courses. Nursing school, while it is intense is also a great experience! Hope you are enjoying it, best wishes! :nurse:

paacollins · Dec 5, 2007

I'm sure it depends on the person and the program but my first semester was by far the most difficult. We had three classes (fundamentals, assessment, and pharm). We had faculty changes d/t people retiring, quitting, and getting hurt/sick. Our clinicals weren't much fun because we really did nothing but CNA skills and the nurses in that unit were less than cordial to us. My other semesters have been lighter loads, more interesting clinicals, and, for the most part, nicer nurses. We've still had a lot of faculty changes but you learn to deal with that I guess. I am finishing up my 3rd semester (next week to go) and only have the spring semester to go. I think now that I'm used to the routine and am more confident in my skills, the program is much easier. I've also learned to adapt my personal life to accommodate my school schedule. That was also difficult the first semester.

Hang in there because hopefully it will get easier for you too. If it doesn't, just keep telling yourself that with each semester you finish up, that is one more completed hurdle toward your ultimate goal of becoming an RN.

MB37 · Dec 5, 2007

Every school sets this up differently too. My first semester was pharm, patho, and ethical/legal - no clinicals. It was extremely time consuming, and we learned how to do NCLEX questions. My second (current) semester is Fundamentals, assessment, and research, and I don't think it's that difficult. We started clinicals, which was really interesting, but we don't pass meds until next semester. Semester III is supposed to be the most work, since I'm in an accelerated program and it's MedSurgI, MedSurg II, and Psych all together. I have a psych degree, so I expect to get a leg up in that class. I'm most scared of our last semester, with OB and Peds - I have no kids and I have no interest whatsoever in working in either area, so I expect that to be my toughest semester. It depends on who you are, where your interests are, what you're good at and afraid of...