Nursing school not that hard?

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I was wondering if anyone doesnt feel that nursing school is as HORRIBLE as people make it out to be? Im a little worried that maybe Im taking things a little too lightly. When I first started nursing school, I was ALWAYS upset and nervous. My teachers were horrible and I hated group work. After my first set of clinicals, I was fine. I mean, I still get a little nervous thinking about my first set of clinicals for a class, but nothing like what I read on here. Im in the "make you, break you" class right now (for our school its Principles of Nursing) and I dont feel like Im having any trouble at all. Sure its a lot of work, but nothing I cant handle with a bit of studying. Of course Im a little aprehensive about giving shots and doing IV's, but again, nothing compared to what Im reading on here. Im not saying that I'm smarter than any one or anything like that, I know things can get taken out of context on here. I just want to know if anyone else is at ease in nursing classes besides myself, because if Im alone maybe Im missing something. I dont want to be stressed out and worried, but if everyone else is and Im not, I must be the problem; if that makes sense. :uhoh3:

Reading this thread has put my mind more at ease. I hope that I have the same wonderful experiences as some of you. I have a 5 year old, however I am currently not working, and my husband is very supportive. I will just have to stay unemployed for 4 more years. Them's the breaks. :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
...I'm not a morning person. When I took pre-reqs, I could have SOME control over when my classes were. Now, they're very early and I have no choice. Truthfully, that's probably one of the hardest things for me, as pathetic as that sounds ;) I cannot WAIT till I can work night-shift. Getting to the hospital by 6:45 is killing me...

I don't think the material is necessarily hard to understand, at least, not compared to other subjects. Like someone else said, it's really how MUCH there is to learn. Our first OB test was on 11 chapters, and we had a week to read those and know them backwards and forwards.

Clinicals...I love clinicals, usually. I love being "the nurse" and this past quarter I really felt like the nurse. I could do almost everything on my own, and could really be there for my patients. I loved it. But I have anxiety issues...competencies make me so anxious and my hands start shaking and then I get lectures from my instructors on it. And that anxiety makes nursing school a lot harder for me...I really envy my friends that never SHOW their anxiety.

Wow. Are you really 17 and in nursing school? You must be really mature.

Good luck to you.

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I feel soooo relieved that at least SOMEONE thinks NS isn't that hard. I've been reading all the horror stories on this site about how hard it is to make it through and then the dreaded NCLEX at the end to prove that you actually learned and understand things. I was beginning to feel stressed and overwhelmed already and I haven't even started NS yet. I'm a very technical person, I loved my science pre-req's (doesn't seem so hard when the material is interesting), and I have a degree in math. So hopefully (I'm definitely praying), that these traits will help me survive!!!

Congrats to all of you that have had positive experiences in NS but what I wannna know is, did those of you who found NS to be 'not so hard' also find the NCLEX exam to be the same way?

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Specializes in Acute Care.

Everybody makes such a fuss about first semester, but I've actually found it fairly... boring. I can't imagine that anything else can possibly be easier than this semester. I can't wait to get into med-surg, but know I'll probably end up looking back at this semester with a great sense of longing in the not to distant future.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.
Everybody makes such a fuss about first semester, but I've actually found it fairly... boring. I can't imagine that anything else can possibly be easier than this semester. I can't wait to get into med-surg, but know I'll probably end up looking back at this semester with a great sense of longing in the not to distant future.

Fundamenatals to me was sooooooo boooorrrrringgggg. I actually remember sitting there thinking is this what nursing is about?! Of course it is important (Foleys, etc), but so dang boring.....lol. I think the first semester is hard for some just because of the test format takes some getting used to. Once you get used to it and know how to study, it's not that bad IMO.

I LOVE Med/Surg. I think it is interesting and I enjoy it a lot.

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Specializes in med surg, tele, ortho, preop, recovery.
how many children do you have? How long is your commute to school? do you have to work full time on top of classes/clinicals? I have a few in my class who also say how "easy" it is- one is 22 and lives at home with her mommy, the other is 25 and has no kids, and her husband has a great job and she doesnt have to work. If I could come home and not have to make dinner, prep for the clinical for 2 hours, help with homework, bathe my kids, then get up at 5 am to drive 2 hours to class, yeah, I imagine it would be " easy" for me too

Amen.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Congrats to all of you that have had positive experiences in NS but what I wannna know is, did those of you who found NS to be 'not so hard' also find the NCLEX exam to be the same way?

Yes. I also found the NCLEX to be easy. 75 questions is 55 minutes. I liked how interactive the NCLEX was. I knew if I got the last question right based on the next question. So once I got a feel for the questions, I thought it was really easy. Definately easier than any test I took in NS.

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Specializes in NICU.
Wow. Are you really 17 and in nursing school? You must be really mature.

Good luck to you.

Yup, I'm really 17 :-) I graduated highschool early and got through the pre-reqs as early as I could. One of the things I love about nursing school is that after the first week or so, everyone got used to the fact that I'm young...our class ranges from me to someone in his 60's and we all get along, and are treated the same (except for the occassional teasing I get, especially in OB ;))

Someone in our class told the teachers that we're really like a family, and it's true. I guess there are SOME warm and fuzzy aspects to nursing school ;)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
Yup, I'm really 17 :-) I graduated highschool early and got through the pre-reqs as early as I could. One of the things I love about nursing school is that after the first week or so, everyone got used to the fact that I'm young...our class ranges from me to someone in his 60's and we all get along, and are treated the same (except for the occassional teasing I get, especially in OB ;))

Someone in our class told the teachers that we're really like a family, and it's true. I guess there are SOME warm and fuzzy aspects to nursing school ;)

Man, I wasn't even thinking about the pre reqs. It took me two years to finish mine. You must not have had that many pre-reqs or you graduated at fifteen, LOL.

In any case, I am impressed. ;)

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I think the majority of students don't find nursing school extremely difficult...material wise atleast, but what is so difficult is the amount of hours you put into it. As far as the material is concerened, if you got into nursing school there's your first sign that you can handle the material and do well. The constant studying, juggling school with family obligations (for those who have a family to care for) and trying to find the time to do everything is what's most difficult for me. Most nursing students are women and if other women are like me they put a tremendous amount of pressure on themselves to be good moms, good wives, keep the house acceptable, do laundry, cook meals, be a taxi driver and be a good student while trying to retain as much information as possible...and remain sane. For me the most difficult part of doing well in nursing school is the stress. Stress plays a big role in your entire life and when you're trying to manage a family, possibly also have a job and try to manage time for school the stress can be sometimes intolerable. For anyone out there who is like me and is as stressed and on the brink like I am I applaud you and I know what you're going through. Good luck all.

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Yes. I also found the NCLEX to be easy. 75 questions is 55 minutes. I liked how interactive the NCLEX was. I knew if I got the last question right based on the next question. So once I got a feel for the questions, I thought it was really easy. Definately easier than any test I took in NS.

Funny you said that because I took some of the practice NCLEX questions and found them to be much easier than the nursing school questions. BUT I found out that 2 of our instructors write questions for the NCLEX. I feel sorry for those people who run across their questions. HA!

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Two kids ages 4 and 6. I'm 26, no husband and no family in town, just me and my kids. I drive about 5-10 minutes to school and I have a very PT job. I stay up till 12:00 everynight, get up at 5:00 two mornings a week for clinicals, 6:00 the other days, have class or ckinical everyday. I am in a 5 semester BSN program. I've only cried twice;) this year, and neither time was over school.

I make dinner or buy take out, help with homework for my six year old, and I have taught them to take their own showers,and I sit with them and read my books till they fall asleep everynight.

On the weekends, they get my undivided attention on Sat. and they watch movies and eat popcorn all day Sun. or they play quietly ( or sometimes not so quietly) .

Everyone acts like it's a big deal to be doing this with two small children and no family. It's not hard though. I practiced health assessment on my kids first semester and I even teach my daughter some things too.

I study from 8:00 to 12:00 every night and I made dean's list last semester and I plan on doing it again this semester.

I just do what I have to do and no, I don't find it hard. Just time consuming.

I guess I just don't party and I rarely go out for myself, usually I take my kids somewhere when they ask me too.

It can be done w/o losing your mind. ;)

Wow ...you sound really healthy. I wish I had a fraction of the peace of mind you seem to have. I have 4 kids, am married and have a supportive husband and family around, and I still feel I'm slowly losing my mind. Good luck and keep uo the good work!

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