Why is nursing school "hard?"

[Jaykalkyn, BSN, RN]

Hello all,

I start nursing school next Tuesday, January 21st, and I am super excited. I just quit my job as an accountant and will be going to school full time for the next two years to get a BSN.

I have read many posts on this website about how difficult nursing school is and how many have cried their way through or didn't have a life. I don't doubt that nursing school is difficult and my hat goes off to all who have succeeded in nursing. But I can't help but wonder what makes it so difficult.

So for all of us who have yet to embark on this journey, my question is why is nursing school so difficult? Is it the material itself? Is it the amount of material? What is it that makes people cry?

[PurpleLover]

Everyone is different.

I have not have an issues as of yet and I am into my first semester. I think people take to heart that they read on here about how hard it will be and make that their reality.

While in my case, it is hard, but not to the point I feel all other aspects if my life suffer. I am well organized and I do study quite a but, i still make time to live. Life is too short to stop living, even for a momentS

[OCNRN63, RN]

Everyone is different.

I have not have an issues as of yet and I am into my first semester. I think people take to heart that they read on here about how hard it will be and make that their reality.

While in my case, it is hard, but not to the point I feel all other aspects if my life suffer. I am well organized and I do study quite a but, i still make time to live. Life is too short to stop living, even for a momentS

No offense, but the first semester is a walk in the park compared with what's ahead. Who knows? You might be one of those rare birds who just waltz through it with no problems.

[PurpleLover]

No offense but the first semester is a walk in the park compared with what's ahead. Who knows? You might be one of those rare birds who just waltz through it with no problems.[/quote']

Could be

As I started my first comment of with, everyone is different.

[LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN]

No offense, but the first semester is a walk in the park compared with what's ahead. Who knows? You might be one of those rare birds who just waltz through it with no problems.

I was told by my prof that first and third semester were hardest. I just started second semester last week. I beg to differ with my prof. First semester was hard because of having to acclimate to the sheer volume of information. But I think I must agree with you, OCNRN63. The proverbial code brown is about to hit the proverbial fan.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

In school, it's the sheer amount of knowledge to accumulate in such a short period of time and having to learn a whole new way of thinking and approaching situations

At work, its the frustration of having a lot of responsibility with little authority and not much respect.

[sjalv]

Everyone is different.

I have not have an issues as of yet and I am into my first semester. I think people take to heart that they read on here about how hard it will be and make that their reality.

While in my case, it is hard, but not to the point I feel all other aspects if my life suffer. I am well organized and I do study quite a but, i still make time to live. Life is too short to stop living, even for a momentS

Like you said, everyone is different, and every school is different. But, at my school in first semester we mainly focused on geriatric patients in a long-term care setting, so we didn't get into pathology issues really, just problems with incontinence, high blood pressure, depression, etc. Second semester and on deals with patients in a hospital (or acute) setting, so we focus on the myriad of issues nurses will encounter in patients that present to the ER, are admitted to the med/surg floor, psych units, etc. First semester wasn't easy, but it definitely was easier than what I am experiencing in 2nd semester so far.

[Dranger]

One of my nursing professors told me today that nursing school was harder than medical school today. Mostly because we have to know all those theories and the nclex style tests.

lolololololololololololololololololololololololololololol, go take the USMLE Steps tests for med students after nursing school and tell me how you did.....Thanks for giving me my laugh of the day.

OP: Type A females make nursing school hard

[Mandy0728]

One of my nursing professors told me today that nursing school was harder than medical school today. Mostly because we have to know all those theories and the nclex style tests.

Not sure where your professor got that info or what planet they live on, but I wouldn't think for one second that nursing school is harder than med school. If that were the case, then how come it doesn't take them only 4 semesters to complete their program? Nurses do have to know quite a lot, however, doctors have to know absolutely everything there is to know about medicine.

[PurpleLover]

Like you said everyone is different, and every school is different. But, at my school in first semester we mainly focused on geriatric patients in a long-term care setting, so we didn't get into pathology issues really, just problems with incontinence, high blood pressure, depression, etc. Second semester and on deals with patients in a hospital (or acute) setting, so we focus on the myriad of issues nurses will encounter in patients that present to the ER, are admitted to the med/surg floor, psych units, etc. First semester wasn't easy, but it definitely was easier than what I am experiencing in 2nd semester so far.[/quote']

Thanks for telling me your experience. Currently, my program is focusing in the elderly and LTC setting. We are doing clinical at a nursing home.

Good luck to you on your second semester! Pharm is included in our second semester and I hear that is a real eye opener.

[hermione77]

A lot of people say you can't (or shouldn't) work full time and go to nursing school full time. However, I do it and so do many of my classmates. You learn to find your rhythm, prioritize, and become super organized. It is a lot of material but you'll learn how much time to spend on each assignment, each class, etc. I plan to work full time throughout nursing school, but if my family time or schoolwork suffers, I'll have to quit. School and family are priority for me. Work is just a "nice to have."

For me the most stressful part is learning to do things in my clinical settings. Reading about them is fine, but when it comes time to actually do the procedure on a real person I get very nervous. That's just a confidence and lack of practice issue though.

Other than that I'd say what other people have said is spot on -- tons of material in a short time and it's not straight memorization. I'm a very good student, but nursing classes are more challenging than other classes for me, because being a good test taker and memorizing information isn't quite enough to do well. You really have to be able to figure out what is the most important thing for the nurse to do or focus on in any given situation. That's what the majority of our tests seem to be.

Good luck!

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Nursing school is harder than anything you ever did academically before, largely because it's a different kind of learning. In almost any other discipline, especially one that is not science-based, you can often get away with studying your brains out at the end of the semester, passing the final, selling the book, and moving on.

In nursing school, however, you will be held responsible for having and retaining a good working knowledge of all your previous coursework, most assuredly including all your prerequisites in the sciences, because you will be expected to apply all that knowledge at higher and higher levels as the semesters pass. The concept of critical thinking in nursing is not really the same as critical thinking in an English major or a history major. It draws on many more disciplines and requisites.

This is a big challenge for many people. Adding the fact that many people come to nursing school thinking it's going to be really easy, because "all I had to do was follow doctors orders, right?" and have no idea about the level of knowledge and autonomy required to function in the role a registered nurse, this means a lot of people are in for a really huge surprise. A fair number of them can't handle it, and leave.

Of the ones that stay, a certain percentage really cannot handle the academics, because it really is harder than they think. Some will eke through to the last semester, then finally drop below the pass line and fail to graduate.

The old ad campaign from Johnson & Johnson said it best: If caring were enough, anyone could be a nurse. Passion and caring are not enough. You need a good education, good critical thinking skills, and a good work ethic, not only to get through nursing school but to actually function in the role of registered nurse. That's why nursing school is so hard.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Yes, some people come here crying about being overwhelmed by school, but they are a very tiny percentage.

Yes, it is hard, but if you are diligent, and work at it, you will succeed.