Why Is Nursing School So Hard?

Students Pre-Nursing

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allthingsbright

1,569 Posts

Specializes in LDRP.
Actually, one of the reasons nursing school is so tough is that the NCLCEX hardly weeds out anybody. Almost nobody fails the NCLEX in the long run. People who fail simply keep taking it again and again and again ad nauseum until they pass it. How many people do you know who couldn't pass the test in 6 or 7 tries?

Also, NCLEX does not measure all aspects of nursing -- only a portion of the basic knowledge required.

Because NCLEX does NOT weed out those who should not be nurses, it is up to the schools to do the job -- and employers to catch the rest.

llg

wow, i never thought about that! thanks for making that point-what an eye opener! :uhoh21:

allthingsbright

1,569 Posts

Specializes in LDRP.
What I'm saying is that there a countless reasons why people don't make it through; family problems, money issues, etc. Not just people who can't cut it grade or clinical wise (hence, why I used the word everyone). Nursing school takes up your entire life, if there is any aspect of it that is not in order, it could be your downfall. I'm sure that there are many people on this board that know people who did not make it the first time, or not at all because of these types of issues.

yeah, that makes total sense!

BoonersmomRN

1,132 Posts

well....i am only in fundamentals...all my pre-reqs are done but so far i have found fundamentals to be easy.

having said that- there are things it took getting used to. reading 10+ chapters in one night, the endless paperwork, transitioning from 1 patient to another, the nclex style questions on the exams ( critical thinking), and definately learning to please different clinical instructors ( i have had 3 so far and all 3 have been very different! you get used to one style and then boom you have to adapt to another).. i'm also not expecting med-surg or any of the upcoming semesters to be this easy at all.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN

3 Articles; 10,428 Posts

What makes nursing school so hard? Would like to hear from those who are currently going to or who have been through nursing school - what made it the most challenging for you? Please be specific.

Well, your choice of the phrase "Be Specific" brings to mind something: how very subjective so much of the schooling and grading is! Tests are one thing, either an answer is right or it isn't (unless it's one of those ones that gets challenged...). But what's not so clear is the criteria for passing skill evals and clinical rotations. The not-so-obvious stuff that the instructors use to decide that Sue will be a good nurse but Jane will not. Lots of being kept on your toes, that's for sure!

I always had good, very good grades before the core nursing classes. I still get good grades, but have to work so much harder for them! The THINKING is different. Actually, so much of my past coursework was handled by memorizing the details (like A&P, names and functions of structures). But for nursing classes, it's not nearly enough to know what something is or what it does, but how best to approach a problem with it, what the side effects might be of what you're doing, which meds are most appropriate and why, prioritizing, etc. Knowing that on a typical multiple choice question, two of the answers are perfectly reasonable, but only one of them is the BEST choice. That takes some practice, determining WHY the best answer is just that.

Personally, I'm glad it's hard. This school has a reputation as being the toughest around, and therefore its graduates are the best. I'm proud to be part of that surviving crew (less than 7 weeks to pinning!) and know that if I can take this, I can get through ANYTHING ANYWHERE!!

WannaBeMaleRN

168 Posts

Yh, but dont you just LOVE the people who think they know it all I mean there is atleast one in every class the one in my class sits right behind me in A&P. One day I am going to have to stretch a bit to far and hit her. So what you mean is.... and she knows she is right but wants everyone else to know. Or, is there essay questions on the test after she told us 3 times it was multiple choice! I am sure no one on here is like that. Just aggervates me a little.

Butterfly3001

255 Posts

well....i am only in fundamentals...all my pre-reqs are done but so far i have found fundamentals to be easy.

having said that- there are things it took getting used to. reading 10+ chapters in one night, the endless paperwork, transitioning from 1 patient to another, the nclex style questions on the exams ( critical thinking), and definately learning to please different clinical instructors ( i have had 3 so far and all 3 have been very different! you get used to one style and then boom you have to adapt to another).. i'm also not expecting med-surg or any of the upcoming semesters to be this easy at all.

10+ chapters to read in one night?:uhoh3: :uhoh3: how many pages usually per chapter? do they really think that you can remember all of that in one day?

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I think some people underestimate the emotional demands of nursing. Just read the thread in the general nursing discussion forum, "Happiest and Saddest Moments." I teared up just reading it. Imagine being there IRL and those moments being your job and having to compose yourself.

Frankly, I wish nursing programs required an interview and an MMPI psychological test. But I know that is not realistic, is fraught with trouble and will never happen. I find it interesting though, that applicants for police jobs have to have psych/MMPI screening yet prospective nurses and doctors don't. Interesting.

Specializes in Pediatrics.
Yh, but dont you just LOVE the people who think they know it all I mean there is atleast one in every class the one in my class sits right behind me in A&P. One day I am going to have to stretch a bit to far and hit her.

:roll :roll :roll :roll Hit her twice, please (once for me!!).

I am sure no one on here is like that. Just aggervates me a little.

Are you sure (I doubt they'd admit to it).

This reminds me of one of my students. Very sure of herself last semester in clinicals. Just seemed like I couldn't challenge her enough. She said to me one day (in the fall), 'Is this going to get any harder?? ***??? Not hard enough for you, dear. Well, last week, she failed the unit exam. Sure, she could have had a bad day, bad week, whatever. Or maybe, just maybe, it's getting hard.:nono:

BoonersmomRN

1,132 Posts

Yep 10+ in one night- sometimes less...but normally that's about what we have to read for that week. It all depends on the chapter. Some are really short..like the chapter I had to read on stress last week. But some are REALLY long like the one on medication administration. What winds up happening is I skim and pick up the highlights. I TRIED to read them all but it became impossible- however I picked up some great study guides that condense it all down to the important stuff and it's worked for me.

Butterfly3001

255 Posts

Yep 10+ in one night- sometimes less...but normally that's about what we have to read for that week. It all depends on the chapter. Some are really short..like the chapter I had to read on stress last week. But some are REALLY long like the one on medication administration. What winds up happening is I skim and pick up the highlights. I TRIED to read them all but it became impossible- however I picked up some great study guides that condense it all down to the important stuff and it's worked for me.

Thanks, for answering my question, Im applying to the program in April, and I want to be prepared for whats coming to me. Another question how often are you guys tested on the things that you have to read for the week?

JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP

1 Article; 1,863 Posts

Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.
Yep 10+ in one night- sometimes less...but normally that's about what we have to read for that week. It all depends on the chapter. Some are really short..like the chapter I had to read on stress last week. But some are REALLY long like the one on medication administration. What winds up happening is I skim and pick up the highlights. I TRIED to read them all but it became impossible- however I picked up some great study guides that condense it all down to the important stuff and it's worked for me.

I still don't get how it can be 10 chapters a night. How many chapters does the book have altogether? How many books are you expected to get through in one course? What's the duration of the course?

stacyinMD

29 Posts

having said that- there are things it took getting used to. reading 10+ chapters in one night...

how do i do this...lol. when i sit down to read a chapter it takes me about 2-3 hours depending on the number of pages. i first write down all the terms that are unfamilar to me...i'm sure there will be tons in nursing. how do you manage large amounts of reading. and then i write down everything that i think could be important...this could be complete paragraphs... yikes! how do you determine what is most important?

tia,

stacy

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