Why Is Nursing School So Hard?

BoonersmomRN · Mar 26, 2006

Chaya-

It's around 10 chapters - normally- sometimes less but we are only in lecture 1X a week. ( Mon lecture, Tues skills lab, Wed off, Thurs/Fri Clinicals) So that's 10 chapters for one 7 hour lecture. For the lecture I have tomorrow I had to read 2 chapters in my Nutrition book, 4 chapters in my Pharmacology book, 2 chapters in my Fundamentals book, and 1 chapter in my Clinical Labs book. I read the Pharm ones, skimmed the Nutrition/Fundamentals, read the Lab, and read my study guide.

We use 11 books in our course( not all are for reading- some like the dictionary and drug book are references)...which is Fundamentals and runs 14 weeks. After fundamentals the courses drop to 7 week sessions and the reading, from what I have heard, drops as well.

Butterfly-

Our tests have been once every 3-4 weeks.

BoonersmomRN · Mar 26, 2006

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

From A) the powerpoints in my class ( typically pretty straight forward to the " what's important" stuff) and B) the objectives list we were given( after reading this chapter you should be able to answer XYZ type list)

Lord help me if I had to write everything down....lol...no no no...

Don't freak...lol...I think I know why it sounded so bad when I wrote it....because *I* only have 1 night to knock all the reading out thanks to my work schedule, kids, etc. Sundays are my only day to really sit down and read. Technically we have the reading list ahead of time so there is an entire week to get it done- I just don't have the time. So, it was an adjustment *for me*

stacyinMD · Mar 26, 2006

From A) the powerpoints in my class ( typically pretty straight forward to the " what's important" stuff) and B) the objectives list we were given( after reading this chapter you should be able to answer XYZ type list)
Lord help me if I had to write everything down....lol...no no no...

Oh ok....love powerpoints and objective lists! :) My Chem professor started posting the powerpoints online, I think they have been key in my success in the class. Love 'em!

Stacy

TRINI_RN · Mar 27, 2006

From A) the powerpoints in my class ( typically pretty straight forward to the " what's important" stuff) and B) the objectives list we were given( after reading this chapter you should be able to answer XYZ type list)
Lord help me if I had to write everything down....lol...no no no...
Don't freak...lol...I think I know why it sounded so bad when I wrote it....because *I* only have 1 night to knock all the reading out thanks to my work schedule, kids, etc. Sundays are my only day to really sit down and read. Technically we have the reading list ahead of time so there is an entire week to get it done- I just don't have the time. So, it was an adjustment *for me*

You Go Girl!!!! Now that's what I call a Superwoman.

JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 27, 2006

Thanks for enlightening me!

So, if I'm not yet in nursing school but will start pre-reqs in the fall, am I wasting my time by reading A&P and nursing textbooks? Will it all fly out of my head by the time I need it?

BoonersmomRN · Mar 27, 2006

No A+P is very important. You will read the entire A+P book by the time you are done with A+P 2 basically. But, it's only 1 book lol!

Nursing reading is a load...but you will find a system that works for you. Sometimes the chapters we have to read in 1 book mirror chapters in another. I know people in my class who read eveyr page and others who barely open their books...but then again I knew the same type of people in pre-reqs as well.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2006

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.

Good point. Over the years I've been up for two nursing jobs where I had to go through psychological testing pending final offer of employment. As a manager I've also learned (the hard way, of course) that character assessment of prospective employees is as important as any technical skills they may have. I think it's a matter of the importance of the weight any school or employer places on quality and quantity of the product they turn out.

K_A_T · Mar 27, 2006

I think the thing that has been THE MOST CHALLENGING for me is the critical thinking part. I mean, it's really a challenge to figure some things out. Just this morning as I am sitting here practicing NCLEX questions and doing pretty good, I realized it is starting to sink it. It feels good, FINALLY! Now I am just worried about being able to "put it all together" when I get out in the real world. I know that learning from a text book versus doing the hands on thing is completely different and I hope I can pull it off.

~Kat

stpauligirl · Mar 27, 2006

Good point. Over the years I've been up for two nursing jobs where I had to go through psychological testing pending final offer of employment. As a manager I've also learned (the hard way, of course) that character assessment of prospective employees is as important as any technical skills they may have. I think it's a matter of the importance of the weight any school or employer places on quality and quantity of the product they turn out.

IMO the same should be done before issuing a driver's license......again, this is my opinion.

Aedana · Mar 28, 2006

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.

I'm one of the Spring 06 students making my way through Foundations. I wouldn't say that school is hard, just very, very, VERY different from the pre-reqs.

The first thing to adjust to is the structure of the classes. In pre-reqs, you get a nice neat objective list and if you can properly spout out what you learned from reading and lectures, you make an A. In nursing school, you not only have to know the material, but ways to properly and logically apply your knowledge. The test questions are formatted in a completely different way with an NCLEX style. You usually end up with two 'correct' answers to the questions that have fabulous rationales for either. Then you have to hope that whichever 'best' answer you pick matches the 'best' answer the instructor chooses. I hope that as I gain more hospital experience, some of the NCLEX style questions my instructors make become more obvious.

The second big change is the increased influence your people skills have on your success in school. In pre-reqs, even the most anti-social Nursing Student Rachet can make an A, she just needs to study. In nursing school, learning how to quickly build a sense of rapport with your fellow students, your patients, the nurses and ancillary staff in your unit, and your instructors is very vital to your success. I'm not advocating kissing butts at all, but just helping to wipe them on your floor. :) My clinical group has worked very hard on pt care and our unit actually looks forward to us coming in because they know we are there to work and learn and assist. Another thing our instructors told us is to make buddies with your fellow students as early as you can because we students need each other as much as we need them. And it's true! In addition to having a support system for studying, you feel less anxious knowing that others feel just as anxious as you do about nursing school.

Finally, the last big change (for me) is having to learn not to beat myself up for long periods over test mistakes, bad days at clinical, etc. I hyperanalyzed everything and ended up piling a lot more stress on myself than was really necessary. When working with people, Murphy's Law and the School of Hard Knocks frequently intervene to test how flexible you are, even more so if you are a perfectionist. (Rule #1, the most exceptional care plans written are for the pts discharged

Hope this helps!

-- Aedana

berns10 · Jun 12, 2010

Thanks Aedana, great post! Nursing school while making friends is all that you say it is, and the questions on the exams I agree with you. How's everything going now?

utadahikaru · Jan 22, 2011

I can't speak for everyone, but my experience so far has been that the stress factor in nursing school fluctuates between moderate to overwhelming. Lots of anxiety. Many lectures that are filled with tons of new things to learn and the exams come at you so fast and hard you will feel like you've been in a bull fight. I guess the secret to it all is time management; but its a very tight budget with the hours. Beginning a new semester is down right depressing. The first few weeks almost everyone express feelings of doubt, fatigue, and near drowning under pile of information. By midway through the semester things do get better, if you keep your head above the water line.

But the real question was WHY?... There is absolutely no logical reason. It could be so much easier and still accomplish the same goal. Some people say its a weeding process. If that is true, it's a twisted concept. Personally, I think its so hard because there is too much philosophy pumped into the curriculum. Useless ideas that students use to pass exams and then forget about in the real world. Not everyone in the nursing community agrees with the current teaching standards, but it is what it is, at least for now.