Any Positive Nursing School Experiences

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Can anyone share any positive experiences they are having at nursing school? These threads really point out the negative. I know it is going to be hard work, but is it really as awful as everyone here says? I have a very supportive husband and my kids will be in school or daycare during the day.

How many hours on average do you spend studying daily during nursing school? Not including preparing for a test. Is is around five hours a day? I will not be working. I have great grades on all my nursing prerequisites. Thanks for your insight!

LOL, and I meant difficult! hah, but still fun, challenging, and weird.

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I feel much better now knowing that there are students out there with positive attitudes. Does anyone know which cuny College is better-- BMCC or Laguardia. I applied for BMCC. They accepted 17 credits from my other college. I like the fact that they have classes in the day, evening and weekend (NURSING). But, I am hearing a lot of bad things about the professors. Also, I did not need to take and entrance exam. I am confused.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.

I went to meet my preceptor today in the ICU. We were only meeting and discussing a schedule so I went in street clothes. Well when I arrived, they were in the middle of a case and I got to watch by the sidelines. A patient had just been brought up from surgery ( exploratory lap and oophorectomy). She bottomed her pressures in postop so they gave her Narcan and sent her up to ICU. When I got there they were putting in a 3rd IV line, and running LR and saline. Her BP was 79 systolic, she was unconscious, pale, HR 139. Turns out her Hgb dropped from 15 preop to 8 and she was in hemmorhagic shock. I watched as they very quickly and efficiently hung Hetastarch, 2 liters of blood and Dopamine, and watched her vitals gradually improve over the course of an hour. It was fascinating! I can't wait to start on Sunday! The staff and physician were fantastic explaining everything and talking through their rationales. Loved it! Not what I was expecting for an informal meet and greet! LOL

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Actually, it isn't rare. I am in an accelerated RN program, 18 months to be exact. We are in class 3 days a week for 4-6 hours and in clinicals the other 2 days for 8 hours.

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You, as I said, will get out of school and be that kind of nurse, what you put into it.

I'm in a similar program (we also go year round and do 2 years worth of work in 16 months) and I don't study like you do. I'm doing very well in my program. I don't think that loving or hating nursing school has anything to do with what kind of nurse someone will be and additionally I think that the amount of studying you do reflects on what type of learner you are, not what kind of nurse you will be. It doesn't really matter if someone learns the material in an hour, a day, or a week ... what matters is that they learn.

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Nursing school is interesting and fun a lot of the time. There is a lot of work, rules and regulations. A lot of irritating B.S., but overall I have had a pretty great experience so far. People usually start out studying a ton and by the time you hit senior year (or sooner for many) you have a system down and can cut down on the quantity of study because the quality has gotten better.

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i am graduated in december and i have had alot of wonderful experiences while in nursing school, but there is alot of stress involved in nursing school....i am 31 so i am not as fresh as some that are in school, you do spend alot of time studying, and your family must be very understanding.....i have not found myself to have alot of time with my family so have alot of time to make up for once i graduate.best of luck to you...keep your chin up.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

Yes, there are lots of positive points about nursing school. I haven't gone through all the replies, but eventually you're bound to be hearing the same things over and over.

It's like so much else in life -- some see all the good and some see all the bad. Depends on what color lenses you are looking through. A lot of it depends on you and how you handle it, who you chose to associate with, and how you chose to conduct yourself in nursing school.

Best wishes!!!

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Specializes in ED.
I'm in a similar program (we also go year round and do 2 years worth of work in 16 months) and I don't study like you do. I'm doing very well in my program. I don't think that loving or hating nursing school has anything to do with what kind of nurse someone will be and additionally I think that the amount of studying you do reflects on what type of learner you are, not what kind of nurse you will be. It doesn't really matter if someone learns the material in an hour, a day, or a week ... what matters is that they learn.

Thanks!!!! I totally agree. I do not study night and day but I still love nursing and look forward to my nursing career. There are definately people who study all their waking hours in my class, and for some reason they seem to struggle. It really comes down to focusing on the important nursing points when studying, and not trying to memorize everything. Try to see it from a nursing perspective. I do a ton of NCLEX type questions before each test and this really helps me focus on that type of question. I refuse to give up my family life for school, and even though school does take up a lot of my time it does not rule my life. This is probably impossible when in an accel program and one of the reasons I chose not to go that route (I do have a previous ba degree). I knew that i wouldn't be able to take that much time out of my life for school. It would have been a faster route and I would have gotten a BA rather than an AD but for me it was a better fit. Everyone has a unique situation. Everyone gets through it in their own way. No way is better or worse.

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Specializes in RN in LTC.

Orginazation is the key to making your life easier in nursing school. I have had many possitive experiences. I love my clinical experience. Lab can teach you proceedure but it doesn't really prepare you for the real experience on the floor. Clinical is where you really get your experience. I have two teenagers and a husband. I am not working right now because I spend many hours studying for my tests. Is it worth it? It is for me.

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Specializes in Medical/Surgical.

I love it...it has completely changed me and is making me a better person. What more can you ask for out of a career? It is stressful, but I'm just so happy to be making this change and I know it's going to be a very rewarding career. I also just feel proud in general to be able to do this. So many people right now are on a wait list dying to start the program. We are all very lucky to be at this point right now.

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