CLC (or any) Nursing Classes - studying time?

Hello! I am going into my second semester for nursing school, and I am also a working mother and wife. All of the people in my class are either working outside the home, parents or both. It is a very strenuous program, involving a lot of time studying and practicing on your own. It is doable, but only if you have a strong support system at home, and (in my opinion), if you get together with fellow students to form a good study group.

Each semester is just one class, technically. The first two semesters are 7 credit hours each, and classes are 3 days per week. One of those nights will be lecture from 4:30-8:20ish, I believe, one night will be clinical from 4:30-9:50ish (I know, very late for me too!), and the other night is lab, which will either be 4:30-6:50ish or 7-9:50ish, depending on which section you choose to be in.

Most of us were at the school, either studying or practicing in the nursing lab 4-5 days a week. I usually spent a couple of hours on my week night that I didn't have class at school, and between 4-8 hours many Saturdays studying.

For the 3rd and 4th semesters, they are 9 credits each, and I'm not sure but I think they may be 4 nights a week of classes.

I'll admit, I've learned in my first semester that nursing school will pretty much consume your life. There is an incredible amount of reading you are expected to do on your own, and lots of practicing in the lab. If this is the career you really want to do, then it will be worth all of the sacrifice in the end. If you are wavering at all on whether you actually want to be an RN, then I would suggest you thinking about it a little more before you invest so much time and money into it.

Also, as I said before, you need to have a strong support system. My husband has been amazing with all he had done for me to pursue this course of study. He is really the "mom" around the house now. I don't get to see my daughter much during the week, but I've explained to her that I'm trying to make our lives better for the future, because nurses generally don't have to work 40 hours a week like I do now and the pay will be much higher.

The study group is very helpful because you and your colleagues can split up some of the busy work and also for discussion on things you guys may be confused about. I know I've found moments of clarity by just talking with my fellow classmates in study group. We set up regular times to meet and assigned certain work to each person in the group and deadlines to have them in. I don't know how people make it through the program without something like that. It's just too much work!

I hope this has been helpful. (I know it was VERY long!) But there were certain things I didn't know what to expect going into my first semester and I think it's helpful if you have some of it explained to you. It is a huge time investment on your part and the people in your life are affected by it. If you ever have any other questions, feel free to ask!

Good luck on getting into the program!:monkeydance:

Thank you so much...that information was definitely helpful.

I keep telling my husband to get ready and that he really needs to pitch in once I begin nursing, but I don't think he fully understands. He will be Mr. Mom for a while. It'll be hard for me to let him take care of my daughter since I've been doing it since she was born. This is definitely what I want to to, but I just wanted some insight as to what I should expect and maybe let him know a little more as well.

I have my family (mom and siblings) as well, so I think all-in-all, we will get through. It'll be harder for me than anyone else I think...being apart from my baby so much!

Hello! I am going into my second semester for nursing school, and I am also a working mother and wife. All of the people in my class are either working outside the home, parents or both. It is a very strenuous program, involving a lot of time studying and practicing on your own. It is doable, but only if you have a strong support system at home, and (in my opinion), if you get together with fellow students to form a good study group.

Each semester is just one class, technically. The first two semesters are 7 credit hours each, and classes are 3 days per week. One of those nights will be lecture from 4:30-8:20ish, I believe, one night will be clinical from 4:30-9:50ish (I know, very late for me too!), and the other night is lab, which will either be 4:30-6:50ish or 7-9:50ish, depending on which section you choose to be in.

Most of us were at the school, either studying or practicing in the nursing lab 4-5 days a week. I usually spent a couple of hours on my week night that I didn't have class at school, and between 4-8 hours many Saturdays studying.

For the 3rd and 4th semesters, they are 9 credits each, and I'm not sure but I think they may be 4 nights a week of classes.

I'll admit, I've learned in my first semester that nursing school will pretty much consume your life. There is an incredible amount of reading you are expected to do on your own, and lots of practicing in the lab. If this is the career you really want to do, then it will be worth all of the sacrifice in the end. If you are wavering at all on whether you actually want to be an RN, then I would suggest you thinking about it a little more before you invest so much time and money into it.

Also, as I said before, you need to have a strong support system. My husband has been amazing with all he had done for me to pursue this course of study. He is really the "mom" around the house now. I don't get to see my daughter much during the week, but I've explained to her that I'm trying to make our lives better for the future, because nurses generally don't have to work 40 hours a week like I do now and the pay will be much higher.

The study group is very helpful because you and your colleagues can split up some of the busy work and also for discussion on things you guys may be confused about. I know I've found moments of clarity by just talking with my fellow classmates in study group. We set up regular times to meet and assigned certain work to each person in the group and deadlines to have them in. I don't know how people make it through the program without something like that. It's just too much work!

I hope this has been helpful. (I know it was VERY long!) But there were certain things I didn't know what to expect going into my first semester and I think it's helpful if you have some of it explained to you. It is a huge time investment on your part and the people in your life are affected by it. If you ever have any other questions, feel free to ask!

Good luck on getting into the program!:monkeydance:

You're in the program AND work 40 hours a week??????????

Thank you so much...that information was definitely helpful.

This is definitely what I want to to, but I just wanted some insight as to what I should expect and maybe let him know a little more as well.

Let him read this, lol! Good luck. It's what I really want to do as well. I get tired and exhausted and crabby sometimes, but I know it will all be worth it in the end!

You're in the program AND work 40 hours a week??????????

Gotta pay the bills! I never drank coffee ever until nursing school... Now I'm a total caffeine addict!