Before I get slammed let me point out that by easy I mean easier then expected. Coming into this semester (my first of four) I was scared, anxious and paranoid of managing my time, losing my social life and failure. Halfway through, I have a 92.5 average through two of four tests and passed all of my clinical self-tests (BP measuring, Injections, Calculations) with little to no difficulty. Sure, I study, but not nearly as much as I expected too. In clinical, I'm very comfortable doing all of the tasks I'm trained to do, albeit, it isn't much, just vitals, bed changing, dressing changing, feeding, bathing, for example. Not difficult tasks by any means, but nonetheless, it's all I can do at this point.
The reason I'm posting this is because my brother graduated from the same program as me just 4 years ago and completely lost his social life in the process. I used to laugh because I never saw him without a book. Now my mom (I'm 20, I still live home) gives me a hard time because she says I'm not applying myself because I still frequently go out, and basically live like the 20 year old I am (sue me, I like a drink!). I don't mean to sound arrogant or cocky, just wondering if anyone else isn't stressing over the program like most of this board.
It's not overwhelmingly hard as far as the actual work goes. My problem is my instructors like to give a lot of important dates and events as "Oh, by the way" without writing them anywhere. And you mess up in one aspect of nursing three times a semester, it's adios. I'm always worried I missed some important announcement, even though I end up asking 50 different people the same question and writing every word down. OCD, I guess. It's not hard- just stressful.
1st semester is the easiest. It was for me. Don't be fooled though....it will get harder. I am an A student currently in my 3rd of 6 semesters. Nursing school isn't so much about being hard, but more about being dedicated.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Before I get slammed let me point out that by easy I mean easier then expected. Coming into this semester (my first of four) I was scared, anxious and paranoid of managing my time, losing my social life and failure. Halfway through, I have a 92.5 average through two of four tests and passed all of my clinical self-tests (BP measuring, Injections, Calculations) with little to no difficulty. Sure, I study, but not nearly as much as I expected too. In clinical, I'm very comfortable doing all of the tasks I'm trained to do, albeit, it isn't much, just vitals, bed changing, dressing changing, feeding, bathing, for example. Not difficult tasks by any means, but nonetheless, it's all I can do at this point.
The reason I'm posting this is because my brother graduated from the same program as me just 4 years ago and completely lost his social life in the process. I used to laugh because I never saw him without a book. Now my mom (I'm 20, I still live home) gives me a hard time because she says I'm not applying myself because I still frequently go out, and basically live like the 20 year old I am (sue me, I like a drink!). I don't mean to sound arrogant or cocky, just wondering if anyone else isn't stressing over the program like most of this board.
This is coming from a mother of 4 with very little support (as in my friends go to nursing school with me or live far away, no family around or anything) I have found it a lot easier then I expected. We had one really stressful week (3 exams, returns (which are our skill test) and 5 papers due) all in that week oh and clinicals on that week as well. Anyway, other then that week I have found it to be ok, I have done well for the most part and still watch all my shows, go to all but 1 of my sons football games, still go on dates with my husband, watch movies, spend WAY TO MUCH TIME on here and on facebook, yet I am doing better in nursing school then I did my pre reqs.
With that said, I have a feeling first semester is only getting our feet week and it will get a lot harder, I can tell that by looking at the schedule next semester and we start Med/Surge next semester and I hear that is a very tough class and that is only the begginer med surge, after that we have 2 advanced ones. Anyway so I am not letting myself get to cozy yet. I have a friend that works at the college in admission and records and she says a lot of the students start dropping or failing out in the 2nd and 3rd semesters from what she has seen.
Oddly enough, yes I do. I'm in my third term right now, which is supposedly the most difficult, but I seem to be breezing through both theory and clinicals....even on top of having a part time job and a husband who works 70 hours a week (leaving me to all the household duties). I don't know why, but my brain seems to be like a sponge and I can soak up information and remember it, which is a far contrast from about 10 years ago when I got my first degree.
Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.
Nursing school was easy for me as well. I did not study and never read any required reading. I went to class, took good notes, read over my notes once or twice before a test and that was it. I made an A in all my clinical courses. It just was not that hard for me. Nursing is just a lot of common sense.
Yeah, I went to an Accelerated BSN program and I found it easier than my first degree. In nursing school, I crammed 12 hours for each test, bs'd a lot of care plans, treated clinical like a job, and graduated magna cum laude. I regret it though, I failed my first exit HESI and realized I didn't get as much out of nursing school as I could have. I am doing HURST right now for NCLEX review and I think I am finally caught up on the content I should have taken more seriously in school.
Before I get slammed let me point out that by easy I mean easier then expected. Coming into this semester (my first of four) I was scared, anxious and paranoid of managing my time, losing my social life and failure. Halfway through, I have a 92.5 average through two of four tests and passed all of my clinical self-tests (BP measuring, Injections, Calculations) with little to no difficulty. Sure, I study, but not nearly as much as I expected too. In clinical, I'm very comfortable doing all of the tasks I'm trained to do, albeit, it isn't much, just vitals, bed changing, dressing changing, feeding, bathing, for example. Not difficult tasks by any means, but nonetheless, it's all I can do at this point.
The reason I'm posting this is because my brother graduated from the same program as me just 4 years ago and completely lost his social life in the process. I used to laugh because I never saw him without a book. Now my mom (I'm 20, I still live home) gives me a hard time because she says I'm not applying myself because I still frequently go out, and basically live like the 20 year old I am (sue me, I like a drink!). I don't mean to sound arrogant or cocky, just wondering if anyone else isn't stressing over the program like most of this board.
were you, perhaps, always a better student than your bro? 1' year of 3 for me was a breeze, the only thing i learned was how to give a shot, the rest of the skills i already knew....after that it did get tougher, maintaind B's after that......so keep yourself aware to increasing difficulty....
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Nursing school was easy for me as well. I did not study and never read any required reading. I went to class, took good notes, read over my notes once or twice before a test and that was it. I made an A in all my clinical courses. It just was not that hard for me. Nursing is just a lot of common sense.
That is what I am finding thus far as well. I sit in class thinking, *this is common sense* for a lot of the stuff, not all but a lot.
I don't want to get to cocky because I will get knocked back down LOL but so far I have never even opened my books, they sit collecting dust. I probably should put forth a little more effort though because I COULD do better. I am getting high B's on just about everything minus one nursing A and 2 nursing C's. My overall grades are still high B's and an A in Dosage calculations. Anyway I am glad I am not the only one that has felt this way!
I agree with the people that think its easy... I completely stopped purchasing books my 2nd semester, there was no point in reading all that useless stuff. Take good notes and review them a day or 2 before a test and you will be fine. Clinicals are ridiculously easy A's... show up, do your work and have your assignments done. Seriously, do those 2 things and you will come out with a 3.7. The only thing I find difficult about nursing school is the unwarranted stress the program puts on you for crap like the HESI (passed the exit this week, what a dumb irrelevant test). Other than that, enjoy your free time... Because when it comes down to it, its just a job.
Okay, I have to say that my 1st semester was awful! My clinical instructor was mean (not only to me, to EVERYONE), I struggled with exams, although I pulled of an 86% in theory (but I had to work for it). Second semester wasn't too bad, I didn't feel like I had to work so hard, or study so long, and now in 3rd semester I am averaging 88% in theory, and about 93% in clinical and I am being so lazy compared to first!
I think for me now that I have the core information down, and have gotten better at my critical thinking skills everything is just much easier!
I am excited for 4th semester, we don't have lecture, we just do case studies, HESI exam (nothing to stress about, the test is just to find out where our strengths and weakness are when it comes to taking the NCLEX) and our preciptorships!
Some of my classes, like Foundations of Nursing Practice are more or less a breeze for me. A lot of it is memorization and common sense. Others, like Pharm, take a lot more work.
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muscadinewine
28 Posts
It's not overwhelmingly hard as far as the actual work goes. My problem is my instructors like to give a lot of important dates and events as "Oh, by the way" without writing them anywhere. And you mess up in one aspect of nursing three times a semester, it's adios. I'm always worried I missed some important announcement, even though I end up asking 50 different people the same question and writing every word down. OCD, I guess. It's not hard- just stressful.