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.
I don't want to say it's easy, but I'm finding that it isn't bad. It could be because I took a lot of science classes, or it could be from my previous health care experience. Or it could just be that I find a lot of the things being taught logical, common sense things.
I'll be honest..you are not far enough into it to determine how difficult the program is.
You are learning the basics, the bare foundation...those concepts are not difficult.
The difficulty begins when you start getting into disease process...and trust me, that is when your personal life will come to all but a screeching halt.
My first semester, I had tons of free time, my second semester, was easier than my first....but when I started the third semester, students started dropping like flies.
Time management makes or breaks anything you do. Some classes are harder then others, but I just study a little more and I am good. Thankfully I haven't had a semester with more than 1 class that needed that "extra time".
I'll be honest..you are not far enough into it to determine how difficult the program is.
You are learning the basics, the bare foundation...those concepts are not difficult.
The difficulty begins when you start getting into disease process...and trust me, that is when your personal life will come to all but a screeching halt.
My first semester, I had tons of free time, my second semester, was easier than my first....but when I started the third semester, students started dropping like flies.
Dont listen to this advice... If you find 1st semester really easy, the rest of it is about the same. It was equally as easy.... The disease process stuff is easy, the hard stuff is the subjectivity of the BS questions and dealing with drama.
Oh I too was lulled into complacency by the ease of the first semester, got all 90's on my test, felt like this was just common sense, I am now in my last semester and this is the first time I have looked at this board in a month, I am totally stressed, haven't slept more than 3-4 hours a night in weeks. Overwhelmed, is a mild description, I hope it is always this easy for you, but unforetuanately it wasn't that way for me, it got progessively harder and more stressful. Good luck and study hard.
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.
I did not find nursing school to be exceptionally challenging. It wasn't easy but it wasn't nearly as difficult as my two undergraduate programs were.
The hardest part was coping with the pace and volume but once I got organized, it wasn't that big a deal as long as I stayed on top of it. I never let myself get behind.
Dont listen to this advice... If you find 1st semester really easy, the rest of it is about the same. It was equally as easy.... The disease process stuff is easy, the hard stuff is the subjectivity of the BS questions and dealing with drama.
It depends on the school you go to....and obviously yours wasn't very challenging.
In our first year, we rarely had an exam that covered more than 80 pages of material...we were given pre-prepared notes, two weeks between exams.
The second year, our classroom time was doubled as well as our clinical rotation schedule increased by 50%. The amount of material that was covered for exams went from a mere 80 pages of material to well over 300 and in some cases, 400.....we had only 4 lectures between exams..it was a struggle, just to get through the material, much less learn it well enough to master an exam.
Students that were working full-time jobs either dropped to part-time or quit...just to keep from failing, never mind a good grade...we had only lost a few students that first year, during the thirst semester, we lost 30% of our class...these were not lazy students, they were very hard workers.
Our final semester, 9 students that went through pinning found out later that they were not going to graduate.
One needs not look any further than the student nursing forum to realize how difficult nursing school is and look toward the NCLEX forum to realize that passing the NCLEX is no walk in the park.
Specializes in Home Care, Psych, Education, Case Management.
I think you might change your mind second year....it is much more difficult in med surg 2 and 3......it's alot more info...it's all pathology...the exams are tougher.....clinical instructors become impossible.....ugh ...I don't miss school at all....
I am also a first semester student and as of yet, I have found it not to be as difficult as I expected. With that in mind, I am also 32 years old with 4 children. So I feel like I have alot of real life experiences and common sense. I also have a wonderful husband that picks up my slack right now. The only thing that I wished I would have done is take Microbiology before I started Nursing classes. I don't know how the younger ones handle 17 to 19 credit hours a semester. I don't have to work so I am sure that factors into my current situation. However, I keep my guard up because I want to be ready in case it does get harder.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
It depends on the school you go to....and obviously yours wasn't very challenging.
In our first year, we rarely had an exam that covered more than 80 pages of material...we were given pre-prepared notes, two weeks between exams.
The second year, our classroom time was doubled as well as our clinical rotation schedule increased by 50%. The amount of material that was covered for exams went from a mere 80 pages of material to well over 300 and in some cases, 400.....we had only 4 lectures between exams..it was a struggle, just to get through the material, much less learn it well enough to master an exam.
Students that were working full-time jobs either dropped to part-time or quit...just to keep from failing, never mind a good grade...we had only lost a few students that first year, during the thirst semester, we lost 30% of our class...these were not lazy students, they were very hard workers.
Our final semester, 9 students that went through pinning found out later that they were not going to graduate.
One needs not look any further than the student nursing forum to realize how difficult nursing school is and look toward the NCLEX forum to realize that passing the NCLEX is no walk in the park.
Just because a program wasn't difficult for someone doesn't mean their program wasn't challenging. I would be willing to bet not EVERY person in his class has an easy time with it but he happens to.
From what you just described my first semester was not as easy as yours. We have exams pretty much weekly and some times more then one in a week. We were not given any pre done notes, on top of 3 classes that total 15 credits we have our clinicals and labs and many assignments due for those as well. Our next pharm test is over 15 chapters. Many people in my class our struggling, so far I am not. I know it will get more challenging as I go along but just because some people don't have a hard time with it doesn't mean their program isn't challenging.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I am also a first semester student and as of yet, I have found it not to be as difficult as I expected. With that in mind, I am also 32 years old with 4 children. So I feel like I have alot of real life experiences and common sense. I also have a wonderful husband that picks up my slack right now. The only thing that I wished I would have done is take Microbiology before I started Nursing classes. I don't know how the younger ones handle 17 to 19 credit hours a semester. I don't have to work so I am sure that factors into my current situation. However, I keep my guard up because I want to be ready in case it does get harder.
Our micro was required before getting on the wait list for nursing school.
I took Pathophysiology before I started the program to get it out of the way as well but many kids are planning on taking it during which is going to be extremely tough unless they do the accelerated summer course because the only other time they can do it is next semester which is already a big load of classes and clinicals. I am very glad I got that out of the way.
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stereotypical
48 Posts
I don't want to say it's easy, but I'm finding that it isn't bad. It could be because I took a lot of science classes, or it could be from my previous health care experience. Or it could just be that I find a lot of the things being taught logical, common sense things.