Does the program get harder as the semesters go on?

[cobee]

I'm almost done with my first semester of the program (final is on Thursday!) and I good about what I've done so far. I've been very fortunate to have a very caring and fun clinical instructor and although I know I can probably push myself harder in lecture, I have a B average.

My question is, did you find that the program got harder as you progressed through? My school just changed the program starting with my class and the 2nd semester now has OB and Peds, while OB used to be in the last semester. I found out from a friend who is in her last semester that we would be having OB lecture together.

I'm very much worried. Of course the knowledge base, independence and critical thinking skills of a second semester student and those of a last semester student are worlds apart (or it seems like it to me).

I already know I have to work harder next semester in general as I think my clinical instructor might have been too easy on us and I might just have been lucky on tests since I don't really read the books, but will being in OB with last semester students be doable?

[soushee]

2nd semester is considered the hardest semester in my program. 1st is stupidly easy, then BAM! 2nd semester hits and it's hell. Then it eases off again in 3rd and 4th.

[cobee]

What were your classes for second semester?

[kooking]

From what I've heard, the program gets harder as it goes on. I didn't hear so much about 2nd sem, but for sure 3rd and 4th sem everyone complains about in my school.

I'm just finishing off my first semester as well. :) Last final tomorrow!

[Bob_N_VA]

The first for us was pretty straightforward and not too hard. Second semester was considerably harder, pharm, patho and assessment were the big three. Next semester should interesting, adult health 1, mother-baby and gerontology. From what I hear it's harder, really involves starting to integrate what you learned from all three previous classes which is caring for a pt taking into consideration the disease, the drugs and your skills at constantly assessing how they are doing.

[Chapis]

the students in higher levels say that level i is the hardest b'c its the first semester of ns, new test taking strategies, and the test questions are ncelx style, and learning a new way of studing, and time management.

in my school level i is: principals of med-surge, and pharm, and the clinical part of med-surge, then in level ii, is med-surge i, and ob, and each with their clinical, and we have a third class which is physical assesment (in depth).

[Trilldayz,RN BSN]

Each school is a little different, I think. See what other students ahead of you have to say about the classes. You will have a better idea, based on your program.

[KatieRN2012]

I think in any nursing program that the semesters seem "easier" or "harder" just because we're so use to the swing of things by now. I graduate next Dec. and my 3rd semester is OB/PEDS. I've heard good and bad things so I guess it just depends on how you take it in. If it makes you feel better all of us SN are studying the same stuff!!! No worries just remember to breathe. ABC's always first. And the right answer is in front of you on the test. You just have to pick it :)

[lsk40]

Just finished 2nd and yes it is harder, on my first day we had to stand up and tell something about ourselves man there was like 20 people who were taking the class over. oh yeah they changed our program because so many people were failing taking adult nursing, peds, and o.b. so good luck with that adult nursing and peds was hard enough

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I just finished 3rd semester and so far 2nd semester has been the hardest, It wasn't the content so much as it was just a completely different pace than 1st and 3rd. The tests seem to change for 3rd semester and got harder. For 4th semester we will have the lecture portion done within the first 6-7 weeks with the final and than the rest is clinical time.

[Nurse Kyles, BSN, RN]

We have Ob/Peds 2nd semester. (I just finished :) ) I think it is a very doable class. Here is it called Health promotions. It included Fertility, Pregnancy, Birth, Newborn, Development Birth-Death, promotion of safety, basic mental illnesses and nutrition. (focus was healthy, abnormals covered in complex health alterations 1 &2)

Our Classes:

• 1st: Nursing Skills(includes assessment, skills such as meds, foleys, ostomy, injections etc and basic illnesses) Pharmacology, Fundamentals & Intro to Clinical (Nursing home Clinical)
  
• 2nd: Maternity Clinical, Management Clinical (nursing home) & lifespan clinical (which just happend to be Neuro/Peds but could have been med/surg) Promotions, Alterations (Pathophysiology of major diseases this is followed by Complex Health Alterations 3rd semester & Complex 2 4th semester)
  
• 3rd: Complex Health Alterations, Mental Health Nursing, Advanced Skills, Mental Health Clinical & Hospital Clinical ( can be med/surg, med-teli, neuro/peds depending on which one you choose)
  
• 4th: Complex Health ALterations 2, Management & Professional Concepts, Advanced Clinical Practice (clinical) & transition (preceptorship)
  

My program is set up so that we meet the qualifications to take the LPN boards after the second semester. (not sure if all programs are like that) I think it is safe to say that each semester keeps getting harder, because you just keep adding more depth to all the the previous information learned. The struggle is to put it all together and see the big picture. In my program 3rd semester is the killer.

[JaykneecoleRN]

Every semester that you advance, the instructors of course, expect more out of you than the semester before. 2nd semester was definitely one of the most challenging for our program, because we received the bulk of our Med-Surg. content. My second year of nursing school hasn't been easier per-say, I've just gotten used to how things flow and what is expected of me.