First semester nursing student. Does it get better?

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Feb 14, 2015

The first semester is hard, not only are you learning basic content you are learning how to be a nursing student. Once you learn how to be an effective student, it's still hard because the content is more advanced. By that point you will know how to study and how to learn so you can focus on the actual content. So, does it get easier? Not really I guess.

MurseJJ · Feb 14, 2015

As others have said, the first semester of nursing school is hard because you are getting used to NCLEX-style questions, which are different from the types of questions you're used to answering on pre-requisite course exams. Once you get used to that (and the best way to do so is by doing as many review questions as possible, and reading the rationales for the correct/incorrect answers-there are many review books you can find on Amazon for nursing courses), it will be better.

I'm currently in my second semester, and I think the material is harder, but more interesting. In my first semester, I liked pharmacology and health assessment, but thought fundamentals was kind of boring (maybe because I work as a PCA and a lot of it was reviewing what I do). In second semester (Med-Surg I), we are now getting into disease processes and the nursing management of patients with these disease states (we also take pathophysiology I at the same time, so it's helpful to basically be getting a lot of the material twice). So, you'll be getting back into physiological processes. Clinical is also "harder" because, at least in my experience, we're in the hospital, and we're doing a lot more, including giving medications, which we must look up if we don't know them (i.e. indication, mechanism of action, side effects, nursing implications), and also do any necessary pre/post assessments (i.e. vitals for cardiac meds, look up labs for certain diuretics, etc). You're responsible for a lot more than in fundamentals clinical, where we didn't really do too much. Having said that, it's all a lot more fun because you actually start to feel like you're functioning as a nurse.

So, in some ways it gets better, in other ways, it's still hard, if not harder. The most important thing for you to think about now is how to do well on those tests. Don't think about what if you'll do bad. Focus on doing everything you can to do well! Do you have review books? I love review books and find that they help a lot. If you let us know what classes you're taking maybe we can recommend books that have worked for us.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2015

I have to disagree with people who say it will get easier. It will get easier to do the basic CNA-level physical care, of course.

But nursing school isn't like what your high school buds are doing as English majors. You don't just take the course, pass the test, sell the book, and move on. You will be held responsible for having a good working knowledge of everything you learned in past semesters, and for applying it at increasing levels of complexity as you move through your major, learning new things all the while. Some people will fall by the wayside every semester, including your last semester, because they will hit a wall they cannot scale. It would not be a kindness to tell you otherwise just to make you feel better.

However, if you keep studying, keep applying past knowledge to new situations, nevernevernever let a concept blow past you that you can't explain back, and be sure to meet with faculty regularly for guidance right away the instant you feel anything getting harder to grasp, your hard work and attention will be rewarded.

And of course, we can help too. Never hesitate to ask of you can't find your question answered already on AN (see the little "search" icon up top there? Nothing's new, so check there first).

Jenngirl34RN · Feb 14, 2015

I would say that the material and the amount of work don't really change much, at least in my program, but that once you get used to it and get a good system for studying and time management down it becomes much less overwhelming and stressful.

scaredsilly, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2015

In my program, the first semester was the hardest because of pharmacology. After you get past the basics and you understand what is expected of you, it gets easier as others have said in a lot of ways. It gets harder in other ways. The clinicals in my opinion make learning easier-but I'm a hands on person so that may not be true for everyone.

The last semester is the easiest! You have practicum which really teaches you a lot, but there are no exams!

LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN · Feb 14, 2015

I was hoping it got easier, but it got harder. When I look back at my semesters, I'd say second semester was less difficult. Still difficult, but less. Then came third, wow...... and now fourth, and I don't even know how I have maintained this pace or how there are even nurses in existence. All you can do is take it one day at a time with your nose to the grindstone. It'll pass before you know it. I can't believe we graduate May 8.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Feb 15, 2015

In my program, the first semester was the hardest because of pharmacology. After you get past the basics and you understand what is expected of you, it gets easier as others have said in a lot of ways. It gets harder in other ways. The clinicals in my opinion make learning easier-but I'm a hands on person so that may not be true for everyone.
The last semester is the easiest! You have practicum which really teaches you a lot, but there are no exams!

This is not always true... my program had plenty of exams... but we no longer had to do any care plans but we still had to prep. Once we transitioned to our practicum, our prep was what we could look up in the EMR and the shift report.

basenjilove808 · Feb 15, 2015

The exam i scored low on, i think i messed up by not going to study gp...BIG MISTAKE!!! however im having trouble with nclex questions. Any recommendations for book to train on that? All of your input has been such a huge help. Im this for the long run and even though its hard, i refuse to quit. I didnt spend all this time, and come this far just to fail or drop. I want this and I want it bad, but i am struggling. My relationship with my boyfriend is struggling, we even live together, but we barely hang out and.. well he can't really handle it. I'm so busy that it doesn't bother me. What time do i even have to think about it? Anyways...

sjalv · Feb 15, 2015

The exam i scored low on, i think i messed up by not going to study gp...BIG MISTAKE!!! however im having trouble with nclex questions. Any recommendations for book to train on that? All of your input has been such a huge help. Im this for the long run and even though its hard, i refuse to quit. I didnt spend all this time, and come this far just to fail or drop. I want this and I want it bad, but i am struggling. My relationship with my boyfriend is struggling, we even live together, but we barely hang out and.. well he can't really handle it. I'm so busy that it doesn't bother me. What time do i even have to think about it? Anyways...

It is important to identify why you are having trouble with the NCLEX-styled questions. Do you not understand what the question is asking? Do you have trouble picking the 'most correct' answer (the priority)? Do you just not know the content? Do you get diseases/medications confused? It is important to familiarize yourself with the typical NCLEX-styled questions, such as "..need for further teaching" (this is asking, which statement is NOT true?), "teaching has been effective.." (which statement IS true?), "most therapeutic response by the nurse.." (open ended questions? non-accusatory? patient-centered?), "requires immediate intervention by the nurse.." (which symptom/situation/patient requires IMMEDIATE action, this is a type of prioritization question).

The one thing that has kept me afloat in nursing school is doing practice NCLEX questions regarding the content I will be testing over. For example, in one week, I have an exam over GI-related issues and diseases. I will do the NCLEX questions in my Saunders book related to the GI system, the review questions that are in my textbook, and the GI questions I can find on Kaplan's website. Doing questions helps you to assess what you know and what you don't know. It's a lot easier to know what you need to brush up on before an exam if you are applying the knowledge instead of just reading over it.

Nibbles1 · Feb 15, 2015

It gets harder, but you acclimate to it.