Starting out in nursing school

MikeyJ, RN · Jun 30, 2008

Those people who try to memorize everything in nursing school typically do very very poorly.

Nursing school (and most health profession degrees, actually) require an understanding of the body and the normaly physiology and disease processes. These type of concepts require an understanding and not memorizing facts and information.

Of course there are certain things you just need to memorize (medications, lab values, etc), but most is understanding and understanding why we are doing XyZ for a particular disease/condition.

For me, nursing school has not been that bad. It definitely requires a lot of time but is not mentally exhausting. If you enjoy medicine and how the human body functions, nursing school should be enjoyable and not too incredibly difficult.

And if you were able to get your degree in computer science, you should be ok with nursing school.

Acosmo27 · Jun 30, 2008

most if not everything you learn in nursing school is applicable one way or another.... its not like in history class where you can complain "when am I ever going to use this in everyday life???"...

I was extremely overwhelmed in the beginning. I barely got a C in general chem and almost dropped out right then. After some persuasion from my father I decided to keep with it. I remember thinking.. if i can barely get a C in general chem how will I ever get an A in organic chem??? (I needed almost all A's to get into my program). Well, I got a tutor for O Chem and the rest is history, I got an A.. but I worked really hard for it.

It can often be overwhelming, in fact Im overwhelmed right as I type this. Ive been studying for about a week straight for a midterm tomorrow... but I take it one day at time.

If you want it bad enough you can do it, and thats what most people on this board will tell you. Its hard work, no doubt, but very possible.

Good Luck with everything and stay focused!

:redbeathe A.

rhondaa83 · Jun 30, 2008

If I can do it, anyone can. I have been a waitress and restraunt manager for the past 19 years. I divorced my cheating husband and decided I needed a career that involved taking care of people , because that is what I was great at, but able to support myself. I started out ROCK bottom. Basic Math , Algebra (needed tutuor), Essentials of A&P, Chemistry (needed tutor)A&P 1 (studied my ass off) A&P2 ( studied my ass off again ignoring my children)Pathophysiology (took my whole summer up) Started the LPN program full time while I waitressed full time(had no life, just a desire for a better one:)) Now I am a practicing LPN. I love IT. I am going to school part time for the RN program. It is two years, and I only have one to go.I was not sure I would ever be good at this but the paybacks personally (not financially) are tremendous. There is nothing better than a patient saying "god bless you for being so kind". I am a new LPN in long term care, and the place I work at is awsome, very low patient to nurse ratio, but the pay reflects it. Hey I am on my way to RN so eventually I will be there financially but for now I am wicked happy. Rhonda

rhondaa83 · Jun 30, 2008

Oh I forgot to mention, I was extremely overwhelmed SEVERAL times, but I stuck with it. Did I mention several times? I am so glad I stuck with it, it was worth it, but hard for me to obtain.

ADPIE10 · Jun 30, 2008

Hi all,
I have decided to apply to nursing school, and right now am studying to take the biology CLEP exam, since I somehow managed to graduate high school without taking bio.
Now, I know it's hard to cram a year's worth of information into a few months of self-study, but this is really making me have second thoughts about nursing school. It all seems so foreign, and so technical and detailed, that I feel like I'm just never going to remember all of this, never mind REALLY understand.....The studying is not the problem, I already have a BS (in computer science) so I'm not scared of school.
The questions I have are - what type of stuff do you learn in nursing school? Is it all memorization? How much of it do you actually use on a daily basis once you're working?
Also, did any of you have the same reaction when starting out and then got used to it?
I really, really want to do this, I'm just really scared off by the newness of it all....Any reassurance is welcome. :)

Depending upon your computer science experience, the sciences won't be a problem. It's more like systems analysis/engineering than memorization.

You're primary challenge will be convincing the people that you work with that you have the right intentions to become a nurse. Pure intellenct will intimidate many around you. For the most part, nurses don't like know-it-alls. Humility is valued above personal self confidence.

You'll be asked several times: "why do you want to be a nurse." You'll want to have a good answer.

Volunteer at a local hospital and check out the activities of nurses. If possible, become a CNA and work as a Clinical Assistant.

Good luck.

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2008

I 2nd the fact that some kind of healthcare expierence is ESSENTIAL to determine if you are really cut out for the field....

That being said..school, is school. Nursing school involves SOME memory....i.e. facts, lab values, what do you do for x disease, etc....however, some judgement call is also needed, i.e BP is 104/62 and pulse is 72...should I give that hypertensive med? or, patient cannot have anything for pain right now...what else can we do?

I did 3.5 years of accounting school, took a year off, and then went back to school for ANOTHER 3 years....took a long time, but now I can look back and say "I AM A RN!" Do what you feel your heart is calling you to do. Nursing is a field that requires more than book smarts...people skills come into play a lot of the time...

jcozart · Jul 1, 2008

Ok. I am applying for RN school cause I have a BS in Education and live in a rural area where it's been difficult to get a job due to lack of positions.

All if my inlaws are in some kind of medical profession. My sister in law, mother in law and aunt in law are all LPNs an my step father in law is a PA.

Now for my concern..... :confused:

I love working with people, don't mind cleaning up after someone (it's gross, but I have changed plenty of baby diapers), I'm very nurturing and can handle needles, blood, etc, but I don't think that I could handle surgery. I have talked to my in laws about my choice a lot and they all say that I might feel differently when I see someone being cut open or what have you, but it still makes me cringe.

Am I making a mistake? Nursing is an excellent field to get into where I live cause you for sure will have a job when finished. Are there any nurses out there that still have parts that make them cringe? I know that I have read some of the forums where they say if you can't handle certain things then you don't need to, but I am still human. Right?

Thank you in advance for anyone offers support!:redpinkhe

piel_canela26 · Jul 1, 2008

from my experiense nursing school was not easy, the professor sometimes can be discouraging but you just need to keep focused and move one, in the end its a rewarding career ilove it and i would do it all over again. nursing school is not abould memorizing things it's about undestandiign and most importanly its about being caring towards your pts