Nursing school is SO hard-that's all I hear

lizzyberry · Apr 26, 2007

What about online nursing coorifices. Nursing class is hard enough with even lecture involved. So anyone take any online nursing coorifices?

veronica123 · Apr 27, 2007

Thank you all so much for your replies. Your words of encouragement have helped me tremendously. I finally went to register....and I'm going to do this in spite of my fear. I think if I were to back out now..I would always wonder and regret it. Thanks again!!!:)

Skrawberri · Apr 28, 2007

I hear it alot too.. And I'm in nursing school! A BSN program at that. I honestly don't think it's that bad. I think it depends on your school, too. Like our tests are 95% notes based, and 100% of our notes are powerpoint printouts. So its not too bad. Plus we are required to do MedsPub (NCLEX review stuff) online so that helps, too. Then again it depends on if you just want to pass and work, or if you wanna go to grad school. I hear ppl in my own class that are always like, "OMG Im always so busy with nursing school, its all I do." They LIE! lol I have plenty of time to do other things. I work 16-20 hrs a week and am still a lazy butt alot of the time, haha, which everyone likes to do every once in awhile!

Just do the best you can!! It'll all work out!

natthomas · Apr 28, 2007

Yes you are luck because other schools do powerpoint lectures and the rest comes from the book. Some from notes and the rest independent studying. A lot of material to cover, test questions could come from anywhere. I wish the nursing programs were where the test cover 95 of the notes. What school is this?

barbaratruth, RN · Apr 28, 2007

Nursing school is work that requires time management skills and being organized. I accept that I have to do the work that is expected of me and I am responsible for managing my time to complete that work. It requires a lot of self-discipline.

I am finishing my second semester and I am an A student. I approach it as if it were a job and I always stay on schedule with the readings and assignments.

At the beginning of the semester, our school gives us the calendar with the topics for each day and test schedule for the entire semester, and gives us the study guide which has all the information for the entire semester.

If you follow the instructions, you will do well.

My observation has been those that don't do well, don't manage their time well and wait until the last minute to do the work and/or study.

You can't cram all the information, you have to pace yourself. I think a lot of students don't realize that the work is time consuming and that it is almost impossible to catch up if you fall behind.

You can do it! Good luck to you.

Maverick80 · Apr 29, 2007

i'm in a 4 year BSN program. The first year of actual nursing classes i studied and studied and studied, i was nervous all the time and i worked my but off for a stupid C. But this year i've adapted to the tests i've learned how i need to study for them i've learned how to read the question for what it's asking and not so much into it that i get it wrong. Although it's stressful and totally not like my friends majors who party all the time and never seem to study, i've cut back on my study time because when i do study it's quality. No it's not easy but i've adjusted well i think, yes i get stressed from all the papers and things to learn but really i've adapted well and once you get the hang of it you will be just fine!! I now get much better grades then C's but learning how to study is a big deal the faster you learn your techniques that work for the you the less stressfull life will be.

jbjints · Apr 29, 2007

I haven't read every post but I am going to add my 2 cents. I dislike nothing more then reading complaints about how hard Nursing school is. Do you expect to get a Nursing Degree without breaking a sweat? I am married, work full time, have two children with a third due in September and I attend school full time. Weekends, nights, days, whatever it takes is what I am going to do and you should do the same.

Yes Nursing school is hard but consider Nursing school to be delayed gratification. Take a deep breath, put your blinders on and get moving. Remember......."Delayed Gratification".

Joe

Skrawberri · Apr 29, 2007

Auburn University, one of the best. We have really high NCLEX passing rates and the graduates are literally wanted in just about every hospital around the area. I mean, yes, reading from the book is highly encouraged and there are random questions from the book sometimes, but usually most info is covered during class in notes. We also sit in class for 6 hours for one class each week.

I also wanted to add, starting in your first semester, but especially your second semester... Buy an NCLEX Review Book. I have Mosbys and I like it alot, but I hear Saunders is good, too. Especially during 2nd semester when you have your Med/Surg class, every time you review a system in class (like Cardio, Resp, Endocrine, etc), review it in your review book, too and do all the review questions. Review books touch on all the important info related to a specific disease (symptoms, assessment, clinical findings, etc). I can not tell you how much this has helped me! Like right now, for finals, all I'm doing is reading the review book and answering a bajillion questions.

It also helps if your school tests by asking NCLEX type questions...

nursewannabee · Apr 29, 2007

Hi,

For me what makes school hard is it is so time consuming. My house and car are disaster areas because of no time to clean; never mind have a life. But it is doable. Just jump in and be prepared to study hard. It will be all worth it in the end. I have to go now to study. Best of luck. You can do this!!!!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Apr 29, 2007

it must be doable....cause people do graduate. please give me some insight to what it's really like...thank you.

bingo! remember that people like to complain and whine and the forums on a site like allnurses are as good a place as any to do that. if everything in our lives were easy we'd all be millionaires and living on easy street, don't you think?

what nursing school is going to be like is learning a whole lot of things that you've never been exposed to before. so, it won't exactly be like in your childhood school years where each year of english, math and social studies built upon what you learned the year before. some things you will recognize as being kind of common sense stuff, but a good deal of it will be all brand new. learning all that "new" stuff in a short period of time is what people mistaken say is what makes nursing school "difficult". you prepare and train yourself up for this by learning about study and memorization techniques to help you make the best use of your time. as you work with all kinds of patients in your clinicals and later in real practice, all the concepts from the books start to gel together and somewhere down the road it will all start to make sense. if others have done it, so can you.

http://go.dbcc.edu/hhps/nursing/study_skills.html - study skills for the nursing student from daytona beach community college nursing department with some good advice.

http://go.dbcc.edu/hhps/nursing/test_taking_skills.html - test taking skills also from daytona beach community college nursing department. a couple of sample questions and how to choose the correct answer for these application type questions.

http://www.accd.edu/sac/history/keller/accditg/ssindex.htm - strategies for success, an online primer and tutorial on how to study for students from the alamo community college. this is a pretty extensive resource with links on the right side of the page to click into the following subjects: learning styles, note taking, memory techniques, time management, overcoming procrastination, sq3r (a method for getting the most out of reading your textbooks), study tips, critical thinking, preparing for tests, and oral presentations. also, take a look at the faq's (frequently asked questions)

http://www.efn.org/~nurses/ - this is a website maintained by the nursing students at lane community college in eugene, oregon. for study and learning tips specific to nursing students click on "tips for learning" at the left side of this home page.

http://www.ucc.vt.edu/academic_support_students/study_skills_information/ - this is a study skill checklist for you to go through and inventory your study habits from virginia polytechnic institute and state university.

08icuRN · Apr 29, 2007

Iam a second semester Nursing student and I can agree that nursing school is hard but anything worth having is not easy. Nursing school can be managable if you use good time management the key is to read the materials and study- also study from the NCLEX reveiw guides. This works well for me I use Saunders and it is very informative. Just hang in there and it will give you all the rewards you long for

KyPinkRN · May 1, 2007

I haven't read every post but I am going to add my 2 cents. I dislike nothing more then reading complaints about how hard Nursing school is. Do you expect to get a Nursing Degree without breaking a sweat? I am married, work full time, have two children with a third due in September and I attend school full time. Weekends, nights, days, whatever it takes is what I am going to do and you should do the same.
Yes Nursing school is hard but consider Nursing school to be delayed gratification. Take a deep breath, put your blinders on and get moving. Remember......."Delayed Gratification".
Joe[/
It seems like you have taken on a lot... but how much do you actually help your wife with those 2 children and one on the way... who does the chores when you are at school full time and at work full time... no way do you have enough time in the day to be a decent husband. I am in my 3rd semester, I know from experience that if you are doing all of that you probably aren't very much help to your wife, and as a wife who gets little help from her husband with child care and chores... That stinks. Furthermore I wouldn't encourage anyone to work full time and go to school full time, as you often get burned out before you even start your career.