what is a typical nursing school schedule like?

Nursing Students General Students

Updated:   Published

:clown: can someone break it down to me? I find out next month if I get in my program (2 year ASN) at ivytech columbus.(indiana) I am married with 2 year old twins. im just trying to mentally prepare myself for what a typical week entails ....(and how many days and for how long they will have to be at the babysitters ):confused:

tia,

michelle

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I attended nursing programs at trade schools, not at the typical community college or university.

I completed an LVN/LPN program in 2005 that was 5 days per week. Clinical rotations were held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays for 8 hours per day. Theory (classroom) time was held on Thursdays and Fridays from 8am to 3pm.

I completed an RN program last month that was 3 days per week. My clinical shift was held on Wednesdays, either from 6:30am to 3:30pm or from 2:30pm to 11:30pm. My theory (classroom) days were held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm to 5pm.

It really depends. Some schools are a little more laid back (like mine apparently) and others like the poster above that's just crazy, lol. First semester was lecture 1 day/week for 2 hours and clinical 1 day/week for 6 hours. 2nd semester (I'm in now) is lecture twice/week for 2 hours each and clinical is 1 day/week for 8 hours. 3rd and 4th semester is a little more. Lecture twice/week for 3 hours each and clinical for 9hours/week and 2 hours/week in the lab. Good luck!!

thank you girls! so, either way, it sounds do-able....right? i wont be at school 5 days a week for 12 hours :w00t::w00t:at least thats what it sounds like :) thanks so much for taking the timet to answer, ive been a lurker but think ill be more active.....ill need the advice im sure!!

As many nurses as there are and nursing students, apparently it is doable, lol. :up: Not saying it's easy....it's definitely a tough program and having kids makes it an extra challenge (I have 2 myself). Hopefully you have a helpful husband and other family/friends....makes it much easier. Just read read read and don't stop! Good luck!! :)

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
:clown: can someone break it down to me? i find out next month if i get in my program (2 year ASN) at ivytech columbus.(indiana) i am married with 2 year old twins. im just trying to mentally prepare myself for what a typical week entails ....(and how many days and for how long they will have to be at the babysitters ):confused:

tia,

michelle

This will vary so much school to school and semester to semester. Does your school have any previous semester calendars up? Like on my schools website you can access the calendar for each semester for all 4 levels online publicly and it gives those that go to our school a good idea since the only thing that changes much semester from semester are the dates.

It is doable though in my opinion. I have 4 kids and no help from Nov-May I have no family locally, my husband works out of town those months and my friends are in school with me LOL

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I attended nursing programs at trade schools, not at the typical community college or university.

I completed an LVN/LPN program in 2005 that was 5 days per week. Clinical rotations were held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays for 8 hours per day. Theory (classroom) time was held on Thursdays and Fridays from 8am to 3pm.

I completed an RN program last month that was 3 days per week. My clinical shift was held on Wednesdays, either from 6:30am to 3:30pm or from 2:30pm to 11:30pm. My theory (classroom) days were held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm to 5pm.

My first year has been pretty much full time as well, our clinicals and stuff were different but you could expect to be at school or clinicals every day (with a rare very rare day off) most of the day.

Here in NM at our 2 year ADN program, we attend lecture on Tue and Wed for 2 hours and 20 min. Thur and Fri are clinical days, where you should plan to spend anywhere from 6 to 8 hours in the hospital. Mon are an "off" day for most, expcept for those who didn't take Dosage Calc or Pharm. Those student have to enroll in either courses on Mondays. Study time for me has averaged 2-3 hours per day-6 days a week, with additional time to complete careplans. Hope this helps!!

As everyone else said, it will vary depending on your school. I am starting in August but during my entrance interview I asked the nursing instructors to describe a typical week. I'm told that its usually 3 days a week the first semester and then 4 days a week the rest of the program. She said they try to always have at least one day off a week for those who must work. Our third and fifth semester, we have to travel to a large hospital that is 105 miles from my house so that is definitely going to add to the driving time. There are a few other clinical sites that are an hour to an hour and half from here.

I just found out I was accepted to the BSN program at the university here. It's 4 semesters. I looked up the schedule for this Fall semester and used previous semester calenders to get an idea of what the other semesters are like.

1st semester- 2 days/week lecture from 8-4:30; 1 day/week clinical from 7-4

2nd semester- 2 days/week lecture from 8-3; 2 days/week clinical from 7-3

3rd semester- 2 days/week lecture from 8-3; 2 days/week clinical, one from 7-4, the other from 7-7 (THAT's what's going to kill me, I have young kids too and no night care, and my husband will likely be deployed then)

I couldn't find the classes for the 4th semester, maybe they changed the name of them or something.

Like I said, this is a BSN program, so I don't know how similar the schedule is to an ASN. Hope that helps!

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

Man I am really surprised how lite some of these schedules are :|

Our first semester we were there 5 days a week, when we had clinicals for 8 weeks we were in class 4 days a week and clinical the 5th day for 8 hours for LTC. Second semester we were there every day until clinicals started, the weeks we had clinicals we were there for 10 hour shifts 2 days a week and that didn't include time there for Pt. Research this was in the hospital, we were in class the other 3 days :| This was for 6 weeks and 2 of those weeks it was 3 days clinicals 2 class.

Now second half for our next schedule we were class daily until clinicals which start this week, they are 3 10 hour shifts and class the other 2 days for 2 weeks and then a few more classes and 1 day respite care clinical and I am done with my first years.

my schools is per week:

4 hours of class

2 hourse of lab

14 hours of clinical

and that is only one nursing course

+ Add a Comment