Hello: freshman nursing student

NurseToBe20100102 · Mar 19, 2008

I will begining in fall too soo all I know is there is lots of studying! be prepared and stay on top of things. Had family complete it and was lots of hard work but can do it!

Journey_On, BSN, RN · Mar 19, 2008

Hi leshi,

I am only in my first semester, but I can tell you that there is lots of reading involved. The level of coursework this semester (for me) is not impossible, but there is a lot of conceptual information (which is a weak area for me), so that can sometimes be difficult.

I have to write a lot for Nursing Inquiry and Ethical Legal (they are both online, so this could be a factor). I don't have to write at all for Pharmacology and Pathophysiology.

I spend 2 days a week in class - from 12:00 to 3:50 each day (but there is an hour break on one of the days in between).

I will start clinicals next semester, and that will be once a week (not sure about the hours yet).

Good luck with everything!

leshi · Apr 20, 2008

UPDATE: I talked to 3 people in the nursing program at the college I will be going to. One "loves" it, the other two told me it's really hard and one said she cried after her first day of clinicals. However, she also said that between the ER, delivering babies, and mental patients, I will probably find something I like.

I don't want to get myself into something I can't do.

pinkiepie_RN · Apr 21, 2008

I will be starting college this fall and I'm rather nervous about what my nursing major will be like. :uhoh21:
Can anyone who's now in it or finishing up tell me what it's like...
What sort of work is involved? Is it more reading and comprehension, or will I be writing a lot of papers? Academically, is the level of coursework hard?
How many hours a week did you spend in class, including clinical?
Are there any important things I should know about my first two years?

You say you're just starting college. Have you taken your pre-requisites yet or are you just starting the nursing school journey? I'm in a bachelors of science in nursing program and my first two years of college was composed of anatomy, chemistry, math and the like.

Anyway, nursing school itself is alot of reading and comprehension, though each of my classes so far has had at least one big paper/written assignment component. My first semester I was in clinicals once a week from 7-11:30 and I was probably in class about 20 hours a week at least. Good luck!

leshi · Apr 21, 2008

You say you're just starting college. Have you taken your pre-requisites yet or are you just starting the nursing school journey? I'm in a bachelors of science in nursing program and my first two years of college was composed of anatomy, chemistry, math and the like.
Anyway, nursing school itself is alot of reading and comprehension, though each of my classes so far has had at least one big paper/written assignment component. My first semester I was in clinicals once a week from 7-11:30 and I was probably in class about 20 hours a week at least. Good luck!

From what I understand, the course at the college I'm going to is 18 credits per semester (RN in 2 years) and I'll have clinicals for each one - one day a week the first year and 2 days a week the second year. The first semester is something like physiology with a lab; nursing which is a class, a lab, and clinical; psychology (I already took that); and HDFS.

tachybradyRN · Apr 21, 2008

I am in an ADN program in Long Island, NY.

What sort of work is involved? Is it more reading and comprehension, or will I be writing a lot of papers? Academically, is the level of coursework hard? It's a mixture of both.. I find it's more reading, but I've struggled more with the lab and hands-on work than the reading work. It's a lot to get done in a very short period of time (for me, two years.)

How many hours a week did you spend in class, including clinical? I have two days of 3 hour lecture/labs and two days of 6 hour clinicals (for the first year.) For the second year, it's two days of 2 hour lab/lectures and two days of 8 hour clinicals.

Are there any important things I should know about my first two years? Study, study.. read your book every free moment you can. Make index study cards, it helps immesurably. And get together with some other students and form a study group.. you'll be happy you did :)

One more year to go :)

NurseJeanB · Apr 21, 2008

Okay, I am in a BSN program and I spend about 6 hours/week for nursing theory in class. I also have skills which is another 3 hours/week of class. Then I have 10 hours/week of clinical. In addition I have some GE classes one of which is online and the other is a class I spend about 6 hours a week. So maybe I spend 25 hours a week in class, but then I spend another 20 hours a week on homework and writing careplans. As I near midterms and/ or finals that of course will go up. Nursing school is different in that some classes you only get a midterm and a final and maybe one paper that decides your grade. You are going to learn really quick that the NCLEX style of question is difficult to adjust to for some people. They are multiple choice but you may have three answers that are right and you have to pick which is the most correct. It is testing your critical thinking skills, and prioritization skills.

My suggestion is to pick up an NCLEX study guide and/or a nursing exam test taking strategies book, and read that in advance.

Nursing school is challenging but totally doable. Don't let yourself fall into lazy habits. Be organized and don't procrastinate.

Best regards,

Jean

p.s. the first quarters I took pathophysiology, and pharmacology which I really enjoyed, but lots of people found them to be difficult. I think you need to determine right away if your study habits are good. If you bomb the first tests you need to change your study habits right away as you only may have one or two more tests to pull up your grade. Most nursing schools require a minimum of a C in all classes, and for some a C is a higher percentage then 70%. It depends on your school.