How bad will it really be?

studentnurse74, LPN, LVN · Feb 20, 2004

At my school they tell us 2-3 hours per course credit hour. Since most courses are 3 credit hours and generally 5 classes that means about 30 hours of studying per week. Of course for med-surg we are supposed to study 5 hours per credit (15 hours per week). The good thing is that some classes don't require as much studying.

I guess it would depend on what you're taking. I'm still in pre-reqs, but I know I spend WAY more time on physiology than say, psychology.

rebeccalizzie · Feb 23, 2004

Thanks for the input. I'm considering taking out student loans so that I don't have to work, but I already have a bunch of loans from getting my accounting degree, so I'm really afraid to rack up more debt, even if it is likely to be paid off--what if those programs are discontinued before I finish? I know that's a dumb thing to worry about, but I do worry. And I wish the advisor would get back with me--I called him today and he said he got my transcripts on the 19th, and needs a copy of my resume. Hello, he could have called me last week for that...sigh.

I can continue to work for the university part time, and that will pay for a third of my tuition even if I only work 10 hours a week (plus I'll still be eligible for faculty benefits like good parking!) so I'd like to do that. It would also give me a good study space, since I'll still have my work cubicle in the building next door to the nursing college, and I mostly like my job so I like the idea of staying, even if it isn't even close to medical-related.

Sigh...I really wish this stuff wasn't hard to figure out, I did an accelerated program for my bachelors so I do kind of know what it's like, but at the same time I know this will be much more difficult than business classes. And I worry about money way too much! :rolleyes:

RN_2_B_5/2004 · Feb 24, 2004

i found this at another bb and really thought thatit describes what you may experience in nursing school...i will be graduating in may, only 81 more days...and yes i could probably tell you how many hours.

so, you wanna go to nursing school

think back to the scariest roller coaster ride you've ever ridden.

remember how terrified you felt as the cars began to plummet down that first precipitous descent? remember what it was like never knowing what was just around the bend? and finally, remember how exhausted but strangely exhilarated you felt when you got off?

well, multiply that by a thousand and you'll begin to understand what nursing school is like. :uhoh21:

from your first day of classes to your pinning ceremony, nursing school owns you body and soul. mention "the x-files" or"ally mcbeal" to a nursing student, and he/she won't have the slightest idea what you're talking about. nursing students don't write for the school paper or try out for school plays. nor will you find many nursing students frolicking on the beaches of florida during break. they're too busy studying for that pharmacology exam staring in the face on the first day back.

nursing school attracts more and more mature recycled students who face numerous challenges not encountered by their younger counter-parts, like the need to continue a full time job and family responsibilties, or missing an exam because the baby sitter called in sick, or you had to work overtime. there is always the possibility that the working student may have to choose between continuing to work and giving up school and a long-cherished dream or quitting work and facing financial hardship. your family may not always give you the support you need. it may not occur to any of them that no law forbids them to change a lightbulb, or walk the dog. you'll come home

from clinical to find a load of dirty dishes in the sink, an overflowing laundry hamper, and two chapters you still have to study for tomorrow. your kids will fight or pester you as you try to figure out a care plan. it's possible that relations between you and your significant other may become significantly strained. :uhoh3:

the ultimate irony is that nursing school doesn't teach you how to be a nurse. it teaches you how nurses think, what they do, and how and why they do it, but then only by being a nurse can you finally learn how to be a nurse.

the thought "what am i doing and why am i doing it?" pervades the nursing student's every thought and action. make a mistake in an accounting calculation, for example, and you'll only have to spend time crunching numbers to track down the errant figure. make a mistake in a drug

dosage calculation, however, and you could end up with a negligence suit on your hands.

whatever your motivation is for attending nursing school, forget about "saving humanity." you can't. all you can do is play your part in helping your patients to achieve and maintain their optimal state of health. and sometimes, all you can do is help them die comfortably. finally, accept the fact that nursing school may ultimately break your heart. if you can get through nursing school without crying, perhaps you should have considered some other profession. :crying2:

but, just when you wonder whatever happened to your sanity, something will remind you why you chose to enter nursing school in the first place. a kind word of encouragement from an instructor. a good test grade. a smile from a patient. a "thank you" from a physician. that friendly staff nurse

who walks you through your first enema. a laugh shared with a fellow student. and suddenly, everything you learned about ivpbs, dosage calculations, trach suctioning, sterile dressing changes, and the nursing process falls into place. you may not always know why you're going to nursing school, but you'll be very glad you did.

so, make sure your safety harness is securely fastened, take a deep breath, and get ready for the roller coaster ride of your life!

Georgia Girl · Feb 25, 2004

Just wanted to give some encouragement to all the students out there. I took the associate RN program in five semesters taking six classes through the final semester. With two kids and a military husband it was very hard. I learned to study with the kids while they were playing in the yard (get a trampoline!) or sitting in their room while they played. Devote yourself to achieving your goal. It will be one of the hardest things you ever do, but when your finished and stand on that stage to graduate the feeling is incredible. If moneys tight because of inability to work many hours, take a student loan. Invest in yourself.