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Discussion

How different is nursing school?

I'm starting nursing school in 14.5 weeks (not that I'm counting). I read how a lot of people do stuff like form study groups and stuff. For most of my classes (BA in biology), my "studying" is usually just looking over the notes I took. Sometimes I rewrite my notes. Almost never open an actual textbook (until I get curious about something years later) It's been fine for me, but I'm wondering if nursing is somehow fundamentally different.

Are some classes "easier" than others? I see people say med-surg is hard, or OB. Do different classes require different types of studying, or is it a one-style-fits-all sort of thing?

I see that the tests are formatted differently, with "all the choices being correct", so knowing the BEST choice is important. Is there a good way of studying for that?

Basically, did anyone have to change their study habits to succeed in nursing school (despite not having difficulty before)?

Featured Replies

everybody studies differently some make note cards, some read the books, some study in groups. I think you should kow what your study strengths are before you get to nursing. Yes it is true some questions ALL answers are correct and you have to kinda hone in on the one thats more right. It si also true that some classes are harder than others. Things like OB and MED SURG are definitely harder than assessment and fundamentals. One thing is sure though no matter what your study strengths are you will have to put alot of time into studying

In classes prior to nursing school I was able to get by with reading over my notes and that sort of thing too but NOT in nursing school!

I've had been utilizing everything I can! Reading before lecture, taking notes, re reading post lecture, flash cards, questions at the end of the chapter, study groups, you name it!!! Plan on doing the most you can and you'll figure out what works best for you!!

Um, yeah nursing is way different in my opinion....I have went from being a 4.0 student, to well lets just say my GPA is now a 3.4 and I graduate in may.....I never really new how to study before nursing school, and to tell you the truth every time I learn new material I have to try different strategies to wrap my brain around it.....its a work in progress. I can so that Fundamentals was my easiest semester, and my med surg was rough...we had it split into 4 sections in 8 week increments, the 1st and last were the best for me...But to be honest, everyone is different...Some people get the hang off it fairly quickly or others like me constantly struggle to figure out what I can do differently....I put alot of hours into studying, and I mean everyday and night...(HOURS AND HOURS), but not so much for fundamentals although I should have.....anyhow good luck, and prepare to work hard, just remember that a light is turned on at the end of the tunnel and you will make it there as long as you do your part....Congrats, and best wishes....

  • Expert

a long time ago nursing school taught students all the subjects they needed to know. as years went on and the amount of things nurses were required to learn and know increased and it became necessary to split the subjects away from nursing classes. that is how this idea of pre-requisites has come about. the scientific knowledge that exists and that we have to learn was not around in the traditional 40s and 50s nursing programs. every bit of information that you are learning in biology, chemistry, psychology, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology and pathophysiology is likely to also wind up again in nursing classes, as part of nursing assignments and as choices on nursing tests. when you are taking nursing classes the information doesn't just get lost once your pre-requisite courses are over. that information will help explain why things are happening to patients and why doctors are ordering certain treatments and procedures. it will also help explain why you will be doing certain nursing procedures. the kinds of tests that are given in nursing school are called application type tests. this means that you will be expected to draw upon previously learned knowledge (that stuff you learned in biology, chemistry, psychology, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology and pathophysiology) as well as what you will be learning in your nursing classes and apply it to the situations and problems posed in the exam questions. you won't be told which stuff you need to apply. it will be up to you and your brain to figure it out on your own. this is often the first time nursing students have to learn to actually think and solve problems. the nclex exam, which is the state exam we must all take and pass in order to get our license to practice, consists of nothing but application questions. the job of an rn is primarily to solve problems. care planning, which is one of the major activities of nurses is determining patient problems and then solving them.

I agree with the poster who said that everyone studies different. You just have to try a few things and see what works. I too never crack open text books...I rarely did before nursing school and I still rarely do..and I have a 4.0 gpa. I also have somewhat of a photographic memory though..

I know a lot of people who started out studying for the tests at the beginning of the semester one way and ended up doing things a completely different by the end. It's trial and error. I will say one thing- it is better to start off over studying, and then take out the unnessecary extra steps later. It's much easier to get a good grade when you start on the right foot!

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