How hard is it??

la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2014

In the beginning, people are haters. If you have to work, then don't go into the program. If you have kids, don't go into the program. If you have a vacation planned, don't go into the program just in case you may need to be available for some as-yet-unscheduled orientation. If you have any kind of life going on outside of school, don't go into the program. It really amounts to scare tactics sometimes and, though my situation is not quite as hectic as yours, it is completely possible. The "don'ts" listed above are with the average student in mind and I don't quite think you're the average student. Unfortunately, I heeded these "don'ts" a little too closely and quit a job that I really should have held on to and, though I was welcomed back, I am no where near making money I should be making (but the scheduling is generous so I really can't complain). However, I shouldn't have let the naysayers get to me.

Go for it.

Once you're in, you'll see that these warnings are more for the less-than-dedicated student who thinks nursing is easier than it is. Respect that it is hard and that you'll be dedicating a lot of time to the program (also, be ready to kiss your 4.0 bye bye -- no, seriously, psychologically allow for this possibility and prepare your mindset for Bs and Cs to be the new As). However, you have 4 kids so I doubt you have issues with time management. Good luck!

TC3200 · Aug 7, 2014

What prereqs do you have 4.0 in? If that includes A&P I & II and microbiology, then you're probably not going to be bogged down excessively by nursing. But if you mean in English, speech, math, psych, soc, growth & development, then those courses are a walk in the park compared to nursing.

I looked up the Maricopa CEP program, and it doesn't look too much different from what most of the diploma schools here are running, so far as the way the actual nursing content is laid out. I think having A&P, microbiology, and pharmacology or psychopathology done before starting RN classes would be good. Have as many non-nursing courses done before starting the nursing is a good idea. Gives more time to concentrate on the nursing. If you say which CEP program, I can maybe make a better guess at how much workload. But most people who LOVE nursing work just seem to soak it up without too much stress, although they still have to put in a lot of time.

Having 4 children gives you a real jumpstart when you get to all the mother /baby / labor&delivery / neonate / peds work. For me, those were some really difficult times because I am a careerwoman with no kids, and no real interest in it before I had to study it for RN school. The moms in my cohort were breezing through because they'd seen or experienced a lot of it. Understanding A&P so well that you could teach it would also make some of the nursing material so much easier. Some ppl find RN school comes easily to them. Or that they love it and can sit and study that stuff all day.

For me, RN classes were easily 3-4 times the amount of time (outside of class) that I had to put in for tech and business courses. I had absolutely NO prior background in motherhood, or being a caregiver, being around children and handling and teaching them, and I have excellent health and my parents have excellent health. So, what it came down to for me was I had absolutely nothing upon which to build and I was starting over from scratch. If you love being a mother, I think that's a good predictor for how well you'll conform to nursing dogma. Me, I never wanted to do motherhood because I hate having to cater to people. So I should have known... LOL.

The nursing course, I found pretty hard, but in a weird sort of way. Definitely VERY time consuming for me. I never did come up with an efficient method of studying for it, and I do think that was mainly due to being completely inundated with material that is completely unfamiliar to me. I felt like I never had enough hours in the day despite doing nothing but attending school all day and studying all evening. Some of my cohort breezed through. Some struggled. Most of the ones who were enjoying the ride were only studying the Powerpoint handouts from class and not trying to read the books at all. They needed a 77% to pass the exam, figured most material came from the handouts, and they'd guess the rest. They teamed up and did computer sims and other projects like an assembly line, each take one part and complete it, although that was cheating. I, on the other hand, was a good little girl, always worked by myself, and I tried to read EVERYTHING and understand EVERYTHING that was assigned and try for a 4.0, and it buried me. I was fed up with that school before the first year was up. I never finished that or any other RN school because I grew to hate the schooling so much. I am not a sedentary person. I need to be up and moving. I can sit through a day of classes or a night of classes and studying, but I am not willing to sit all day and then have to sit all night, studying. Probably everything about nursing was a bad fit for me, though. I plugged away at as long as I could and really tried, but in the end I just wanted to throw things. lol

CCoxStockwell · Aug 7, 2014

Its Maricopas RN program combined with Upper Iowas RN-BSN bridge. I gave a 4.0 in all of the classes I have taken, including A&P 1&2, pathophysiology and micro. I know it will be time consuming, I think it will be doable. Thank you for your responses.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Aug 7, 2014

I am intrigued....if you don't mind how much does this cost?

JellyBiscuit · Aug 15, 2014

Its Maricopas RN program combined with Upper Iowas RN-BSN bridge. I gave a 4.0 in all of the classes I have taken, including A&P 1&2, pathophysiology and micro. I know it will be time consuming, I think it will be doable. Thank you for your responses.

CCoxStockwell - are you in the Spring 2015 cohort at MCC? I have been looking for people who will be starting this program with me all over this board!