How was you last (final) semester

[brownsc2]

I have read numerous posts from people who said their final semester was the most difficult. I attend a local technical college, and I've heard chatter from fellow students that the last semester is fairy simple (if there is a such thing in nursing school). Many said if you can make it pass the 3rd semester, then it is smooth sailing from there.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

What was your experience?

Everything I've heard has been hear say and I want to hear it directly from someone who has graduated.

Thanks!

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

That totally depends upon your school. At my program, 3rd semester is probably the most difficult because a good chunk of it's psych. It actually used to be even harder than it is now because they used to cram Peds in that same semester. However, for that program, once you're past 3rd, it's mostly smooth sailing from there because much of the content and clinical is aimed at refining your practice and ensuring you're at a safe basic level. They also work on bringing you up to working with a full patient load for the floor/unit you're on so that when you're (eventually) a working new grad, you don't have to be brought up to that level, you can be very quickly eased to a full load and then the real learning begins...

[rob4546, ADN, BSN, MSN]

I would guess it depends on the program. In my case we lost 3 people our last semester. It wasn't really smooth sailing, but I don't believe it was as hard as 3rd semester. We had an nursing exit exam that had to be passed before you could graduate and there was only two chances. The people we lost were gone even before the exit exam, but the rest of us passed.

I don't think that the final semester is a time to let up. See it through to the end because it makes the ending so much sweeter.

[RunBabyRN]

The classes were easier, but the semester was more time-consuming, and it had its challenges. We had to balance our classes, plus clinicals and preceptorship, so time-management was the hardest part, IMO. Plus, you're fighting senioritis at that point, which doesn't help! AND you're applying to take the NCLEX and making sure everything is in line for that and putting together your study strategies and researching exam prep courses and starting to study for the NCLEX... Yes, it's just a very time-consuming semester! I was grateful the classwork was lighter, for our program!