I know it's hard. But is it really that hard?

Everline · May 3, 2018

Yes, it really is that hard...depending on what your definition of "hard" is. Nursing school was one of the hardest things I've done in my life. Others will say they breezed through and went to parties on the weekends. Oh and they LOVED their clinical rotations AND their clinical instructors! Me? I disliked it all and studied until my eyes went bad. But then, I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree. The volume of information they expected us to learn in no time was mind boggling. And then the tests were like no other tests I'd taken before and I'd already gotten an undergraduate degree. Not to mention the emotional roller coaster ride they put us on. But I survived. And eventually I even found that despite my intense dislike of nursing school, I love being a nurse.

Sour Lemon · May 3, 2018

Part time job no kids and the gpa level is a 2.5 in the community college. I've never been interested in biology but I do love social sciences

The GPA may turn out to be a big issue. No interest in biology is not a great thing, either.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · May 3, 2018

It was challenging, but I thought the music degree I had begun to pursue was harder. It wasn't the lessons or performances that were so hard, but the philosophy-heavy humanities classes were... although I did attend a private school with high standards. (Example: I took a beginning Latin class at Private College, then transferred to State U for a semester. Their 2nd semester Latin class used the same book, and the semester started halfway through the Private College's 1st semester class.)

My right brain has some strengths, but I found memorizing info (like for science and pharmacology and nursing skills classes) easier than analyzing music by ear, or easier than analyzing a text written in Middle English.

What I found challenging about nursing school is 1) the schedule -- we have clinical shifts in addition to classroom, 2) human bodies don't always respond like the book says they do (example: I have had full-on pneumonia with no fever.) and 3) testing with questions that look for the most-correct answer on multiple choice ?s, vs one correct/three incorrect options.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · May 3, 2018

I pretty much agree. Nursing school is hard but just how hard it will be for any particular individual will be just as individual. There was a lot of information to take in. I've been through Paramedic school. That's also a program where you have to try to drink from a firehose. In my case, nursing school was not so bad but it did last a couple years instead of approx. 1 year for medic school. My Sports Med Bachelors was far more rigorous than Nursing School was so that part wasn't too horrible for me. The really hard part was learning to think like a nurse because all my previous training was through the medical model.

Also while the NCLEX questions themselves weren't (individually) all that difficult, the system it uses made the NCLEX the most difficult/tough exam I've ever had to take. Solid test-taking skills, critical thinking, and a solid nursing school background are all what are needed to pass the NCLEX. Since the NREMT switched to the same type of test (computer adaptive) their exams are also much more difficult than they used to be.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · May 4, 2018

Any nursing school IS that hard. A 2.5 gpa and knowing nothing about math and science.. is a rough start on a rough road. You really need to consult your school counselor. We are nurses, not academic advisors.

Best wishes.

Meeshie · May 4, 2018

Also while the NCLEX questions themselves weren't (individually) all that difficult, the system it uses made the NCLEX the most difficult/tough exam I've ever had to take. Solid test-taking skills, critical thinking, and a solid nursing school background are all what are needed to pass the NCLEX. Since the NREMT switched to the same type of test (computer adaptive) their exams are also much more difficult than they used to be.

They're changing the NCLEX again. It's in the testing phase now. It will be 100% case studies and not only will students have to pick the correct answer.. they will also have to pick the correct rationale to prove that they understand what they're answering. Roll out in

2019 at last guess which means anyone entering school now will be facing the new exam but the schools aren't teaching for it yet since the board hasn't released anything official to use. So that'll be fun.

dream'n, BSN, RN · May 4, 2018

Unless you've worked in the Health Care field, learning nursing lingo can be a challenge for some. It's like learning a whole new language while also learning to be a nurse. The poster that said the work is voluminous is right. So much to learn and understand.

I recently read a CNN article that was about how many pre-nursing students are turned away from schools due to not enough teachers and staff. The article then went on to say how LARGE the nursing shortage is. That is so bogus. The jobs that have a hard time finding/keeping nurses are quite often because the position is a living hell and no sane person would want to do it.

It's wonderful that you want to work with elderly, those nurses have my upmost respect. But unfortunately, you will find that many of those jobs will leave you depressed with the little amount of time you will be given to feel that you are providing top quality care.

I am of the opinion that the nursing profession is in a bad place right now regarding ratios, customer service, etc., and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else. In my personal experience, approximately 60% of the nurses I know, wish they had chosen another profession. I am very appreciative of the things that I have been apart of and the great people I've met in nursing, but no, I would have taken my profession in another direction if I had a do-over.

If you still want to become a nurse, then Welcome to the nurse club baby!

RainbowSprinkles · May 4, 2018

Getting into school is one of the hardest parts.

Spot on!

oneday_nursepoundcake · May 4, 2018

I will say -- as a 41 yr-old with a previous (non-nursing) bachelor's degree, currently taking pre-requisites at community college -- I've been pretty surprised by how hard it's been. Maybe because most of the students at my school are all trying to get into the same programs (nursing, PT, OT, Vet tech, etc) that have limited slots and are crazy-competitive. So it's not just about getting through your classes -- you've gotta slay with all "A"s basically to even apply to these programs. And this is still at the community college level we're talking about.

This may be different in other parts of the country, etc. If money isn't a huge issue for you right now, I'd recommend taking some more classes in other areas that interest you too -- boosting your GPA, getting more perspectives on other areas you might enjoy too (i.e. social work?) -- before hunkering down to get through the biggies like A&P, chemistry, etc.

Good luck to you! I think it's awesome to be looking at the bigger picture of investing in a career you can have in the longer-term. I made the mistake in my 20s of putting my all into a career with no future (mostly due to the industry, not me) -- and am starting all over now. Enjoying it greatly, but this is all a million times harder once you have kids, etc.

rgo2018 · May 4, 2018

They're changing the NCLEX again. It's in the testing phase now. It will be 100% case studies and not only will students have to pick the correct answer.. they will also have to pick the correct rationale to prove that they understand what they're answering. Roll out in
2019 at last guess which means anyone entering school now will be facing the new exam but the schools aren't teaching for it yet since the board hasn't released anything official to use. So that'll be fun.

Could you please provide a source for this information about the upcoming changes to NCLEX? I am trying to google but nothing shows up. Thanks!

lexieanders · May 4, 2018

I, and several people I know, have taken classes at both a community college and a university where the same professors taught at both institutions. Science courses at the community college I attended were slightly easier than courses at the university, which wasn't extremely difficult either. College Algebra was a repeat of math that I took in the senior year of high school, and the difficulty was also about the same at a community college as a university. I assume that Statistics would be about the same at a community college as a university, based on the professor chosen. Nursing pre-requisites are definitely not as difficult as I assumed them to be, but they also weren't easy either. Having quality professors also made a difference in learning material for courses such as Human Anatomy and Physiology. I was always afraid of taking any college biology courses because high school biology was made so difficult at the school I attended, even more difficult than Human Anatomy and Physiology. Also, utilizing better study methods does make a difference in the perception of rigor.

cristina30 · May 5, 2018

this post really hit me. i'm in advanced med surg right now and everything you basically said everything that i'm going through right now.. thanks for this. it gives me courage.