Is it harder than you thought?

goodstudentnowRN · Sep 16, 2009

Yes, nursing college can be a challenge. Just do the best you can and stand tall. You will get in the groove very soon.

LibraRNinNY · Sep 17, 2009

I feel like I could have written your post two years ago! I was the same as you, A's and B's in most of my pre-reqs. For my very first nursing test, I studied my booty off. I went in so confident, and then got the test back with a big 80 on it... It doesn't seem like such a big deal now, but then I was devastated. I went to talk to my professor in her office the first chance I got, because I was sure that I would need extra help or something. She basically told me that I was FINE, and to talk to the people who scored in the 50's if I didn't believe her. (Sounds harsh, but she's the sweetest woman ever!) And she was right- every semester after that seemed easier and easier until my graduation this past May.

Nursing school is tough, no doubt about it, but you can do it! Pretty soon the tests won't throw you off so much, and it will be easier to determine what exactly the question is asking. Do you have an NCLEX review book such as Saunders? I found it to be immensely helpful when I was studying for tests.

Good luck!

KrisRN0710 · Sep 17, 2009

There's nothing I loathe more in nursing school then studying your tail off for an exam and not scoring great. Im in my last year 3rd semester and for me the NCLEX style testing has been the biggest challenge. I hate the fact I will study until I'm blue in the face and the testing questions throw me off. I will ramble on about what i've learned and apply it on the floor at clinical but getting a question wrong on a test when your test score determines your success rate is aweful. I wonder how many great people who would have made terrifc nurses have failed their program because they could not adapt to the NCLEX format. It's a shame! I never had to take a critical thinking course prior to NS so that may be my problem, and the fact I am such a factual test taker. Fingers crossed for my last year and everyone else in the same situation!

peytonsmom · Sep 17, 2009

I think the actual coursework is a little harder than I thought it was going to be but the time aspect of it is about 1000% harder than I anticipated. I am taking Intro to Nursing and Pathophys this semester and I work FT and have a family. If it wasn't for my husband stepping up in a BIG way w/ the home stuff I don't know how i'd manage.

I have actual class time three days one week and five the next (clinicals are e/o weekend), but that doesn't include all of the time I'm needing to spend in the lab practicing skills. So on top of all of that i'm looking at hours of studying every night and it just doesn't leave me any time for things like SLEEP.

Next week I have this schedule:

Mon: Patho quiz & case study due

Wed: Nursing Lecture Exam

Sat: Med term quiz

Sun: Math quiz & wet to dry dressing checkoff

That's a lot ot study for in one week!

Our cutoff for a C is 80% so it doesn't leave a lot of room for error either. Our first lecture test is next week and i'm already dreading it.

Rylee2008, ASN, RN · Sep 20, 2009

I graduate with my RN in May, 2010. The first tests are always the worst. Once you know what an instructor is looking for, you have an idea of what to study. You guys are really lucky because at our school you have to have an 80 on tests to pass a class and assignment don't count unless you have that 80 percent. A's are very rare in nursing school and instructors will admit that. Hang in there and take it one day at a time. I always feel like I'm struggling, but have always made it through. Good luck.

marjibme · Sep 20, 2009

I am SOOOO "feeling ya" here. I don't think you're being thinned-skinned (although I do think we'll all develop a thicker hide as we progress through our programs) - I think you're being realistic. It IS "gonna be a struggle just to make it" but realizing that fact is one of the things that is going to help us survive and succeed during the next 2-4 years of our lives.

I am in my first semester right now and for the last 3 weeks I have been paddling as fast as I can trying to keep the current from throwing my over the falls into the abyss. Shoot - half the struggle is just trying to keep up with what is due where and when, much less finding time to "actively read" the mountains of materials as you study for the exams.

It's not like I'm a stranger to the academic world (I have 2 MA's and have taught at the collegiate level) - but nothing really prepares you for the explosion that is Nursing School. Until you find your pace, a 75% ain't that bad and 5 years from now, what you made on that first test won't make any difference. What you learned from making that 75% will be invaluable however.

Jaguar Boy · Sep 20, 2009

Yes, oh, yes...it is definitely harder than I thought. But, not for the reasons I expected. I thought the coursework would be really challenging, complex etc...and in some ways it is. But what has been sooooo difficult is being in the middle of politics, bureaucracy and administrative problems...and that's just the school itself. I have always hated politics....but I'm surviving. Gotta take it one day at a time...Yay to all you other nursing students who are on this journey too!!

muscadinewine · Sep 20, 2009

No, I don't think you are- it's harder than what anybody I've talked to has let on. They seem to only remember their 70k paycheck or the babies born right into their arms or something along those lines. Nobody mentions the work you commit yourself to to get to either one of those. At my school, they had the honeymoon period in which they fed us catered lunch, told us charming tales about the joys of nursing, had truly hilarious skits involving do's and dont's of nursing care (if they ever get sick of nursing and instructing, they could seriously take that show on the road) etc. etc. Then we had lectures and the first test came- most of the class did below 60%. About 10 people dropped. After our first clinical, 5 more dropped. It's harsh, but they and everybody else want only the best nurses, so it has to be.

My hardest part is the hands-on clinical stuff, mainly because I'm a perfectionist and am also having to work on masking the fact that I'm a very unexpressive and reserved person. I care about my patients and can make small talk to get info, but I have to remember to smile and not monotone to keep the lines open. We all have our areas of weakness- everybody hang in there.

tbell2 · Sep 21, 2009

Much harder than I anticipated! They raised our passing grade this year to 76% from 75% My really good friend got a 75 on the second test. If she fails either of the next two tests, she is out. Doesn't matter what her average is. It just sucks a little more because just two months ago it was a passing grade.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Sep 21, 2009

I think the hardest thing is adjusting to the higher grade scale, it sucks to get an 83% on something and realize that is a C.

Our minimum passing grade is a 78% :stone

jrw03282009 · Sep 21, 2009

Yeah, it's harder than I thought it would be although it may seem to be getting easier now. When you know what is being tested, you know what to study for. I had HECK when trying to study muscular, skeletal, blood, heart, nervous, and disorders in ONE week with a scoring test BEFORE the lecture in A&P but don't forget the other 5 classes that were testing that week too. How do we do it? I have no idea.....