Is this normal??

loving2024, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2014

thats really bad, are you taking prereqs with your nursing classes. Also how many classes are you taking. This schedule looks like 20 credits. However you are lucky because most of your classes starts at 9.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2014

That's not "really bad," that's nursing school. What, you thought it was goingto be like your friends who are English majors, with classes from 10-1 on M-W-Th and party the rest of the time?

At least you get two days off in a row.

Pink Magnolia, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2014

Welcome to nursing school! lol

notnursezelda · Jul 10, 2014

oh what school is that?

i have 4 classes over 2 days,

then 2 days of clinicals, that could be possibly 3, not sure yet.

but yea another school i got in, it was monday to friday, sometimes saturday, classes from like 9 to 6 or something of that variation

cracklingkraken, ASN, RN · Jul 10, 2014

I don't think there's a "normal" when it comes to nursing school schedules..

rob4546, ADN, BSN, MSN · Jul 11, 2014

This looks really similar to my semester schedules except we had Saturday and Sundays off. Every once in a while we had a "off" clinical day, but that only happened once or twice. It looks hard, but you will soon get into the groove and handle it. Keep a positive perspective.

MrsStudentNurse · Jul 11, 2014

Yeah that sounds a bit crazy. Ours is only Monday through Friday but pretty full days. It's also a three semester RN and then remaining three for BSN. Hello to crockpot meals and take out for the hubby and I!

christina731 · Jul 11, 2014

That sounds like a pretty busy schedule to me. I generally have 6 hours of clinical, 3 hours of lab and 3 hours of lecture per class per week although I spend about another 40 a week studying and doing other school stuff. I normally take 2 classes so that totals to no more than 24 hours a week actually at school/clinical. How many of those hours are lecture? Lab? Clinical? How many credit hours is it?

kalycat, BSN, RN · Aug 7, 2014

I know this is an older thread, but wow I just had to add my experience! It sure seems there is tons of variability in schedules and time on campus!

For my BSN program, the first three semesters were a total of 46 hours per week including lab and clinical. Classes were from 0800 or 0900 - 1700 Monday thru Weds and then clinical with either 8 or 12 hour shifts scheduled anytime Thursday - Sunday. I even had Noc shift 3rd semester and would get off clinical at 0730 Sunday, sleep, do a turn and be in class at 0740 on Monday for our critical care content class. The only thing that was slightly different was 1st semester - our "clinical" time was different and more introductory, but the total hours were the same because the additional hours were made up in sim lab, learning basically all the basic skills we would need for the following 3 semesters. Refresher courses and boot camp was given the first week of every semester and you had to "pass" this

component before being released to clinical.

Overall I had a very good experience - I'm a non traditional student but I really feel I've learned tons and the time intensive nature was almost like learning a language by immersion. Interestingly, our 4th and final semester is only composed of 135 hours of practicum in your specialty, and then a community health project. Third semester my clinical rotations were all 12s, 2-3 days per week depending on rotation. Guess I should add I'm in a major metro area at a large regional teaching hospital.

Another thing I've noticed since joining allnurses is that there seem to be a ton of programs where you can select your classes, have full or part time options, etc. That wasn't the case for us. Once accepted to the program, the whole curriculum is carefully lined out for you, you don't need to "register" per se for your nursing classes, and there isn't a choice of time slots for classes. You take what your given and like it LOL first semester was by far the hardest - just trying to wrap my head around the pace was tough, but taking criticism and feedback to heart really helped us grow I think - with all those hours, you were trying to be thinking like a nurse constantly.

While this program isn't without problems, I've had outstanding clinical experiences at every rotation and have felt relatively confident, at least for a newbie with heaps to learn. :) Anyway, just wanted to share the comparison. Best of luck to everyone on their journey. :) Keep your chin up!

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · Aug 8, 2014

Our classes this semester are 8-11 W and F. Clinicals can be ANY other time including full day (or night clinicals) at the hospital and random labs or simulations. I was lucky last semester. I only had one Saturday clinical; some had all Sat and Sun.

PurpleLover · Aug 8, 2014

I have never seen a schedule like that, thankfully.