Is nursing school and the clinicals really that tough?

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First I'd like to mention I'll be starting the nursing program at Ivy Tech in January so any experiences from there would be a great help.

Anyways, my girlfriend's aunt is a RN and she said I'd do fine as long as I know my stuff. I've looked on these message boards for experiences on people's nursing school experiences and the only thing I'm finding (and in quite an abundance) is horror stories of people doubting themselves or bad experiences in clinicals. I'm assuming that's because those who get by okay don't come here to vent or tell their stories?

Id just like to get as many responses as possible how your experience was in nursing school. In no way am I expecting an easy time...I know I'll be spending most of my free time studying, but assuming there's a passion to succeed, willingness to devote the necessary time to study, and maintaining a positive attitude, should I expect things to go fairly well?

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I've also seen a lot of the horror stories, but so far all of my clinicals have been great. I think a lot of it depends on your program and how strong their clinical side of the program itself is. Some schools have better relationships with local hospitals/SNFs than others and I think some devote more to finding and retaining good clinical instructors than others. I've gotten the impression that there are just straight up toxic instructors out there, but I feel that the programs that don't have high turnover for preceptors and put a lot of focus on the clinical experience have better outcomes for students. I feel like my clinical is the most important part of my week, and my instructor has high but reasonable expectations for us. They shouldn't expect perfection, but I won't lie. Sometimes I wonder if the students who talk about it being hell aren't in one of a few situations: 1. They have a quasi-sociopath for an instructor who weirdly enjoys tormenting people, bordering on hazing, 2. The student has a trash attitude/work ethic and can't handle criticism whatsoever, 3. The student has a lot of anxiety and it cripples them in clinicals. I'm just a student, but that's just how I see it so far. It's not supposed to be easy, but it really shouldn't be absolute hell.

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

Before getting into nursing school, I've read so many threads that say that you need to devote every waking moment to school or else you'll fail. Well, I have two jobs and definitely don't study every second of my free time and I'm doing decent. I've had good experiences in my clinicals so far, no horror stories at all. School is fine so I have nothing to complain about, therefore nothing to make a thread about í ½í¸‚

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I'm in my first semester of nursing school at Ivy tech in the Lawrence campus. Not sure what campus you're going to but every Ivy Tech campus is different so I can only speak for where I go. I've also read a lot of the same things you've mentioned. I just got my midterm grades and have all A's and I work full-time. I will say it's challenging, it can feel overwhelming at times but not as hard as people make it seem now that I'm actually doing it. Granted, I'm only in my first semester but I'm feeling more confident that I can do well as I go. I work in the medical field so I do think that has given me some advantages, but there are some that have never stepped foot in a hospital and there is a learning curve and I think that's where the nervousness about clinicals comes from. Instructors also play a huge part. My experiences in clinical or lab compared to my some classmates are very different just because we have different instructors.

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

I've seen lots of horror stories as well and that has not been my experience. I had great instructors and clinicals for the most part. I did an ABSN program so school took up a large chunk of my life, but certainly not all of it. I still had time for family, friends, volunteering, and fun activities along the way.

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I am only in my first semester, so really can't go by much. Additionally, I have no healthcare background. I will say the one large dislike I have so far is the exams, not the content, but how little room for error or catch up there is. We have 3 exams. 1 on the first 4 lectures, a Midterm and a Final. If you are unfamiliar with critical thinking questions, and most first year nursing students I would assume are, then it will take that first exam to get familiar with them. That leaves only 2 exams to make it up. I overheard the professor telling the head of the nursing department that 70% of her students failed the 1st exam. Not going to lie, I got a 75 (passing, but barely). So just that there is little wiggle room to make it up, doable, but not much room.

As for clinical, I have enjoyed it. Wednesday I encountered my first "very agitated, aggressive, name calling" patient. He did make me laugh at a few points during patient care. When I was transferring him from bed to W/C, he yells out "Don't forget to grab my ass as I swing around. You know where your ass is! It's 2 feet below your head you dumbass!" Even the CNA's, and floor RN were having a tough time with him, but I am glad for the experience as not every encounter is going to be sunshine and roses.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
I am only in my first semester, so really can't go by much. Additionally, I have no healthcare background. I will say the one large dislike I have so far is the exams, not the content, but how little room for error or catch up there is. We have 3 exams. 1 on the first 4 lectures, a Midterm and a Final. If you are unfamiliar with critical thinking questions, and most first year nursing students I would assume are, then it will take that first exam to get familiar with them. That leaves only 2 exams to make it up. I overheard the professor telling the head of the nursing department that 70% of her students failed the 1st exam. Not going to lie, I got a 75 (passing, but barely). So just that there is little wiggle room to make it up, doable, but not much room.

As for clinical, I have enjoyed it. Wednesday I encountered my first "very agitated, aggressive, name calling" patient. He did make me laugh at a few points during patient care. When I was transferring him from bed to W/C, he yells out "Don't forget to grab my ass as I swing around. You know where your ass is! It's 2 feet below your head you dumbass!" Even the CNA's, and floor RN were having a tough time with him, but I am glad for the experience as not every encounter is going to be sunshine and roses.

I like that your patient is quoting Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) in A League of Their Own!

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I like that your patient is quoting Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) in A League of Their Own!

1st thing I thought of when he said it. He mentioned many times wanting to throw me off the roof of the building. Felt like I was in Grumpy Old Men

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I'd like to think of myself as an average student-- I'm not always 110% prepared and I don't get straight A's. I got A's and B's last semester and I just try to concentrate on retaining this information so I can be a competent/safe nurse. I also really value balance in my life so sometimes time with my husband takes priority over something school related. That's not to say I'm a slacker but I'm not perfect.

IMO nursing school is hard but doable as long as you're organized and do what is required. Last semester (my first-- we had 4 classes plus clinical) was very stressful for me and I think they make it a bit chaotic/difficult to weed people out. This semester I've been having some personal struggles unrelated to school, so this term has been kind of weird and I've felt a bit off my game. But I'm passing and it feels infinitely easier than last semester.

That being said, this is only my experience in a BSN program at an East Coast university. It varies a lot depending on your school and even the cohort. Anyway, I hope my ramble was helpful!

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I'm 11 weeks into my first semester and almost done with clinicals for this semester. I've read the horror stories too, but to me personally, it's really not bad at all. I'm actually going back to work tomorrow cause of the free time I have. Clinicals have been wonderful and such a great learning experience and a great place to really practice the fundamentals we're learning. I get good grades, I only study minimally (I wasn't a person who studied in the past either). It really depends on you and your school. I was TERRIFIED of the drug calculations, because we get kicked out if we don't get an A on the test- I got a 94 on my first try. But I'm only in my first semester, so that's all I can really comment on.

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Thanks everyone. Your replies were very helpful and reassuring. Now I won't have to be stressed out over the next couple of months.

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As a current nursing student it easy very TOUGH! You have to study everyday and stay on top of your material daily. And if you do that YOU can make it again or ain't easy and it was and still scary for me do to all the material you learn from lecture and clinicals. Just pt attention and study !!

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