Is nursing school easier if you have friends in the program??

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Hey guys. I work at a nursing home and most of my coworkers who attend college are trying to go into nursing. Well this really wonderful CMT that i work with was telling me today that she had been in nursing school last year but had to withdrawl because ahe was so stressed. I told her i was going into the program spring of 2010 and that she should apply to go with me. (her main problem was that she knew noone in the program and felt like she had no support. she also was the only one in her class that didn't live in the city her college was in so she was often left out of group activities where she might have made friends.) i know some people will say that it's ridiculous to withdrawl from nursing because you have no frinds to help you but i get her point. It's hard to feel like you're in it alone, or like nobody understands what you're going through. She really thinks if we are together it might help her. (study buddies and everything!) My question is, does anyone have friends going with them through nursing school? If you don't do you think it would be easier if you did? thanks for any advice.

Specializes in NICU.

I know I am looking forward to starting my program this fall with a friend I met in Physiology.

We get to take the first year together, but as she's fast track and I'm traditional, we won't be able to continue together. I'm hoping to meet some friends in the program. I don't think it will make it any easier to learn, but it will be nice to have friends that understand what's going on.

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I am almost through with my first semester of NS, and having friends does help. I did have 2 people who I'd been in other classes with get in at the same time as me. I've become good friends with one of them, and see the other one from time to time too. BUT, some people that I didn't know at the beginning of the semester have also become some of my really good friends. I've become pretty close with all the people in my clinical group as well. It is nice to have that little web of support, people who know what you're going through. But it's like any situation, you make new friends as you go along, and there's usually little cliques of students who only associate with their own little group. That's life. Your co-worker dropping out just because she didn't have any friends in the program seems a little strange. Either she has an extremely hard time making friends, or there was more to it, if you ask me...

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Specializes in ICU.

Your co-worker dropping out just because she didn't have any friends in the program seems a little strange. Either she has an extremely hard time making friends, or there was more to it, if you ask me...

There is more to it. Single mom w/ two kids, lives almost an hour away, price of gas at the time, not having enough free time to devote to studies. These are really tough things to negotiate with. Even though a lot of students w/ similar situations still manage, I'd be willing to bet a lot of these same people had some kind of support system to rely on. I can really relate to the whole long distance/price of gas issue as my husband works almost an hour away from home and when price of gas hit $4.15 per gal here, we were spending $600 a month on gas alone ($400 for his, $200 for mine)

My biggest concern for your friend that it's not just a buddy she needs (though that is a huge asset) but more resources as well. Gas money shouldn't be as big of concern, especially if the two of you carpool. I can't remember if you said her kids were very young, but at least they are a year older now, a little more independent and such. Sounds like she could possibly be in a better postion this time around to succeed.

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Specializes in Alzheimers and geriatric patients.

I think so to. I mean was a lot more going on than just no friends but it's hard to post it all!

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Specializes in None.

Likes someone else said. Not having friends isnt a deal breaker, BUT, having that support, and people to relate and have that group of folks who remind of things you forget sometimes....very helpful. For me, I do have friends in the program, but we dont hang outside of nursing. For that I have other friends and things, but we do have fun and goof off sometimes together to blow off some steam. I personally, rarely utilize group studies and that sort of thing. I seem to do better on my own.....But thats just me!!

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