Is nursing school REALLY that hard?

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pc2801

112 Posts

It is hard for all the reasons previously stated but do able. I'd like to add enjoy your school breaks. Plan to see your friends you might not see during the semester, go to a movie or whatever fun things you like to do. It will help if you can unwind a little between terms. And for the SATA questions I look at each choice as a T/F in relation to the question.

nursemike, ASN, RN

1 Article; 2,362 Posts

Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

I worked a lot harder (and a lot smarter) getting my ASN than I did flunking out of Physics when I was 20. I'm not sure how directly the two experiences compare. Maybe, in the end, it's just the difference between hanging out in the student union, staring at pretty girls versus going to class and staring at pretty girls. But it also seems to me it's a matter of depth versus breadth. It doesn't seem like there were many, or even any, concepts in nursing that were hard to comprehend. It's just that there were so many of them to get, in a short period of time. There's a lot of memorization, too, which is not my favorite way to learn. But it's do-able. I will say, since graduating, I haven't met any dumb nurses. And not a lot of lazy ones. But there are some pretty sharp nurses practicing who weren't straight A students, because they are a different kind of smart, and they didn't mind working hard.

TeeKay12

94 Posts

Yes, and no. I was an older student, returning to university at age 40! I also had a family, a part time job, a critically ill parent, and a disabled child. The ill parent and disabled child helped get me through a lot of classes (oh, you want me to study SCIs, well, I have one of those at home, no sweat, I know more than enough no need to study that one). I will say, going to every single class no matter what was what paid off. Attend your lectures, have a good relationship with your professors, and study. Form or get in on a study group. It's better if it's not 'friends', but rather 'colleagues' so you won't get off track.

It was tough, but it was doable. I attended a traditional 4 year BSN program at a private university. I was one of the few commuters and the oldest in my class.

IF I could do it, I think most anyone can!

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN

1,208 Posts

Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.
MaternityMadness said:
If you work hard, study, apply yourself, and are in it for the right reasons then you should do well.

The *right* reasons are whatever reasons that cause someone to work hard, study, and apply themselves.... be those reasons a desire to help or serve, the search for a stable job, or the opportunity to earn $70/hr with benefits.

sara567

59 Posts

Is it hard? It depends. You will learn very quickly that nothing is black and white in nursing...nursing school being hard included.

It is time consuming. At my school they tell us to warn our families we won't be attending all functions, helping around the house, etc etc as much. They also tell us not to get pregnant (or get someone pregnant). School is the priority. It's true. Many people had breakups/divorces during school because it really tests relationships of all kinds.

You need to be independent in your education. Yes, the professors and classmates will help you, but no one will hold your hand. It is a lot of information, and assignments, to do. Plan to do 20-40 hours a week of schoolwork/studying, along with your classes and clinicals.

You need to learn an entirely different way to study. No more learning items just for the 1 test. You need to learn the item and then understand it (really well) because they will be adding on to it down the road. The NCLEX (and your college, should) won't be asking you to regurgitate information, like in every class you have had before. Instead of asking how the blood flows through the body they will ask if there is an issue with the blood flow in the body how will that affect the digestive tract? or you will have to know that if you have a issue involving eyesight and one of the answers includes something about bloodflow and oxygen, it's probably the right one.

Also, most questions will have 3-4 right answers. Only one of them is the "most right."

So, is nursing school hard? It all depends on you.

rfrishe

44 Posts

I have the same questions, so this thread helped me too! I won't start until summer, but I already have a Bachelor's that I finished in three years, taking 5 4-credit hour courses per semester and taking some odds and ends in the summers. While working at least one job at least part time (my first semester I had two part time, my last semester I had a full time and part time job) The program I'm entering is a part time program, so only 3-4 classes per semester and I'll be working full time. I'm expecting to be way over faced at first but getting used to it. I'm hoping I've prepared myself for the rigor of nursing school by pushing myself in my first degree. Thanks for posting this- it's really helped!

Helenegusa

7 Posts

Nursing school is HELL!!! you MUST LOVE LOVE LOVE the medical field to survive this! If you have facility with academic work it's already an excellent point for you! For the clinicals you practice what's in the book. You need to love people and have a very good sense of initiative! The professors are looking for the students who they can trust will always come with a good plan B if needed. Your patients are always your first priority and the knowledge of their conditions is what you "always" have to know. You'll be just fine, there will be a lots of sleepless nights, lost of tears, lost of "I can't do this anymore", but you'll be just fine... Good Luck

Jessienick

1 Post

It is probably the hardest thing I have ever done. STUDY ..STUDY ..STUDY! You will have no social life and you will want to quit more than once, but in the end it is all worth it! Good Luck and do great!!!

kalycat, BSN, RN

1 Article; 553 Posts

Specializes in CVICU CCRN.
Helenegusa said:
Nursing school is HELL! you MUST LOVE LOVE LOVE the medical field to survive this! If you have facility with academic work it's already an excellent point for you! For the clinicals you practice what's in the book. You need to love people and have a very good sense of initiative! The professors are looking for the students who they can trust will always come with a good plan B if needed. Your patients are always your first priority and the knowledge of their conditions is what you "always" have to know. You'll be just fine, there will be a lots of sleepless nights, lost of tears, lost of "I can't do this anymore", but you'll be just fine... Good Luck

Yeah, no. I had a different experience.

Time consuming, yes. New skills to master, including all important muscle memory? Yep.

Doable with a solid work ethic and priorities? Absolutely. I didn't have these type of "oh gawd what am I doing" moments at all. Everyone is different.

Here's a link about nursing being the "hardest degree":

What is the Toughest College Degree? : snopes.com

Interestingly though, I think there was a more recent news story - like in a major national newspaper - talking about BSN difficulty as well. Not sure it was truly an objective study, however. I couldn't find the link with the amount of time I had to search at the moment, though, so maybe I imagined it.

OP, good luck. Keep your head on straight, be prepared, think ahead, treat school as your job, and I bet you will do just fine.

bopeep82

44 Posts

It's not actual nursing school that is hard. It's the testing that is hard. I personally feel that I've spent more time learning how to test correctly, rather than learning the knowledge.

RLJS

28 Posts

Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Apply yourself, study hard, don't blow off assignments, and buy some NCLEX question study books. I went to nursing school in my 50's, worked 1 full time job and 3 part time jobs and maintained a 3.38 GPA. You can do it!

Specializes in PACU.

No, it is a lot of work but doable. I worked part time and went to college full time. Sounds like you are smart enough to handle the work.

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