Is nursing school really "the hardest thing you've ever done in your life"?

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Mar 29, 2017

Nursing school is not even close to the most difficult course of study that I've pursued.

In fact, of the four curricula (engineering undergrad, engineering grad, post-bacc chemistry, and DEMSN), it was the easiest.

Just my personal experience, of course, but don't accept for a moment that those people represent the broad spectrum of experiences in nursing school.

Nothing in nursing school came even close to subjects like control systems design, mechanical vibrations, partial differential equations, modern physics, analytical chemistry, immunology, or advanced cell biology.

Nursing school has an unrelenting pace and numerous high-stakes, sink-or-swim assessments but I didn't find the subject matter to be particularly difficult.

jtboy29 · Mar 29, 2017

I'm 31 and I was 30 when I first entered my LVN program. Yes, it was only a year however; the amount of time that a student has to put in was pretty much a full-time commitment. At first I thought to myself, I was overwhelmed and I was ready to quit the first week of fundamentals. I slowly relaxed, breathe a little bit and decided why am I here? Any type of program whether it be LVN or RN it will be tough however; only depending on how tough you make it out to be. Thousands of students go through nursing programs and they've all done it along with hardwork and dedication to studying, going to clinicals, attending classes, etc.

ItsThatJenGirl, CNA · Mar 29, 2017

I'm not in nursing school yet, but I can't imagine it's going to be harder than losing my niece, seeing my mom through cancer for the second time, navigating a marriage, surviving post postpartum depression, having a 12 year in the depths of puberty, nursing my husband through a horrific car accident that nearly killed him and all the other things that life throws at us.

I'm sure it'll be challenging, but I can't imagine it being the hardest thing I've done. I guess that it's really all about perspective though.

Spine_CRNA, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2017

They (I) are/am products of having everything handed to them with instant gratification i.e. Millenials.

EDIT: The above was meant to be a response to joey (below).

Quote from joeygiglio

Even if it wasn't that incredibly difficult WHICH IT IS it would probably still be the most difficult thing that the people have ever done. Ask yourself who is in nursing school. It's going to vary but generally they're made up of 19 year olds to people in their early 20's. What have people that young had to do that was that difficult?

RainMom · Mar 30, 2017

No, not the hardest thing for me, even with graduating with a newborn.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2017

It's not hard.
Double-Helix's answer was excellent btw

You are probably in the minority with that assessment.

For many of us, the reason nursing school seemed so difficult is because we either had part or full time jobs ON TOP of being parents or caregivers to spouses or parents. Some people haven't been properly prepared by their high schools. Not everyone catches on to academic requirements quickly. Some people are just "smarter" than others. Some have prior experience in health care, so the environment and some of the tasks are very familiar.

Whether or not nursing school is hard is very dependent on individual factors, and none of us can predict what your perception will be.

Based on what I know about my older daughter's Ph.D program and younger daughter's law school requirements, I would have to say that the nursing curriculum is far easier. But neither of my daughters has had to also contend with a toddler, a pregnancy, and a newborn while they are in school.

I graduated with my BSN with a 4.0 GPA, but that in no way implies it was easy for me. On top of caring for a toddler, getting pregnant, giving birth, and caring for an infant while in school, I held down a part time job in the county trauma ICU, working graveyard shift. You better believe nursing school was the hardest thing I've ever done in terms of academics and life/work balance.

I also want to add that some people are just more resilient when it comes to stress. What one person finds "easy" may very well overwhelm someone else.

K9lover, ASN, RN · Mar 31, 2017

Not even close.

Sandraposada09 · Mar 31, 2017

Im going to piggy back this comment because i can totally relate! i have just applied to nursing school and im curious to know how difficult it could be. But i also think to myself that getting through the pre requisite courses, working 2 jobs and having a baby, becoming a single parent, and almost having both of my parents NEARLY pass one due to an aneurysm and the other from several different health issues in the process of trying to keep my grades and not just giving up all together! My dad recovered from the aneurysm and my mother is well now. but I was originally born in El Salvador came here when I was seven, I saw poverty and the worst at a young age, and so my parents are immigrants but the way i see it is being here and being able to get an education is such a blessing in itself! I think i can get through nursing school if i just apply myself the same way as persistent as i was with getting the pre requisites done!

Sandraposada09 · Mar 31, 2017

Im going to piggy back this comment because i can totally relate! i have just applied to nursing school and im curious to know how difficult it could be. But i also think to myself that getting through the pre requisite courses, working 2 jobs and having a baby, becoming a single parent, and almost having both of my parents NEARLY pass one due to an aneurysm and the other from several different health issues in the process of trying to keep my grades and not just giving up all together! My dad recovered from the aneurysm and my mother is well now. but I was originally born in El Salvador came here when I was seven, I saw poverty and the worst at a young age, and so my parents are immigrants but the way i see it is being here and being able to get an education is such a blessing in itself! I think i can get through nursing school if i just apply myself the same way as persistent as i was with getting the pre requisites done!

paisling · Mar 31, 2017

They (I) are/am products of having everything handed to them with instant gratification i.e. Millenials.
EDIT: The above was meant to be a response to joey (below).
Quote from joeygiglio
Even if it wasn't that incredibly difficult WHICH IT IS it would probably still be the most difficult thing that the people have ever done. Ask yourself who is in nursing school. It's going to vary but generally they're made up of 19 year olds to people in their early 20's. What have people that young had to do that was that difficult?

I don't think it's fair to blame it on being a Millenial. The oldest of us Millenials are in our mid-30s: we are fully formed adults, not spoiled children. And those of us who have had things handed to us, who do you think is responsible for that? You should be blaming the boomer parents who gave their children everything they wanted when they asked for it.

I enjoy seeing everyone's perspective on this question but it isn't a contest to see who has a harder life or who overcame more challenges. For some people a rigorous academic program is a big challenge. For others its easy and their biggest challenge has been raising a family. We are all different people. It isn't shameful to find nursing school - or any school - to be a big challenge, just like it isn't shameful to think raising a child or losing a parent is hard.

kldepp08 · Mar 31, 2017

Ummm... NO!! Was it easy? Certainly not! As a previous poster said it's only as hard a you make it.. expect to work hard and sacrifice a lot.. but I was a single mom working full time and passed with really good grades.. you can do it!!

The hardest thing I've ever done?? Saying goodbye to my baby as he joined the Air Force!! I'd do nursing school ten times over rather than live that again!!

Best to you!!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 31, 2017

I'm starting an accelerated bsn program in the summer, and it seems like there is a consensus that "nursing school was the hardest thing that [people] have done in their lives" almost everywhere, whether it be allnurses.com, Youtube, or whatever.... And this isn't just said by some 20-year-olds who haven't jumped through hoops of life. I've heard it from people with biology degrees, MBA degrees, and even lawyers. I even read a comment by a lady who claimed that nursing school was the hardest thing she has done in 50 years of her life, including birthing her children! With that said, I know that it's certainly doable. But I haven't really seen people say this with law school, pharmacy school, or just any other professional school, (except maybe med school) so I'm curious. Is nursing school really that bad, or are we just a bunch of whiners? lol... Any input is appreciated!

Nursing school was difficult, but not the most difficult thing I've ever done.

Here's the thing: you're standing at the beginning and looking at the entirety of nursing school and from where you're standing, it looks all but impossible. If you look at it in little chunks -- one assignment at a time -- it's much more manageable. As you complete each assignment, each class, each little chunk, the next one looks smaller and more doable. Nursing school, like anything else we've done that is difficult, is much easier to manage in stages. From the "Intro to Nursing" class, the senior practicum looks impossible. But when you start the senior practicum, you will have learned so much that it will be doable.

The most difficult thing I've ever done was having my SECOND knee replaced, because after the first I knew how much it was going to hurt. Nursing school was easy compared to that.