Is it really that bad?

tiredRNstudent · Mar 30, 2014

I think a lot of it depends on your expectations. I had a 3.8 GPA after 2 years of prereqs by listening in class & sometimes looking over notes. I never read. I expected nursing school to be the same, and it was a really big blow when I flunked my first test. I had to learn how to study at 30 years old. I've been in the program 2 years, and I still really struggle with reading the chapters and studying.

Like someone else said, it is full of really high high and really low lows. And no one can really understand it until they've experienced it. I am physically and mentally exhausted. I feel like burning my textbooks on a daily basis. My head might explode if I get one more select all that apply or pick the most correct answer on a test. But I know that I am making a difference in pts' lives and that helps even it all out.

BusiestBSN · Mar 30, 2014

Yes it is intense, but people graduate every semester from nursing school. It is different for every student, even students in the same program, so your experience can differ from ours.

I work my butt off and am able to get good grades. But I also choose to have a life and because of that I do not get straight A's. Others in my program do not work or go out on the weekends and truly struggle to get through.

Really, no one here can tell you how you will feel during nursing school. Just know it is hard work and not something I could picture going through unless I had a passion for nursing.

LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2014

I go to a really good BSN program and I'm a junior. I have time to work 7 hours a week, have fun with friends, and still get straight A's in school. I study/do homework on average 15 hours a week, attend the majority of my lectures, and go to clinicals. The only time I ever cried was the first time I saw a patient in a very bad condition and one other time after dealing with a difficult instructor one-on-one. Those were just two isolated incidents though in my whole nursing school career. It's hard work just like any other science-intensive college track, but people who don't do well in nursing school or say it takes hours upon hours of grueling labor to keep up are probably not that intelligent. I hate to be so judgmental, but I got a 29 on my ACT without studying. I would say that's pretty average for my program, but for other programs it could be quite high. The majority of nurses are still associates-prepared. I think how "bad" nursing school is just depends a lot on who you are and what type of program you're in.

Maybe you are such a special snowflake because you only work 7 hours a week and don't have any responsibilities like a family to take care of so you can go out with friends. Just sayin'.

NKS82 · Mar 30, 2014

I do my rn/bsn program in the toughest university in my country (ranked as 14th best medical university in the world). It's beyond plain torture at times, specially as I'm single mum and have two part time works too (work nights as hca/cna for my cpap dependant son and palliative care at a hospice 4 days/month).

Backwardo · Mar 30, 2014

Maybe you are such a special snowflake because you only work 7 hours a week and don't have any responsibilities like a family to take care of so you can go out with friends. Just sayin'.

:no: Unnecessary...

BusiestBSN · Mar 30, 2014

Maybe you are such a special snowflake because you only work 7 hours a week and don't have any responsibilities like a family to take care of so you can go out with friends. Just sayin'.

No need to belittle someone with snark for not having the responsibility of a family. Adults make their own choices. Yours was to have a family and then pursue nursing.

AmyRN303, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2014

It's all very individual. I was a single mom of 4 when I began school, and I had many people tell me I was foolish for going back to school (really, I did. How silly of them). I also had many nurse friends tell me horror stories of failing, of studying 24/7, of having no social life (and they often said they had NO idea how I'd so it with a family on my own). Professors urged us in this first class to use all of our available resources such as significant others and our parents and family to help with household chores and the kids because nursing school would demand our full attention (my family lives 800 miles away and I had no "other").

I graduated in January with a 3.75. I had up days and down days. I actually cried my first day of clinicals in the bathroom thinking I'd gotten myself in over my head. But you know what? I didn't. I loved school and I thrived, even though to listen to all those voices initially, I shouldn't have. It's challenging, yes, but it's worth it. My recommendation is to filter all the noise out and do you.

kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 31, 2014

I've been through the BSN and MSN programs...like they've said before, it's very individualized. When I was going through school, I didn't think it was that bad. I did work full time, still had friends, socialized, etc. Nursing school is no different than any other school. Those who say it's very very hard want to make it sound like if they struggle, you should struggle. It's a challenge for some and of those challenged and struggling, some of them don't want to feel alone. Some people have the mindset of "it was hard for me or I failed, so EVERYONE struggled and failed". If you want to see challenging, look at med school or pharmacy school, biochemistry, physics majors? Their math problems are more than a page each sometimes. When you look at what nurses do with 10mg equals how many pills when each pill is 5mg? You tell me if that's the same as calculating the bare minimum angle based on to determine the friction to avoid falling down a hill. Or the math behind out a drug interacts with certain cells in certain parts of the body....no comparison.

NicoleLee · Mar 31, 2014

Yes, it's a beast like no other! You'll only understand once you're either in the midst of it or the spouse of a student nurse. I graduate April 26th and starting April 27th I'll need to start familiarizing myself with real life. Good luck, there's a reason most don't make it to the end!

rumwynnieRN · Mar 31, 2014

It's different for each person, but yes, be prepared to feel overwhelmed (...that's an understatement). There are some people who manage to figure out their footing and never lose it, and there are people who never find it who eventually flunk out. A lot of schools, it seems, have these "nightmare" combinations (for my school, it was Adult Health II and Mental Health) where even if you did very well for most of the program, that semester can make or break you.

I learned (after not doing so well at one nursing program) to go with the flow, to take school seriously, to know when to relax, and be grateful for my family. I figured out what worked for me and what didn't, and I took (sometimes grudgingly) advice for changing my study habits.

SleeepyRN · Mar 31, 2014

I guess it depends on how you handle stress. To decrease the stress of nursing school, you must be disciplined and be on top of your work. When you get behind on studying and care plans and research papers....well, it turns into a nightmare. I always say nursing school is one of a kind. Nobody, like family members and friends can ever grasp how challenging nursing school is. You can explain as much as possible, but I don't think anyone can understand how challenging it is until they go through it themselves.

I myself didn't cry except for one time I was written up for something I did Not do. I was, however, irritable at home at times.

Over 300 people applied to my program for 80 spots. Out of 80 people, 40 dropped out, leaving 40 that graduated. Out of that 40, 100% passed the NCLEX.

It is rough. We didn't even get a summer break because we had classes and clinicals. We didn't have much of a winter break either because a major research paper was due when school started back up again. Also, to be able to keep up with studying, I had to study during winter break for my med surge class that started in spring because it was a VERY intensive class cram packed with chapters to study. So we pretty much HAD to study over winter "break."

Keep up with the work, learn how to answer NCLEX style questions, practice skills in lab, and you will make it. Oh, and it is an amazing feeling when you finish :-)

smoup · Mar 31, 2014

Agrees with everyone saying that every person is different. Some struggle in some classes others find easy. Some come in better prepared for the basic patho but struggle with NCLEX style questions. Everyone is different.

What makes nursing school different, IMO, is that knowing the information no longer means you are going to get an "A" on the test. Knowing the information means nothing if you can't apply it, prioritize it, etc. Granted, knowing it is the beginning of the puzzle, there is an awful lot to learn on top of taking it one step further to apply, prioritize, etc.

Good luck and don't let the horror stories get you down. Do what works for you.