Learning things the first time?

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Once you get into nursing school, we'll say it's an accelerated program, year and a half, is it wise to learn things the first time? Or do students exaggerate how stressful it REALLY Is? Like do you have actual time to study? Like I can understand if you have kids, you have little time but what about those who don't have kids or a job who just live at home by themselves? Would I be able to have plenty of time to study? Or would I be wise to think "once I get in, I better not think of anything other than what I'm reading once I start studying so I better make sure I learn everything once the first time so I can keep up with the course and curriculum"?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Considering that many schools kick out students who fail a class, of course it's wise to learn things the first time. Some may allow 1 retake, others 2, a few none, and some more.

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What would be the point of starting nursing school at all if you don't plan to learn as you go along? Or, if you don't even know if you'll have time to study?

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What would be the point of starting nursing school at all if you don't plan to learn as you go along? Or, if you don't even know if you'll have time to study?

That's what I'd like to know because I'm sure it'll be overwhelming, but if students exaggerate that it's intense when the majority of the time they have that could be used for studying they instead use for ******** then I'll think it won't be too bad..

That was one of the questions I asked,"Or do students exaggerate how stressful it REALLY Is?"

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I'm thinking maybe they're not managing their time but when everyone goes in, is it normal that everyone doesn't have an idea yet on how to manage their time or can you have things managed before nursing school?

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Beware the rumor mill.

Nursing school is an intense educational experience that really is not like anything you're likely to have done before, because it truly is cumulative. You have to retain and apply everything you learn as you go along only at higher levels. Plan on spending a lot more time studying than you have before, and you won't find yourself falling behind. If it's easier than you anticipated, bonus. But don't waste your time b*********g, and you'll be off to a good start.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

I think when people talk about how stressful nursing school is, people who haven't been there assume that it's all about the academics. But it isn't all about the academics.

Nursing school is very stressful for a variety of reasons. Nursing school has been very challenging for me morally.

A lot will be expected of you. At some point you will feel unprepared for the task. And it doesn't matter how smart you are.

I'm in an accelerated program, I have 4 children ages 12 to 18. I had a part-time job that I had to leave in the third semester because I could no longer accommodate it.

For my prerequisites I received a 4.0. In nursing school I still get a lot of As, but I also get hard earned Bs.

The intelligence required for nursing school may be overestimated. The psychological toughness required cannot be overstated.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

We get the "how stressful?" question so often. But that's like asking how long is a piece of string.... it all depends. Everyone has a different skill set & ability to learn. Some people breeze through everything while others struggle continuously. The vast majority are somewhere in the middle. Nursing education is much less forgiving than other disciplines. There are seldom any 'down' periods in which you can slack off a bit.

In my experience (full disclosure: I'm a Crusty Old Bat), Time Management only works when you are actually in charge of your schedule. When you have to cope with "un-schedule-able" things like children's illness, grouchy uncooperative spouse, car repairs, etc... even the best color-coded three-dimensional schedule will fall apart. My advice? Great organizational skills are certainly a plus, but resilience and adaptability are more important survival skills in the long run.

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