Nurses... What is harder or more stressful: being a nurse or nursing school?

[Laurenslovely]

I'm just wondering. I'm in a BSN program, but the same way you can't explain how difficult it is to be in nursing school unless you are in it, I don't know what being a 'real' nurse is like yet. What are the pros and cons of each?

Thank you! :)

Lauren

[Strwbrywne]

Although I do not have an answer to your question, it is something I ask to myself often. I wonder how different the stress levels are.... I am busting my rump in NS, afraid of failing and not sure if I am doing everything "right" in clinical. I have high anxiety to begin with, so clinical days and tests ReAlLy stress me out. But when I talk to licensed RN's, they tell me it is nothing like nursing school and to just get through it. Practicing as a nurse is a totally different animal. The other day I was an the ER with my son and all the RN did was ask me if he was allergic to any meds, had any medical conditions...yadda, yadda and put it in a rolling computer. I was like..."where is the care plan?" "what did she teach the patient"??????????? crazy.

[chulada77, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

Nursing School! EAsily nursing school is harder. Yes, there's a learning curve once you start working but the pressure of pass/fail isn't there. Even experienced nurses don't know everything and most aren't scared to say "I don't know, let's go ask somebody else". I think the instructors in school give students the idea that new employers expect a new nurse to know everything and have it all in your memory but that's not the case at all. Many times the new nurse has better work habits (documentation, protocol recall, etc) than an experienced nurse due to it being fresh.

[okchug]

Not to argue a point but the Pass/Fail pressure is still there, except as the nurse, the test is a living person. Everyday is a constant P/F of knowledge and skill.

Nursing school is a different animal though, nothing like any other courses i've taken. People are generally shocked once they're actually in the program.

[Pneumothorax, BSN, RN]

Although I do not have an answer to your question, it is something I ask to myself often. I wonder how different the stress levels are.... I am busting my rump in NS, afraid of failing and not sure if I am doing everything "right" in clinical. I have high anxiety to begin with, so clinical days and tests ReAlLy stress me out. But when I talk to licensed RN's, they tell me it is nothing like nursing school and to just get through it. Practicing as a nurse is a totally different animal. The other day I was an the ER with my son and all the RN did was ask me if he was allergic to any meds, had any medical conditions...yadda, yadda and put it in a rolling computer. I was like..."where is the care plan?" "what did she teach the patient"??????????? crazy.

ya...i watch the RN's very closely when im on clinical..and its not 1/2 as stressful as school..or so it seems.

I think the crap they throw at us in school is to teach us prioritization, time management and how to not loose your cool..

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

"i think the crap they throw at us in school is to teach us prioritization, time management and how to not lose your cool..:smokin:"

ding-ding-ding! we have a winnah!:yeah:

and also-- being a real nurse later will be easier for you because you will be older and more mature. i know this is hard to imagine, but it does happen.

[Pneumothorax, BSN, RN]

"i think the crap they throw at us in school is to teach us prioritization, time management and how to not lose your cool..:smokin:"

ding-ding-ding! we have a winnah!:yeah:

and also-- being a real nurse later will be easier for you because you will be older and more mature. i know this is hard to imagine, but it does happen.

i wish they'd make it a bit easier thou lmaooo

[PinkNBlue, BSN, RN]

let's see.... school is stressful due to tests, reading, careplans, etc. You are responsible for yourself.

& real nursing is nothing like it- no more tests, reading, careplans- yeah. BUT now you've got 8+ total care patients, meds, treatments, charting, docs to answer to, managers breathing down your neck, customer service issues......etc, etc. & YOU are responsible for all of it.

school vs job is like comparing apples to oranges..........the stress comes from different sources.

Wow.. if you have 8+ total care patients, I suggest finding a hospital that follows proper staffing. That's ridiculous.

It is what you make it. Some days I'm sure will be hard and I'll think 'why did I do this?' but the in the end, it'll be worth it.

[CCL RN, RN]

Nursing school is a lovely walk in the park compared to real world nursing.