Nursing prerequisites

Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2015

I'm sorry to say this, but if you don't have a lot of time to study, nursing school might not be a good idea with your current situation. You may have to make some sacrifices to accommodate it.

Aliyune · Aug 12, 2015

Don't be scared of pre-Reqs! I found that everyone at my school said I'd have my nose in a book all the time to get A's and the truth is I never opened my books. Slight challenge just from the volume of information, but that's it. And generally the pre-Reqs are all memorization. You need to set aside some time to study flash cards or notes, but it really isn't that bad.

Nursing school is a whole different animal, of course.

Good luck to you and get excited about this next step in your life!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2015

So, to recap, you want to be a nurse, which involves nursing school, and you would prefer it if you didn't have to work hard to pass the (aptly-named) prerequisites because you don't think you have the time to devote to all of them.

Did I understand you correctly?

This calls to mind the classic Dear Abby (or maybe Ann Landers) column about the girl who complained that her mother was always on her butt telling her she had to clean up her room, set the table, and help with chores around the house. What should she do? And the response was, "Clean up your room, set the table, and help out with the chores around the house."

The prerequisites are not just hurdles to jump to get you into the program. Unlike (probably) in your previous academic programs, you will be held responsible for having a good working knowledge of every bit of the content in those courses, from day 1 to graduation and beyond, at increasing levels of application. Nurses need that knowledge to do what we do. Yes, we do.

I hear you about your concerns and time constraints. However, these are the requirements for the path you wish to follow. You asked for comments. Mine is: Decide whether you really want to do it, and if you do, make the conscious choice to do what must --MUST-- be done.

Good of luck in whatever you decide. Let us know.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2015

Got it. You are scared. Is it "doable"? Well people "do it" all the time. Many people quit as well. YES it is a LOT of work. Yes science degrees require a LOT of studying and hard work. Is it "doable" for you? Only you can decide.

You need VERY good grades on your re reqs as they are weighed into whether you are accepted to nursing school or not. So they must be completed with max effort...no different than your classes IN nursing school.

All I can speak for is myself. I have taken Chem I, Chem II, and organic. All with labs. It required daily studying for multiple hours. That was me. You may "get it" faster than me. For me blunt force power was the only way I made it.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 12, 2015

Heather, what GrnTea was trying to get across is that your situation really isn't unique (concerning working and attending school). It is really very common to have people who work full time and have family-care responsibilities ALSO attending courses required for entry into a nursing program. Working and having a family aren't the exception to the rule nowadays....it's pretty standard.

So while you may not have liked what she said or how she said it....the fact remains that if you don't plan to commit a significant portion of your waking life to studying and attending classes you aren't likely to succeed. You really will need to do very well in your pre-requisite coursework in order to be considered a viable candidate for the great majority of nursing schools out there. The exception would be the "for profit" nursing programs that will take anyone who is willing to pay the fees (but can't guarantee the students will be able to pass the NCLEX-RN).

Some students are fortunate enough to not have to work while in school; most fall into the opposite category and MUST work while in school.

The bottom line, really, is deciding how important it is to you (nursing, that is) and making the time allowances it calls for. Social life goes on hiatus for a bit.....daughter spends more time at her friends' houses.....whatever needs to happen.

Good luck!

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Aug 12, 2015

I'm a single mom. I do not work. There is a lot of studying involved in the prereqs. Then I see you are looking at an ABSN program? That's going to be a lot of credit hours and a lot of work. You will have clinical days plus clinical paperwork, add on top of that lots of lecture hours with homework and tests. And yes, we are trying to give you a little scare here. Nursing school is not like any of the other classes you took for your other degrees. It's just not. It's learning to think differently and how to prepare you to take the NCLEX. I have managed to do ok so far in my core classes. To get into the program though, try to get straight As and nothing below a B. You won't get in if you don't.

I personally would not be able to work in my traditional program. Like I stated earlier, I am a single mom trying to raise my son. My boyfriend lives over an hour away and I try to maintain our relationship. It takes a lot of planning and a large support system of people who can help me out. Do you have people to help you out? People to help take care of your child and run them where they need to go? An ABSN program is extremely faced paced and you will have little time for other things. You just have a lot of questions to ask yourself. None of us can know if this is doable for you or not.

HeatherPaige · Aug 12, 2015

Again, I am not talking about the nursing program. I was asking about the difficulty level of the prerequisites and how much time would be devoted. I know the program will be a lot of dedication and I have done a graduate program before, it was tough but I can do this again. Thanks!

cracklingkraken, ASN, RN · Aug 12, 2015

I found that the prereqs weren't that difficult. But it depends on the individual and the professor. Some people understand the material instantly, while others study every waking hour and still fail or barely pass.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 12, 2015

Again, I am not talking about the nursing program. I was asking about the difficulty level of the prerequisites and how much time would be devoted. Thanks!

Ok...that's what we're talking about. Those who are going further and discussing their experiences with the core nursing program are letting you know what you're in for....they have already gone past the pre-requs and are trying to clue you in.

So....again....the difficulty level depends on YOU. Some people find the sciences to be pretty simple, straightforward. Others find that they need to devote considerably more time to get the concepts down. We cannot know how well you will handle those pre-requisites; at this point everyone is telling you basically the same thing: you WILL need to put in a significant amount of time. It is not likely to be simple, but maybe you have a better aptitude for science than you think!

Good luck to you.

HeatherPaige · Aug 12, 2015

I get it. As I said, I know that nursing is hard. I wanted to know about the prereqs and if they were manageable for me at this point in my life. I am not asking for anyone to tell me if I can handle it. This forum is for all of us sharing experiences is it not? Geez

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 12, 2015

You know, people are offering to help you and you just keep snapping back. It's not like anyone is getting any benefit from answering your questions....except you. Might want to consider that people are only trying to help you....and you are NOT making it easy.

Yes, it's a forum for sharing experiences, but every time someone shares THEIR experiences, you find a reason to say why it doesn't apply. And then you ask again. And again.

So...

I get it. As I said, I know that nursing is hard. I wanted to know about the prereqs and if they were manageable for me at this point in my life. I am not asking for anyone to tell me if I can handle it. This forum is for all of us sharing experiences is it not? Geez

YES, they are manageable for many people. They are not manageable for all people. For YOU at this point in YOUR life? Who knows. Good luck.

Geez.