Nursing school Experience

classicdame, MSN, EdD · May 1, 2009

Too many questions for this forum. My experience was that there was never enough time to do it all. You have to make it a priority and have full support of friends and family. Forget a life, it won't exist till after you graduate. Everyone learns differently, but I would certainly take advantage of every resource the school offers, including tutors, if needed. And avoid classmates who gripe & grumble. They just drag you down and you may not see them again after graduation. Good luck in your studies!

goodstudentnowRN · May 1, 2009

Hmmm...When you are accepted in nursing college you just have to forget your friends and social life and beat the books! It is usually all about getting the work done so that you can move on to the other level.

guiltysins · May 1, 2009

You don't have to forget all your friends, the little bit of social life you will have though will be consumed around nursing. Your friends will more than likely only be your fellow nursing classmates. It's great to have a group to study with and usually people go out with their clinical groups at the end of the week or at the end of the semester. More than likely, any non-nursing students won't understand why you are studying, quizzing yourself and stressed 24/7. Find time for some type of downtime because if you don't you'll go crazy. Most importantly, through all the bad experiences that you may have in nursing school should be secondary to all the good memories you'll have, the skill you will learn and the satisfaction you will get.

ScrappinSpidey · May 1, 2009

. My experience was that there was never enough time to do it all. You have to make it a priority and have full support of friends and family. Forget a life, it won't exist till after you graduate.

I agree with this. Also everyone's experience in NS is very unique and individual. Sure we all stress over grades, care plans etc, but NS is also what you choose to make of it. I can tell you all about the stress, care plans, crazy instructors, crazy classmates, impossible scheduling etc, but until you are knee deep in it, you can't really prepare for it all.

I have found my experience to be more positive than not. I have made life long friends because of school. I have been able to let my lazy genes have complete reign over the housework. There are going to be days where you wonder if you can put one foot in front of the other, or wonder when the last time you got more than 3 hours sleep was. There are going to be days where you are flying high from some huge accomplishment, new procedure in clinicals etc. You are going to have days where you wonder when the last time you saw your family and friends and they will wonder the same. Then one day will come in the middle of all the crazy assignments, up coming tests, etc. when you take a few hours out and go hang out with your classmates at some fun place just to give your brain a break. (remember this sentance. I just did it last night and it made a world of difference when having to study for four exams coming up in the next 2 weeks)

Just remember it is what you make it. Get involved with your school, get involved with your classmates. Congrats :)

Lynn/BW

vastudent09 · May 2, 2009

"Nursing school Experience

I just got accepted into nursing school and wanted to know details about your experience. If you are a nurse, how was your nursing school experience? How much of your time did it really take, how much did you study? How many hours were you in school a day? How many hours per day did you study? Did you break up the study time throughout the day? How did you get through all that reading? What was your process of absorbing all the information? What did you do if you were studying and got so tired that you could no longer concentrate, what was your solution? What are the positive things about nursing school (because I haven't heard hardly any)? "

My nursing program was 3 yrs with a yr of pre reqs before. to sum it up it was one of the hardest things, most challenging, most rewarding, and completely crazy things of my life. The first year weeds ppl out, you will think it is hard, untill yr 2 comes around and then yr 3. I am graduating in 5 days, and i can not believe it. There is never enought time to get everything done. Learn to prioritize VERY well, have a study group, it really helps for classes like critical care, A&P, things that req. a lot of critical thinking. The days of memorization are over, you have to learn and remember everything, b/c the next subject will build upon the last. Your life will be consumed with NS, and you will feel like you might go crazy. I have made some amazing friends in NS, and could not have made it thru without them. It is difficult, but when its done you will feel the greatest sense of accomplishment and pride and joy all mixed together. GOOD LUCK!! :yeah:

PS- tons and tons of reading, get prepared for that now!!!!!!!!!!

HumptyDumpty · May 2, 2009

If you are a nurse, how was your nursing school experience?

Its been alright, some of these students are plain out crazy though. I have never in my life seen students so anxious and worried all the time...

How much of your time did it really take, how much did you study?

I study about 10-12 hours a day or 2 before a test. Thats really about it.

How many hours were you in school a day?

Eh, its entirely different every semester. Figure 2-3 days of a class a week, each day ranging from 3-6 hours of class.

How many hours per day did you study?

None. Like I said, I study a day or 2 before tests.

Did you break up the study time throughout the day?

Nope, just get it over with, go straight through.

How did you get through all that reading?

Don't read the book, its pointless. Skim through it and pick out the important information. If your instructor gives you a blueprint or a study guide for a test, focus on nothing else but that material.

What was your process of absorbing all the information?

Memorize it until you know it. When it comes to different processes and basic foundations, just study it until you truly understand and know it.

What did you do if you were studying and got so tired that you could no longer concentrate, what was your solution?

This never happened to me. When I got tired, I just drank some coffee or quit studying.

Seriously, just relax. Study what you need to study, do your homework/assignments, and treat clinical as a job (show up on time, and try to be busy)

nicolegrow · May 2, 2009

Expect to need to study. Recommended is at the least 4hrs. per day. Yes every day. Split this up. If your tired stop studying and sleep. Do not skip on sleeping. Record lectures and listen to them while you are doing other things. Record yourself reading your notes and listen while you are doing other things. You can't just memorize nursing you need to learn the process. Each disease has it's own process. Make a large notecard for each one you cover in lecture/reading so you can look at it as a whole. If you can understand what a disease is doing you will be able to figure out what the nurse will do.

Do not get caught up in other classmates negativity. Do not worry about exams. If you truly study enough you should not need to worry. Stay positive! Nursing school is very demanding and it is easy to become discouraged, but when you waste your energy on negativity your scores will suffer.

Buy an NCLEX prep book and start it now. If you become friends with classmates you can all buy different ones and trade every semester. Do the CDROM pratice questions. Learn how to eliminate wrong answers on exams, a good NCLEX book will teach you this.

Focus on yourself. You need to be your best. If you have free time do something that makes you feel great. I quit working and took a student loan to cover expenses while I was in school. I felt it was worth it. I have 3 children 6, 3, and 10 months., and a supportive husband, that was the only way I had time for school, them and me. There will be at least one course that was meant to weed out weak students. Schools do this so that they have a high NCLEX pass rate. It can't be avoided. Find out which class this will be and expect it to be demanding. Do not whine about it, defeat it.

Don't wait to ask for help. If you need help tell your professor you want a one-on-one.

If your family/friends bug you because you aren't around, tell them, and tell them only once, that you are pursuing your future and they are included when you get there, so their support is best given by letting you study.

Best of luck to you!

intuition · May 2, 2009

Nursing school is the hardest thing I have ever done, yet one of the most rewarding things at the same time:redpinkhe. It was pure craziness. My life as I knew it before completely changed. Besides my family, I had/have to make nursing school my top priority.

It consumed/consumes most of my time. The only time I didn't allow it to consume was my Sundays, because that was my family day. I have 2 kids, 4 and 2. I had to set aside a day devoted just to them. Otherwise I was/am either in clinicals, theory, or studying while at home or at work.

I studied/study 4 hours every night, after my kids went to bed. I manage to keep A's and B's. I didn't have the luxury of being able to break up my study time, due to having kids and a job.

I read at every possible moment given to me. While the kids were playing or taking a bath, while waiting in the doctor's office, during classes. Pretty much when I had time, I read.

I was able to absorb it by repeatedly using it and reading about it. You can't just memorize, there is way too many facts to memorize. You actually have to understand the process.

The solution to not being able to concentrate is to take a mini 5 minute break or drink some coffee. Also switching between reading, doing questions, or homework assignments.

The positive things were that I was/am gradually becoming a nurse. I was/am making a dream of mine come true. I saw myself grow throughout all the semesters. I met some wonderful friends and teachers. I became/become excited when I was able to start to put it all together or when I actually got to see something that I had just learned about in school. The ability to hear a "thank you" from the patients you take care of. The support you get from your classmates and family members that stick by you throughout it all. Those are just some of the positives I can come up with, check in with me in August, I am sure I will have a lot more to add, when I graduate.

I am starting my last semester in 5 days. I hope this helps.

tnrose · May 2, 2009

I actually spent more time on assignments than preparing for the tests. I am one of those people who cram the day before the exam. I'm sorry to say that I have had a terrible experience with nursing school, but I know from asking around that it's not the same at all schools. I know it will all be worth it though, only one more week for me! Good luck to you

Ambien · May 7, 2012

I think the school you go has big impact on your experience. For me, I felt like there are 3 or 4 important classes while other classes are just busy and meaningless courses. I learned more outside classroom (clinical, work) and classmate than from instructors. The more you can read the situation and make adjustment to that curve ball, the better chance it goes out the park. Basically, they just throw a bunch of obstacles at you and see if you have the mental and discipline to overcome them.

sjbrk · May 8, 2012

My best advice for nursing school? Get a job as a tech or an aide immediately. You absolutely have time for it, and the sacrifice of your days off of school to go to work will be one of the best things you have EVER done for yourself. You will be far ahead of your classmates when it comes to clinicals.

While you're bored because you've done your assessment, passed meds, and given your patient a bath in one hour, your classmates will still be working on their first checkoff. It's a bonus because then you can follow your nurse around to their other patients -- if you know what you're doing as far as taking people to the bathroom, etc, they will actually appreciate the help rather than feel like a nursing student is slowing them down.

Even if you just have time for one shift a week -- do it. The experience will absolutely be invaluable.

That said, I do not have A's in every class. But, I have a much better understanding when it comes to hands-on, patient/family communication, and documenting (BIGGY!) than many of my other classmates.