Nursing school IS rigorous

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Specializes in CVICU.

I think this topic has been discussed ad nauseum but I went into this first semester thinking the horror stories were meritless and the result of lazy students, but that could not be more incorrect.

I am just about to finish my first week of the first semester in my nursing career, and I seriously have a headache from all the reading I've been doing. Today, I had my first post-lab quiz and I made a 60%, where 74.9% is required to be passing. Only 1 person out of 8 in my lab group passed. We all have individual appointments with our instructor to do it again. Our first grade stands, but we must pass it to continue on with lab.

I will be the first to admit that it is MY fault I didn't pass. I didn't do all the required readings, and the ones I did do were not thorough enough. I thought I could just look over the skill procedures for sterile technique and pass the 20 question quiz. WRONG! It doesn't help that my instructor spends the 3 hour lab session talking about her experiences as a nurse and allowing small talk between the students. I think that might have to do with our small clinical group size of 8 people. She doesn't lecture over the procedures or material, which.. let me reiterate, DOES NOT JUSTIFY MY FAILURE. It just highlights that as nursing students, we have to carry our own weight. We must be prepared to teach ourselves anything and everything.

This post isn't meant to scare or discourage anyone. Just know that the stories by other members saying how real and scary nursing school can be have validity to them. No, it isn't ENTIRELY life consuming, as I am here writing this topic. Breaks are actually needed lest you stop absorbing information from reading. But serious discipline has to be developed to sit down and read chapters at a time, and FAST. These reading assignments pile up and they do not stop.

Be prepared to tell friends NO, that you cannot hang out. This semester is the first one in forever that I won't have class or work on the weekends, but it doesn't matter. My free Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are not really 'free'. They will be spent strategically reading and studying for the ever looming tests and quizzes. From the moment I wake up, to the moment I sleep, I am constantly studying. If I'm not, I am thinking about how I should be studying. I can't afford to make time for anything but eating, showering, and going to the gym.. and that's only because I need a stress reliever of some sort.

Thanks for reading my rant and I hope it helped someone. Please refrain from comments like "Did you think nursing school was going to be easy?", "Duh. It's nursing school." because no, I did not think nursing school would be easy. I knew it would be difficult. But no one can know what it is like until they are actually experiencing it, and more students to be need to know that.

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Wow!!!! Thank you for sharing....I start on 9/3/13, and I am already overwhelmed thinking about whats to come....so I truly thank you for this post. I needed to hear that. I am so nervous, but I know I got to get it together. I am wishing you nothing but success own your journey...... We can do this!

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Love your post!!!! Seriously. It is a life changing experience. Not many people understand it either!!! The people who care for you most will be there till the end though :) start my third semester tomorrow discussing the changes pregnant women go through!! I am STOKED :p

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I think this topic has been discussed ad nauseum but I went into this first semester thinking the horror stories were meritless and the result of lazy students, but that could not be more incorrect.

I am just about to finish my first week of the first semester in my nursing career, and I seriously have a headache from all the reading I've been doing. Today, I had my first post-lab quiz and I made a 60%, where 74.9% is required to be passing. Only 1 person out of 8 in my lab group passed. We all have individual appointments with our instructor to do it again. Our first grade stands, but we must pass it to continue on with lab.

I will be the first to admit that it is MY fault I didn't pass. I didn't do all the required readings, and the ones I did do were not thorough enough. I thought I could just look over the skill procedures for sterile technique and pass the 20 question quiz. WRONG! It doesn't help that my instructor spends the 3 hour lab session talking about her experiences as a nurse and allowing small talk between the students. I think that might have to do with our small clinical group size of 8 people. She doesn't lecture over the procedures or material, which.. let me reiterate, DOES NOT JUSTIFY MY FAILURE. It just highlights that as nursing students, we have to carry our own weight. We must be prepared to teach ourselves anything and everything.

This post isn't meant to scare or discourage anyone. Just know that the stories by other members saying how real and scary nursing school can be have validity to them. No, it isn't ENTIRELY life consuming, as I am here writing this topic. Breaks are actually needed lest you stop absorbing information from reading. But serious discipline has to be developed to sit down and read chapters at a time, and FAST. These reading assignments pile up and they do not stop.

Be prepared to tell friends NO, that you cannot hang out. This semester is the first one in forever that I won't have class or work on the weekends, but it doesn't matter. My free Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are not really 'free'. They will be spent strategically reading and studying for the ever looming tests and quizzes. From the moment I wake up, to the moment I sleep, I am constantly studying. If I'm not, I am thinking about how I should be studying. I can't afford to make time for anything but eating, showering, and going to the gym.. and that's only because I need a stress reliever of some sort.

Thanks for reading my rant and I hope it helped someone. Please refrain from comments like "Did you think nursing school was going to be easy?", "Duh. It's nursing school." because no, I did not think nursing school would be easy. I knew it would be difficult. But no one can know what it is like until they are actually experiencing it, and more students to be need to know that.[/QUOT

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You are so correct in that, all your spare time is going to have to be focused on school work. But, you definitely have the right idea and that's the first hurtle to get over. Good luck to you. Nice of you to share with others

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Specializes in Hospice.

OUCH! :down: I know that must've bummed you out. Was it because of the way the test was, critical thinking and all that? Or was it a lab practical where you were checked off on skills? I start Tuesday so I am pretty scared.

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I start next week, but I have already recieved the lengthy syllabi and schedule. This is going to require a great deal of dedication, that's for sure! I have several chapters to read before the first class day.

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Specializes in CVICU.
OUCH! :down: I know that must've bummed you out. Was it because of the way the test was, critical thinking and all that? Or was it a lab practical where you were checked off on skills? I start Tuesday so I am pretty scared.

Here is why I think I didn't pass: I didn't read all the chapters. The quiz was mainly over medical and surgical asepsis. I only really studied medical asepsis. So I wasn't prepared for answering all the questions over sterile technique. Then, some questions were Select All That Apply, and I didn't realize that ALL of the answers could be correct. No partial credit is given, and I was hesitant to select all 4 answers because that seemed strange. As fate would have it, all of the answers on all the SATA questions were correct.

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I believe what you say about instructor talking about herself and letting the class talk and take over. With no real teaching time some days... so what I learned was to do all my work at home, study on my own . this way if the class seems bs that day, I know I did the work and won't feel guilty sitting there if the day was wasted..:) good luck ! We got this :)

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Specializes in CVICU.
I believe what you say about instructor talking about herself and letting the class talk and take over. With no real teaching time some days... so what I learned was to do all my work at home, study on my own . this way if the class seems bs that day, I know I did the work and won't feel guilty sitting there if the day was wasted..:) good luck ! We got this :)

Glad I am not the only one with this experience. Luckily the general Fundamentals lectures are serious and very good. The instructor isn't boring or anything. So as long as my clinical instructor shows us how to do the skills properly and is there during clinicals, I'll survive with her not lecturing over the skills in depth.

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I am taking the entire week next week to prepare myself mentally for this. I got through my prerequisites with As and Bs-- mainly As-- without much studying. I would go to class, listen, do the homework. Study like a madwoman about an hour before the test and ace it. I am anticipating that NS will be nothing like that so I am scheduling study time like work and I know it's going to take discipline and grit to make it through.

I have a family and I will not fail them or become discouraged because (ALERT!!! cliche coming!) failure is NOT an option for me at all. I've got one shot at this and dammit I'm going to do this thing to the best of my ability and, by FAITH, I am WELL ABLE. I have worked my tushie off to get here and now that I'm here... I'M READY TO PARTY!!!!:roflmao:

And by party I mean study, work, and learn my *** off!!!!:bookworm:

Thanks for the reality check. We need that. I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but keep on going boy, you go this!

WE ALL GOT THIS!!!

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!

#stillpumped

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To all of you in school or soon be starting school. It is tough and VERY time consuming. But you can get through it. You just need to find the learning style that works for you and sick with it. I can remember in my orientation that a senior classmate told us that your life is over as you know it for the next few years. That wasn't entirely accurate. You just needed to shift tour lifestyle. The were times where I would lock myself in a room for 12 to 16 hours a day and study for a test. Then there were times I didn't do much studying and I was prepared for the consequences. I never failed a test but the were times I didn't get as good of a grade as I wanted. Just stay focused and remember the end goal. Trust me nursing school goes by extremely fast. Good luck!

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