Nursing School

Rambob · May 12, 2005

Who: figure out who you are (age, sex, single, married, obligations, etc.).

What: what are you willing to do to succeed ? What are you willing to give up ?

Where: where are you planning to go to shcool ? Some big university or a nice little community college ?

Why: why do you want to do this ? Why the ER ?

ERNurse752, RN · May 12, 2005

Some people are smart, but have no common sense.

Some people have common sense, but are poor test takers.

Some people are smart and have common sense, but are balls of anxiety and freeze up over everything in clinicals or labs.

Some people think they're too smart and get lazy about doing the work.

Thinking back through all the people I knew who flunked out.

The people in my class who were married and had kids seemed to be the most organized out of anyone, so they always did quite well.

You'll find out more about yourself and how you handle classes as you get through your prereqs...you'll find out what your trouble areas are, and from then, it's learning how to manage and overcome them.

Good luck! :)

mommatrauma, RN · May 12, 2005

Some people are smart, but have no common sense.
Some people have common sense, but are poor test takers.
Some people are smart and have common sense, but are balls of anxiety and freeze up over everything in clinicals or labs.
Some people think they're too smart and get lazy about doing the work.
Thinking back through all the people I knew who flunked out.
The people in my class who were married and had kids seemed to be the most organized out of anyone, so they always did quite well.
You'll find out more about yourself and how you handle classes as you get through your prereqs...you'll find out what your trouble areas are, and from then, it's learning how to manage and overcome them.
Good luck! :)

I agree...and as a matter of fact, I remember a women who was in my nursing class....she was a mom of 4 and was pregnant with her 5th when we started our 2nd semester of our first year(2 year program)....she did well in tests...great in clinicals....she birthed her baby during our semester on a Thursday...she was back in class on Monday...baby in tow....She graduated with honors...

rogramjet · May 12, 2005

Nursing Hell...oops...I mean nursing school will be some of the most intense years of your life. It is incredibly stressful. You really have to want it. Because nursing is stressful, too. It is the hardest job I have ever had, and the best job I've ever had. You really have to want it. I met many nursing students who took up nursing because there were jobs available and the money is pretty good. Most of them did not make it. Nursing is a passion. How do you get through nursing school? Keep your eye on the goal. Remember that most nurses feel the way you do. Realize up front that you will have no life from now until the pinning. There will be time for sleep after you graduate. Coffee is your friend. Your life will be nursing school. But most of all, what keeps you going, is that one patient that smiles at you, tells you that you have done a good job, that you made a difference, that's what keeps you coming back for more.

Rambob · May 12, 2005

Nursing Hell...
How do you get through nursing school? Keep your eye on the goal.
Too true !
Two long years ago, I was almost thrown out the first week. The instructors were in their "touchy-feely" mood, they asked; "What is your goal in Nursing School ?"
Some wanted to go into Peds, OB, Med Surg, OR, etc.
When it was my turn, I answered "My goal is to pass the next test !"
They were sure Pis**d (uh... MAD).
They had a discussion about my attitude (I only got to listen).
Well I finished Monday morning, looked around, and saw that most of those people with the high and mighty goals were gone.
One test, one paper at a time. :rotfl:
Bob

Jen2 · May 12, 2005

You sound so much like myself when I started two years ago. I took two years of pre-reqs part-time while working full-time until I got accepted into the program. I had one goal. I had wanted to be an ER nurse since I was a little kid because my aunt was an ER nurse and I idolized her. I graduate this saturday and start my nursing career in a Level 1 trauma center in the ER as a GN in June.

How did I make it through nursing school?

200% dedication everyday. I made wonderful friends in nursing school and developed an incredible support system with several of my classmates. They became my family. When I just felt like I couldn't do it anymore, they were the ones dragging my butt out of bed a 5:00am so that we could get to clinical on time. When I couldn't possibly study another minute, we all divided up the chapters and taught them to each other instead of each of us having to read it all. I made sure I set aside at least 2-3 hours every week night to organize my notes, read chapters, and study. Satuday nights were mine. This was my one night a week to go out with my incredibly wonderful boyfriend (who is also a RN) and take my me time (I also would wake up at 6:00 a.m. and study until he called to say he was comming to pick me up). You can't forget to set aside a little time for fun or you will go nuts. Then Sundays was my marathon study day, where I go go over everything and do practice NCLEX questions to find my weekness. Study group was usually Friday nights or started at 11:00a.m. Monday morning and didn't end until about 2:30a.m. Tuesday morning. I did this for two years. I ate lots of junk, smoked lots of cigarettes (working on quitting now), and drank more coffee than I care to imagine. The stress got so bad my last semester that it became impossible to sleep without Tylenol PM (I'm sure my diet had alot to do with that too).

We lost people for every reason under the sun. If you totally dedicate yourself YOU WILL PASS, with the exception of those that get test anxiety, then you will have to learn how to bring your anxiety level down. Nursing school is hard because nursing is hard. There will be more expected from you than you can eveer imagine. I hung on to my support systems and took it one day at a time. Pace yourself, manage your time, and even when you are at your lowest point, look ahead and imagine how sweet it is going to be when a patient or family member looks at you with tears in their eyes and tells you that they are thankful for your care. I can honestly say now that when I walk across the stage this Saturday to get my degree I will no longer remember all those sleepless nights studying until 2:00 a.m. and having to leave for clinicals at 5:00 a.m. It will all be worth it. Best of luck to you.

daitheflu · May 12, 2005

Nursing school is definitely harder than the undergraduate prerequesite classes. That being said, it is by no means impossible. You will spend much more time studying than you are accustomed. Some students have to study more than others. Your grades will probably be lower than what you are used to receiving. The key is getting your priorities in life straighted out. If you are not willing to sacrifice some of your time and energy, you are dead in the water. You will quickly learn how much effort is required to pass each class then you can manage your study time accordingly. Like the previous poster said, take it one test and one paper at a time. Don't stress yourself out about school, there is no point in worrying and your grades (and sanity) will suffer. It is amazing what a laid-back attitude and a little common sense will do for you on tests.

Just stick with your goal and you should be fine. Attending nursing school was one of the best decisions of my life. The experiences have helped me grow as a person and to appreciate the beauty in life. The hard work is worth every minute...well, at least most of the time.

Oh yes, and most importantly of all HAVE FUN. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Make sure you are not always studying and get out and do whatever it is that you do that makes you happy.

Also, you dont have to be organized to pass nursing school. I am the most unorganized person in the land, hands down. I've edited ths post twice now because I am too scatterbrained to write down everything in one sitting. Organization is very good trait to posses, but not vital to success.

Some posters have mentioned that nursing school will take up your whole life and that you will become addicted to coffee and never sleep because you are up all night studying. I have had a different experience. I rarely stay up late studying and most of the time I don't look at my notes unless a test is in the very near future. I have most nights free and life is good. It all depends on what type of student you are. If you find yourself studying copious amounts for your prereq classes, then you will be mr./ms. studypants in nursing school.

Why is nursing school so hard?

You are enrolled in a training program that teaches you how to prevent illness, maintain health,treat (to an extent) medical conditions, and support patients with an array of illnesses. You learn how to administer medicines that can kill the patient if erroneous in delivery. Your mistakes can cause loss of life or limb. You are training to be a vital cog in the nation's healthcare system. You must provide quality care to human beings at the most vulnerable points of their life. Your five senses, equiped with your nursing knowledge, are utilized to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate treatments rendered. You have the power to save lives and change lives. And the list goes on...

Now on to the academic side of the fence. The first thing that comes to mind is that damn 7 point grading scale. That definitely takes some time to get accustomed to. Also, the sheer volume of material that you are expected to learn poses difficulty. While some of the information is abstract and hard to grasp concepts, most of it is memorization and application. Some teachers will supply comprehensive notes for class; you do not even have to crack a book to study. On the other hand, some teachers give skeleton outlines and you are expected to read the material from the book and be a 'self directed learner'. While in nursing school you always feel like you have something due or have a test approaching. There are papers for this class, assessments for another, a test here, and an project there. If you keep swimming and keep your head above the water the semester will be over before you know it. The same cycle repeats itself every semester until graduation.

nursejennie76 · May 12, 2005

it has been my exprience that if you show weakness and lack confidence in yourself then the instructors may try to weed you out. I am sure it is not like this everywhere but I have been through an LPN program and will graduate form RN school tomorrow. In this past year I watched a classmate of mine be abused by a instuctor, she had been an LPN for 30 years and of course she was older then the rest of the class. This teacher would give her terrible grades and when her work was compared to ours it was as good as the rest of us but we got 100%, and she would get like a 58%. it was awful for her and we all felt bad that we were not getting treated bad also. This classmate was vert quite and timid and that along with her age I believe is why she was picked on.

Alright. You all made it through nursing school. I have one question: How?
I am a pre-nursing student and I have seen several smarter, more organized people, with less demands on them from their family flunk out.
I really want to be a nurse. I am not going to give up.
I do want to know why nursing school is so hard...and more importantly, how can I make it, once I am accepted? I know I will be a great nurse. I also know I want to be in the ED.
What concerns me is that others who would have been great nurses have been weeded out by the process of nursing school. I don't want to be one of them. ANY help, advice, suggestions will be aprreciated.

hal248 · May 13, 2005

Be confident in yourself and know the reason that you are doing a task. If you make a mistake admit to it don't try to hide it. That is the worst thing you can do. If you don't know something ask. The only stupid question is the one you did not ask and got yourself in trouble with.

lpnadmin · May 13, 2005

A pot of military-grade coffee and a pack of smokes and you're set for studying:)

Really, nursing school will make you call on resources you never knew existed. The only thing remotely close is army boot camp. It takes a LOT of dedication and perseverence.

My guess is that the reason it's so intense is that: a) a lot of material in a (comparitively) short amount of time or b) the instructors want to see how you can handle stress. After all, you'd like to work in a specialty where stressful situations happen regularly. And, as a nurse, you'd be expected to be calm while all around you is chaos.

Of course, do take some time for yourself along the way. Granted, taking "me" time the night before exams is a bad idea. (my favorite movie for nursing school relaxation: "Mallrats":))

rogramjet · May 13, 2005

A pot of military-grade coffee and a pack of smokes and you're set for studying:)
Of course, do take some time for yourself along the way. Granted, taking "me" time the night before exams is a bad idea. (my favorite movie for nursing school relaxation: "Mallrats":))

Gotta agree with the coffee and smokes...BUT, my Dad was a PhD and a college prof for 35 years. And he always told me NOT to study the night before a big exam. Relax and watch a movie. So that is exactly what I did the night before the NCLEX. Me and a friend watched JOE DIRT and laughed, and relaxed. The next day I took the NCLEX and passed at 110.

And Mallrats ROCKS!