Post-Orientation Doubts

[Fancychicken]

Hi everyone!

I just attended my community college nursing program orientation. I have been planning and preparing for this program for years, so I was really excited to have the privilege to attend. It was a little bit disappointing in terms of information - mostly psychology topics on how to succeed in the program. One highlight was that a current student of the program spoke about the rigors of the program and advice on how to prepare for that.

I've been lurking on here long enough to know that nursing programs are intense. I get that. They have to be. But I was really taken aback at how he talked about the need to "stay on campus until 8:00", and the fact that "this program will break you". I guess I'm just really scared because I have three kids who I will be responsible to drop off and pick up from school. My husband works full time in another city, and I am commuting to this school for myself, and the kids for their school. I don't know people in the local area.

The theme of the orientation seemed to be that you can't be an island in nursing school. You need to rely on groups. This, along with the testimony of the current student, leads me to believe that, even if I can orchestrate the class/clincal/lab schedule, I will be expected to be on campus for additional hours with a study group. I am a social person by nature, but enjoy the independence of studying alone. This also allows me the freedom to work my schedule around my kids' school schedule.

I'm not sure what my question is...maybe, how does anyone handle this type of commitment? I know it must be possible. I'm just not seeing it right now with my current resources.

Also, is this a common thing in nursing school - lots of group projects, and expected group study time? I can certainly see the value, but honestly, I wish I had thought this through more carefully. I had envisioned burning the midnight oil in the comfort of my own home, having picked up my children from school, and kissed my husband good night. Maybe I was very naive to think that this was possible?

I am so sorry if I am rambling. I figured that if anyone would understand doubt and second-guessing, it would be those who have been there or are currently "there".

[ItsThatJenGirl, CNA]

About six months ago I vowed to stop listening to people about difficulty levels of any class or program. I got so hyped up about how ridiculously hard chemistry was going to be, that I started with really low expectations of myself. I expected it to be hard, and so it was. Until I got my head outta my butt and realized it was only as hard as I let it be. I went from a 65 to an 88 in six weeks. It was my first B.

Difficult is so relative that I'm going to wait and see what my difficult is going to be.

Don't let anyone psych you out. Millions of people have done this - you can too.

And I say this as a stay at home, homeschooling mom that's trying to get a part time job :)

[Mminnie]

I had a professor tell us a story at orientation that has stuck with me. This won't be as good as hers but I'm sure you will get the gist. . . Her orientation went just like yours. The whole look to your right and left they won't be here in the end thing, and this will break you. She said everyone felt defeated and worthless when they left. She went to brown and was able to sit in on the dr orientation. Theirs started off the same look to your right and left but then they were told you are here because you are the best of the best. Hand picked to be here. Walk out feeling proud. Some programs set us up to feel defeated and low, but please remember that YOU are in your nursing program because YOU are the best of the best!!!!! You've got this. Well, you and your crockpot.

[Banana nut, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I had a professor tell us a story at orientation that has stuck with me. This won't be as good as hers but I'm sure you will get the gist. . . Her orientation went just like yours. The whole look to your right and left they won't be here in the end thing, and this will break you. She said everyone felt defeated and worthless when they left. She went to brown and was able to sit in on the dr orientation. Theirs started off the same look to your right and left but then they were told you are here because you are the best of the best. Hand picked to be here. Walk out feeling proud. Some programs set us up to feel defeated and low, but please remember that YOU are in your nursing program because YOU are the best of the best!!!!! You've got this. Well, you and your crockpot.

Heavens yes! This is such a good mind set! Thank you for the inspirational words.

[LPNtoRNin2016OH, LPN]

I had a professor tell us a story at orientation that has stuck with me. This won't be as good as hers but I'm sure you will get the gist. . . Her orientation went just like yours. The whole look to your right and left they won't be here in the end thing, and this will break you. She said everyone felt defeated and worthless when they left. She went to brown and was able to sit in on the dr orientation. Theirs started off the same look to your right and left but then they were told you are here because you are the best of the best. Hand picked to be here. Walk out feeling proud. Some programs set us up to feel defeated and low, but please remember that YOU are in your nursing program because YOU are the best of the best!!!!! You've got this. Well, you and your crockpot.

very interesting comparison, I wonder why this is? We weren't told this was going to break us or we are all gonna fail but we also weren't encouraged to feel proud we were accepted lol. I think its just a mash of things that make nursing school out to be a make or break environment. I am shocked at the amount of adult students who expect to be walked through each assignment and subject like we were in grade school. I can see the professors are often irritated which spills over into their contact with students who do take initiative and that then turns hard working students off from contacting any professors. I know for me, my game plan is to fly under the radar with the lecture professors. Clinical professors I plan on being more apparent just because I would like a letter of recommendation but I almost think its better to be so non existent that they do not even know your name lol.

[wendy2016]

Hello,

I have to ask, am I the only one who thinks nursing school is not as difficult as others have made it out to be?

I think it's hard for sure. The amount of information to learn and the critical thinking skills you need to apply make it hard. But stay in school until late at night every night? Never have time for a family? Zero social life? Expect to go from an A student to a B student if you're lucky? That's bull crap! Each person is different, will learn at their own pace, and manage their time for better or worse.

I think it's more like we joke about having no life, but it can feel that way sometimes, like in any other college major. Nursing programs carry with them a ton more responsibility and yes more lack of sleep generally (other majors don't require awakening at 4:30AM for clinical) but I think it's how you handle it and prepare.

Personally calculus and chemistry have harder material for me. There are some students who may go into nursing thinking studying 4 nights before the exam is ok, and maybe for some it is, but then if not they are hit with a hard reality. So it's extremely hard for those students. However if you go into this program with studying a little each day and staying ahead of your assignments it probably won't be the hell on Earth you've heard. I'm not an honors student either. Just stay on top of the workload!

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

There are lots of group projects in nursing school. But there's google docs for that. You don't have to spend a ton of time together, you just have to be able to delegate and reasonably get along, not throw each other under the bus.

I too heard about the necessity of study groups. I mostly study alone though, and I'm doing great.

[JBudd, MSN]

It isn't that nursing is so much harder than other majors, it is just that it has a different way of thinking, of approaching things, of looking at the world. That was my biggest adjustment. I had a pretty good GPA going in, bombed at first; one study group got me back on track (although I only went to a few sessions). After that, I got the hang of it, and since I lived so far away from school did all my studying on my own. Just knowing all the facts of a course won't be enough anymore, it is how you apply and use the knowledge, interpret the data, is what will get you through.

[petiteartichoke]

I concur with the poster above about utilizing Google docs! Stay organized, communicate with your group for group projects and get an early start.

I've done well in my ADN program without leaning on study groups even though they told us in orientation that participation in a study group was essential. It's honestly just about figuring out what type of studying works well for you.

[Meeshie]

Goodness. Orientation can be dramatic. My son is 3. My BSN in an accelerated program took 2 1/2 years. My husband works four hours away and comes home for holidays. Was it hard? Oh yes. Was it do-able? Yes, because I wanted it badly enough to make it work. There were a lot of group projects but that's what e-mail is for. You state what you can do, make sure your group is cool with that, and you get it done. I graduated valedictorian - summa cum laude. You can do it. I promise.

I actually had study partners and we studied on skype after the kiddo was in bed. Skype is a lovely resource. :)

[NICUismylife, ADN, BSN, RN]

I think he went a bit overboard. It will probably be the toughest thing you ever do, but with proper time management and good study habits, you will succeed and it will not break you. Are there group projects? Yes. Ugh, they're the devil, but the thinking is that you will have to learn to work as a team.

At school until 8pm? No. That was how that particular student chose to study. Some people can focus better in a library-type environment. Others study better in their bed at home. I'm of the bed-variety. Will you be studying until 8pm every night? Maybe. I would say that my nursing program has taken up about 60 hours per week, sometimes I study late in the evenings, sometimes I studied all weekend instead, some week I did both. But ultimately when and where you study is up to you.

Same with study groups. They do NOT work for me. I learn nothing. It is wasted time. I need complete silence and alone time to fully comprehend and retain info. Luckily nursing programs are well aware that different people have different learning styles and they will respect your desire to be an independent leaner as long as it is working for you. That said, there are many many people who benefit from studying in a group or even just with one other person.

One thing I will say, is that you may need to find someone who can take your kids to school on clinical days. In my 3rd semester, we had 2 clinicals per week that were 13 hours long, from 6am-7pm. There was no way for me to drop off or pick up my kids from school on those days. Luckily, my hubby was able to. I know not all programs have schedules like that, but nearly all of them will have clinic days that begin before you can drop your kids at school, so you need to have some kind of arrangement made.

[AvaRose]

About to enter the last year of my community college nursing program. Intense. Yes. Will it break you. No? That's a bit much.

However at times it will make you feel like it is breaking you. Many nights of spontaneous crying fits in the middle of studying for Critical Care and Adult II among other classes. Not to mention trying to pull off miracle test scores after having to work a closing shift at Walmart to be able to have gas money to get to school or clinical.

[Erythropoiesis]

I have my orientation next month and I'm already prepared for people to make me feel worthless and intimidated. They're trying to psych you out and keep you on your toes. Don't let them discredit all of your smarts and your hard work. As somebody else stated, you are handpicked to be there. Idk about your CC, but at mine I was hand picked to be one out of 60 students per year to enter the program so I really take it with a grain of salt when people try to shake you and tell you that you're gonna fail the program if you don't sacrifice everything else.

My entire pre requisite experience, classmates and teachers both told me how difficult my classes would be. I had instructors telling the class to aim for a B as our absolute highest goal in the class and I went on to make A's. Just because THEY found the class hard, doesn't mean everyone else on earth will. Yes, I guess they were difficult in terms of study time required and time management required but everything was doable. Nursing school is going to be doable too. Millions of people have done this and will continue to do this. It's possible.