Is Nursing School Hard?

Jennerizer, ASN, RN · Oct 4, 2006

We all have different definitions of what we consider hard or difficult. I didn't think nursing school was difficult - as long as you didn't procrastinate. For others though, I'm sure it was a struggle & for some it probably was quite easy.

What motivated me was wanting to succeed, wanting to excel in a career, wanting to be financially independent & it also helped to connect with my fellow students & help one another through if/when we hit a rough patch.

Jen

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Oct 4, 2006

I don't find nursing school hard. I don't study all the time and it doesn't consume my life, I still have plently of time for my kids and my husband and goofing off. I really enjoy it and am having a lot of fun! Before a test you will find me busy studying most of the weekend (I tend to cram) ...lol I don't find any of the material hard, there is just a lot of it. If you stay on top of it, you will do fine.

Clinicals are fun, I've learned SO MUCH and met some great people. If your proactive it can be a great experience, if your not proactive you can sit around and learn nothing and do nothing the whole time.

But there are people in my class who are flunking out...a lot of people still don't have very good study skills or just blow tests off and don't take it seriously (I do). Some people are not cut out for it (flunking every test AND not doing good in clincal).

What motivates me? My family, my own love of learning new things, helping people in the worst of times.

Jules A, MSN · Oct 4, 2006

Hi and welcome,

If you search this site you will find a lot of threads that answer your questions. I personally did not think the work was hard at all. There was a lot of it so you have to stay on top of studying but it wasn't complicated. The politics and disorganization in my program were what I found the most stressful but in the big picture I just ignored what I could and went about my business. Good luck, if it is what you really want to do, you will be fine. Jules

nurse 2001 · Oct 4, 2006

Nursing school success depends on the student.You have to be very self motivated and determined to study and read every day at least 2-3 hrs of reading.We had to write papers for clinicals.You may have to cut your work hours to study.I had cut my hours to part time and some of the students didn't work.I had to have family support to watch my children while I studied.I had saved up money in my bank account to cover any emergency expensives.You can't pass on cramming before the test.You just can't pass by only studying your notes either.You must read all the required material in the syllabus.You can do it.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Oct 4, 2006

The only thing that was hard for me about NS was having to get up so early for clinicals. I'm not a morning person!

I only studied the power point notes that we were given in class, and I only studied them one time (the night before a test). I never really read to books. I figure I can critically think my way out of any question. I found the questions on a test to be like a game-trying to figure out what the teacher was really asking, what she really wanted us to know. I remember so people memorizing over and over lab values for this one test. I remember telling them, "there will be no question that says, A normal WBC is this number!". I never memorized any labs except the few lytes that were really important. Don't look so hard at a tree when the question will be about the forest. Take a step back and look at the whole picture...

My motivation was silly, but I'm a really competetive person. So I wanted to get the highest grades on tests, and I was aiming for a 100 on a test. I never got the elusive 100, but I did get a 97 once! So close.....and can you believe that my first reaction was, which 3 did I get wrong!

ClimbingNurse · Oct 4, 2006

Prior to entering nursing school I had done all of the following:

-Completed a BS in computers with honors

-Run a videoconferencing network for the executives of one of the world's largest pharmacuetical companies

-Worked as a consultant for what was the largest consulting company in the world (and now doesn't even exist)

-Climbed big mountains alone in the middle of winter

-Climbed 5.10 on trad gear (just trust me, that's hard)

-Walked over 100 miles at a stretch

-Taught high school kids

Nursing school was harder, and more rewarding, than any of those endeavors.

mamason · Oct 4, 2006

The hardest part for me was juggling family, school, and work at the same time.It was challenging and took a lot of effort to stay on top of things at school. Good time management is useful. Studied a lot! But, for the most part, I enjoyed it.

WindyhillBSN · Oct 4, 2006

I think the material is easy but the work load is the challenge. I find the material easier than A+P. For example Monday I have 2 different tests and a Pharmacology test Tuesday. I hardly have time to go to the bathroom.:uhoh21:

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Oct 4, 2006

I went to RN school at 28 with a will to learn...no a passion to learn...so to me it wasn't as much hard as it was stressful...and I found out that it was my time management that made that stressful, so once I proatively overcame that barrier...it was much easier for me!

I will say that whirwind times occur where you are so busy doing tasks and learning you can burn out a bit (okay a lot) so knowing yourself well and how you cope with stress is a good thing to learn before or very shortly after school starts! Thankfully I learned much about that during my pre-reqs by the advice of some smart RN students! LOL!

All and all I found it to be a learning experience I value daily...and I just stuck to it thick or thin without doubt I could do it! I went in positive, came out positive. The mindset of having goals and achieveing them and accepting it won't be handed to you or even that easy helped!

Go into it for your own self journey...live, learn, laugh daily!

RunnerRN, BSN, RN · Oct 4, 2006

I tell the same thing to everyone who asks....yes it can be difficult, but it is all about prioritizing. The biggest thing to remember is that this info you're only half studying could be the piece of information that you can use in a few years to save someone's life. Nursing isn't like business or hotel management - the things we learn have a direct impact on people's health, and we don't have the luxury of "half-assing" it through school. So if it is hard, that's good. If it is easy, then you probably aren't working hard enough.

moongirl · Oct 4, 2006

not terribly hard. Just terribly time consuming!