Quick question......How hard?...

mammaoftwo · May 10, 2007

Hi and congratulations! I myself, will be starting August 20 and am very excited.

I am 54 and have a 6 & 8 year old.

I'm believing we can do this, we have come this far! I went ahead and took three of the classes required in the program this past semester so I'm hoping that will help me some.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 10, 2007

I completed a 12-month LVN program about a year and a half ago.

In my honest opinion, it was not 'hard' or academically challenging. However, the hard part of the schooling was the huge amount of work and reading that had to be done. I was taking tests and quizzes weekly, and sometimes had to read several chapters per daily. It was not 'hard', but there was a whole lot of material to absorb in a short amount of time.

The middle-aged people in my class did extremely well, and seemed to have the most outward motivation to succeed. Good luck!

scallywags · May 10, 2007

I'll be starting on July 5th. Got orientation on June 4th. I have never been so excited about anything (other than the birth of my children), but I am sooo nervous about the unknown :uhoh21:
For those of you who've been in the program, was it harder than expected? What kind of advice can you give me in regards to staying organized, motivated and handling family along with clincals? :trout:
I'm looking forward to the challenges, but I am one of those "forty something" students, so I keep questionning myself on whether I can handle all this or not. :lol2:

Congratulations! You are going to do GREAT! I returned to school in my 30s with two children and had many of the same concerns as you when making the commitment to school. I graduated last weekend with honors and if I can do it, anyone can do it.

Manage your time. This can be a challenge when you have a family, but use your resources. I was in an evening program, so I was able to use the daytime hours while the kids were in school to study. Take great notes and get to know your classmates. Read ahead so you are prepared for class discussion and asking questions. Even if you can't study 2 hours a day, put aside 15 minutes to review your class notes within 24 hours of class. This will help with the transfer from ST memory to LT memory.

As far as managing family, realize that you are not supermom and cannot do everything. In my house, things generally do not get done unless I do it. I had to ask for help from my husband and kids. My husband was great at making dinners and washing laundry. I still had to fold it and put it away, but at least it was a small help.

You are going to do fine. I found as an older student, I was more motivated than I ever was when I was younger. I think because I valued the opportunity knowing what I was sacrificing to be there and what it would mean to me to have it completed. I wish you lots of luck and success! Congratulations

starbabyfive · May 10, 2007

i'm right there with ya, momgrad & mommaoftwo!!! i'm 48, i have orientation a week from tomorrow (may 18th) my first day of school is aug 1st. i know exactly what you mean. i'm so excited & anxious. i think we all kind of experience the same fears. much good luck to all of us!!!

feisty_lpn, LPN · May 10, 2007

Congratulations!

I graduated in 2004 from a 12month program. I had 2 young daughters (now 3!), married, worked as an aide part-time. A few of my classmates had more children and worked full-time while going to school. I don't know how they did it.

I did most of my studying and clinical preps after the kids went to bed or I got up early and did it before I got them up for the day. I was tired and cranky some days, but it was well worth it.... I'm a nurse!

I didn't obsess over whether or not household chores got done, like I did pre-nursing school. If the laundry piled up, oh well. If the dusting didn't get done, oh well. I had more important things to focus on. It helped that hubby pitched in around the house and my mom watched the girls while I was in school.

If you can swing it financially, don't work. I was so burnt out after 6 months of school and working that I finally broke down and took out a student loan for living expenses while I finished school. Seven days a week, 8 hours a day for 6 months... I was either at school or at work. I just couldn't do that anymore.

Academically, school isn't hard or confusing. There's just ALOT to know in a short amount of time, so you'll spend alot of time reading your books, notes and stock up on those highlighters! It also helps to 'buddy up' with another classmate. If your buddy is sick on a lecture day, she knows to she can get the notes from you and vice versa.

Good luck! It will be the best and worst year of your life!!

We'llSee · May 10, 2007

I'm a mom of 6. I left my marriage of 30 years, packed up my 2 youngest kids (the rest are grown up), moved 432 miles away and started LVN school. At age 50. I'll graduate in November and while the program isn't hard, it's very demanding and time consuming. So far, I've got all A's (Thank you, God!!)

BTW, my divorce was final on Monday.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 10, 2007

Basically, others have said the jest of nursing school. I have found that there is alot to remember, and you have to cram a great deal in within a very short time....lecture, lab and clinical assignments. Get a calender where you should write what is due and when (please, do yourself a favor and write it in PENCIL...things change as soon as they are printed), so, you can glance at the whole month and space yourself out accordingly. Do this immediately upon getting your syllabus. Yes, highlighters are a must, must, must!!! I still collect them, and had been finished with school since last year...out of habit, I guess. Purchase post-its and rewrite the steps to things in words that you understand. There are several skills and disease processes where knowing what happens and when is very important, and if you see it for yourself, you will understand better. I made up charts for things all the time. Also, a medical dictionary is handy. Mosby's has a wonderful one for medical professionals with the gory pictures and all. Taber's Medical Dictionary is great, too. In my opinion, the best nursing drug guide to get is Saunders! Congrats to you and ease on down the yellow brick road!!

Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN · May 11, 2007

I'm looking forward to the challenges, but I am one of those "forty something" students, so I keep questionning myself on whether I can handle all this or not.

Good for you! I was a "non-traditional student"....graduated when I was 39. I, also, found the older students did better than the younger ones. It was kind of a fun challenge for me and my kids..they always wanted to hang my report cards of the fridge along with theirs. Good luck!

momgrad5/07 · May 11, 2007

:monkeydance: Wow, thanks guys for all the advice and encouragement. I know I can do this. How nice is it that we all have a site to go to for support

Good Luck to everyone.......We'll be :nurse: 's soon!!!!!

msdobson · May 12, 2007

I'll be starting on July 5th. Got orientation on June 4th. I have never been so excited about anything (other than the birth of my children), but I am sooo nervous about the unknown :uhoh21:
For those of you who've been in the program, was it harder than expected? What kind of advice can you give me in regards to staying organized, motivated and handling family along with clincals? :trout:
I'm looking forward to the challenges, but I am one of those "forty something" students, so I keep questionning myself on whether I can handle all this or not. :lol2:

:welcome: momgrad5!

Congratulations. :balloons:

Being "scared to death" is a very human reaction to the unknown, and one that is to be expected from someone who has been away from school for so long.

I, myself, start my program soon. I am 44, so I "feel your pain."

I won't, however, sit here and blow sunshine at you...with two youngsters to care for, you've already put yourself at a disadvantage. :madface:

Nevertheless, the nursing profession :nurse: has a LONG history of mothers with children taking AND passing the nursing course/nclex.

Good luck. We will all be rooting for you (and here to support you throughout your schooling and career!)

Mike

msdobson · May 12, 2007

The middle-aged people in my class did extremely well, and seemed to have the most outward motivation to succeed. Good luck!

Hey! Who you callin' "middle-aged"?