RN-BSN: two nursing classes at once?

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 31, 2012

Our ADN program has been one 16 week course with 2 8 week courses along with that each semester except this, our last semester; we have one 10 hour course (with precepting). I had 2 extra classes my first semester (A&P and a psych).

kcdunlap · Apr 1, 2012

I have taken 2 nursing classes for each 5 week period for the last 10 weeks. I'm getting ready to start my third. So, from January to May I will have completed 6 nursing classes.

I haven't had any issues. If you have specific quesitons I'd be happy to answer.

malenurseintx · Apr 4, 2012

To kcdunlap - Are you working full-time? How difficult are the classes? How mush time are you having to devote to them? Is there a lot of reading involved? Can you access all the stuff on an iPad? Did you have to buy any book, or are they all online? Sorry for so many questions. I am hoping to start the program the end of May and I'm just getting nervous.

kcdunlap · Apr 4, 2012

To kcdunlap - Are you working full-time? How difficult are the classes? How mush time are you having to devote to them? Is there a lot of reading involved? Can you access all the stuff on an iPad? Did you have to buy any book, or are they all online? Sorry for so many questions. I am hoping to start the program the end of May and I'm just getting nervous.

I work full time but it is as a pediatric home care nurse. So, I have lots of time to do my homework because I work at least 8 night shifts a month. I personally have not found the classes difficult at all. I did just finish my ASN so I'm very used to the work load. I have a mac and some classes have been tricky because everything is done in word. Some classes have had books some require lots of printing of articles that need to be read. If you can read off the computer that would save you paper but I just can't do it. Most classes have quizzes every week and truly I haven't found them overall to be too difficult,

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 7, 2012

Thanks for the feedback. Since my work schedule for the next month is light, I'm going ahead and trying two classes for the next 5-week session. I didn't think the first two nursing classes were very overwhelming, so I think I'll be able to handle it.

caliotter3 · Apr 7, 2012

Some of the nursing students in my BSN program who were already RNs and only taking the final courses required for the BSN, took more than one nursing course at a time. They were allowed to do this to shorten the time they were in school. I do not recall any of them having any difficulties, even considering their jobs and family responsibilities.

commonsense · Apr 7, 2012

I have taken 2 nursing classes for each 5 week period for the last 10 weeks. I'm getting ready to start my third. So, from January to May I will have completed 6 nursing classes.
I haven't had any issues. If you have specific quesitons I'd be happy to answer.

I plan to take 2 classes each 5 week semester as well. I'm hoping this will shorten the time of the program. Has anybody but kcdunlap taken this route?

BSNbeauty, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2014

I know this is an old thread, but I didn't want to start another one with the same question. OP, if you are out there some where can you let me know how it went for you taking 2 classes at once within a 5 week period.

I was going to try to double up on my classes to be finished before my baby is due. I also work full time, I just want to know if it was doable for you. I'm not trying to get A's, I just want to pass to get my degree. I'm in the RN-BSN program at Walden U.

kcdunlap · Jul 17, 2014

I worked full time but doing home care so I had more down time to work on my studies then a full time hospital nurse. yet I was able to get straight A's taking 2 classes at a time. It can be done.

MikeH2013 · Jul 18, 2014

It's doable, but there are some classes you don't want to stack. Nursing Research tops that list. That is one class that you want to dedicate your undivided attention towards or you will regret ever signing up for the RN-BSN program. I took Research with two other RN-BSN classes and it nearly pushed me over the edge. Granted, I am working full time as a nurse and I have a family, but the pace was brutal for that course and the grading so harsh that even a small mistake can send your grade down the drain.

One other Caveat. There is a limit to how many classes you can take in a single semester. This is why I am graduating this Fall instead of in July. The 10 week RN-BSN course chewed up my Fall semester last year, so I was forced to spread out the remainder of my classes across Summer, with the lone Fall course being Capstone. So the trick is to take RN-BSN Prof Nursing with your non-nursing elective, say Medical Terminology, then stack them two deep, at most, because you can only take so many courses in any given time frame.

BSNbeauty, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2014

Thank you guys for your advice and input it was extremely helpful. The classes I'm scheduled to take is Research and topics in clinical nursing together . Then public health and community health ( which requires a 45 hour online practicum) together. Once I get the syllabus I'll make a definite decision on what I want to do.