Second Year of Nursing school

[TRCCnurse2be]

Hi all!

I will start my 2nd year of nursing school soon. So far, the first year has been challenging but manageable. We covered Fundamentals and then Ob/Peds. Some students think this is equivelent to LPN school, and it may very well be, I have not been to LPN school so I really don't know. Anyway, I am wondering what I can expect the 2nd year, which is Med/Surg and Mental Health. I have heard horror stories from nursing students ahead of me that swear Med/ Surg will be the hardest course I will ever have, others say it is not so bad. For those of you who have completed a 2 year ADN program, what advice can you offer on how to survive Med/Surg? I ended up with a decent grade last semester and I thought Fundamantals was pretty cool. I liked the nursing home. OB is also really neat and Peds, well we do more observation than anything but still very fun working with the kids. I have a very supportive husband and kids, I make time for my homework and have stopped working outside the home while I am in school. I am just curious is Med/Surg is really as bad as other students make it sound. Nursing school is a challenge for me but I love it. I do think it takes a lot of scarifice. I have to give up time with my family and friends but like I said, they are supportive and that means the world to me. Thanks for any advice....I have really gotten a lot of help from this site!

[BeccaznRN, RN]

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about med/surg being so difficult. I graduated from a BSN program, but we did fundamentals, then med surg I and II, and I noticed little to no difference in difficulty. The first few tests in med surg were difficult for all of us, but after awhile we did get the hang of it. I do believe that it is like that with any new class though - new teacher, new material, etc. The best thing you can do for yourself in med surg is to buy a good quality NCLEX review book and use it as a study guide. Personally, I liked the Lippincott review book because all the tests were broken up into sections that I was able to apply to whatever we were studying in class. The NCLEX review books are good to get you used to answering test questions using critical thinking, the hallmark of med/surg class!

Best of luck, and enjoy the rest of your summer!

[TRCCnurse2be]

Thanks! I just worry because I "hear" that the Med/Sur instructor is much tougher than the other instructors, which I find hard to believe. All of my instructors have been fair but tough. I wouldn't want it any other way though, I don't want to slide by, it is really important to me that I know this stuff well. I worked really hard in Fundamentals and kept my grades up but it was not easy. I am also an older student, 40 years old, with a husband and kids. I don't know if my age is an advantage or disadvantage, all I know is I think it was easier to learn 20 years ago lol :chuckle I am reviewing what we covered last semester right now so that it will be fresh in mind. I am looking forward to this semester, but I admit to being nervous as well. Thanks for the tip on the NCLEX review book, a friend of mine who is an RN also suggested buying that book, so I will look for it. Do you think Barnes and Noble carries it? Thanks again!

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

If Barnes & Noble doesn't carry it (and I'd bet they do), look online. Amazon is a great source for "gently used" texts although make sure you're getting a recent edition. Otherwise, you can surely order it through Barnes.

As for difficulty, I think anytime you're presented with new material, it's challenging and involves work and diligence. And it's always tricky figuring out a new instructor. The main thing will be sticking to your study plan and putting in the time required to stay on top of your studies. You'll be fine.

I was 50 going through school (ADN program) and didn't find it any worse than the 20-somethings and sometimes found it easier as I had life experience as well as the want to succeed.

Best wishes!! Let us know how it goes!!!