Taking physio and 3 other classes in the same semester

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Jun 27, 2015

What is "doable" to one person may not to another. Any on here who says "yes" or "no" is speaking subjectivly. Are you a partier? Are you working? How much time are yuo willing to devote to studying?

When I did my ABSN I had 21 hours a semester or nursing classes and I did well. However I did no partying and I was not working. I studied day and night.

Only you can determine if it is "doable" for you. Look at all the factors in your life. I personally think we are capable of more than we think we are.

Ilargia99, LVN, RN · Jun 27, 2015

Thanks for the reply!

I'm definitely not a partier (very seldomly drink) and not currently working. I do have 2 small children but that hasn't stopped me yet!

lrobinson5 · Jun 27, 2015

Hey there! My only advice is that rushing to meet the deadline can end up setting you back as much or more than if you kept a steady pace and applied after you finished with a normal class load. I took anatomy 2B, micro, English 1B (highest level you need), all at the same time. I wanted to meet that deadline because I had a husband and 2 kids (at the time) that needed me to be a nurse PDQ. I ended up getting a C in anatomy and a B in micro, which I know would have gone better with a lighter schedule (got an A in the first anatomy the semester before). That resulted in a year delay of entering nursing school.

So yes, it is doable, but maybe not preferable. Ultimately you can only decide what the best option is, but above was just my experience taking a lot of classes together to meet an application deadline.

Ilargia99, LVN, RN · Jun 27, 2015

The only thing is that if I wait I won't be able to apply until 2018 since my school doesn't have yearly start dates. Honestly, I really don't want to wait that long :-(

direw0lf, BSN · Jun 27, 2015

Sorry if this is not a good question but why finish the MA program if you'd rather be a nurse? Unless you plan to work as an MA through nursing school I just don't see a benefit if it's going to take away from your nursing prerequisites.

Although MA is a lot of A&P review.

Ilargia99, LVN, RN · Jun 27, 2015

I'm finishing it so in case I don't make it into the nursing program I'll still have career options. Maybe I should just drop the MA program. I don't know.

ThatOneDude822 · Jun 27, 2015

I took physiology along with nutrition, medical terminology, and honors political science. It wasn't too bad - I pulled off a B+ in lecture and an A in lab with a moderate amount of work. If I had worked just a bit harder, I could have gotten that A in lecture too (I was 3 points away from an A-).

Granted, the classes I took with it weren't really difficult. But, I was no where near overworked, and even after the quarter I still have a grasp on the info. I definitely think you could pull it off.

Could you possibly register for the class and try it out for a few weeks, and then drop if it just absolutely isn't working?

Ilargia99, LVN, RN · Jun 28, 2015

I could do that, might get in trouble with financial aid though. I'm so confused! But, if people can work in the medical field while taking higher education classes and get through it then I think I can do this. I'm going to email one of my instructors and see what her thoughts on the matter are. Maybe she can give me some idea of what the curriculum for MA will be this semester.

LV3677 · Jun 28, 2015

I dual enrolled at two colleges to finish prereqs for nursing while completing bachelor's before nursing school (one of the colleges did not offer the needed classes for nursing prereqs)....and was working full time nights. I think it's doable, but that's me.

Set yourself up for success. Time management, organization, and stress management will be your keys to success- determines how much you can handle. Thoroughly assess your options and goals before making any decisions. Review your anatomy before taking physio if it's been a while since you've taken it.

Best of luck to you!

Ilargia99, LVN, RN · Jun 28, 2015

Does anyone have any advice for effective studying, organization, and time management? As far as studying goes, I seem to wait till the last minute, which hasn't been a problem, but I'd like a more organized system.

LV3677 · Jun 28, 2015

It's all about preparation and planning out time. In early college years, I was a procrastinator. Learning to work ahead was not easy, but totally worth it.

-First day of all of your classes, sit down and write out your planner with all of the assignments and tests throughout the semester.

-Put reminders for exams a week in advance so that you start studying long before the night before the exam.

-Study for exams early. Start papers as soon as you get the assignment- doing research or a rough draft.

-Take advantage of 20 minute windows to work on a section of a paper or go over material from class.

-Talk aloud to yourself while you're studying or teach it to your cat, so that you are learning to understand the material, especially with physio.

-Notecards are great and all, but they take so long to make; not a great use of time. A friend of mine and I would make up stories about certain medications to remember side effects- "Gabby" for gabapentin, envisioning a woman seizing, couldn't walk right (blurred vision/lack of coordination) with shingles on her side (can be used to treat the nerve pain associated with shingles), etc etc. You get the idea. The goal was to create a visual of the medication to recall side effects.

-I like to estimate the amount of hours that it will take for me to study and feel comfortable with the material for an exam, and then plan my time accordingly. That might work for you as well.

-Knock out those little assignments/quizzes early. I would try to finish most of the semester's smaller assignments in advance.

-This TED talk talks about memorization and how to effectively retain information. It takes some training, but is very helpful.

Joshua Foer: Feats of memory anyone can do | TED Talk | TED.com

Hope this helps a little!