what is a typical nursing school schedule like?

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:clown: can someone break it down to me? I find out next month if I get in my program (2 year ASN) at ivytech columbus.(indiana) I am married with 2 year old twins. im just trying to mentally prepare myself for what a typical week entails ....(and how many days and for how long they will have to be at the babysitters ):confused:

tia,

michelle

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

It depends on what your school is like. Chances are you WILL need full time childcare. You will still have to study when you aren't in class and will likely have group projects and papers to write, research to do.

I am in my first semester of an ADN program and one of the biggest complaints is that nobody prepared them for how intense it is time-wise.

On paper, the schedule doesn't look that bad. In reality, it is a LOT.

Mondays - 7 hours of lecture with a one hour break for lunch

Tuesdays - 6 hours of skills lab with a half hour break for lunch, then to the hospital to pick up clinical patient info for the next day, then a night of intense, massive paperwork getting ready for clinical.

Wednesdays - Clinicals, which go anywhere from 5-7 hours, then paperwork writing care plans

Thursdays - Clinicals, which go anywhere from 5-7 hours, then paperwork, writing care plans, etc

*some students have a one day clinical rotation that is a 9 hour day. I got the two day rotation. We don't get to pick*

Fridays is listed as "open" - but it is deceptive. It is the only day there is open lab with faculty present. So even though there is no "formal" class, you WILL be at the lab if you are smart. Those who don't practice in lab quickly start flunking skills exams. This can be anywhere from a 5 to a 9 hour day. This is also the day make up exams and remediations are scheduled for along with most study groups.

It is crazy busy. None of the above times include time to just sit down with the material and study.

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I am in my third year of a BSN program. My schedule right now is:

M: Class 8a-11a

T: Class 8a-10a

W: Nill

R: Clinical: 7p-3p

F: Clinical 3p-9p

This is just my nursing schedule, and does not include my elective courses. Bear in mind that the brunt of the work is done at home/library. I do about 12 hours of work for clinical outside of the hospital. Also, reading nursing text books is incredibly time-consuming. You should be spending at least 12 hours of reading/reviewing notes a week.

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This is my schedule for the first semester:

Monday:

NSG 101A (Fundamental Nursing Skills) 8-10am [5 weeks]

NSG 101B (Intro to Professional Nursing Practice) 8-10am [10 weeks]

NSG 100 (Pharmacology I) 1:15-2:15 [15 weeks]

Tuesday:

Clinical 7am-12pm

Wednesday:

Clinical 7am-12pm

PHL 201 (Philosophical Perspectives on the Human Situation) 5:30-8:30pm

Thursday:

Clinical learning lab 10:30am-12:30pm

NSG 101A (Fundamental Nursing Skills) 1-3pm [5 weeks]

NSG 101B (Intro to Professional Nursing Practice) 1-3pm [10 weeks]

PSY 220 (Life Span Development) 5:30-8:25pm

Friday:

NOTHING! Well, no classes anyway. I'll still have work that I'll need to do.

Second semester is pretty much the same, just different classes. I'm too lazy to go get my schedule and look at the last two semesters right now.

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At my school, we have Nursing I, II, III, and IV...Everything combined. I'm in my first semester so my schedule is:

Tues 8-12

Wed 8-12

Thurs Clinical 7:30-12

2nd Semester I will have 2 days of class, and 2 days of clinical :)

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Specializes in Near Future: ED, Future Future: ACNP!.

Mine is theory 1 day per week 4.5 hours and clinicals 2x per week 8-12 hrs. Classes are 8wks long and program lasts 22 months. We cover 1 area at a time.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I'm nearing the end of my 4th semester out of 6 in a BSN program. This is my typical weekly schedule:

Monday: Lecture 11-2, drive to hospital to get patient assignment and all prep information, leave hospital at approximately 7-730 pm, go home and look up meds and finish prep. Get to bed around 12:30 -1:00.

Tuesday: Get up at 5AM. Get to parking garage and catch the shuttle to the hospital. On the floor 6:45 and leave to go home between 3:30 and 4. Get home around 4:30. Study/read for tomorrows exam or lecture.

Wednesday: SNA meeting at 12:30 (I'm an officer). Lecture 2-5. Get to hospital to get pt assignment. Go home and do prep, usually in bed by 11 as this particular instructor is not as strict.

Thursday: Clinical 6:45 to 3.

I have fridays off....weekends are spent reading for ATI and studying/writing papers, with possibly a few hours of leisure time. I also exercise 5 days/week to keep myself sane, lol.

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thats so funny that you said you also exercise alot for stress relief. i do the same :) it started last sem with anatomy 101 and has carried onto 102. 3 weeks left and then ill be jogging due to high levels of anxiety waiting on the acceptance letter to come :bugeyes:

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my schools is per week:

4 hours of class

2 hourse of lab

14 hours of clinical

and that is only one nursing course

For me, change the clinical hours to 8 and we pretty much mirror eachother. There is a lot of info to keep up with. However, those who can do this without having to work (at least full time) are at a great advantage over those of us (yeah, that includes me:)) who have to work full time. And if you're like me, who had no experience and didn't know health care from a hole in the wall prior to this experience, it's that much tougher:D

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
For me, change the clinical hours to 8 and we pretty much mirror eachother. There is a lot of info to keep up with. However, those who can do this without having to work (at least full time) are at a great advantage over those of us (yeah, that includes me:)) who have to work full time. And if you're like me, who had no experience and didn't know health care from a hole in the wall prior to this experience, it's that much tougher:D

Just because you don't work doesn't mean you are at a great advantage. I have also had no prior medical experience, no CNA or anything, just been a patient many times, I have 4 children and my husband works out of town for 5 months of the year. I don't work but I DO have a lot on my plate and no help or support.

I don't have a job I clock in and out of, I work 24/7.

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I won't have to be working, but I plan on working starting in my second semester to gain experience and get money.

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I will be going 2 days a week for 6 & 8 hours. I have finished pharm and nutrition plus all of my non-nursing classes already.

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Just because you don't work doesn't mean you are at a great advantage. I have also had no prior medical experience, no CNA or anything, just been a patient many times, I have 4 children and my husband works out of town for 5 months of the year. I don't work but I DO have a lot on my plate and no help or support.

I don't have a job I clock in and out of, I work 24/7.

When I say no work, I also mean not having to tend to kids all day as well - I too am a parent on top of working full time, so I understand how that works too

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