What makes Nursing school hard?

kitte22 · Aug 5, 2009

there is a lot of papework in nursing school. at my school you couldnt take classes here and there you had to do the whole program at once. There was a lot of people in my program that were single moms, and worked and they did great, and actually one of them had a 4.0 throughout the program. Study hard, dont miss class, missing even one class could put you far behind on information that is critical to pass the class. Study, study, study! Also stay organized, it helps a lot!

newbebop, ADN, BSN, MSN · Aug 5, 2009

Our program requires an 80 or better to pass. This new grading scale for program classes scares the crap out of me. It is no wonder the program is so competitive.

A 93-100

A- 90-92

B+ 87-89

B 85-86

B- 83-84

C+ 81-82

C 80

We are also told that for each hour of class figure 2 hours of work outside the class. For reading, clinical prep, etc. YIKES!

We can do this! it will just take some planning and time management skills. I have warned my family, and remind them that this is all for the greater good. But admit I worry about the effects on them the most. It is also time to step up and nip ANY procrastination habits in the butt!!! This one will be tricky for me. ;-)

Best of luck to all!!!

castornpollox · Aug 5, 2009

I just graduated from school (ADN) in June and I just found out this morning that I passed NCLEX. If I can do it, then so can you!!! The nursing program is like its own little entity, they have stricter grading and the classes are already selected for you; you just report for duty. At my school, we didn't always get 12+ credits each quarter so I had to supplement that with electives to maintain my financial aid (something you may not have to worry about). I took an AIDS certification class, womens health, and a PE class. The hard part is that the learning curve is very steep! You need to learn a lot in what seems like a short period of time, and then when you got that part down, there's more to learn on top of that. The best thing you can do is stay current with your reading, meaning- as soon as it is assigned, begin reading, otherwise you can fall behind very fast. Also, get your study buddy so that you can talk things over to make sure you understand the material and are not just memorizing. Really, the only memorization that is required would be your drug classes and lab values, other than that, it's all concepts. Last but not least, hang in there even when you feel like going crazy :banghead: , you know you can do this! Good luck! :yeah:

TRCCnurse2be · Aug 5, 2009

For me it is the time I have to sacrifice with my family. I don't think the course itself is too awful, and our textbooks are pretty easy to understand. I think I am pretty good in science and decent in math and I will be the first to admit that nursing classes are tougher....at least they are for me. It is hard to understand what a nursing student goes through unless you are a student yourself. I sure hope this sacrifice pays off in the end because I will never be able to get that time with my family back.

BabyCatchr, ADN, ASN, RN · Aug 5, 2009

It sounds like my first year of teaching, only we didn't have the memorization and studying for tests. Making a test is a lot easier than taking a test! We had the extra hours - about 80-90 per week to be exact - and all the forms and paperwork. I thought teaching was hard, but now I'm scared about nursing school! I have 2 children 11 & 13 and they will be 12&14 when I start nursing school - they really need you more then than when they are babies! They need to be driven to school, activities, help with homework, and advice. Those who have young ones, it is difficult to study instead of spend time with them, but if you have to make a choice, it really is better to do it now when they are babies so you can be there for them when they are older.

Viane1956 · Aug 5, 2009

I haven't read all of the responses so I hope I am not being repetitious...but I think that nursing is a combination of a degree in science and a performance degree. It isn't just book learning and tests, it is learning techniques and performing them. It is also holding the well-being of others in your hands when you are in clinical. All of that with serious time pressure makes it a challenging course of study.

NiknLyssaMom · Aug 5, 2009

It is do-able. I had my son in the middle of my last year of nursing school. Ironically, we were doing our L&D rotation at the very hospital I was having my baby. I was the student on Tues in the Delivery suites, and the patient the very next day on Wednesday. I was back in school on Monday! Another girl in my class did the same thing in our last semester. We both graduated with our babies in tow!

Lilmimrn · Aug 5, 2009

I think there is alot that makes it hard. I am a mother of two boys ages 7 and 4. My husband works full time over nights to help me out. Sometimes I have evening clinicals or sometimes I have to study in the evening...pretty much any free time I have to study. My first semester wasn't too bad; I had one "nursing" class which equals out to 2 lectures, one clinical day, one skills class and massive amounts of time for write ups and reading. On top of that I had A&P 1 which in itself is insane!! Last semester I had Maternity and Medsurg 1. Those two equaled 2 clinical days per week, 2 lectures per week, a skills class per week, and then I had A&P 2 on top of that!! I passed all but the Medsurg. I missed it by 2 points. I had B's in Maternity and A&P. I am going to re-apply and hopefully get back in in the spring. I think what makes it so hard...is the reading assignments because they are so long and dry, and the testing. I am more of a hands on person and I learn better that way more than reading. I am not a reader so I struggle a lot with that. My first semester I studied alone and did ok. This last semester I took the advice of my instructors and got into a study group and that just didn't work for me. I have not figured out what my study habits will be next time around. But hopefully I will have it figured out by then. My advice? Don't plan any vacations during the semester, plan on lots of take out and weight gain, read read read and just be ready for exhaustion and stress! have a great support system to help you...it means the world!! Good luck!!

MaritesaRN · Aug 5, 2009

I've always heard Nursing students complaining and losing sleep.What makes it so difficult? Is it the work load? Clinicals? I have a 7 month old and will be returning to school when she's 1 and a half yrs old.I graduated with my Associates degree in Liberal Arts last year so I have most of the liberal arts courses completed.I plan on apply to a ADN program.I took a look at the outlined courses at the school im interested in and it seems like I will only need to take a Nursing course and maybe one Liberal Arts course every semester.Will that make things easier for me? Plus I can chose to go just once a week for the whole day.I will not be working.What do you think?

:nurse: I took all of my sciences and laboratory courses before I applied . (community college) and that was still time consuming. Then comes the clinical attached w/ some of those nursing course. Maybe you should jsut start taking the 5 units lab courses per each semester. this will make your life easier and still be w/ your young baby !

whatever you do take all the pre requisites before you do the clinical ----this way you can learn well and not be overwhelmed. :smokin:

Code_VSA · Aug 5, 2009

I graduated in 1993 from the University of North Alabama. At that time, I had four children ages 5 through 13. My husband was away in the military. I worked as an LPN on Friday, Saturday, Sunday for 12 hours each day.

I look back now and think I must have been insane. A nursing program is just like having a 40 hour a week job.....but then some.

There will always be obstacles and nothing will go smoothly. I remember my two youngest sleeping in bed with me one night. The youngest sat up and vomited on the bed and his sister. All I could think of "It's three o'clock in the morning and I have to get up in 2 hours to get ready for clinicals". But then my one child start screaming, "My eyes, my eyes!" I realized then, that he threw up on part of her face. Pretty gross I know. But I just started laughing. Now, 16 years later we get a good laugh about it.

Yes, plan for quick meals, or going out. I can't tell you how many times after being at school for class and clinicals and add a 2 hour round trip drive back, I would be to exhausted to cook for my four. We would go out to eat and many a time the kids would wake me up after I just put my head down on the restaurant table for a few seconds. "Mom, Mom! the waitress is here to take our order!"

My oldest daughter, who is 31 and has a 6 year old just completed her nursing program. She too, has a husband who lived and worked in another State. I am now in another country. Therefore, she had no back up when her little girl would get sick or be out of school on a day when she had a clinical or class. Combine that with a Dean of Nursing who tells her that nursing should come before her family. So be prepared to have some close that can take your child for those times when they are sick or you have an evening clinical.

My second daughter who is 25 and has two children, ages 18 months and 6 years old, does not have anyone to help her either. I am very worried how she will succeed with the time demands of nursing school.

I highly recomment to take ALL your prerequisites BEFORE you take any nursing program. Just because the nursing program is so demanding on time. Not to mention being very, very strict on test scores and grades. Some nursing programs won't even let you in unless you have your prerequisites done.

Either way......good luck. You just have to bite the bullet, plug ahead and make some sacrifices. But it is all so worth it in the end.

Michelle F. LPN · Aug 5, 2009

Becoming a nurse is a lot of work. I just graduated with my LPN and am in the second semester of the RN program.. My moms a nurse and she warned me about the instructors and what a challenge nursing school is. My 1st semester instructor Mrs.. uh... let's just call her PussyCat scared the crap out of me. only half of the people first semester made it through to second.. she definitley weeded out the weak ones. Nursing is a seriouse profession, you've got people's lives at stake, there's no room for mistakes so you'd better know your ****! cause if you don't you wont make it. you can't fake your way through and get a nursing degree like you can with a lot of other degrees

MaritesaRN · Aug 5, 2009

Becoming a nurse is a lot of work. I just graduated with my LPN and am in the second semester of the RN program.. My moms a nurse and she warned me about the instructors and what a challenge nursing school is. My 1st semester instructor Mrs.. uh... let's just call her PussyCat scared the crap out of me. only half of the people first semester made it through to second.. she definitley weeded out the weak ones. Nursing is a seriouse profession, you've got people's lives at stake, there's no room for mistakes so you'd better know your ****! cause if you don't you wont make it. you can't fake your way through and get a nursing degree like you can with a lot of other degrees

:wink2:Michelle is so right about those teachers...do not let these ones get to you ---these are the ones having a power trip at the expense of the students. If I was the teacher , I will be honest to my students and tell them the high expectations, but will not use a scare tactic. I could remember an instructor who was so bad that the students were afraid to do a simple enema !! These are instructors that should not be allowed to teach nursing students.....if nothing else you build their confidence so they will be encouraged to learn more.....nothing good about learning by fear. Thank God some of these instructors are fading away and being replaced, but there are still ones out there from the stone age.