What is it about nursing school....

stidget99 · Apr 12, 2005

When I started out in nursing school, I strived to maintain myself on the dean's list. Which I did during my prereqs. I was a single mom and my kids' behavior was changing. I had to make a choice betw school and my kids. So, ultimately, I had to put my kids first. My grades slipped but I still graduated and passed my boards on the first try.

Clinical is time spent in various settings working and learning. Working w/ pts, following other nurses, etc. It's a valuable time and try to get the most out of it as you can.

SmilingBluEyes · Apr 12, 2005

I think the hardest things were:

trying to please numerous different instructors (each had her own standards and requirements and it was like jumping thru hoops to please them all---kind of like nurses trying to deal w/different doctors, so I guess it was a good lesson).

staying up all night working on careplans only to have to show up for clinical at 0600, ready to hit the ground running. The instructors were FULL of questions you had better have the answers to on each patient we were assigned. It was exhausting, esp in the final semester. I could not wait to be done.

Doing 100-question tests every other Monday sucked. (I hated Mondays!) It basically aced all hope of social life on any given weekend. Yep, giving up your social life and family routine can be extraordinarily hard, but that is what it will take to graduate, believe me. You will be given 200-300 page reading assignments every other day, too, and all material is testable, no matter WHAT they tell you in class. Don't believe them when they say "this wont be on the test"....it will, I promise you.

Trying to find my way in the hospital during clinical experiences was not fun-----some nurses were helpful, others did what they could to make us miserable. I learned really fast who to ask what when.

My advice is during nursing school, try and celebrate small victories. Each time I took a test and got a good grade, we went out to eat lunch, my dh and me. It felt good to have one more week overwith. I also used NCLEX books to study for those tests. I spent a LOT of time w/my nose in those books, so going out or buying myself a small treat was really something that helped.

Good luck and best wishes in school.

dettwiller5 · Apr 12, 2005

that you found the hardest? I am in the process of taking my pre-reqs and wondered what you found so hard about nursing school? Was it all the studying, memorizing? I am going back for my second degree, am 34 years old, have 2 kids and a husband that works offshore and I am SCARED TO DEATH!!!! I know nursing school is still a year or so away for me but I am so afraid that I'm just going to run myself in the ground! I will be going in the evening and when my husband is offshore my good friend has offered to take care of the kids. Some of my clinicals though won't end until 11 pm and then I have to turn around and go to work the very next day. I guess I'm just wanting to hear of some people that have actually done it and kept their sanity! I don't want to be the mom and wife from hell during these next 2 years or so! Also....what all is involved in clinicals? Are you actually in the hospital working, learning, etc? It's not classroom work right? Thanks to all who reply and you all inspire me so much! TIA!

Hi! You and I are in a similar situation. I too am finishing my prereqs and am working on a second degree. I have a BS in Health Education and Sociology. I have 3 kids and a husband, and will be going to a 3 year evening program- Tuesdays, Thursdays, and every other weekend. I too m anxious to find out what nursing school is like! Where do yo live? Is your husband in the navy?- you mentioned that he works offshore.

KIm

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2005

I worked nearly full time, so for me nursing school was horribly exhausting. I'd get up early to study and drag myself to the library to keep myself from falling asleep. Then those clinicals and going to work afterward. Just horrible overwhelming fatigue at the volume of work to do is what I remember the most. The acedemic work was challenging but not horribly difficult, just time consuming.

You'll do fine, when there's a will, there's a way. Sounds like you're being very realistic about how challenging it is going to be for you, but you can do it! Good luck!

sparkyRN · Apr 12, 2005

The worst was doing those detailed careplans.

nurse34 · Apr 12, 2005

Hi! You and I are in a similar situation. I too am finishing my prereqs and am working on a second degree. I have a BS in Health Education and Sociology. I have 3 kids and a husband, and will be going to a 3 year evening program- Tuesdays, Thursdays, and every other weekend. I too m anxious to find out what nursing school is like! Where do yo live? Is your husband in the navy?- you mentioned that he works offshore.
KIm

Hi Kim! See, I don't know if my program will allow me to stretch it out like that. I did read that we have up to 4 years to finish our nursing courses so I don't know! Man, your plan sounds awesome! I live in the Houston, Tx area. No, my husband isn't in the Navy...he used to be! He works offshore on a natural gas platform. I just want to be a nurse so bad and I figure that 2-3 years is a small sacrifice to do what I really love! Good luck to all of you and thanks so much for all the responses!

NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2005

What I found hardest was the burnout factor. I thought the first semester was going to be the hardest because everything was new to me. My worst semester wound up being my third. The content was only slightly more complex than the first two semesters, but I was burned out. The way that particular instructor tested was off the wall. We honestly had no idea where she got a lot of her test material. Wasn't in the power point, the notes, the lectures (they were all taped and transcribed, so it wasn't something we missed) or the readings. I was sick of everything. I was ready to walk right out and not look back. I owe my husband and two girlfriends my new nursing career. I kept saying "I don't care!" They would gently (or forcefully) remind me that I really did care. I just didn't know it. I dragged myself through one week at a time. This last semester has been great.

Sooooo, my advice to you is to make good friends. Ones who are in school with you now and ones who are already nurses. The ones in school will know exactly what's going on b/c they're right there with you. The ones who are done know that there's an end in sight.

:icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug: :icon_hug:

monjord · Apr 12, 2005

hey, i feel ya. i too am in the same boat except my husband does not work offshore so i have a little help w/the kids. i am finishing my pre reqs, i also have a BS in criminal justice. and i am in the Houston/Missouri City area.

i am very nervous about the things i hear. i haven't even applied to nursing school yet, but just hearing the stories scare me to death about what to expect. i am just going to try to take one day at a time when i do get in.

good luck to you and everyone else, we need it!

mona

nurse34 · Apr 12, 2005

hey, i feel ya. i too am in the same boat except my husband does not work offshore so i have a little help w/the kids. i am finishing my pre reqs, i also have a BS in criminal justice. and i am in the Houston/Missouri City area.
i am very nervous about the things i hear. i haven't even applied to nursing school yet, but just hearing the stories scare me to death about what to expect. i am just going to try to take one day at a time when i do get in.
good luck to you and everyone else, we need it!
mona

Hey Mona! What school are you going to apply to? I'm actually in the Katy/Houston area! Wow, small world!

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 12, 2005

Working 3 jobs and school.

Group projects, because hyou could find out the hard way just how non-dependable your classmates were for their share of the work.

RN 2005 · Apr 12, 2005

The endless hoops you have to jump through................. :rolleyes: