What was more stressful for you?

Zookeeper3 · Jan 12, 2011

I would never sway and aspiring nurse, but until you are in nursing classes, you've never seen stress or a true workload. Pre-rec's and the application process is nothing, and I mean that nicely. You will have 8 hours of class, need 8 hours of reading and study time (full time school) while balancing a home and maybe work life. Can't be done if you like to sleep, so you have to decide where to skimp and pray it doesn't affect your exams. Eventually you learn, you have 5 books to read from including studying and preparing to go to a lab check off... only so many hours in the day.

You eventually get adapt at what you can pass on, but for me it took a few months and I slept about 4 hours a day. Mind you I'm OCD and graduated with highest honors... but I gave MYSELF a quality education. The start of the second semester and half the class was missing, motivated me more that I dang well wouldn't let them weed me out and I studied more. You'll find slackers, know it all's and the quiet learning folk.... stick like glue with the latter, you'll do well then

So now, you have very little control, once in... it's all on you... that my friend is stress:eek:

xxlilkacixx · Jan 12, 2011

School was more stressful!

LaceyRN · Jan 12, 2011

This is s stressful profession, period. Especially if you are a bedside hospital nurse. School is waaaaay more stressful than the stress of getting into school so be prepared. That being said, each challenge you face and overcome builds confidence and allows you to handle more stress or different stressful situations, so in essence you adapt and are better prepared to handle each stressful situation you encounter. Keep a positive attitude and always ask youself "what can I learn in this situation to help me in my practice and handle stressful situations better?" This will help you in handling future stressful situations and facilitate your ability to cope with the stress and be confident you will grow throught it. Good Luck! :)

Vikingkitten · Jan 12, 2011

In school now (last semester) and it is defiantly more stressful than getting in. I think getting in has more anticipation and frustration but not really stress.

Sniper,

You already graduated from the most stressful school you'll ever attend! Congrats on almost being done! Some of us FOGs want to retire some day!

Former Sniper

noahsmama · Jan 12, 2011

I guess I'm the exception to the rule, but I didn't find nursing school classes at all stressful, and clinicals only occasionally so. All of the horror stories about how "hard" nursing school would be were a bit scary, and the reality didn't even remotely live up to it (for me). I loved nursing school, and didn't really think it was all that hard. Nor did I find the NCLEX stressful.

Now, starting out as a new grad nurse in a hospital is another story entirely. THAT was very stressful! I had never had a full patient load at any time during nursing school, and time management proved to be my biggest challenge. But the most stressful part was being on my own for the first time, and knowing that "the buck stops here", i.e. that I was the responsible party and that there was no one looking over my shoulder to make sure I did things right -- and that if I did something wrong, I could potentially harm or even kill somebody. As I gained more confidence over the first 6-12 months, the stress of this went down but never completely went away, nor would I have wanted it to.

I didn't leave hospital nursing because of the stress -- I found hospital work hours to be too single-mom unfriendly -- but one added bonus of my current job as a public heath nurse besides the "banker's hours" is that it is nearly stress-free.

Not sure if this info is helpful or not. Good luck!

Old.Timer · Jan 12, 2011

Mine was so long ago that it's not too relevant now. However, getting into nursing school was ten times more stressful than nursing school ever was for me. Through most of my high school years I was torn because I wanted to attend college AND I wanted to be a nurse. I erroneously believed they were mutually exclusive and that I would have to select one or the other until I learned about BSN programs. This was over thirty five years ago and BSN programs were few and far between and admission was extremely competitive. Once I was accepted, I never worried about actually being able to complete the program.

Ackeem, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Jan 12, 2011

College generally speaking is very stressful you don't need anybody to tell you that, once you applied for college you are expected to anticipate and prepare for it both mentally and physically, once your prepared the stress level won't be too high or not stressful at all that's guaranteed.

nursing school isn't an exception ADN and BSN are college level programs, as long as the program has the word Degree in it, its college level. So yes, you can't take nursing school lightly at all, try to always be ahead of everybody in your class, study the up coming topics, manage your time well, don't get your work all piled up in one ( that's just asking for the stress).

Getting into nursing school on the other hand can be very stressful when your on those forever lasting waiting list ( I mean there's nothing you can do about it , than just wait )

Any way best of luck :)

Vikingkitten · Jan 12, 2011

I didn't have much trouble getting into my BSN program: I jokingly referred to myself as the token Male! School was definitely more stressful. By the time I went to school I was an experienced Army LPN, medic and paramedic and medical instructor.

The stress in school was because of the several "Instructors" who stated by word and deed that us "men and minorities had no place in nursing". There were 7 of us in our class in that "category" that started. Me, being the stubborn Pole that I am, was the only one of the 7 that graduated.

I definitely was too old for that crap. Besides, by that time , I had seen too many things in my life that would have sent any of them screaming home to their Mommies to take any of them seriously.

Have posted this before, somewhere.

Just my $.02.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2011

I didn't have much trouble getting into my BSN program: I jokingly referred to myself as the token Male! School was definitely more stressful. By the time I went to school I was an experienced Army LPN, medic and paramedic and medical instructor.
The stress in school was because of the several "Instructors" who stated by word and deed that us "men and minorities had no place in nursing". There were 7 of us in our class in that "category" that started. Me, being the stubborn Pole that I am, was the only one of the 7 that graduated.
I definitely was too old for that crap. Besides, by that time , I had seen too many things in my life that would have sent any of them screaming home to their Mommies to take any of them seriously.
Have posted this before, somewhere.
Just my $.02.

I love it!!!! :yeah: