What's typical while in Nursing school?

AZmom · Feb 1, 2007

There can never be enough pre-planning. I've overthunk :chuckle just about every aspect of my schooling, looked into many different colleges and programs.

Regarding hours, take a look at the course schedules at any colleges your thinking of applying to......specifically when they're running their different nursing courses.

I'm only in pre-nursing at this point, so I can't help you out with the clinical questions too much.

AZmom · Feb 1, 2007

I take that back. If you play around here -- http://web1.dist.maricopa.edu/CFIDE/docs/hcies/clinical/clinic1.cfm -- it might give you some insight as to where and when clinicals are currently being held for the different colleges in Arizona.

Calzonan RN · Feb 1, 2007

I decided to go to Glendale CC because they have a weekend program. It worked best for my family and it was easier to KNOW what days of the week I'd be gone, better for planning etc. My classes are Fri/Sat and we do all coursework first and then start clinicals. That way I'm always in school Fri/Sat. I'm in block 3 now, and it's worked up until now. In blocks 1-2 I'd still have to go on Thurs to pick a patient during clinicals, but we did our clinicals on Fri/Sat. Now in block 3 we test on Sundays, and so I have to plan for that. You also have to remember that even though you have courses at certain times during certain days, you still have to go into the lab and practice skills. Sometimes you test outside of classroom hours, and you usually pick out a patient the day before clinicals. I know that they've changed the program now that they've incoorporated CNA and patho, so I'm not sure what their new hours are.

Any course you get in is doable if you have a good support system and can effectively manage your time. There is a LOT of studying, and a lot of information being thrown at you in a short amount of time. At the beginning of every semester I just hang on for the ride!!

Keli

boomerfriend · Feb 3, 2007

.....At the beginning of every semester I just hang on for the ride!!
Keli

I agree with Keli. It is a wild ride. Unfortunately, it is really hard to know how many hours you're going to need to devote to nursing school. I'm at Phoenix College in Block 3. Our schedule has been two days of class time and then two days of clinicals. Of course on that 5th day of the week we're scrambling to study for tests, do care plans, etc. It is definitely a full-time committment. Right now, our clinicals are Monday-Tuesday so we go pick a patient on Sunday afternoon. Then, we go home and do the research to be prepared the following morning.....hours later :smilecoffeeIlovecof

I guess I'm saying it will be a 5-6 day/week comittment and it's hard to plan ahead of what to expect for a schedule. Like Keli said, support is very important.

Do I regret making the comittment....absolutely not. Do I get discouraged at times? Of course. Especially when I do poorly on a test or feel like I'm "not getting it". However, I'm going to finish this thing before long and it will be worth the time spent away from my family and friends.

jamonit · Feb 4, 2007

i just finished at the ethel bauer school of nursing. 18 month fast-track program. i just didn't want to hang out on a waiting list for a year or two, so i buckled down and flew through it. my pinning is the 8th of feb and i start work at PCH on the 12th. am i exhausted? yes. do i regret working so hard and getting it done super-fast? hell no. i'm just glad it's over. nursing school is a great place to make life-lasting relationships, as you are going through something life-altering and super-stressful as a group. (i actually met my fiance in class). anyway, you'll laugh and cry and be so happy once it's done.

CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 4, 2007

I don't that you are 'over thinking' it at all. As a matter of fact, I think that it shows that you are truly preparing for this challenge.

I am in Block one, and I am amazed at how much time this process takes. We are in class about 24 hours per week. This will increase when we start picking pts for care plans (prob another 3-4 hours per week). Don't forget the commute (another 2-4 hrs per week), and study time (can be anywhere from 2-6 hours per week. Add this to work, and laundry, sleep, etc. and you definitely have a FULL TIME commitment on your hands. Although a select few can continue to do everything in nursing school that they did before, most won't. If I have any advice, it would be to get into a position in which you can work part-time, surround yourself with people who will support you financially and emotionally (whatever your situation dictates), and realize that succeeding in this journey is about more than being book smart.

I have noticed that the amount of energy spent seems to correlate to your clinical exposure. The students in our class that have no medical experience need to review much more that those that have worked as tech, phlebs, etc. If I were going into this process with no health care experience, I would tag on some more time to learn, review, and adjust to the process. I would also recommend taking medical terminology (as much as you can get), and even signing up for patho-physiology (even though it isn't required). I would get my hands on a basic pharmacology book and become acquainted with some of the different drug classifications.

This may seem like a little too much, but it's my 2 cents. Good luck in your journey.

CrazyPremed

sassiebaz · Feb 5, 2007

I don't that you are 'over thinking' it at all. As a matter of fact, I think that it shows that you are truly preparing for this challenge.
I am in Block one, and I am amazed at how much time this process takes. We are in class about 24 hours per week. This will increase when we start picking pts for care plans (prob another 3-4 hours per week). Don't forget the commute (another 2-4 hrs per week), and study time (can be anywhere from 2-6 hours per week. Add this to work, and laundry, sleep, etc. and you definitely have a FULL TIME commitment on your hands. Although a select few can continue to do everything in nursing school that they did before, most won't. If I have any advice, it would be to get into a position in which you can work part-time, surround yourself with people who will support you financially and emotionally (whatever your situation dictates), and realize that succeeding in this journey is about more than being book smart.
I have noticed that the amount of energy spent seems to correlate to your clinical exposure. The students in our class that have no medical experience need to review much more that those that have worked as tech, phlebs, etc. If I were going into this process with no health care experience, I would tag on some more time to learn, review, and adjust to the process. I would also recommend taking medical terminology (as much as you can get), and even signing up for patho-physiology (even though it isn't required). I would get my hands on a basic pharmacology book and become acquainted with some of the different drug classifications.
This may seem like a little too much, but it's my 2 cents. Good luck in your journey.
CrazyPremed

I do appreciate all of your responses! I am once again thinking I will go to EBSN just to eliminate the time and load from all of the pre-req's although I know I will be taking some during the program itself. I will NOT be working but, I do have a family so I do know I will have to really juggle things while in school. I have a medical background as a Medical assistant and nurse aide. I probably will not start school until next year when my little one is 3. Im still nervous about the work-load of school and how I will juggle that and my kids but I think when Im ready I will just dive in and do it! This board has been a great support of info and advice. Again, I really appreciate all the feed back!!!!

One more thing, what is meant by "picking a patient"? can someone explain???

jamonit · Feb 5, 2007

hi sassiebaz..

picking a patient is when you go to the clinical site the day prior to your clinical day and 'choose' a patient to do your write-up (aka careplan). this is the patient you will spend the majority of the time with during that few days in clinicals (in theory, sometimes your patient dies, goes home, etc). anyway, you usually have to look up their meds and research their pathophys and that kind of thing to understand what is going on with them.

a lot of times, the charge will just tell you "you get the chole in room 214" and often that is the patient you 'choose.'

also, back to ebsn. they offer the chem, science prereqs prior to the program and then 1st block you take micro, anatomy, chemistry, cna, etc. you just need to go in with english from a college, some math, and medical terminology. pm me if you have any more questions about the school.

AZmom · Feb 5, 2007

We are in class about 24 hours per week. This will increase when we start picking pts for care plans (prob another 3-4 hours per week). Don't forget the commute (another 2-4 hrs per week), and study time (can be anywhere from 2-6 hours per week. Add this to work, and laundry, sleep, etc. and you definitely have a FULL TIME commitment on your hands.

I've seen this in the student nursing threads too -- that such little time (relatively speaking) is spent on studying. I guess I don't understand how that can be. Are the things you're learning in class/lab/clinicals relatively basic that you can learn as you go that easily? I'm thinking geesh, I spend far more than 3-4 hours a week studying now, and I've only got one course. :roll

The students in our class that have no medical experience need to review much more that those that have worked as tech, phlebs, etc. If I were going into this process with no health care experience, I would tag on some more time to learn, review, and adjust to the process. I would also recommend taking medical terminology (as much as you can get), and even signing up for patho-physiology (even though it isn't required). I would get my hands on a basic pharmacology book and become acquainted with some of the different drug classifications.

I think you just made my mind up for me......at least until I change it again. I'm not "handling" my current semester (of one measly course) as well as last semester due to family life. I had forgotten how much work babies are. She's draining the life right out of me some days. :chuckle As much as I hate to say it, it probably would be okay for me to waitlist it for a semester or two, until all my boys are in school at least and then I'll only have one in daycare.

Medical terminology is already required by MCCCD. Are you advising taking the three credit med. term. as well (or can it be substituted for the one credit)?

Regarding patho-physiology, who offers it and more importantly who offers it with a no prereq of entrance into the nursing program? I just looked thinking I remember Rio offering it, but they don't have it listed under Spring semester. Oooo--nevermind. I see Mesa CC offers one under HCR.

sassiebaz · Feb 6, 2007

AZMOM- It sounds like we are in similar situations. I have been waiting for my little one to get to be old enough to walk, talk and go potty like a big girl, so I would feel a little more settled about furthering my education. I have a 12 yr old and 10 yr old as well. It is so hard to know when to make that commitment to go to school full time but, I guess when the time is here I will know! I just know I cannot do the pre-req's throught the MCC system and then the R.N program too. I have to be in and out in less than 2 years. So, Im going the EBSN route. But, like I said before, it will be another year or so before I start. I think I will be able to handle it when I don't have babies running around any more.......

boomerfriend · Feb 13, 2007

I spend A LOT more than 3-4 hours a week studying. :smilecoffeeIlovecof Hey, it takes me 3 hours to finish a care plan..... I keep thinking it'll get easier to do at least the care plans :roll The material is definitely getting more difficult as we go along.