Which was more stressful: nursing school or actually working as a RN?

[fatrabbit]

In you're experience.

[Wrench Party]

School, for sure. I was balancing running a lab and writing papers for my scientific career in a compressed amount of time, going to nursing school full time and managing my other community and domestic responsibilities. I feel like I didn't sit down for over 3 years.

Except for my 12-week orientation in a huge teaching hospital as an RN, now that I feel like I'm approaching competency (about to hit my 2 year mark as a working RN), work doesn't seem like such a big deal in comparison.

[ScrappytheCoco]

I agree that they're different animals. Yes, nursing school was incredibly stressful...but now I'm hyperaware that I'm responsible for someone's life and if I make the wrong decision or a mistake it could have dire consequences.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I don't remember college being all that stressful. What's to stress about? Go to class during the day and drink cheap beer at night.

[amzyRN]

First starting out as a new grad was the most stressful thing ever. I felt like it aged me, school was a cake walk compared to that. But now that that is done and I know what I'm doing, it's not so bad. Once I change specialties I worry it might be like when I started as a new grad, but I sure hope not.

[Collor]

School seems stressful when you're in the moment. Working as an RN is stressful in a different way. I always will prefer RN stress over school.

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

I actually thought school was harder , because life circumstances were hard for me as it was at the time , and as someone says, school inundates your life and work doesn't have to. I worked 24 hours a week as a CNA in school and had all kinds of other stuff going on so it was never ending. I like the stability I have now. I feel a lot more in control.

(there was one day , when my car needed work, I had no gas and no food, I got my check right before the bank closed and the bridge to get to the bank closed down randomly, I didn't have any food and was starving at school and only had 99 cents so used it on a butterfingers bar as it was the most filling , stuff like this just doesn't happen anymore )

I am hoping that this rings true for me for when I start working as well. I don't have just school. I work full time, I volunteer and I'm an officer in my school's nursing organization (I don't have days off unless I have a Monday clinical and there happens to be a federal holiday that quarter - then I get one day off in those 10 weeks). There are days where things just collide and truly, really, it cannot get worse than it sometimes gets. I sometimes look forward to when I get to work and think, "This is just going to be ONE job. One thing that has my attention. Nothing else." and I breathe a sigh of anticipatory relief.

[NurseB2014]

Nursing school was way LESS stressful to me! I didn't love clinical because I always felt a little "lost" LOL but I did love classes. Im a reader, so I read and did pretty well in school. There's no way to read to prepare for a shift LOL. I was shocked by how stressful actual nursing is. Now I have a license to worry about, Im responsible for patient's lives! And I don't have a brilliant instructor watching me like a hawk. I can't pass a test on Friday and not worry about class again until Monday, because Im ALWAYS thinking about work when I'm not there. I have moments where even after Ive been off of work several days, I'll think, Did I put that order in? Or what if I didnt unclamp the secondary tubing and just ran fluids and not the med?

[NursesRmofun, ASN, RN]

Not to take away from the stress of nursing school...but in nursing school, the stress is mainly your own butt. As a nurse, you are stressed for yourself AND your patients AND their families...it's a pressure cooker.

[Chelsea16]

0 Hi. I attend CUNY BMCC college and i took the HESI two times and I didnt get in. Suprisingly because of reading comprehension!! The first time I took the HESI, I got 72 in reading comprehension, 88 in anatomy and physiology and 96 in math. BUT they dont accept grades that are 75 and below. It has to 75 and above on each section. I am only allowed to take the HESI twice. and may 26, i took it again and i got 70 in reading comprehension. I didnt even bother to do the math or anatomy and physiology. I cant even say nursing isnt for me becuase i understand anatomy and physiology well. Reading comprehension is really holding me back!!! I cant believe it. And I got accepted in CUNY Hunter college so I dont know what to do. Should i stick to nursing major or what? The problem about the health career field is that you work so hard and then at the end, you take a test which really relies on heavily about our career, and if we dont pass that test then all those efforts we put into for the classes are just a waste. I feel like I am stuck and I have no way to get out. I dont know if i should change my major! I love children and I want to be a teacher as well but the same thing, we have to take a test to get certified and if i dont pass that test then I am doomed. Can i get any advice??? I feel so depressed.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Hands down, work was more stressful for me than school. That first day off orientation came only three days into my charge nurse role in LTC and I was far from confident in those early times even though I'd done very well in clinicals in nursing school. The stress really never got better until about my fourth or fifth year as a nurse. I switched jobs a lot and never got comfortable in any one position until I was a year or so in.

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

Actually working as an RN, hands down! The first year more so than anything!

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[mosegq]

Actual RN work is stressful, but considering that after work I get to spend time with my family, watch my favorite shows without ever having to think of homework and logs of handouts to go thru so as to pass a class makes RN school more challenging.