Why Is Nursing School So Hard?

JR816, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2006

The hardest part for me was to grasp this untraditional style of learning. In the past, everything was black and white. 2+2=4 Well now we have to broaden our critical thinking skills and process the new information and apply it to the patient with their best interest in mind. Key word~~their best interest. Not what we think their best interest is. So, that is what I find most challenging.

As far as tests go, all the answers are applicable but only one is the best correct answer. :uhoh3: :uhoh3: I continue to struggle with this type of questioning. But I am starting to get the hang of it. You have to pick apart the question. What exactly is the question asking??

TRINI_RN · Mar 24, 2006

Simple..it weeds out the dummies.

I don't agree that everyone who flunks out, or has a hard time in nursing school is a "dummy". I think that is a very close-minded statement.

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Mar 24, 2006

I never found the content difficult. What made school difficult was how much information you had to learn in a short amount of time and one difficult instructor. Most of my instructors were wonderful- intelligent, caring, etc. However I had one that was doing everything in her power to fail the young, thin students. I wasn't the only one that observed that. At the time I was 23 and 100 lbs. She hated the fact that I got A's on all of the tests. I was the only student who got an A on her pediatric test. (Out of 93 students) So she took it out on me in clinicals. Im so glad my clinical rotation with her was only 5 weeks. She was so manic sometimes it made me afraid of what she was going to do next. [EVIL][/EVIL]I never had a problem with any other instructor.

allthingsbright · Mar 25, 2006

I don't agree that everyone who flunks out, or has a hard time in nursing school is a "dummy". I think that is a very close-minded statement.

Probably not the BEST wording, but s/he was making a point...

Nursing school DOES weed out those who cant seem to cut it--whatever the reason (be it IQ, lack of skill or critical thinking, bad study skills, whatever). Thats what I have seen, anyway.

And if nursing school doesnt weed out the people who shouldnt be there, the NCLEX will! :) (And lets hope I cut it! Otherwise I WILL "feel" like a dummy!)

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Mar 25, 2006

I don't agree that everyone who flunks out, or has a hard time in nursing school is a "dummy". I think that is a very close-minded statement.

I agree with that, but I'm sure he didn't mean it in that way. It does, however, weed out those who are not meant to be nurses (altho some who do get thru are not meant to be nurses either).

Like many before have said, it is a very unorthodox way of thining and learning. You need to think critically, which does not come easy for many. I did not go to college before nursing school, so my only comparison is with my friends who went to 'real college'. Memorizing is not enough. Showing up and class participation are not enough. As a studnt, I relied haeavily on memorization, and when that failed, I was screwed. You need to know and understand, or you will not be a good nurse (nor will you pass NCLEX).

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 25, 2006

And if nursing school doesnt weed out the people who shouldnt be there, the NCLEX will! :) (And lets hope I cut it! Otherwise I WILL "feel" like a dummy!)

Actually, one of the reasons nursing school is so tough is that the NCLCEX hardly weeds out anybody. Almost nobody fails the NCLEX in the long run. People who fail simply keep taking it again and again and again ad nauseum until they pass it. How many people do you know who couldn't pass the test in 6 or 7 tries?

Also, NCLEX does not measure all aspects of nursing -- only a portion of the basic knowledge required.

Because NCLEX does NOT weed out those who should not be nurses, it is up to the schools to do the job -- and employers to catch the rest.

llg

stpauligirl · Mar 25, 2006

:yeahthat:

You would think that the prerequisite science classes would take care of that problem.....there is this woman in my microlab group....she has NO COMMON sense, I swear she can't think!!!!!!! scary to think that she might slip by and get into a nursing program and worse....become a nurse. She is apparantly already working in the health care profession...makes you sratch your head :uhoh3:

stpauligirl · Mar 25, 2006

I don't agree that everyone who flunks out, or has a hard time in nursing school is a "dummy". I think that is a very close-minded statement.

Enough incompetent health care professionals are floating around..... I experienced it first hand as a patient

Better being a little "closed-minded" then having someone DEAD (you can send the nurse to receive more training but you can't reverse the patient's condition once expired)

Meet my science taechers......., you bet no dummy gets passed any of them....that's the way it needs to be or otherwise we have every Dick and Harry being our nurses. Now take 5 minutes and look around your neighborhood, who do you see and could you imagine each of them as your nurse?

Would it be Billybob who honks his horn every morning at 4:00 a.m when taking off to work....or the guy three doors down who chronically deposits his cigarette butts in your drive way on his way to the mailbox.....or Harriet who is in a chronic hurry each day and tosses her kids in the car like chickens and drives off before the kids are properly restraint in their seatbelts......you get the picture, i am sure.

hdorsey · Mar 25, 2006

Being prepared for clinical(s), as well as the exam(s). The degree of info that you are expected to master. The fact that 1 test can make or break you! The fact that instructors can be your down fall if they don't like you & your savior if they do!!! Good luck!

TRINI_RN · Mar 25, 2006

I don't agree that everyone who flunks out, or has a hard time in nursing school is a "dummy". I think that is a very close-minded statement.

What I'm saying is that there a countless reasons why people don't make it through; family problems, money issues, etc. Not just people who can't cut it grade or clinical wise (hence, why I used the word everyone). Nursing school takes up your entire life, if there is any aspect of it that is not in order, it could be your downfall. I'm sure that there are many people on this board that know people who did not make it the first time, or not at all because of these types of issues.

stpauligirl · Mar 25, 2006

What I'm saying is that there a countless reasons why people don't make it through; family problems, money issues, etc. Not just people who can't cut it grade or clinical wise (hence, why I used the word everyone). Nursing school takes up your entire life, if there is any aspect of it that is not in order, it could be your downfall. I'm sure that there are many people on this board that know people who did not make it the first time, or not at all because of these types of issues.

Nursing school will test your character...if anything is foul with your life style it will catch up with you at this point because anybody can be booksmart.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Mar 25, 2006

What I'm saying is that there a countless reasons why people don't make it through; family problems, money issues, etc. Not just people who can't cut it grade or clinical wise (hence, why I used the word everyone). Nursing school takes up your entire life, if there is any aspect of it that is not in order, it could be your downfall. I'm sure that there are many people on this board that know people who did not make it the first time, or not at all because of these types of issues.

Even if you have no financial or family issues, and are a 'smart' person, that may not get you through either. Many of my students have degrees and careers in other fields, but may not be cut out for nursing. It doesn't mean they are dummies- just not nurse-material.