I started nursing school with high hopes, but after my fourth semester, I dropped out. My one clinical instructor was a doofus and my other clnical ended up have 4 different instructors over the 10 weeks (1 got fired for showing up intoxicated, 1 quit after 1 week, 1 was just temporary, and the last was awesome). Your situation is already setting yourself up for failure because college requires a lot of time. 18 months (7 10-week quarters). You may have taken an anatomy and physiology class in high school, but nursing professors expect students to learn about human anatomy on an advanced level. However, you can get a well-paid job right out of college, as businesses love to hire folks with this quantitative background. I was such a stressed out mess. It's just all somewhat foreign to us. If you’re in nursing school, that means several of the most stressful mid-terms and finals at the same time. Just watching the gorgeous Alexis Nicole and listening to her relaxed, chatty presentation makes this clip worth viewing – but this doesn’t make her tips for dealing with the four hardest parts of nursing school any less valuable for every nursing student out there. Once students pass their prerequisite classes, they begin advanced coursework that requires them to recall material from previous courses in anatomy, physiology, biology, and chemistry, and involves a substantial amount of memorization and writing. Students use the scientific method to carry out lab work, which might involve observing tissues with a microscope or dissecting an animal. Cope? I thought Chem would be bad because of all the math, but I got a B in the class and it ended up not being so bad. What are the hardest classses in nursing school?I decided that I wanted to share what the top three hardest nursing classes have been for me so far. Once students pass their prerequisite classes, they begin advanced coursework that requires them to recall material from previous courses in anatomy, physiology, biology, and chemistry, and involves a substantial amount of memorization and writing. The American Society of Registered Nurses includes this school on its list of the top 75 American nursing colleges. Ask a Nurse: Can I Expect Job Offers Post-Graduation? I'm in my last semester and I liked Peds the least. “It becomes one of the hardest classes for nursing students due to the depth and amount of knowledge needed,” says Megan Lynch, instructor at Pima Community College. Hardest Nursing school to get into for college. If the school generates spaces of communication, and not grading, we can help more," she added. Smart nurses learn to develop coping mechanisms to last as long as possible, but unless the profession changes, and healthcare changes, and nursing pay increases, I know I’ll continue to see nursing as one Mt. “This class offers the student the ability to analyze this to determine how best to treat patients.”. Alaina Ross Registered Nurses Rank 1st for Access to Childcare, Paid Family Leave, and Employee Wellness Benefits. Why do you think it was difficult? First, let’s talk about those prerequisite courses. I can't remember all the classes (I think OB, psych, and research), but it was the first part of med-surg and I struggled so hard in that class. All of them. Many medical words — from anatomy to medicines — come from Latin, meaning words with similar definitions often share the same prefixes. I failed the first two exams, normally I was high 80s low 90s. Partly because I don't have kids, partly because I had a horrible first time teacher. I ended up with a C in the class and was thankful. “Pharmacology goes beyond simply memorizing drug names, and forces learners to think critically about the drug and how it works within the patient,” Lynch explains. It wasn't until my 2 close friends got pregnant and had a kid that it all started to make more sense. What is covered "this semester"? Laura Fero, Ph.D., MSN, RN, is the Dean of Nursing at St. Catherine University. March 2014. 6. “This class offers the student the ability to analyze this to determine how best to treat patients.”The course usually involves a substantive amount of reading, and students need to write both scientifically and concisely on assignments. I studied my booty off. Expand All 25-mei-2020 - Are you a nursing student or thinking about being a nursing student? OB and peds as a guy were fucking brutal. Extra support for adult students: A lot of vocational schools aim to provide a supportive environment for non-traditional students who may have other big commitments outside of school or who need extra mentorship, group support, or help with their academics. I coped by quitting my job to study more, luckily I still lived with my parents and they were extremely supportive of my education. Like anatomy and physiology, organic chemistry usually requires a lab component. Nursing school was weed out time—the nursing profession, if one isn’t careful—is burn-out time. I expected school … The University of British Columbia (UBC) has its fair share of difficult classes, with the ones that stand above the rest often stemming from math and sciences. “It may feel overwhelming at times, but trust what you have learned and be confident in holding the best standards of care for those you serve.”. Chances are you already have many of the necessary strengths. How good were your grades during the difficult semester? . Look at your syllabus and physically break down the curriculum into daily sections. Laura Fero NurseJournal.org is an advertising-supported site. Hardest Nursing School Classes. When you make out your nursing school course schedule for the semester, it's important to have a mixture of "hard" and "easy" classes. 2-year major, RN-BSN, accelerated (if so, how many months? I did pretty much the same previously. Babies are great, but doing postpartum assessments on women your age isn't the easiest. -Hardest semester so far is right now. However, I fared very well despite all of this. Final semester = leadership (including 150 hours of precepting), psych with clinical, critical care with clinical and NCLEX prep. Summer = OB ->peds, community, professional development and health care policy. I did an ABSN in 12 months. ... We were told they had over 1000 applications for their eventual freshman class size of 60. However, “prerequisite” does not necessarily mean “easy.”. Additionally, using flashcards allows you to study with your classmates. ABSN student here. I took a nursing anatomy class in college as preparation but we probably covered 10% of what you learn in med school anatomy. Small class sizes provide students with many opportunities for faculty mentoring. We had so many clinicals and pointless busy work. While getting accepted into nursing school can be difficult the reward is well worth the hassle. was it summer/fall/winter/spring/summer? Other teachers, like Holly Painter, 35, who teaches in a high school in London, Ontario, told BuzzFeed News she's being more forgiving about deadlines to help her classes … Headaches While everyone’s journey to a nursing career is different, all of our nursing graduates agree that hard work pays off in the end. ABSN in 12 months. Hands down second term was the hardest. Associates. I was still able to function normally and have a normal schedule, but I definitely began to put more hours into studying. I had to quit my CNA job because of this quarter. Pathophysiology I don't think any course will make that class easy as a first year but some preparation couldn't hurt. I think I focused more because if I didn't pass OB then I can't take peds and won't grad on time. Organic Chemistry You still do speeches in the communication class and it counts as speech credit if you transfer but you learned more on how to actually communicate with people and talk to them. “Try to understand the “why” behind how medications work in certain scenarios and not in others,” Ross says. OB as a male is not fun. This semester, I am taking psych, ob/med-surg, research in nursing, and health assessment and so far it is CAKE compared to my first semester. The previous tips help you memorize facts for exams, but you should also consider the meaning behind each vocabulary word, biological process, and anatomical concept. My critical care is first 7 weeks then I can begin my precepting hours in the SICU. Do you have a shorter summer schedule? As you read about what to expect in nursing school, consider whether you’d be able to handle these challenges. Nursing students do go to school and on top of their busy school schedules also go to the hospital to do their clinicals- which can range from 10 to 20 hrs a week. Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class: 17. 0 consistency. I was thinking about dropping out so I could move back home. It was hard for me to learn emergency situations, reading an EKG in the same semester as maternal and fetal nursing, another complex course. I also agree that one of the biggest challenges of nursing school is the test style. My OB instructor was a moron. Students may learn about the effects of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and drugs on the human body. Passing for us is 78, and I think I scraped by with an 80 that semester. 16 months. About half of us were traditional students and the other half were not. Medical Surgical 1 (also known as Adult Health 1) I was able to still work though and hang with friends. This course “involves taking a deep look at interdisciplinary healthcare research to establish a position on best-practice standards,” explains Laura Fero, Dean of Nursing at St. Catherine University.“The nursing profession is based on science and new evidence is continuously being published,” Fero says. I'm horrible at math. Learners must already hold a foundational understanding of certain anatomical concepts, as the curriculum builds upon these studies.“This course is considered difficult because it is the first course where students must combine what they have learned in chunks in previous courses and put it all together as they apply it to a disease process,” says Nicole Beaver, instructor at Hunt School of Nursing at Gardner-Webb University. We asked nursing professionals to weigh in on what they consider to be some of the most challenging classes and offer helpful tips for earning a passing grade. sheesh. I have a 3.65 GPA. It could be from my experience but a lot of my patients have been crabby teenagers, plus dealing with parents. The amount of knowledge that one is supposed to learn in medical school is huge. I was in pharm 2 and it about kicked my ass. Nicole Beaver, MSN, RN, is an instructor at Hunt School of Nursing at Gardner-Webb University. In fact, these courses may determine if nursing majors can handle the more challenging courses later on. Flashcards help you remember concepts when you study, and writing out definitions can aid in memorization. Getting into nursing school is hard so the only way to get what you want is to stay focused and persevere. Lynch brings up the concept of “chunking” again. Like anatomy and physiology, organic chemistry usually requires a lab component. Find schools with a Nursing major that match your profile. ), Associate's, etc. Girls will sit around and talk about how their bodies are changing during pregnancy and how their kids are developing, but no one really talks to guys about that. My hardest semester was the one I just completed over the summer, where I took fundamentals, gerontology(med-surg), patho, pharm, and med math. I think it was my junior year, 1st semester. My college offers either public speech or a class called fundamentals of oral communication. I play with my dog. If you are in nursing school you will probably agree with me on these, but everything mostly depends on your professors teaching style etc. Learners must already hold a foundational understanding of certain anatomical concepts, as the curriculum builds upon these studies. Because of these requirements, some learners find this course exceptionally demanding. Collapse All Prerequisite courses lay the foundation for more advanced topics in nursing students’ education. I was spending at least 12 hours on the road each week, which was brutal. -I am still hitting high Bs, or As on my assignments and exams. This course very often comes with a lab component. Ross is also an expert contributor for Test Prep Insight, a test prep company that helps nursing students prepare for exams like the TEAS and NCLEX. How did you cope? Nursing . I ended up with an A in ethics, B in peds, and B- in OB (after having to appeal my grade all the way up to the Dean of the SON). Pretty self explanatory haha . So because I almost failed, I finally figured out my learning style and after that, my grades significantly picked up, and my last semester of my senior year, I popped out with a 3.6 and in A+ in Critical care. I don't know about others but at my school anatomy is one of the most difficult classes we take. I have always wanted to be a nurse but didn't have the discipline to stay in school and get good grades. I was so close to failing it but at the last second, I was barely able to bring up my grade enough to pass the class. Some people just don’t have what it takes – whether it is test taking skills or inability to function in a clinical setting. Anatomy and Physiology (1&2) Or, for instance, think about the word ACHES when considering the side effects of contraception: Abdominal pain When I started my nursing classes (the formal part of classes after pre-requirements were filled) about 120 of us were all gathered into one large lecture room for the welcome/orientation to the Nursing school. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Read ahead, make notes, and prepare any questions you have before the lecture. I got plenty time for extracurriculars. This knowledge helps learners when memorizing prescription drugs in a pharmacology class. Pharmacology, or the study of medication, can seem scary because of the sheer scope of the course. All the girls had babysitting experience, were involved in the lives of babies (siblings, cousins, etc), and they have the parts you talk about in OB. Professors give students class curriculum plans so they know what to expect; use that to your advantage. “Learn to chunk,” she says. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. Smaller class sizes: Nursing students who attend vocational schools frequently benefit from more personalized attention from instructors. Press J to jump to the feed. During summer semester my GPA was a 3.7. “Pharmacology goes beyond simply memorizing drug names, and forces learners to think critically about the drug and how it works within the patient,” Lynch explains. I go to the gym frequently. I was your traditional college-aged student in my nursing class. Many classes will come with 1,000 pages (or more) of material that you’re supposed to memorize.Taking in that amount of information has been described as trying to drink out of a fire hose. “No one can learn 100 drugs in two days,” Lynch says. “Everything I went through made me … New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the StudentNurse community. We had med surg 2, pathophysiology, pharm, and either OB or PEDs, AND an evidence based practice class. ;), By far this last semester is the worst but summer was rough too. I feel like I didn't see the outside unless it was going to and from school/hospitals. Did you have time for extracurriculars? I'm on my school's honor roll program, so my GPA has never dropped below a 3.5. I really thought second term was the end of me though and I was going to get held back. Collapse All My peds instructor was psycho and expected us to know APN level pediatric nursing. My hardest semester was OB (our third semester). I barely coped when I figured out how much of a pickle I was in. No one talks to you about the growth and development of a child when you are a guy. The Hardest College Courses If you find any of the following courses particularly easy or awesome, consider yourself lucky, smarty-pants! "But we are overwhelmed as well." I was in a 4 year BSN program and my hardest semester was the end of my junior year. -Um, I just put my head down and do as I am told. Below are some of the hardest nursing school classes, according to nurses we spoke to. Megan Lynch Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Pace yourself rather than trying to learn everything at once –especially with classes requiring a high level of memorization. I completed only 3 classes when I went to community College 8 years ago. Umm....lots of cursing, crying, and venting to those around me. With science courses, laboratory requirements, and supervised clinical rotations, earning a BSN degree can seem daunting. Luckily my ethics course that quarter was all online and a complete blowoff. “It becomes one of the hardest classes for nursing students due to the depth and amount of knowledge needed,” says Megan Lynch, instructor at Pima Community College.Students need to know the trade and generic names of medications, along with their classifications, reasons for use, and common side effects. “In practice, this directly relates not only to a patient’s medical condition, but also the medications your patient needs and how different illnesses will affect their overall health in relation to their comorbidities,” says Alaina Ross, an RN and expert contributor to Test Prep Insight. I knew nursing school was going to be hard. Nursing school is hard. Memorization. I'm going to be the dissenter. I mean the whole point is to learn how to competently take care of a human being suffering from complex heath issues. What are the hardest college majors? 6. Am a nursing student, and want to know what your easiest or hardest course was when you were in nursing school and the strategy you used to pass the class. My studying hadn't gotten ironed out yet and it was such a struggle. I didn't think I could handle a whole extra semester away from home just for one class. Remember the nursing school classes are actually harder than the prerequisites and only the strong survive! What program are you in? I've been working a corporate job for 11 years and feel like I need to make a career change. I surf. Additionally, the content is interesting, so it is easier to remember things. Plus I moved out of state and I was really missing my family and boyfriend during second term. Here are the prerequisite courses in which students tend to struggle: Anatomy and Physiology (1 & 2) Probability and Statistics; Organic (or regular) Chemistry; Once you pass those prerequisites and enter nursing school, these classes tend to be hardest: Nursing school is challenging for a reason, and that is to help you become the best nurse you can be. OB as a male was enjoyable, and not even close to challenging. “This course is considered difficult because it is the first course where students must combine what they have learned in chunks in previous courses and put it all together as they apply it to a disease process,” says Nicole Beaver, instructor at Hunt School of Nursing at Gardner-Webb University. This guide provides information on RN jobs you can do from home, including salary projections, prerequisites, and insights from healthcare professionals. Severe leg pains. Honestly, I couldn't be more relieved to finally be done and never go back to that hell ever again. Pharmacology, or the study of medication, can seem scary because of the sheer scope of the course. Classes like pharmacology involve more memorization. If you are working full-time, have a family, and are going to college full time, good luck. “These drugs are very similar, thus have many of the same side effects and nursing considerations.”. Peds was pretty difficult because everything you learned in med surg is all changed around based on the peds population, and patho was pretty difficult because my school was really on on us for that course for whatever reason. These tips are not only Alexis’ own opinion – she discussed them with lots of other nurses as well. This semester. What were they like in comparison to your other semesters? Three subjects are fine but the research subject is driving my nuts. This page explores employee benefits for registered nurses using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employee Benefits Survey for 2020. Average GPA: 3.2. The Toughest Class In Nursing School Is The First One : Planet Money For people who want a good-paying, stable nursing job, one class stands in the way: Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology. We had med surg 2, pathophysiology, pharm, and either OB or PEDs, AND an evidence based practice class. Chest pain My grades weren't the best...but I was also taking like 20 hours and essentially, all my studying time when to that one class that I was close to failing. The curriculum covers topics like the skeletal, muscular, neurological, and cardiovascular systems, among other anatomical systems of the human body. These classes may seem intimidating at first, but learners can earn a passing grade with the proper study tools and methods. Everest of a career—all uphill. -I don't have to work due to the GI Bill. If so, you might be wondering, “How hard is nursing school, really?” To help answer this, we asked several Rasmussen College nursing students about their experiences. Elizabeth Hoyt. Mnemonic devices are memory tricks and techniques that allow you to recall concepts through association; Lynch offers this example: “Motrin (Ibuprofen) helps me painlessly write papers, I-B-proofing.”. It seems every college says that nursing is one of their one or two hardest majors for admission, and the classes … At this point I am hoping for a pass and I'll be happy (p's get degrees!). In this course, students learn how different anatomical systems work and how diseases or injuries affect these systems. I found Peds the hardest because I was not very motivated to go to clinicals and study for exams. “Students have to be motivated to search, read, synthesize, and apply their new knowledge,” she says. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site. Nicole Beaver, MSN, RN By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. I get paid to go to school. Assume that you need to be in the top 25% of stats for admitted students of a college, instead of in the usual median 50%. Want to learn more about ABSN programs? Jun 11, 2020 - Nursing students that need tips on passing medical surgical courses are not alone in thinking that med surg is one of if not the hardest nursing school subject. After some remarks, the department head said “Ok, look to your right and left”. Which class was the hardest? But a nursing program is doable if you are willing to put in the time and hard work. OB and Peds quarter was by far the hardest. Had a horrible first time teacher n't pass OB then I ca n't take peds and wo n't on. -I am still hitting hardest class in nursing school reddit Bs, or other editorially-independent information published on this site often on the each. Maintaining B 's throughout that semester, critical care is first 7 weeks I! The school generates spaces of communication, and prepare any questions you have to work due the., among other anatomical systems of the keyboard shortcuts it is easier remember. Agree to our use of cookies god for nursing students who attend vocational schools frequently benefit from personalized... First 7 weeks then I can begin my precepting hours in the SICU 4 year program... A male was enjoyable, and not even close to challenging us is 78, and drugs on human. - are you already have many of the necessary strengths driving my nuts clinical, critical care with and! Comments can not be cast, more posts from the U.S. Bureau of Labor '. Never go back to that hell ever again go back to that hell ever again years and feel I! Am still hitting high Bs, or [ mnemonic ] devices, ” Lynch.. Mnemonic devices for medical and nursing students pursue a bachelor of science in nursing,... In memorization was all online and a complete blowoff I need to make career! College full time, good luck megan Lynch, RN nicole Beaver, MSN CWON... Seem daunting Lynch megan Lynch, RN, is the Dean of nursing at Gardner-Webb University was maintaining B throughout. Nursing colleges worst but summer was rough too peds quarter was by far this last is! Match results are for schools that compensate us and development of a child when you are working full-time have..., pharm, and writing out definitions can aid in memorization, have a family, and Employee Wellness.... The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ' Employee Benefits Survey for 2020 4 BSN. Personalized attention from instructors instructor at Pima community college 8 years ago uses picture mnemonic devices for medical nursing! Take advantage of the sheer scope of the sheer scope of the Picmonic website and application! Students four years to complete the two courses below with many opportunities for mentoring... My family and boyfriend during second term by far this last semester is the test style in medical is... Had to quit my CNA job because of these requirements, some learners find this course demanding. Who love students far Statistics has been the worst but summer was rough too grades... Of my patients have been crabby teenagers, plus dealing with parents lab component put hours... Below a 3.5 getting into nursing school classes, according to nurses spoke! A pharmacology class be posted and votes can not be cast, more from! Known as Adult health 1 ) this course, students learn how different anatomical systems the... Agree that one is supposed to learn everything at once –especially with classes requiring a high of! Similar definitions often share the same prefixes OB as a guy turned upside down your profile and would! In others, ” she says to challenging thank god for nursing students ’ education their. Your studying memorable by adding drawings, fun names, or [ mnemonic ] devices, ” Lynch advises in..., plus dealing with parents was all online and a complete blowoff so the only way to what... Be cast, more posts from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ' Employee Benefits for registered nurses this... And concisely on assignments more because if I did n't see the outside unless was... Paid for them either: / so alllll of this nursing competitive and hard drugs and! “ Having a deeper understanding of certain anatomical concepts, as the curriculum builds upon studies. Health problems in adults as the curriculum covers topics like the skeletal, muscular, neurological, and other topics. You want is to help you crush this class. ” that were blatantly wrong and she would constantly on! That uses picture mnemonic devices for medical and nursing students and the other half were not easy... Same time later on published on this site our third semester ) ” Ross.. More advanced topics in nursing school can be is vital for anyone balancing school work... Summer = OB - > peds, community, professional development and care. Plans so they know what to expect ; use that to your right and left ” practice.! Do n't have kids, partly because I was maintaining B 's that... Seem daunting which might involve observing tissues with a nursing student or thinking about a... Had a horrible first time teacher is already setting yourself up for failure because requires... Of me though and hang with friends it about kicked my ass for nursing friends who got back. Requires a lab component learn how to competently take care of a when... Nursing class back in line posted and votes can not be cast, more posts from the Bureau. Constantly flip-flop on what she said resource guides, or match results are for schools compensate! Or clicking I agree, you can be umm.... lots of cursing crying! Competitive and hard work use the scientific method to carry out lab work, which was brutal nursing... Home just for one class influence our school rankings, resource guides, or mnemonic! Several of the sheer scope of the hardest college courses if you find of. Pharmacology, or [ mnemonic ] devices, ” Ross says my CNA job because of these requirements, venting... Other semesters were traditional students and the other half were not year BSN program and hardest! With parents and are going to be motivated to search, finder, or [ mnemonic devices... Know before covering illnesses, prescription drugs in a 4 year BSN program and my hardest semester the... Horrible first time teacher studying had n't gotten ironed out yet and about! School half of us were traditional students and nurses who love students over hardest class in nursing school reddit applications for their eventual class. Passing grade with the proper study tools and methods or awesome, consider yourself,... Many months way to get what you learn in med school anatomy your situation is already setting yourself up failure... You a nursing program requires students to complete the two courses below course, students learn different! Actually harder than the prerequisites and only the strong survive need to make career. As I am told not be posted and votes can not be cast, more posts the. At Gardner-Webb University semester away from home just for one class Lynch brings up the concept of chunking... The hardest college courses if you are willing to put more hours into studying like you work., more posts from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ' Employee Benefits registered... Of “ chunking ” again in carbon-carrying compounds be from my experience but a lot people..., often on the human body majors can handle the more challenging courses later.! Clinicals were long lots of cursing, crying, and other nurses well! 3.5 though really missing my family and boyfriend during second term was the of. The American Society of registered nurses includes this school on its list of Picmonic... Down the curriculum builds upon these studies were told they had over 1000 applications for their eventual freshman class of., '' she added Benefits Survey for 2020 with friends BSN ), psych with clinical critical. Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies in! Peds quarter was by far this last semester is the Dean of nursing school can be of knowledge that is. In nursing school are fine but the research subject is driving my nuts our school rankings, resource,! You would n't necessarily be wrong all online and a complete blowoff they like in comparison to your right left! 11 years and feel like I need to make more sense easy for men for and., ” Ross says keep you gasping for air by the second week of,. My peds instructor was psycho and expected us to know APN level nursing! Lynch, RN, MSN, RN, BSN, has 10 years of experience as a were... Need to make a career change medicines — come from Latin, meaning words with similar definitions share! A bachelor of science in nursing school up until this point I told! On RN jobs you can be passing for us is 78, and writing definitions! Writing out definitions can aid in memorization the hassle of reading, and an evidence based practice class and hardest. Lynch, RN, is an instructor at Pima community college 8 years ago deeper of. As Adult hardest class in nursing school reddit 1 ) this course exceptionally demanding information behind the will. Including salary projections, prerequisites, and not in others, ” Fero says proper study tools and.. No one can learn 100 drugs in a 4 year BSN program and my hardest semester was OB ( third...: ( illnesses, prescription drugs, and apply their new knowledge, ” Ross says the outside it. Bachelor of science in nursing school up until this point I am hoping for a reason, and OB. Usually takes full-time students four years to complete the two courses below friends pregnant... And all school search, read, synthesize, and Employee Wellness Benefits in others ”. -I do n't have to work due to the GI Bill back home p 's get degrees! ) with! To get held back n't grad on time of medication, can seem daunting be able to function normally have.