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How will obtaining my nursing degree challenge me and what are some activities, habits, etc. I can use to cope with these challenges ?
How will obtaining my nursing degree challenge me and what are some activities, habits, etc. I can use to cope with these challenges?
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Gurpreet Lally
CareerVillage.org TeamSr. Community Manager at CareerVillage
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Gurpreet’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team
Hi Lindsey,
While I'm not a nurse, I did notice that many students have asked similar questions over the years and wanted to share! It looks like there are two main things that tend to be challenging in when getting your nursing degree.
1. There is a lot of content you need to study. Nursing isnt easy and there is a lot of information that will be responsible for knowing.
I'd recommend looking at Elsye's answer here (https://www.careervillage.org/questions/1228102/study-habits-for-nursing-school#answers) which covers how to study for specific types of classes. Celine & Doc Frick both have good advice on this as well (https://www.careervillage.org/questions/1030897/what-are-some-good-study-habits-to-obtain-while-in-nursing-school) including joining study groups, going to office hours, etc.
2. Balancing a stressful program like nursing and other obligations (like a job or a family) can be difficult. There are few responses in this thread (https://www.careervillage.org/questions/1150046/how-do-i-maintain-a-school-life-balance-in-a-nursing-program) that give some good advice on that. In genera. they recommend things like time blocking your calendar, tracking important deadlines, and making sure to still do things outside of the program that brings you joy
While I'm not a nurse, I did notice that many students have asked similar questions over the years and wanted to share! It looks like there are two main things that tend to be challenging in when getting your nursing degree.
1. There is a lot of content you need to study. Nursing isnt easy and there is a lot of information that will be responsible for knowing.
I'd recommend looking at Elsye's answer here (https://www.careervillage.org/questions/1228102/study-habits-for-nursing-school#answers) which covers how to study for specific types of classes. Celine & Doc Frick both have good advice on this as well (https://www.careervillage.org/questions/1030897/what-are-some-good-study-habits-to-obtain-while-in-nursing-school) including joining study groups, going to office hours, etc.
2. Balancing a stressful program like nursing and other obligations (like a job or a family) can be difficult. There are few responses in this thread (https://www.careervillage.org/questions/1150046/how-do-i-maintain-a-school-life-balance-in-a-nursing-program) that give some good advice on that. In genera. they recommend things like time blocking your calendar, tracking important deadlines, and making sure to still do things outside of the program that brings you joy
Updated
JOLAYEMI’s Answer
Hi Lindsley
How nursing school will challenge you1. Academic load
It’s not just “memorize and regurgitate.” You’re learning patho, pharm, med-surg, OB, peds, psych — all at once. Pharm alone breaks people because you need drug names, doses, side effects, contraindications. And exams are NCLEX-style: every answer is “correct” but you pick the most correct.
The gut punch: You might be a 4.0 student now and get a 72% on your first exam. Normal.2. Clinical anxiety
First day you’re passing meds to real patients with your instructor watching. Heart rate at 150. You’ll give your first shot, insert your first NG tube, see your first code. You will make mistakes. Everyone does.
The gut punch: Imposter syndrome hits hard. “Am I even cut out for this?”3. Time management chaos
12-hour clinicals + lectures + skills lab + care plans + exams + work/family. Care plans can take 6+ hours each at first. Sleep becomes a luxury during finals.
The gut punch: No social life during heavy weeks. Friends won’t get it.4. Emotional toll
You’ll see death, abuse, newborns withdrawing from drugs, families crying. NICU/PICU clinicals wreck students. Then you go home and have to study for a pharm exam.
The gut punch: Compassion fatigue starts in school, not after graduation.5. High-stakes pressure
Many programs: fail 2 classes = kicked out. Fail the same class twice = done. NCLEX pass rates matter to the school, so they’re strict.
The gut punch: One bad semester can derail your timeline.Activities + habits that actually help you cope1. Study habits that work for nursing Active recall > re-reading: Use flashcards for pharm. Anki or Quizlet. Test yourself constantly. Study groups of 3-4 max: Teach each other. If you can explain heart failure to a classmate, you know it. NCLEX questions from day 1: Buy a UWorld or ATI subscription early. Do 20 questions/day. You’re training for the test + the job. Concept maps: For care plans, draw out how disease → symptoms → nursing interventions connect. Saves hours.2. Clinical confidence builders Go to open lab: Practice IVs, catheters, assessments on mannequins until it’s muscle memory. Prep the night before clinical: Look up your patient’s diagnosis, meds, labs. You’ll feel 50% less lost. Debrief after bad days: Talk to classmates. You’re not the only one who hung the wrong IV bag or froze during vitals.3. Time/sanity management Time-block like a psychopath: Sunday night, map Mon-Sun. Clinical 6am-6pm, study 7-9pm, gym 9:30pm. It’s rigid but keeps you sane. Use your cohort: Split up readings, make shared study guides. Don’t lone-wolf this. Schedule “no-study” blocks: 2 hours Friday night guilt-free. Burnout is worse than one missed chapter.4. Emotional/mindset habits Therapy or counseling: Most schools offer free sessions. Use them before you break down. Move your body: 20-min walk after clinicals clears the emotional residue. Nurses who don’t move burn out faster. Find your “why” wall: Put a photo or note in your binder of why you started. NICU baby? Grandma you cared for? Look at it when you want to quit. Boundary with patients: You can care deeply without carrying them home. Learn this early.5. Must-have support systems Your cohort: These people become family. Trauma-bonding is real. Help them, let them help you. One non-nursing friend: Someone to talk about anything except school. Mentor RN: Find a nurse on your unit who remembers being a student. Buy them coffee, ask questions.
How nursing school will challenge you1. Academic load
It’s not just “memorize and regurgitate.” You’re learning patho, pharm, med-surg, OB, peds, psych — all at once. Pharm alone breaks people because you need drug names, doses, side effects, contraindications. And exams are NCLEX-style: every answer is “correct” but you pick the most correct.
The gut punch: You might be a 4.0 student now and get a 72% on your first exam. Normal.2. Clinical anxiety
First day you’re passing meds to real patients with your instructor watching. Heart rate at 150. You’ll give your first shot, insert your first NG tube, see your first code. You will make mistakes. Everyone does.
The gut punch: Imposter syndrome hits hard. “Am I even cut out for this?”3. Time management chaos
12-hour clinicals + lectures + skills lab + care plans + exams + work/family. Care plans can take 6+ hours each at first. Sleep becomes a luxury during finals.
The gut punch: No social life during heavy weeks. Friends won’t get it.4. Emotional toll
You’ll see death, abuse, newborns withdrawing from drugs, families crying. NICU/PICU clinicals wreck students. Then you go home and have to study for a pharm exam.
The gut punch: Compassion fatigue starts in school, not after graduation.5. High-stakes pressure
Many programs: fail 2 classes = kicked out. Fail the same class twice = done. NCLEX pass rates matter to the school, so they’re strict.
The gut punch: One bad semester can derail your timeline.Activities + habits that actually help you cope1. Study habits that work for nursing Active recall > re-reading: Use flashcards for pharm. Anki or Quizlet. Test yourself constantly. Study groups of 3-4 max: Teach each other. If you can explain heart failure to a classmate, you know it. NCLEX questions from day 1: Buy a UWorld or ATI subscription early. Do 20 questions/day. You’re training for the test + the job. Concept maps: For care plans, draw out how disease → symptoms → nursing interventions connect. Saves hours.2. Clinical confidence builders Go to open lab: Practice IVs, catheters, assessments on mannequins until it’s muscle memory. Prep the night before clinical: Look up your patient’s diagnosis, meds, labs. You’ll feel 50% less lost. Debrief after bad days: Talk to classmates. You’re not the only one who hung the wrong IV bag or froze during vitals.3. Time/sanity management Time-block like a psychopath: Sunday night, map Mon-Sun. Clinical 6am-6pm, study 7-9pm, gym 9:30pm. It’s rigid but keeps you sane. Use your cohort: Split up readings, make shared study guides. Don’t lone-wolf this. Schedule “no-study” blocks: 2 hours Friday night guilt-free. Burnout is worse than one missed chapter.4. Emotional/mindset habits Therapy or counseling: Most schools offer free sessions. Use them before you break down. Move your body: 20-min walk after clinicals clears the emotional residue. Nurses who don’t move burn out faster. Find your “why” wall: Put a photo or note in your binder of why you started. NICU baby? Grandma you cared for? Look at it when you want to quit. Boundary with patients: You can care deeply without carrying them home. Learn this early.5. Must-have support systems Your cohort: These people become family. Trauma-bonding is real. Help them, let them help you. One non-nursing friend: Someone to talk about anything except school. Mentor RN: Find a nurse on your unit who remembers being a student. Buy them coffee, ask questions.