When does nursing school become the most difficult? Is there a semester that will be harder than others will? Some viewers have asked me those great questions.
In truth, nursing school can be difficult the whole way through. However, you’ll likely have some semesters that are very difficult, whereas other semesters will be easier.
The Hardest Semester in Nursing School
Your most difficult semester of nursing school will depend on many different factors. Here are some things that could make a semester very difficult:
- The type of nursing program you’re enrolled in (LPN, BSN, ADN)
- Whether you’re attending nursing school part-time or full-time
- Whether you’re working at a job during school
- Family or health issues you may encounter (life happens…)
- The classes you’re assigned to each semester, including clinical hours and projects you’ll have to complete
- The teachers you’ll have each semester
- and more.
Therefore, the hardest semester will be different for each student, and it’s difficult to say which semester will be most difficult for you. However, I can tell you about the most difficult semester that I encountered in nursing school.
My Hardest Semester in Nursing School
Without question, the most difficult semester for me was the last semester of my junior year in nursing school. I attended a 4-year BSN program, and that particular semester included three classes that were very content-heavy, as well as the corresponding clinical hours for those classes.
I took mental health nursing, maternity nursing, and pediatric nursing, all with corresponding clinical hours for each class. The clinical hours alone would consist of 10-12 hour shifts for each class per week (three different clinical days), plus the assignments and tests for the lecture portion of the classes.
In addition, I had to pass a mid-curricular HESI exam that semester, which covered everything we had learned up that point. If a student didn’t pass the HESI exam, he or she would be held back for that semester.
As you can imagine, that was rough. I had almost no time for anything else that semester, and I was constantly working in clinicals, studying for lecture classes, or practicing the HESI exam. Thankfully, I got through that semester and passed the HESI exam on my first try.
My Easiest Semester in Nursing School
Although the last semester of my junior year was the toughest semester, surprisingly, my easiest semester was the last semester of my senior year. I remembered thinking to myself, “Wow, if every semester was this easy, I would have enjoyed nursing school much more. I would have been less stressed, too!”
My last semester was relatively easy because I only had two lecture classes, and they were grouped together on the same day. Then, I was assigned to one unit for my clinicals (we chose our preferred clinical site), with only one preceptor. I had to complete around 240 clinical hours during the semester, which gave me plenty of time to study for my lecture classes (and the coming NCLEX exam).
I really enjoyed that semester, and it really was the easiest semester during my entire time in nursing school!
If You’re Having a Hard Semester, Hang In there!
If you’re currently bogged down by a difficult semester, just remember that it can get easier. Some semesters will be tough, but don’t lose hope. You can get through this! Never let a difficult semester get you down or cause you to question your abilities to succeed. You’ve got this!
Soon enough, you’ll have nursing school behind you, and you’ll be glad that you stuck with it.
FAQs
Hardest Nursing School Classes
- Pathophysiology. In this course, students learn how different anatomical systems work and how diseases or injuries affect these systems. ...
- Pharmacology. ...
- Medical Surgical 1 (also known as Adult Health 1) ...
- Evidence-Based Practice.
Nursing is a complex profession. KNOW this: the first year is the toughest. It takes time to develop good clinical judgment and quality time management. It takes time to learn how to recognize when a patient needs immediate intervention.
Which semester is harder? ›
Turns out many students and faculty agree that spring semester is much harder than fall semester.
What part of nursing is the hardest? ›
7 hardest parts of nursing
- Losing patients. ...
- Being judged for their career choice. ...
- Working long hours. ...
- Experiencing physical/verbal abuse. ...
- Navigating hospital politics. ...
- Using outdated or time-consuming technology. ...
- Feeling pressure to know everything.
On average, 20% of nursing students drop out of nursing school, according to the National League of Nursing. A majority of students pass nursing school, and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission set the desirable retention rate at 80%.
What is the hardest exam for nurses? ›
The National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, is a critical exam that every nursing student must take to become a licensed nurse. Passing the NCLEX is essential to begin your nursing career, but it is also one of the most challenging exams you will ever take.
How old are most nurses? ›
Nursing is the nation's largest healthcare profession, with nearly 5.2 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide. Of all licensed RNs, 89% are employed in nursing. The median age of RNs is 46 years.
Which nurse is easier? ›
Nurses in outpatient roles typically find their jobs easier than those in high-stress clinical settings. A graduate degree can also help nurses move into lower-stress nursing jobs.
What is the easiest nursing job? ›
Occupational Health
One of the easiest nursing jobs to get into is in the field of occupational health. Occupational health nurses work in large industries, HMOs, and factories to treat work-related injuries and onsite illnesses. This type of nurse is employed to keep the workers on the job.
What is considered a bad semester? ›
What Is a Bad Semester? Parents and students often define bad semesters differently. Some students or parents consider anything less than a 3.5 GPA as a failure. For others, it's grades below a “C.” For still others, it's grades in specific courses that may derail their plans for medical school, law school, etc.
Is Fall or Spring Semester Longer? Most schools feature the same number of instructional days in the spring and fall semesters. But spring semester might last for a longer period of time because the spring recess is in the middle, which adds a week.
Is 4 classes a semester a lot? ›
You usually need to take at least 12 credit hours per semester to qualify as a full-time college student. Twelve credit hours usually translates to four courses worth three credits a piece. Some students take more than 12 credit hours a semester.
What is the lowest paid RN specialty? ›
However, school nursing is also one of the lowest-paid nursing specialties. ZipRecruiter reports that the median annual salary for school nurses in the US is $65,048. However, this range also ranges widely -from as low as $36,000 to as much as $90,000 per year.
Where do the smartest nurses work? ›
Case in point, within all general areas of nursing, the Medical ICU, Trauma ICU, Peds ICU, Neonatal ICU, are perceived to require the highest skill set of nurses.
What is the hardest nursing skill? ›
Time management. Most nurses aren't able to identify which task is time consuming, has high priority or which tasks to complete first or later. There's a lot of multitasking in nursing which makes it difficult for nurses to manage their time.
What is the hardest nursing school to get into? ›
University of Massachusetts Amherst. The nursing program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is an incredibly competitive one, with a 10% acceptance rate. On average, only 64 students are admitted into the program each year, which keeps class sizes small and allows for more personalized instruction.
Is the first year of nursing the hardest? ›
If you become a nurse, your first year on the job is often the hardest. Being in a new environment, suddenly having to use new skills, and the new responsibility of being a nurse hit you all at once. It can be overwhelming.
Is the last semester of nursing hard? ›
With the finish line in sight, it's easy to get a little too relaxed. Nursing school is a huge time commitment and it can be a challenge to prioritize studying over everything else. Remember, now is not the time for burnout.
Is the first year of nursing school the hardest? ›
The first year of nursing school is hard because you're starting a new venture. Not only are you learning new information specific to your industry, but you'll also be putting that education into action. Learning facts is much different than practicing them, so stretching yourself in this new way can be demanding.
