How is nursing hard?

In what way is doing a nursing diploma/degree difficult? Is it the placements that generally cause students to drop out or the theory/too many assignments? People say that the courses are hard but I originally thought this was dow to financial reasons, having to hold down another job to support their familes etc.. I can't see how its any harder than having a full time job because although you have assignments during full time placements half the time you are just like a normal student in 3 days a week with assignments to do around that. I don't want any replies of anger I wondered what is it about the course thats most difficult?

Reply 1

Subcutaneous

19

There's a mixture
1. Finding placements, boring- realising its not for them
2. Yes finances, a lot of people are mature students with families and can't cope
3. Academic, a fair amount of people in my last cohort had to leave the course due to not getting the required grades for 2nd year. Nursing is a science within itself, and demands a lot of knowledge, but also analytical skills too and many do not gain them throughout the year or expect the course to be more 'practical' than it really is
4. The emotional and physical impact nursing has on people, makes a big difference aswell in terms of motivation, energy etc

Reply 2

Natasha_c

We were in five days a week, not three 'like most students.' It's very scientific and the content is hard. There's placements on top of work, at full time which most university students dont have to deal with.
Financially though there's a lot of help available and it's better then most courses in that respect, although you could argue it's harder to work.

Reply 3

darkplace

When you say your in 5 days a week, do you mean the whole day is full of lectures? Or do you get a few then a gap then a few more?

Reply 4

Subcutaneous

19

darkplace

When you say your in 5 days a week, do you mean the whole day is full of lectures? Or do you get a few then a gap then a few more?

5 days a week 9-4 and wednesday afternoons off

Reply 5

Caroleanne34

I study nursing, work part time and have a father who needs 24 hour care which I need to help with, I live on my own with a mortgage to pay. It is nothing like any other degree! Yes financially it is very hard unless you live with parents. We are in full time 5 days a week, we study a host of subjects, not just nursing, and on top of all that we work 12 hour placements. It is very hard going. Our uni also add in additional sciences which we learn in depth (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, immunology, haematology to name a few) I would kill for just one day to myself. I am constantly on the go. This is no easy degree. It's much harder than other non medical degrees. We have much more exams and more essays, assignments, etc than other courses. For example, this year we have 6 weeks of placement where we work 3-4 x 12 1/2 hour shifts per week (we don't get paid) and the day after our placement finishes we are straight into exams. No time off to study. I haven't had a social life since I came onto the course. However it will be worth it in the long run. You have to be committed to this and doing it for the right reasons as it is very tough.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 6

deviant182

15

Original post by alio~

In what way is doing a nursing diploma/degree difficult? Is it the placements that generally cause students to drop out or the theory/too many assignments? People say that the courses are hard but I originally thought this was dow to financial reasons, having to hold down another job to support their familes etc.. I can't see how its any harder than having a full time job because although you have assignments during full time placements half the time you are just like a normal student in 3 days a week with assignments to do around that. I don't want any replies of anger I wondered what is it about the course thats most difficult?

And full time job and juggling home life can sometimes be difficult enough as it is. Particularly if you have dependents.
Now stick revision and doing assignments on top of doing placement full time.
Now on top of that...again... stick also working part time so you can afford to eat and even travel to placement. This can mean up to 70 hours just working. Plus another 20 at least doing academic work.
And then a good few more hours doing housework, preparing meals for placement, cleaning and organising your uniform etc.
It's a lot to be doing.
When I'm not on placement I'm in uni between 20-25 hours per week.
I then also work part time as I have to support myself and my partner. I will often work nearly 40 hours a week some weeks. Then after work I can often be seen heading to the library or my home study to do my uni work.
I have very little time for myself or a social life in this course.
Despite this I do love the course and I can't wait to be able to call myself a nurse.
I also volunteer for St John's and I also am a member of several societies in university.
So there is time to do things you just need to balance it well!

It's difficult because of the sheer amount of things you have to juggle.
It's difficult financially as it's not a course where you have a lot of money.
It's difficult emotionally because you're always in a state of stress and exhaustion.
You barely see family some days and you're then also dealing with sick and dying patients and the responsibility you have is immense.
You can often be the difference between that stable patient remaining that way or noticing that they're deteriorating.
Of course you have a trained nurse with you, but the course is there to develop you to be able tp carry out tasks independently ready for you qualifying.
As I also do learning disability nursing. The stress from being on high alert for 12 hours can be exhausting! I can't turn my back on some patients for a second without having challenging behaviour directed my way.
We have to be aware of suicidal and self harming patients. We have to know where the ligature cutters may be.
What to do in an emergency. To ensure that all doors etc are locked if that is the environment we are in.
There are many dimensions to nursing that you don't always see at first glance and may never see until you talk to a nurse.
And even then you can't get the full picture due to confidentiality laws.
It's not a course that's an easy way out etc but one that is worth doing in my eyes!

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 7

wbnurse

9

Think your question has been answered. Il just add though....you work for free and they are very long hours and sometimes in places you would rather never ever step foot in again....but you have to. For 13 hour shifts for 12 weeks at a time...and let me tell you THAT is hard. It's mentally and physically exhausting. Your mind is just numb with information aswell as this god awful hard work assignments alongside. Having to go to work for free in the dark and coming home
In the dark depressed. Getting in to crack on with this essay you've been dreading for weeks. You'l never truly understand until you are experiencing it. Also it's very overwhelming. You are in situations that make you completely questions your ability and wether this is right for you and to be in that situation really isn't nice. I have to wake up at 5am tomorrow to go to a placement I'm finding incredibly difficult and i also have 2000 words to write by Monday because I simply haven't had time to do it sooner. I also have 2 children which of course makes it 10x harder

How is nursing hard?

Related discussions

Articles for you