r/NursingStudent

For others about to start, how are you going to pay your bills and make a living? Did you take out a loan? Get grants? I live in California. I need advice. Thank you!

I’m currently in my second semester of an ABSN program in NYC. My last two clinicals have been on med-surg units. I believe there is a lot of overlap between what I have performed as nursing student and what is expected of the PCTs on the unit (EKG, finger sticks, turning schedules, bed baths, VS, etc.) Ideally, I would love to find an externship so I can continue practicing under the scope of a nurse, but I am eyeing a PCT position so I can get my foot in the door for landing a position as an RN after I graduate. I’d also get plenty of experience with blood draws, which is something that we cannot do as nursing students (at least in my program.)

Would I qualify for these positions if I don’t complete a PCT course and get the appropriate licensure? From what I’ve read, it seems like nursing students can work these jobs as soon as they complete one clinical rotation. Many of the applications I’ve submitted specifically ask if you have your license. I’m not sure if my application gets trashed once I answer “no” during the vetting process. Thank you :)

I recently started an accelerated nursing program and I’m so happy but I just need to stay I feel drained. Every Monday we have exams (which I was joking) and sometimes competency exams too that same week. I just feel exhausted studying or doing homework. I studied a few hours already this weekend and I’ve been doing good on exams. It sucks when I say I feel like I never do enough. I hate the feeling. I just needed to vent bc nursing school is no joke and accelerated programs are wild but I know it’s gonna be worth it in the end. I just would love some support and a slight push, please lol.

Hey everyone, I don't know if anyone can help me clear this up. I graduate in December with my RN (hopefully) in TX. My partner needs to relocate to OR in August and I want to follow them but want to make sure I am going about my licensing in the right way. OR is not part of the NLC but WA is. I am trying to figure out if it would be better to get a TX multistate license and work in WA, test in WA and get a license there, or just bite the bullet and get a single state OR license and apply for endorsement later when we move after a few years. ANY help would be so much appreciated, no one in my life works in healthcare and my instructors have had ZERO answers for me haha.

What questions does usually the first patho exam consist of?

I found out I really enjoy psych after my clinicals. But im scared since it’s been pushed down our throat to start at the hospital ER, ICU, MED Surge, Tele , etc.

These are my worries: I feel like I have to develop skills but when I mean skills I mean I feel like I’d be more of a critical thinker at the hospital not simply being able to do an IV. But does this matter? What if I work psych my whole life? But also what if I don’t?

Can I start in Psych and still develop those hospital skills later without being behind??

Please let me know if I’m wrong.

Did you have the same struggle? Any advice?

Scared to take bsc nursing .I'm taking it because of opportunities demand and salary.but scared due to society disrespect and getting stuck at low pay.plssssssd give ur advice.(In india)

I've thinking of giving nurse licensing exams of usa,after the completion of my bsc nursing in india as on india the salary is very low and the respect of the nurses are broke..if someone as a fresher got a job in usa after just passing the licensing exams; how much someone can expect to get paid? And is it worth coming to usa for nursing??

Taking prerequisites for nursing program and wondering if I may be too old for this 😅

Any other people started their nursing career this late ?

I’m in a 12 month nursing program the 1st term I was working, studying constantly and passed. I’m in my 2nd term and am exhausted my instructor noticed how burnout I look. I stopped going to class and have been off track with my classes. Although I am passing the rest I am really close to failing my Developmental Course (L&D) I am averaging a 62% on my exams and need a 77% to pass. My other instructors give me a lot of tips for exams but this instructor does not seem to budge. \* I take full accountability

I studied the same way I do for my other classes and scored a 56% on the last Exam. We have 2-3 almost every week so it is very difficult at times. I thought I could work and continue school but clearly I was wrong. I calculated the scores and need a 95% on my next exam and a 90% on the final. I am an average B student but I am changing my study habits because clearly the way I am studying is the issue. I quit my job because I am emotionally drained and really want to focus on this class. My test isn’t until 2 weeks from now and the final is a month away. I decided I want to continue trying and give it my all.

What are some tips that really help/helped you study and get your grades up? Or just general advice? I need a miracle 🥲

Hi guys, so I’m starting nursing school this August, and am wondering if anyone has any recommendations on what studying materials I should get, or what topics to focus on before. I’ve been seeing the nursing bundle book that’s about 100 dollars but don’t know if worth it.
Anyone have any other recommendations?? Plsss

I start nursing school in a few weeks and have a few questions. They’re mostly about note taking anyway. 🤣 I get nervous just thinking about it, because I do not like messy and unorganized notes.

Please enlighten me about your techniques and studying guides. I have an Ipad but I was wondering if pen and paper helps you retain more information? And which one is more convenient and organized? I plan on using both but I just don’t know how 🥲 alsooo please tell me your best studying method 🥲🥲

And would you prefer binders or the regular notebooks? Thank you. I apologize for being too nervous 🤣😅

If you have more tips and techniques to share, please do!

I am planning to start in the summer 2027 cohort at Indiana State University for the BS > BSN program. If you’re in an accelerated program, how has it been? I’m making preparations now so I can take time off work during school, but I haven’t actually heard from any students!

[supprimé]

Nursing student here

Been regreting my life choices about choosing nursing instead of studying an extra high-school year just to get a higher gpa that allows and qualify me to get into medicine

Dont get me wrong i like nursing but ifeel like im missing something or like im behind whenever im doin my clinicals , seeing how doctors and residents always have that enormous and tons of knowledge regrading their pts doesn't matter whether its in thier specialty or not

Man its so cool especially those og internal medicine specialists its like they know a lil bit from everything and tbh i absolutely adimre that, being able to know and get familiar with all these vague and nuance diseases and conditions with the strong ability to just give the diagnosis based on their complications is just plain cool

Currently in my third year of my BSN and im of two minds of either continuing into nursing and improving by taking extra programs or like i said doin extra year of high-school and get into medical school not to mention ill have a quite advantage considering that im familiar with the basic year of medicine , imahard worker and absolutely love to know the reason and MOA of every disease and complication i face during nursing

What do you all think ?

Just trying to find out if I’m alone here, I’m a couple months in to an accelerated bsn program and the foundations of nursing class is turning me OFF. The care plans and “nursing diagnosis” that we are doing in clinical are so dumb to me I can hardly stand it. It’s making me question if I can or should really do this, or if I just need to push through the bs and it won’t be like this when I’m actually working as a nurse. Has anyone else felt like this?

Went in to the ER because I had numbness from my abdomen down to my feet. After an MRI, they found multiple lesions on my brain and a few on my spine. They said it was caught early, but after a lumbar puncture, it’s been determined I have relapsing remitting MS.

Right now until I’m on some sort of DMT, I’m on a prednisone taper to help with the numbness, but my brain frog is so insane that I have trouble concentrating, and I’m not sure if it’s right for me to start going into nursing school in August, when I don’t know where I’ll be in the future, or what I could even do. I have no idea what my next relapse could look like, or if this numbness and fog is going to go away or get worse.

The absolute worst part of being in the hospital was the nurses coming in and congratulating me on getting accepted, and immediately following it up with “there are still some things you can do as a nurse”

I’m so sad, and so terrified. Right now I’m sitting in my office at work crying because I can’t do the most simple tasks because of the brain fog that I can’t tell if it’s coming from the prednisone or just the MS in general.

***EDIT:

Hello everyone, first off, I'd like to start by saying thank you to everyone who read and commented on my post, I really appreciate it. I assure you all I've read every single comment, and I'm doing my best to reply to all of them one by one, it's just taking a while, so please bear with me. However, if I continue to keep getting the same questions over and over again (even though I've already answered and explained multiple times), I'm going to lose my mind. That being said, please save both yourself and me the trouble and read the following. If this doesn't clear things up, then Idk what will:

Yes, I did go to nursing school and yes my school is accredited. I graduated and got my license last year. I'm an LVN, so no, I cannot work as a CNA or tech. I work full time in a hospital both nights and weekends, so yes, I already get both night and weekend shift differentials, but I still only make $21/hr, which comes out to only about $17/hr after taxes and all other deductions (so please do yourself a favor and never come to Texas and/or work at an HCA facility if you can help it) And no, I cannot just go get a different job, because the hospital where I work at is the only hospital in the entire area that hires LVNs and offers tuition assistance. Speaking of this so-called tuition assistance, the "assistance" is only up to $5k of tuition reimbursement, which of course is better than nothing and I don't wanna sound ungrateful, but reimbursement and direct bill tuition assistance or not the same thing. Reimbursement means that I'm still responsible for paying all $38k out of pocket up front, only to be repaid $5k after I've already paid everything. If I had $38k, I wouldn't be making this post. And yes, I already submitted my FAFSA and spoke with someone in the financial aid department in my school, and no I do not qualify for any loans. Yes, my hospital pays school, but only for the ADN to BSN bridge, but not the LVN to ADN bridge. I don't have an ADN yet, so I can't just do the BSN bridge for free instead. Yes, I'm very aware that there are community colleges and public universities that are way cheaper. I came from the poorest district in my city and grew up in the the foster care system, so and I'm definitely not too good to go to a CC or public school, in fact, I'd actually prefer it. But none of that matters if no one accepts any of my credits. The reason why they don't accept my credits is because the school I graduated from utilizes the quarter system rather than the traditional semester system, so the credits don't transfer over evenly. But I DID take all the same prereqs and nursing courses that any other LVN student would take in any other LVN program, just in a quarter system rather than semesters, and all at the same institution instead of prereqs at a community college and then transferring to a university. I am however seriously considering starting over, because $38k for just an ADN is ridiculous. Also no, military is not an option. I am well over the max age limit (I'm not just some young 20 something year old fresh out of nursing school barely trying to get their life and career started for the first time) and I am 99.9% positive that I also have a disqualifying health condition. Also even if I were younger and healthier, "just join the military" is not that simple, for me or for anyone. It's not what what you see in the movies or on TV. It's a whole process and there are some extremely strict requirements that have only become even more strict over the past few years. Back in the day, they used to take almost anyone off the street, but now they actually have standards (no offense to anyone who enlisted or commissioned back in the day). Nowadays more people are rejected than not, even young healthy 18 and 19 year olds fresh out of high school. Last but not least, since I made this post to hear from everyone, you're more than welcome to share which state you're from and how much tuition costs in your home state, but if you're gonna unnecessarily turn it into "Aw you're so lucky, you have no idea how good you have it, I pay way more than you do, I wish I was you", respectfully, STFU and GTFO. It is NOT a pissing contest or competition to see who pays the most. I'm sorry you pay so much, but if you come from a very high cost of living state like Cali or NY, if you're paying out of state tuition, or are doing a grad/post grad, then no shit your tuition is gonna be higher than mine, because I'm in the very low cost of living state of Texas, and I'm paying in state tuition since I'm a permanent Texas resident, and I'm only doing an ADN, not a BSN, MSN, or DNP. But as a wise commentor stated, "Everyone's problems are relative", so just because you pay more than me and I pay less than you does NOT mean that I'm lucky or have it good at all...I am literally homeless and don't even have a car to live in.

***ORIGINAL POST:

Aside from anything illegal/illicit, dangerous/unsafe, how the actual heck does one even begin to afford monthly tuition payments of almost $2,200?! (Yes, you also read that right. I wish I was kidding, but I unfortunately am most definitely not.)

I'm very open-minded and willing to try just about anything within reason, nothing is beneath me and I'm never too good to do anything, as long as it doesn't break any laws or hurt anyone, that's all I care about, seriously.

Sorry if that sounds so dramatic, but I'm only saying what I'm saying because I've already tried everything else I can think of (applying to a cheaper school, applying for grants and loans, working multiple jobs, working overtime, picking up extra shifts, asking for a raise, applying for credit cards and payday advances, canceling all my memberships/subscriptions, never eating out or ordering delivery, buying only generic store brand items, buying all clothing/shoes and household items second hand from thrift/consignments stores only, asking family and friends for help, making a GoFundMe, donating plasma, participating in compensated clinical trials, moving to a smaller/cheaper apartment, getting a roommate, selling almost all my stuff, etc.)

Also, sorry if any of y'all on here are going through something similar as me, I know it's really hard and I'm right here with you trying to figure it out, but hopefully we can all figure out something together.

Thank you for reading all the way to the end...much love to every single one of you, have a great day.