How hard are nursing courses?

[zenny]

Hello!

 

I'm currently going into Kwantlen Uni's Nursing Program this Fall. However, I am feeling a bit worried about the nursing courses. Is it possible to get high marks in nursing? I hear stories where it's easy to get good marks if you don't butt heads with instructors and difficult if you don't see eye to eye with instructors (like in nursing theory or clinicals). I don't know if there's subjective-ness in nursing courses, but I would love to hear some responses from nursing students.

[widedentist]

averages are high. Trick is to consistently score high on all graded material due to the very narrow grade distribution. Having a single below average or even average grade on a major exam or assignment can bring you down multiple letter grades.

[hexonu]

In clinical the marks are very subjective meaning if a clinical instructor dislikes you for whatever reason they will tend to give you a lower mark. However, in theory semesters you have much more control of your grades and an A is very attainable. In my opinion if you have a extroverted personality and good study habits it's easy to get a 4.0 in nursing.

[zenny]

averages are high. Trick is to consistently score high on all graded material due to the very narrow grade distribution. Having a single below average or even average grade on a major exam or assignment can bring you down multiple letter grades.

 

Thanks for the reply! I'm worried that since some nursing courses are subjective, I wouldn't know how to score high marks on assignments. May I ask how narrow the grade distributions are?

 

In clinical the marks are very subjective meaning if a clinical instructor dislikes you for whatever reason they will tend to give you a lower mark. However, in theory semesters you have much more control of your grades and an A is very attainable. In my opinion if you have a extroverted personality and good study habits it's easy to get a 4.0 in nursing.

 

Thanks!

[widedentist]

Ive had many courses where one letter grade was only a two percent spread (example a- 85-87)

[widedentist]

Clinical is a pain sometimes it seems incredibly random. Also the averages are always super high for clinical.

[zenny]

Ive had many courses where one letter grade was only a two percent spread (example a- 85-87)

 

Clinical is a pain sometimes it seems incredibly random. Also the averages are always super high for clinical.

 

Thanks! Hopefully my instructors will do the same in clinicals! Did most people in your nursing classes do well?

[widedentist]

Well in every class the prof has to give out a certain number of each grade. Sometimes this bad sometimes it's good. If the average and the mean are very high then you can land a crappy C with a decent grade in the 70s.

 

If you study really hard and stay consistent you'll do well don't worry.

[medisforme]

I found the nursing theory courses difficult to score a good grade on despite the actual classes not being overly difficult. I think these courses are more difficult for those who prefer concrete, scientific knowledge to memorize for exams.

 

Clinical placements: Work hard, keep your head down and don't make waves. Even if you see a nurse doing something different from how you learned in school I would advise to just let it go (obviously if they are doing something that threatens patient safety you would speak up).

I remember the far and away smartest person in our class (GPA was through the roof, had great clinical knowledge and in my opinion had a great bedside manner) had to redo their last semester preceptorship because they butt heads with their preceptor nurse who had an axe to grind.

[laladeedee]

Hello!

 

I'm currently going into Kwantlen Uni's Nursing Program this Fall. However, I am feeling a bit worried about the nursing courses. Is it possible to get high marks in nursing? I hear stories where it's easy to get good marks if you don't butt heads with instructors and difficult if you don't see eye to eye with instructors (like in nursing theory or clinicals). I don't know if there's subjective-ness in nursing courses, but I would love to hear some responses from nursing students.

 

Nursing courses are hard. Clinical is a pass/fail so there is no actual letter grade to it, and usually instructors are nice and they don't fail anyone unless your a total idiot or kill a patient or something. But the theory courses are hard , ****ing sucks. They will give you 4 answers to a question, 3 will be right, but ONLY 1 is the MOST CORRECT answer. its so ridiculous! But courses like complex are a bit easier because they are more straight forward, and not as subjective. I'm not sure what you mean by "its easy to get marks if you don't butt heads with instructors." Instructors don't grade you(b/c its a PASS/FAIL) , only the professors give you grades for courses. ALSO, on top of all of this, there is a ****load of work to do. I workload is what makes all of this hard. In 2nd year, I had lab, clinical, +4 other courses. And let me tell u that lab/clinical were DEFF not easy, there was a **** load of work to do the night before clinical like researching the pt's condition, all the 25 something meds to give, etc. and LAB, there was reading to do before hand and at the beginning of lab we get quizzes, and if we fail we are kicked out of lab.

[widedentist]

Nursing courses are hard. Clinical is a pass/fail so there is no actual letter grade to it, and usually instructors are nice and they don't fail anyone unless your a total idiot or kill a patient or something. But the theory courses are hard , ****ing sucks. They will give you 4 answers to a question, 3 will be right, but ONLY 1 is the MOST CORRECT answer. its so ridiculous! But courses like complex are a bit easier because they are more straight forward, and not as subjective. I'm not sure what you mean by "its easy to get marks if you don't butt heads with instructors." Instructors don't grade you(b/c its a PASS/FAIL) , only the professors give you grades for courses. ALSO, on top of all of this, there is a ****load of work to do. I workload is what makes all of this hard. In 2nd year, I had lab, clinical, +4 other courses. And let me tell u that lab/clinical were DEFF not easy, there was a **** load of work to do the night before clinical like researching the pt's condition, all the 25 something meds to give, etc. and LAB, there was reading to do before hand and at the beginning of lab we get quizzes, and if we fail we are kicked out of lab.

 

At u of a clinical courses are graded.

[kpm]

laladeedee, may I ask where you went to school? Was it UofT?

[Mr. Murse]

Hello zenny,

 

Congratulations on your acceptance to Kwantlen's nursing program. It's a great program, and very difficult to get into since there are over 900 applicants for 33 seats.

 

To answer your question.. Yes, it is possible to get high marks in nursing. I know nursing students who have a 3.75-4.33 GPA, which is competitive for applying to medical school. But all schools are DIFFERENT in grading/scale and marks vary on several factors. Some of these factors include course load, professor's marking, a student's learning efficiency and critical thinking ability, exam difficulty, etc.

 

I have several friends who have attended or are attending Kwantlen's nursing program. For their program, clinical is pass or fail, and not graded with A's or B's. You'll also be graded on the 4.33 grading system for nursing courses (with no scaling).

 

Also, there will be a lot of papers for you to write, so there will be subjective marking. But on the bright side, there are barely any finals to study for. This makes things more easier compared to condensed nursing programs with 6+ finals per semester like BCIT.

 

As for clinicals, come prepared, and befriend your instructor... I think clinical is far more important than nursing courses because people need to pass to move on in the program. So definitely do not neglect clinical.

 

I hope this helps. I usually don't answer on the forum, but since I read you will be attending Kwantlen's nursing program, I had to reply. Please let me know if you have any more questions. I'd be happy to answer.

 

Mr. Murse

[zenny]

Hello zenny,

 

Congratulations on your acceptance to Kwantlen's nursing program. It's a great program, and very difficult to get into since there are over 900 applicants for 33 seats.

 

To answer your question.. Yes, it is possible to get high marks in nursing. I know nursing students who have a 3.75-4.33 GPA, which is competitive for applying to medical school. But all schools are DIFFERENT in grading/scale and marks vary on several factors. Some of these factors include course load, professor's marking, a student's learning efficiency and critical thinking ability, exam difficulty, etc.

 

I have several friends who have attended or are attending Kwantlen's nursing program. For their program, clinical is pass or fail, and not graded with A's or B's. You'll also be graded on the 4.33 grading system for nursing courses (with no scaling).

 

Also, there will be a lot of papers for you to write, so there will be subjective marking. But on the bright side, there are barely any finals to study for. This makes things more easier compared to condensed nursing programs with 6+ finals per semester like BCIT.

 

As for clinicals, come prepared, and befriend your instructor... I think clinical is far more important than nursing courses because people need to pass to move on in the program. So definitely do not neglect clinical.

 

I hope this helps. I usually don't answer on the forum, but since I read you will be attending Kwantlen's nursing program, I had to reply. Please let me know if you have any more questions. I'd be happy to answer.

 

Mr. Murse

 

Hi Mr. Murse! Thank you so much for your response! It's very helpful!! I'm also grateful for your insight on Kwantlen's nursing clinicals. I have yet to meet anyone who have attended/or is attending the nursing program so it's a relief to hear that someone knows about it.

 

I'm sort of relieved to hear that there's less finals for Kwantlen's nursing courses (which means i might as well get started on essay practice this summer haha!). I do have some questions about clinicals but I'm not sure if it's a good question to ask as clinicals vary among each nursing program.

 

May I ask how your friends (from Kwantlen) found their nursing program to be like? Did they find clinicals difficult? or writing papers for theory hard? If not, could I ask how you found your nursing program to be like?

 

Thanks!

 

Zenny

[Mr. Murse]

I'm sort of relieved to hear that there's less finals for Kwantlen's nursing courses (which means i might as well get started on essay practice this summer haha!). I do have some questions about clinicals but I'm not sure if it's a good question to ask as clinicals vary among each nursing program.

 

May I ask how your friends (from Kwantlen) found their nursing program to be like? Did they find clinicals difficult? or writing papers for theory hard? If not, could I ask how you found your nursing program to be like?

 

I've heard some mixed things about the program's clinical... Clinical/Lab should definitely be a focus. Just like being a nurse, clinical is challenging, but manageable. A lot of clinical has to do with how well you deal with people (e.g. if you are empathetic, compassionate, and caring), how well you perform nursing skills, and if you are constantly promoting the safety of the patient. Some tips people told me for clinical were to be prepared, be professional and assertive, pay attention, etc.

 

Papers weren't too bad if you knew what the instructor was looking for... Like any university course, it will take effort to get a good grade. Nursing is no walk in the park, and so is being a pre-med. That being said, I think you are making an excellent choice choosing nursing as a pre-med option.

 

I should add that I will also be attending Kwantlen's nursing program in the Fall 2013. I should have said that in the last post! haha

 

Don't worry, I'm not a pre-med! And I look forward to being classmates!

[medisforme]

Nursing is a joke compared to a real life sciences degree.

 

 

 

I bet Mr. Murse wasn't smart enough to be a doctor, hence murse.

 

So you've obtained both a nursing and a "real life sciences degree?"..............................................................................................................................................................................................................I didn't think so.

 

Save your posts for topics you actually know something about.

[loki22]

Nursing is a joke compared to a real life sciences degree.

 

 

 

I bet Mr. Murse wasn't smart enough to be a doctor, hence murse.

 

 

Hence, Niagara College.

[hexonu]

Hence, Niagara College.

 

I saw that too and chuckled. He posts idiotic things all the time but this latest one really takes the cake. As punishment he should be restrained to a chair and subjected to 1000 unsuccessful IV starts by a mob of angry nurses.

[Starshine]

I went to nursing school about two years, actually those nursing procedures are really hard and i couldn’t do them perfectly.

[zenny]

I've heard some mixed things about the program's clinical... Clinical/Lab should definitely be a focus. Just like being a nurse, clinical is challenging, but manageable. A lot of clinical has to do with how well you deal with people (e.g. if you are empathetic, compassionate, and caring), how well you perform nursing skills, and if you are constantly promoting the safety of the patient. Some tips people told me for clinical were to be prepared, be professional and assertive, pay attention, etc.

 

Papers weren't too bad if you knew what the instructor was looking for... Like any university course, it will take effort to get a good grade. Nursing is no walk in the park, and so is being a pre-med. That being said, I think you are making an excellent choice choosing nursing as a pre-med option.

 

I should add that I will also be attending Kwantlen's nursing program in the Fall 2013. I should have said that in the last post! haha

 

Don't worry, I'm not a pre-med! And I look forward to being classmates!

 

Sorry for the late reply, I was on vacation and hotel had no wifi haha. It is so awesome to hear a fellow Kwantlen nursing student! I'm glad to be classmates with you. Hopefully there should be a FB group up soon for us Fall 2013 students because I'm curious to meet everybody. Did you sign up for an orientation?

[Mr. Murse]

Sorry for the late reply, I was on vacation and hotel had no wifi haha. It is so awesome to hear a fellow Kwantlen nursing student! I'm glad to be classmates with you. Hopefully there should be a FB group up soon for us Fall 2013 students because I'm curious to meet everybody. Did you sign up for an orientation?

 

That's awesome! It's always great to enjoy summer before we start hitting the books. I'm very excited to meet everyone as well...

 

I'm contemplating orientation because I am already very familiar with how things work at Kwantlen. If I do go, it'll be for familiarizing myself with the Langley campus, but I don't mind exploring it either... Have you signed up?

[zenny]

I'm contemplating orientation because I am already very familiar with how things work at Kwantlen. If I do go, it'll be for familiarizing myself with the Langley campus, but I don't mind exploring it either... Have you signed up?

 

Yup, I signed up for orientation at Langley's campus I wasn't a Kwantlen student before so I don't know much about the three campuses. However I did go to the Langley campus to ask questions about the program. Oh man, I'm excited and a bit anxious just thinking about this Fall haha.

[davidchatman]

I am not a nursing student but I really like the profession. I respect it.

[kobyburne]

If you are dedicated, committed, and willing to work hard, you will do well. Is the program difficult? Absolutely. Do you have to study 24/7? That's a bit of an exaggeration - but study, discipline, and time management are required. I passed Nursing school with a 3.75 GPA working full time, supporting a family of three that grew to four while I was in school.

 

How badly do you want it, and how hard are you willing to work to get it? Those are the questions you must answer. Don't let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dream if that's what you really want.

 

That being said - when you go through school, live it in the moment - don't keep focusing on the "after this I'll get my BSN, then my MSN, then my yadda yadda yadda" - enjoy the journey, and realize that your concept of what you want from Nursing now may not be what it will be three to four years from now.