Is Nursing The Hardest Degree? Nursing school is hard. There’s no getting around it. Students will be expected to work long hours, stress out about their grades, and study tirelessly in order to pass the numerous exams they’ll encounter on the way through their degree program.
How can you prepare for nursing school? The first step is admitting that it’s going to be difficult—you’re studying for an intense career that requires a lot of work and discipline. But if you can accept those challenges head-on and learn from your mistakes along the way, you’ll get there! Here are some tips for making your time in nursing school easier:
- Make sure you have all of your prerequisites done before applying for admission into a nursing program; this includes having some basic knowledge or experience with anatomy & physiology (AP), biology (BIO), chemistry (CHEM), health care ethics (HCE), psychology (PSYC), sociology/social work/human services (SSWS), statistics & research methods (STRSM) or general science electives such as nutrition or microbiology
- Read up on all of these classes ahead of time so that when you’re actually taking them during your second year at college they won’t seem nearly as intimidating because now they’re familiar topics instead of new ones
- Talk with current students who’ve gone through similar programs before so they can tell what kind of workloads they should expect during each semester
How To Prepare For Nursing
To prepare for nursing, you must take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). You should also take practice tests to make sure that you are ready to pass these exams.
The GRE is offered year-round at Prometric Test Centers around the world. The MCAT is available in April and October every year, with registration deadlines one month before each examination date.
In addition to taking these prerequisites courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, psychology and sociology history English as well as anatomy physiology it’s a good idea to enroll in an online college program that offers an associate degree or certificate in nursing education training program for those who want to become registered nurses without having graduated from high school
Most Challenging Classes In Nursing
There are many different types of nursing degrees, and there are a number of factors that make one school more challenging than another. At large universities, for example, you may find the classes to be larger and less intimate. Additionally, some schools offer accelerated options for students who already have an undergraduate degree in biology or another related field.
A good way to determine whether or not your nursing program is too difficult is to ask yourself these questions:
- How far away from home do I live? If you live on campus at least part time, it should be easier to manage your course load than if you commute every day from another city or state. You’ll also want to consider how easy it will be for you to get an off-campus job (or two) while taking classes!
- What type of student body does my school have? A small college with low admission standards may mean that all incoming freshman have similar academic backgrounds—in which case they’re all likely capable of handling high-level material. On the other hand, if they accept only those applicants who have already completed an undergraduate degree in biology before applying—and those who score well on their MCATs!—you might find yourself struggling just because everyone else around has been smarter since childhood!
General Anatomy And Physiology
General Anatomy and Physiology is a two-year course, which covers the structure and function of the human body. It is split into two halves: first year anatomy and second year physiology. The first year includes topics such as gross human anatomy (the structure of the human body in general), histology (how cells are structured), embryology (the development of a baby inside its mother) and neuroscience (how the nervous system works).
The second year focuses on more advanced study at a cellular level, with students learning about organ systems such as cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts; how these systems work together to maintain homeostasis in the body; what happens during disease or injury; plus much more!
The course is assessed by way of written exams at both levels – once during each term over three years for me but it varies depending on when you take this subject
Pharmacology And Drug Administration
Pharmacology is the study of drugs and drug interactions. It is a science that studies both the use and abuse of drugs, as well as their effects on living organisms. The discipline studies how drugs work, what they do to our bodies, why they make us feel sick or high and what we can do to counteract them when they cause problems in our bodies.
Pharmaceuticals have an enormous impact on our daily lives: from the food we eat to the medicines we take for ailments large and small; from painkillers after surgery to the sleep aids keeping us out at night; from birth control pills protecting against pregnancy to anti-depressants treating depression—the list goes on!
Drugs are classified by their biological, chemical, and physical properties which may include: how fast a drug works once swallowed (its absorption rate), how long it takes for this medication’s effect come about (its onset time), whether it works best if taken with food/milk/water/etc., etc..
Drugs can also be administered by mouth (by swallowing), injection into muscle tissue under skin layers (subcutaneous injection), inhalation into lungs through nose or mouth (intranasal administration), absorption through skin layers where they then go straight into bloodstreams via blood vessels underneath those areas (transdermal administration).
Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology is the study of the causes and mechanisms of diseases and abnormal conditions. It’s a multi-disciplinary field that involves studying how disease occurs, how it progresses, its effects on the body and how to treat it. Examples include:
- Anatomy and physiology of the heart, lungs and blood vessels
- The structure and function of the human body
Care Of The Acutely Ill Adult
This course focuses on the care and management of the acutely ill adult. You will learn about common acute conditions, including gastrointestinal bleeding, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and other respiratory disorders. Patients with these conditions may require medications to improve their symptoms as well as fluid therapy and nutritional support in order to ensure their recovery as quickly as possible.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
Psychiatrist and nursing student, Dwayne Kidder, believes that psychiatric nursing is an incredibly important field for society. “Nurses are the ones who see patients in their rawest form – when they are at their most vulnerable and hurting the most,” says Kidder. “The job of a psychiatric nurse is to heal people who have been hurt; they help them to find meaning and value in life.”
To prepare yourself for this challenging career path, Kidder recommends taking courses on mental illness, psychology and anthropology while you’re still in school. He also suggests reading books written by people who have experienced mental illness firsthand such as poet Anne Sexton’s The Awful Rowing Toward God: Poems 1956-1970 or Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s On Death & Dying: What the dying have taught me about life (which was later turned into a TV movie).
Child And Family Health Nursing
Nursing is a challenging degree, but it’s not the hardest. Nursing degrees vary by specialty, and some nursing specialties have tougher workloads than others.
Child and Family Health Nursing is one of the least difficult nursing programs on offer; in fact, this degree is designed for students who want to work with children and families. The curriculum focuses on prevention, early intervention and growth/development; health promotion; case management; community health; health education; disease prevention. It’s an excellent choice if you’re looking to get into pediatrics or obstetrics!
Nursing is tough, but not impossible to accomplish
Nursing is a rewarding and challenging degree, but it’s not impossible to accomplish. Many students graduate from nursing school with high debt, but the work they do can help people who need it most. Nursing is a field that gives you the opportunity to make a difference in the world by saving lives and helping others recover from illnesses.
Universities Offering Nursing Degree
Here’s a list of top universities offering the Nursing degree:
Columbia University, New York
Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university in Upper Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher education in New York and the fifth oldest in the United States. Columbia comprises three undergraduate schools (the College of General Studies, Columbia College and Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science) as well as five graduate divisions (Columbia Business School’s MBA program, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences; School of International and Public Affairs; Mailman School of Public Health; Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation). Undergraduate enrollment is 21,000 with an alumni base estimated at 260,000 worldwide.
The university was founded on May 14th 1754 by royal charter from King George II for ‘the instruction of youth’. It was named after James Madison who served as the first president from 1851 until 1868 when he was succeeded by his son Robert Todd Lincoln (who served until 1886), grandson Edward Baker Abrahams III (who served until 1932), great-grandson David Rockefeller Jr., nephew Winthrop Aldrich Rockefeller IV (who served until 1959), great-great-grandson Malcolm Stevenson Meacham Jr., grandson William Rockwell Thompson III**(who currently serves)
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is among the most prestigious universities in the world and one of the eight colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. The institution comprises ten schools including business, engineering and arts & sciences. With over 20 doctoral programs, it remains one of the top research universities in US with around $2 billion annual research expenditure as well as strong ties with industry that allow its students to obtain co-op jobs and internships.
Yale University, Connecticut
Yale University is a private Ivy League research university located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Incorporated as the “Collegiate School” by the legislature of the colony, Yale developed into a major research university during the 19th century, often cited as one of America’s most prestigious universities.
Yale and Harvard University have been affiliated with each other for over two centuries and share an athletic rivalry. Yale also has a close relationship with Stanford University, which was established under Timothy Dwight, former president of Yale College.
Duke University, North Carolina
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Duke’s main campus spans over 8,600 acres on three contiguous campuses in Durham as well as a marine lab in Beaufort.
Duke University is ranked among the top 20 universities in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2019 rankings; Princeton Review also named it one of its “Best 361 Colleges”. It has been consistently ranked as one of the best universities and colleges by Forbes since 2006.. In 2018-19, U.S News & World Report ranked Duke 7th among National Universities (tied with Stanford) and 28th globally (10th worldwide for Arts & Humanities). According to Niche Rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools for 2019: Harvard (#1), Yale (#2) & MIT (#3).
Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
Johns Hopkins University (JHU), is a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, the university was named for its first benefactor, the American industrialist Johns Hopkins.
The institution’s academic divisions include campus-based schools and institutes which comprise the Homewood campus and medical centers in East Baltimore; as well as academic departments at various regional campuses throughout Central Maryland.
Stanford University, California
Stanford University, located in California, USA is a private research university. Stanford has been recognized as one of the world’s leading universities since its founding in 1885. The university offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs through its seven schools and 22 academic departments at the undergraduate level alone; plus it includes an additional six professional schools. Stanford University has total undergraduate enrollment of 8,723 with a total graduate enrollment of 6,904; thus making it one of the largest universities on our list by number of students enrolled.
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university based in New York City, United States. NYU was established in 1831, making it one of the oldest private institutions of higher education in the United States.
The university consists of 14 schools and colleges, and has campuses located throughout New York City: Manhattan; Brooklyn; Abu Dhabi; Shanghai; Buenos Aires. NYU’s main campus is situated around Washington Square Park on Greenwich Village’s west side, with two additional campuses at Westchester (White Plains) and Purchase (Westchester County). The university operates study abroad programs in Florence/Cracow for undergraduates, as well as Paris for graduate students.
The university also offers a wide array of liberal arts undergraduate degrees through its Gallatin School of Individualized Study program as well as various graduate degrees through its professional schools such as journalism at the Arthur L Carter Journalism Institute or public service at Robert F Wagner Graduate School Public Service Center.
Vanderbilt University, Tennessee
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1 million endowment. Vanderbilt was founded to provide greater access to education for all classes of people through an innovative collegiate educational model which combines liberal arts and professional studies.
NorthWestern University, Evanston Illinois
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois, with campuses in Chicago and Doha, Qatar, and academic programs in Qatar and Washington, D.C. It is a founding member of the Association of American Universities. The university is ranked 10th in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2019–20; it has been ranked as high as eighth overall (2016).
Northwestern was first chartered as an all-male institution on January 20, 1851 by the Illinois General Assembly. The school opened its doors to women in 1869 and now has more than 6800 undergraduate students from across the United States and around the world; there are more than 500 graduate students at any given time (about 45% PhD candidates).
Emory University, Atlanta
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The university is nonsectarian, and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The university’s name is derived from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, whose bishops were also founders of the university.
In 1836 Emory College was founded in Oxford, Georgia by second bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church south Samuel Houghton (1755-1846). It remained under his leadership until his death in 1845 when he was succeeded by Bishop Matthew Simpson (1800-1878). In 1839 it moved to Covington Georgia where it became affiliated with Oglethorpe University for financial reasons; however when that affiliation failed Oglethorpe closed its doors and Emory reopened independently under Simpson as president at Oxford Georgia on Dec 1st 1851 .
At this time Emory College consisted primarily of two buildings: Whitehall House which was used as a dormitory and classroom space while Walton Hall was used as library/classroom space; both buildings are still standing today although they have gone through many renovations since then.*Oglethorpe University had been founded several years earlier than either Mercer University or UNC Chapel Hill both established their first classes within days after each other following graduation from Franklin College which later became known as Florida State University.*
After taking the nursing degree from any of these university one can start practicing nursing
The nursing degree is a four-year course, which one can take after completing high school. The undergraduate degree is a bachelor’s degree and graduate degree, it means that you will be studying at the graduate level. A master’s degree program can also be pursued after gaining your bachelor’s degree in nursing. If you want to become an advanced nurse practitioner then you need to complete a doctoral program that can take two years or more than this.
Conclusion
Nursing is an incredibly rewarding career path, but it’s not for the faint of heart. If you’re determined to become a nurse, then we encourage you to review our tips and advice from current nursing students to help you succeed in your courses and get into a great program.
