In addition to the curriculum and clinicals, here is a list of five common things you can expect in nursing school. These are general and may not apply to every nursing student.
1. Qualifying for Nursing School
As mentioned, nursing school is challenging, so programs often have multiple requirements, including a minimum GPA, satisfactory scores on entrance exams and passage of a background check. Some nursing schools also require an interview and essay submission.
2. Reading and Studying, Reading and Studying
Nursing school requires a lot of reading, which includes assigned reading in textbooks, supporting research papers, articles and documents, and patient charts. There is also a lot of required studying in order to be prepared for classes, tests, labs and clinicals. However, although you may feel overwhelmed at times, it is important to remember that it all serves a purpose. Nursing school is designed to create qualified, competent nurses, and all the tests are intended to prepare graduates for the NCLEX licensing exam.2
3. Constant Conversations About the NCLEX Exam
In nursing school, you’ll hear a lot about the NCLEX exam — and for good reason. Often cited as the ultimate test for nurses, this is a national exam that graduates must pass before obtaining their nursing license. One of the primary objectives of your nursing school is for its students to pass the NCLEX exam. It is a challenging exam, but it is passable. You’ll also have support from your nursing faculty and fellow students throughout the nursing program.
4. Immersive Simulation Exercises
Many nursing schools use simulation practices to supplement, enhance or replace the clinical experience. Simulation exercises allow you to develop critical thinking and clinical judgment through realistic patient care scenarios.
5. Medical Terminology in Daily Vocabulary
Medical terminology will quickly become part of your regular conversations with other nursing students, friends and family. You’ll often find yourself using nursing acronyms, abbreviations or other terms that many people don’t know. However, your keen knowledge of these terms will only help you to grow in your nursing career, so it’s okay to allow them into your daily vocabulary.
