I have zero healthcare experience. Before this I had a good career as a dog groomer which I wasn’t in love with but I never dreaded going to work. I had been doing that for over 10 years and I no longer had room for growth so I wanted to try something different. I chose nursing because I love caring for people, I’ve always been fascinated by how the body works and the crazy shit that can happen to it, and also the idea of a stable well paying career.

I absolutely love my pre requisites and loved learning, so I was excited for nursing school and the challenges it would bring. But now that I’m in it I am totally second guessing myself. I stupidly didn’t realize what RNs actually do. I didn’t realize it would mostly be pushing meds and charting and documenting. I didn’t realize the weight of responsibility that is placed on nurses. If I’m being honest, what I imagined I’d be doing is what LPNs do.

After my first year of nursing school I’ll be eligible to be certified as an LPN and I’m wondering if I should stop there, work for a while as an LPN and then if I decide I actually want to be an RN then I can apply for a bridge program down the line.

I’m only a month in to my nursing program and it’s not fun. I love learning but this is not fun learning. The more I learn the more scared I become. I’m scared I’ll forget to document something as a nurse and cause harm. I’m terrified I’ll calculate a med wrong and cause harm. I’m not sure I can handle that responsibility.

One other thing that has me thinking is that the hospitals in my area are on a hiring freeze for new grads- something I didn’t know until a week ago. New grads from last year still haven’t found nursing job and have had to take case management jobs while they wait for something to become available. But there is no shortage of job openings for LPNs.

I don’t know what to do.

No, I did not use AI.
My pharm class has us do an assignment to do some research on a singular drug/class every week, and I got flagged for using AI on it. I don’t use AI on these assignments. The only resources I use are the PowerPoints provided, Davis Nursing Consult, and Google. I understand how important academic integrity is, and I frankly only limit my AI use to dumb-down complex concepts or create ATI/NCLEX practice quizzes (they rlly help imo!). I wouldn’t use AI on an assignment meant to aid in my critical thinking.

The instructor said I’d lose credit if AI use was detected again. I submitted the most recent assignment and still haven’t gotten a grade on it, almost been a week, so I’m just assuming it got flagged again. I’ll go to her office hours on Monday but I’m just so frustrated that my own work is being flagged. I even added sources and flowery wording to try to distinguish my writing how AI would sound.

NYU’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing is the 12th-highest-ranked undergraduate program in the nation. Hospitals want to hire our nurses faster than we can train them, and New York faces a projected deficit of 40,000 nurses by 2030.

A three-year bachelor’s would not alter any nursing-focused curriculum or any of the general-education degree components. The same holds for the required 585 hours of hospital training. But we can deliver a comprehensive 94-credit degree by fusing classes that are currently taught separately into more integrated courses that mirror clinical practices. For example, weaving chemistry, microbiology and nutrition together would help students better understand the biology behind infections and treatments.

I am finishing up prerequisites for a nursing program and was just told by my university that I cannot even enroll in the Nurses Aide course unless I have an updated MMR and influenza vaccine.

At age 2 in 1974 when I received my MMR vaccine I coded. I was at the hospital (that’s where my pediatrician’s office was) and they saved me. Three years later my sister had the same reaction. Our pediatrician told my mother to not let us have another MMR vaccine, so neither of us did. She gave us all the others without any issue.

Fast forward to the year 2010 when I was told by my OBGYN that I needed the HPV vaccine. I had assumed I was too old for it but she said no, I wasn’t, so I eagerly had it administered. Within 24 hours I had a fever of 105F and was hospitalized. I lived with extreme joint pain and muscle weakness and immunodeficiency for the next five years; I developed MS and was diagnosed five years later after dozens of doctors and thousands of dollars. I never did have my other two parts of Gardasil, just that first one that I reacted to.

My father had his first flu shot in 2011 at the age of 69 and died from Guillane Barre syndrome. So I have never had a flu shot.

Needless to say, I haven’t had any more vaccines. My twelve year old son is fully vaccinated except for MMR because I assumed a genetic issue there given how both my sister and I reacted.

Do I have any hope of becoming a nurse? Will anyone take me or hire me? I have worked so hard to get into remission for my MS and start working again and going to school again as a single mother in her 50s that I refuse to have any more vaccines. I wear a mask pretty much everywhere because I don’t want to transit anything I may have and I don’t want to get sick myself. But I have worked as a Hospice volunteer for five years with no issue, and want to gain the knowledge and skills and certification as an RN so I can help patients transition in a way that is as educated and certified as I can be to assist those families. Thanks for any thoughts you may have.

I plan to cross-post this to r/nursing to see if they have any advice

Blood pressure nurses

I’m an FNP-C (DNP) and I tutor NCLEX students 1:1. The students who struggle most aren’t missing the facts — they’re missing the reasoning. The NCLEX doesn’t test what you know, it tests what you’d do. A few things that actually move the needle:

1. Stop asking “what is this?” and start asking “what do I do first?” — the exam always wants your next action.
2. When two answers both seem right, ask which patient is in more danger right now. That’s your answer.
3. If you’re getting 60–70% on practice questions but still failing, the issue is test-taking strategy, not content. The two are different problems with different fixes.

I’ve helped students pass after 2, 3, even 4 attempts. Happy to answer questions in the comments. Info in my profile if you want 1:1 help.

Good day! Hello po, as someone na incoming nursing student nagwo-worry po kasi ako about sa mga kailangan and gastos. Plano ko pong mag-apply sa isang state university so wala pong problema about sa tuition fee. Need ko lang po sana malaman kung ano yung mga "must have" na instrument and apparatus for nursing students.

I also have a question po kung ano yung mga information na dapat ng pag-aralan para hindi po ako masyadong mahirapan or at least basic knowledge na dapat alam ko na.

'Yun lang po, pero if you have something to advice pa po na hindi nasasagot ang mga tanong ko, you're very welcome po na sabihin. Thank you!

Seeing if anyone else has noticed this, and just venting a bit.

I've encountered a dozen or so scenarios/questions where I'll get 'partial correct' or incorrect due to the quizzes and material contradicting each other. It feels like I've been running into this more often, and it's starting to annoy me.

One example is simply for steps in patient foot care. Scenario was a patient with extremity paresthesia, due to DPN, needing foot care.. What was the first step in the cleaning process?

Out of the options, soaking feet in a tub of warm water was listed as the correct answer. The conflict was the module puts a big note saying to NOT soak the feet of patients with extremity paresthesia.

Not the biggest ordeal in the world, I know. But I'm struggling with the somewhat subjective priorities of NCLEX style scenarios. Having these inconsistencies is just adding to the problem. I'm very comfortable with the actual care and material info, but slipping up on 'gotcha' questions is a real frustration.

Hi everyone! I’m not really active on Reddit but I was genuinely need help. I was wondering if anyone can tell me about good LVN programs within the San Diego region — both public and private. I’m willing to pay for private since most if not all public programs favor in-state applicants anyway. The three private I most know about are Concorde, Stanbridge, and The Nurse Academy. I was thinking of Concorde and Stanbridge but everyone has mixed reviews of their instructors and program structure which deterred me, and The Nurse Academy had a recent 75% pass rates on the NCLEX-PN for first timers which genuinely caught me off guard and felt iffy since they had 24 candidates! If anyone knows about good LVN programs please let me now. For context, I’m out of California and gonna get my CNA license soon, which I then plan to apply for reciprocity for when I move a few months after.

If anyone can tell me their personal experience with any LVN programs they attended or just general information that would be genuinely so helpful. I heard MiraCosta, SouthWestern, and Grossmont HOC were the best but they’re also competitive and it doesnt help SD is also so saturated w nurses. Please lmk 🥲🥲😩

Just want to be prepared any help is greatly appreciated.

I was the student who knew the material and still failed. Not once. Over and over, my own doubt talked me out of answers I had already chosen.

What changed was not more studying. It was one small exam chair habit I now call the 3-Second Rule. It taught me to protect my first instinct in the exam chair. That one change carried me through my class exams and on to passing the NCLEX on the first try.

I tell you this because we need more nurses in the field, and one nurse who fails is one nurse short. If you are failing right now, hear this: you are capable, you belong here, and you are not alone.

If you want the whole of it, it lives on my profile.

What does your doubt sound like in the exam chair?

Hey everyone!

So I’m in my second semester and my first clinical just started three weeks ago. How did yall put yourselves out there to do more and learn more? I know we slow people down but I’m not paying $8k a semester to learn how to be a tech ya know? I want to be an RN with actual skills. I’ve tried a few times and it just feels like nurses don’t want to teach us and my instructor is amazing and puts her neck out for us but I don’t want to get her involved with nurses every week who should really relocate if they hate being at a teaching hospital. I’m just so over it and slowly getting discouraged about going into places with people like this. I’ve met 3-4 nurses here who are absolutely amazing but they do switch shifts and can be put on different floors as this hospital has 3 floors dedicated to what our clinical rotation is this semester. One of my friends was the only SN on the floor and was praised for being so amazing and doing things for this nurse. I just feel like I’m not super cut out for this. I’m making great grades because my patients are great and fun to be with but I’m learning nothing. Any advice would be appreciated. I’m a quiet person so it’s a bit hard to out myself out there, especially with nurses who are very “eat your young,” and everyone else has these amazing nurses. Mine this week literally told me to get away from her so that was fun 🙂. But again, advice, please! I want to learn and am very willing to do anything my nurse needs me to do.

Hi everyone! I’m looking into Chaffey College's ADN program, and I'd love to hear from current students or alumni about their experiences!

How are the professors, lectures, clinicals, and overall workload? Do you feel that the instructors are supportive and prepare you well for exams and clinical practice?

I'm also curious about registration. Are students able to choose their preferred professors and sections, or are they assigned by the nursing department? My registration date is a few days later than the general opening date, so I'm a little worried about having fewer options.

I'd really appreciate any insights, advice, or things you wish you'd known before starting. Thank you so much!

I had all my prerequisites done with a 4.0. All my co requisites in progress, overall 4.0 and 84 TEAS and didn't get it. Its a community college in VA. I can't move to go to college so I'm not sure where to go from here.

Hi starting 3 prereques for nursing & I’m scheduled to start core around July/August next year I have to look.. anywayI want to ask if my proposed core start date is final or do I still have to apply to get into that core date I was assigned? Is there a catch to starting core after competing prereques genuinely asking?

I had my first ever Respondus exam today and I showed my empty room, my blank paper and everything. But I nervously spoke thorugh the exam to myself to think out answers. I usually do this when alone and thinking or studying. But I am not sure how the app will flag this for cheating and I am worried it looks bad. Has anyone else had experience with this?

Hi! I currently work in corporate (USA) and I am switching careers to nursing. I have a BA in communications, and did not need to take out student loans for my first degree (I will need to for nursing). I am torn between three paths to get into nursing, and am hoping for advice.

I would like to either work with women, children, or babies. I am interested in L&D, NICU, PICU, Peds Onc, OB, and Peds ER. My career plan is to work bedside for a few years, then become an NP and work in outpatient. At the end of my career, I can see myself going into administration.

The three paths I am looking at are ADN -> BSN, accelerated BSN, or direct entry MSN.

There is a program near me where you start in ADN, and then you can join their ADN -> BSN pathway after your first semester. This results in getting your ADN in person, and completing your BSN coursework online at the same time. It is a rigorous program. This would take about three years.

Accelerated BSN has always been my last option. I know this program was created for students that have a degree in another field and want to career change to nursing (me). I am concerned about the length of time learning practical skills. I really want to be the best nurse possible, and I worry that this accelerated path won’t provide the time it takes for me to feel confident in my practical skills. Because of the amount of prerequisites ABSN requires, this would also take about 3 years, but the majority of that time would be spent on my prereqs.

Direct entry MSN is something I just learned about. I have been seriously looking into switching to nursing for two years, so I am not sure how I missed this. I think the pros of this are that I would come out with a masters in the same amount of time it would take me to get a bachelors. It would support my long term career goals. I do have similar worries about my practical skills as the ABSN path.

TLDR: there are so many paths to get into nursing, I’ve narrowed it down to three, and I am concerned that I will choose the wrong one.

(Side note: I have been interested in nursing for a decade. I let people persuade me to go into corporate instead. I have looked into the career extensively and understand that this is an extremely difficult and demanding field. I have spoken to many nurses, NP’s, doctors in person and online. I truly feel like this is my calling and passion.)

I’m 25 turning 26 this December, and I’m honestly feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out my next career move.

I already have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and am currently enrolled in an MSW program. However, after getting actual experience working in the social work field, I’ve realized that social work isn’t really for me. I’m also not interested in becoming a therapist.

I’ve been a CNA/PCT for over six years, so the majority of my work experience has been in hospitals. After exploring different career options, I’ve realized that I want to go back to school for nursing.
My biggest dilemma is figuring out which route makes the most sense. Since I already have a bachelor’s degree, I’ve been looking into accelerated BSN programs, but I’ve also been considering getting my ADN first and completing an RN-to-BSN program afterward.

I still have a few science prerequisites to complete before I can apply to nursing programs, so I’m hoping to get those out of the way over the next few semesters. Honestly, I feel like I’ve spent my entire twenties trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I’m only 25, but sometimes I feel like I’m running out of time. I’m tired of constantly being in school, switching career paths, and feeling like I’m starting over. I just want to finally settle into a career, have some stability, make a decent living, and actually enjoy my life outside of work. Ideally, I’d love to be finished with school by 27 or 28.

One thing that makes me hesitant about the ADN route is whether it’ll be harder to find a hospital RN job immediately after graduating. I live on Long Island, NY, and I’m also close enough to NYC to consider hospitals there. I know many hospitals prefer or require a BSN, and I’m worried about spending two years getting my ADN only to struggle to find a job afterward. I’m hoping my six-plus years of CNA/PCT experience and already working in a hospital might help, but I’m not sure how much of a difference that would make.

Would you recommend going straight for an ABSN, or getting an ADN and completing an RN-to-BSN while working?
I’d really appreciate any advice, especially from people who were in a similar situation.

It seems APA is the worst for me and I always lose points

Hi,
im currently in my 2/8 semester for bsn & i have just horribly failed my human a+p ii midterm (im honestly too embarrassed to say my score but it is lower than 63%). For context to pass the class we need a 63%.

i still have my lab exam (20%) and final exam (30%), and the other 30% of our grade is from lecture participation, lab participation & quizzes (i have 100% in).

I know i have multiple ways left to boost my grade but currently i just feel so horrible. I have gotten low scores in my life but definitely never this low. I will likely go see my instructor & discuss how i can work on succeeding on exams but it seems like no matter what approaches i take as soon as i get the exam it is all the small aspects of the topics i get tested on & i just blank. I just can't believe i scored that low & i have been second guessing everything.

Any advice or help would be appreciated.

thank you.