What did you find most difficult about Nursing School? What are your likes and dislikes about being a nurse?

The course load is demanding and at my school they weeded you out from the very beginning, we started with a class of 120 and graduated with 38. There is a lot to memorize such as terminology and symptoms. There is a lot of expectation put on you, especially when you are doing placements as you are dealing with real people.

When it comes it working as a nurse, It all depends on where you work.
I can honestly say that I like my job as a labour and delivery nurse, but it has it's ups and downs.
the doctors & administrators have a superiority complex at times and try to talk down to you.
The patients can either be wonderful or give you a lot of grief.
It's long shifts (12 hours) where sometimes you don't even have time to use the bathroom let alone have something to eat.
The pay is not the greatest everywhere (in Canada it's $23 to start).
You can kiss your long weekends and Christmas holidays good bye beause a hospital is never closed!

It can be up and down, one minute you HATE your job, the next minute you love it.

But at the end of the day I'm helping bring new lives into the world. I am making a difference in somebody's life, helping them to get through labour. The other nurses I work with are supportive, fun and help you get through the tough times at work.

For me I wouldn't work anywhere else, I am on maternity leave right now and I miss it. But I will be only going back part time because this is a stressful job to have when your trying to raise a family. To me, the shift work makes it impossible to find daycare for my little one, but at the same token lots of people manage. Also with shift work it's more flexible because you can work nights and weekends while your significant other is home, and your home with the little one during the week days.

Source(s):
labour & delivery nurse (email is cutern4u@hotmail.com if you have anymore questions)

All the study time required, of course. It is a huge commitment. I find I am unable to work and get my study time in....oh, and care plans. They drive me nuts. The schools should focus more on charting, which i suck at, and less on these stupid care plans. Care planning is important, and a neccesary skilI, but they should definitely be more chart oriented...I just finished first year and am getting ready to start year 2. Wish me luck!I can't wait to be an RN!

The math that is involved and remembering how to spell all the latin and greek words. Medical terminology all is derived from latin and greek words and they are long hard to pronounce and very difficult to spell. Also learning about the clotting cascade factors and what factors can get screwed up and what the results are cause there are alot of those. Its all memory work, but what i found helpful is rewriting it continuosly over and over again, drilling it into your head. Its hard and time consuming.......but definately a career that is rewarding. If that is the path you choose to go on thru, best of luck to you!!!