Nursing school is a blend of coursework, nursing skills and simulation labs, and clinical rotations. You’ll explore topics in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and population-specific health. You’ll also learn clinical skills, such as how to place an IV line.
Nurses are charged with protecting the health and safety of their patients. It’s a significant responsibility that demands intensive training and thorough preparation. What do you learn in nursing school? Nursing school offers a rigorous curriculum that prepares future nurses with a broad range of nursing knowledge and clinical skills, so they can tackle any challenge in the field.
Concordia University Texas’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track provides transfer students and career switchers with a comprehensive, high-quality education through a combination of online coursework, in-person simulation labs, and clinical rotations. Upon completing prerequisites, students earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as few as 16 months and are prepared to pass the NCLEX-RN.
What to Expect in Nursing School
Nursing school is a challenging experience for many students, albeit a rewarding one. While the curriculum can seem intimidating at first, it is intentionally designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to familiarize them with the unique rigor of the profession and excel in their careers.
As you embark on your nursing school journey, remember that each challenge is an opportunity for growth. A nursing career is fast-paced and demanding; however, nursing school is the time to prepare and learn.
As you consider pursuing a BSN, understanding what to expect in nursing school can help you rise to meet the demands.
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Core Courses You’ll Take in a BSN Program
While the specifics of what to expect in a BSN program vary, most traditional programs follow the same general structure. Your first two years in nursing school will focus primarily on the general education requirements you would expect from a bachelor’s degree, such as math, science, and humanities.
Ultimately, you will focus on completing the prerequisites necessary for specialized major classes. Depending on the program, you may also be taking introductory nursing classes. These classes will primarily be didactic learning, meaning you will attend lectures and complete coursework with some science courses and labs.
By your third year, you should have completed all general education courses and can begin nursing courses. The focus for this year will be on developing fundamental knowledge of disease processes and patient care, which includes didactic, clinical, and simulation courses.
Your final year of nursing school is an exciting one. At this point, your coursework will focus on more advanced disease processes and medical conditions as you experience a variety of clinical environments. This is your opportunity to explore where you would like to work as a nurse.
Courses in an ABSN Program
While programs vary, accelerated BSN programs offer the same quality of education as traditional programs, just on a shorter timeline. This is possible because students have pre-existing college credits or a bachelor’s degree and have completed prerequisite courses before enrollment.
Students in Concordia University Texas’s ABSN track can graduate in as few as 16 months, excluding the time required to complete prerequisite courses as part of the admissions process. This track is designed for career switchers and transfer students, excluding the general education requirements, so the curriculum can focus on nursing education.
At Concordia University Texas, you’ll participate in online nursing courses such as:
- Adult health
- Community and global health
- Maternal/newborn care
- Nursing research
- Pharmacology
Clinical Skills and Hands-On Training
Clinical rotations and nursing labs are integral parts of any nursing school curriculum. These curriculum components are completed in-person for a hands-on, immersive learning experience. Even in Concordia University Texas’s hybrid ABSN track, you will complete these components in person at the ABSN learning sites and healthcare facilities throughout the Austin or Dallas-Fort Worth areas.
Clinicals are held in healthcare settings where students gain valuable, hands-on patient care experience. During clinical rotations, students can expect to gain experience in a variety of areas, such as acute care, long-term care, community organizations, and others.
Clinical rotations begin with students shadowing licensed, practicing RNs in a healthcare facility, gaining exposure to the role of a nurse. Then, they work alongside experienced faculty and practicing nurses, assisting in patient care. Over time, students will eventually provide direct patient care under the guidance and supervision of RNs and other clinical faculty.
Hands-On Nursing Labs
Similar to clinicals, nursing skills and simulation labs provide students with hands-on experience with one major difference: All work is done in a state-of-the-art laboratory without real patients. Skills labs teach foundational clinical skills, such as inserting nasogastric tubes, placing IV lines, performing blood draws, and administering medications.
Simulation labs, meanwhile, enable students to apply the patient care knowledge and nursing concepts they’ve acquired from courses in a safe space. This is a great opportunity for students to build their confidence so that when they begin clinical rotations, they are prepared to approach real-life patient care situations.
Simulation labs also have the added benefit of allowing students to encounter situations and medical emergencies they might not experience during clinicals. This way, when a similar situation arises while working as an RN, they can rely on their previous experience.
Critical Thinking, Communication, and Patient Care Skills
The skills you learn in nursing school will fall under various categories, such as technical, transferable, and value-based skills.
Technical skills focus on the practical and medical processes that RNs should be well-versed in. These include, but are not limited to:
- How to assess patients
- How to put together a nursing care plan
- How to manage acute care
- How to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Students will also acquire transferable soft skills throughout their education. These include:
- How to communicate effectively
- How to advocate for patients
- How to maintain cultural awareness in patient care
- How to solve problems and work as a team
Lastly, the curriculum provides students with value-based skills that are integral to the nursing field. These skills, such as altruism, human dignity, and social justice, are foundational to ensuring that nurses and other healthcare professionals provide adequate and dignified patient care.
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How Classroom Learning Translates to Real-World Nursing Practice
What do you learn in nursing school, and how does that connect to actual nursing practice? Nursing school combines didactic learning with applied, immersive learning experiences. This enables you to connect nursing theories to real-world nursing practice. The transition to real-world nursing practice is facilitated by:
- Reflecting on case studies
- Refining clinical skills through practice
- Applying the nursing process in simulation labs
- Gaining a first-hand look at patient care during clinical rotations
By the time you graduate, you’ll have a firm understanding of how to provide patient care that adheres to high standards of nursing excellence.
What do you learn in nursing school, and how does that connect to actual nursing practice?
Nursing school combines didactic learning with applied, immersive learning experiences. This enables you to connect nursing theories to real-world nursing practice. The transition to real-world nursing practice is facilitated by:
- Reflecting on case studies
- Refining clinical skills through practice
- Applying the nursing process in simulation labs
- Gaining a first-hand look at patient care during clinical rotations
By the time you graduate, you’ll have a firm understanding of how to provide patient care that adheres to high standards of nursing excellence.
After discovering what to expect in nursing school and getting acclimated to your new routine, you might start to think about preparing for life after nursing school. One way to do this is to start your NCLEX-RN prep early so you can take the licensure test with confidence. You should also read about different nursing specialties to gain an idea of where you want your nursing career to take you.
As you approach your graduation date, start developing your nursing resume. You might also want to review job postings in your area to get a sense of what’s available and what healthcare employers are looking for. Consider getting together with other members of your nursing cohort to conduct mock interview sessions so each person can practice answering common interview questions.
Prepare for Your Future at Concordia University Texas
No matter what your starting point is, Concordia University Texas can help you prepare for a rewarding future in nursing. We offer a values-based education at our ABSN track locations in Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth. Once enrolled, our students benefit from support from our Academic Success Coaches.
Contact an admissions counselor today to discover if the ABSN track is right for you.