03 · Survive the Program
Survive the program.
Pass the didactic gates, clear the skills checkoffs, build clinical judgment.
The didactic track
The core courses
The core nursing courses you'll move through. The minimum passing grade is typically a C+ (78%), and some programs set it higher. One failed course can stall a whole cohort, so treat every exam like it counts.
Pharmacology
Drug classes, mechanisms, side effects, and safe administration. Heavy memorization, high stakes.
Pathophysiology
How disease changes normal function. The why behind every sign and symptom.
Med-Surg
Medical-surgical nursing. The largest course and the backbone of the NCLEX.
OB
Obstetrics and maternity. Pregnancy, labor, postpartum, and the newborn.
Pediatrics
Nursing care across childhood, with growth, development, and dosing by weight.
Psych
Mental health nursing. Therapeutic communication, conditions, and safety.
Community Health
Population health, prevention, and care outside the hospital.
Dosage calculation
90 to 100%
No partial credit.
Most programs require 90 to 100% on dosage calc exams and let you retake a limited number of times before you're out. The math is not hard. The pressure is. Practice until it's boring, because students panic here more than anywhere else.
- Desired over Have: (D / H) x Q. Desired dose over what you have on hand, times the quantity.
- IV drip rate: (volume x drop factor) / time in minutes, in drops per minute (gtt/min).
- Weight-based dosing: Dose per kilogram times the patient's weight in kilograms.
Verify every formula and example against your program's approved method.
Clinical skills
What you check off
The hands-on skills you check off in lab and clinical before you can perform them on a real patient.
- Vitals and head-to-toe assessment
- Injections (IM, SubQ, ID)
- IV insertion, catheterization, wound care
- NG tubes and medication administration
- Safety skills: infection control, fall prevention, documentation
- Clinical judgment: prioritization, delegation, escalation
Prioritization, delegation, and infection control show up on the NCLEX as much as in clinical. Drill them in the study tools.
After graduation
Start your job search early.
Line up references before your final rotation ends. When you're ready, we can handle your resume, interview prep, and job applications.
Hiring services