Chaotic MSc Nursing course

[51ducklings]

I've just started a nursing masters degree at a local university and I'm having second thoughts. The course is totally chaotic. I appreciate that it's the start of term, so things need to settle, but it's just so badly organised. My main issue is that it's such a busy course. 50+ students with more turning up each day, squeezed into small rooms. The tutors are nice, but they can't seem to control the noise levels, chatter and people turning up an hour or more late for classes. We're in 4 days per week, with classes dragged out by random discussion and filler activities that don't mean much. The first simulation class was awful. Too many students and not enough time to actually practice on the mannequins. I want to learn rather than just be squashed in a room with too many people with unprofessional attitudes, with discussion dominated by a few really loud people. I've raised a few issues with the course director. Is this just how it is these days? Should I get used to it? I suspect the university is in financial difficulties so they're allowing as many people onto the course as possible. I'm a mature student and it was a lot better during my undergraduate degree. I'd love to hear other peoples' experiences of their university courses. Is this normal?

I’m currently doing a top up degree. I was really impressed with the teaching and support we got on the first module. But then the course order went in Mat leave, and module leaders went in long term sick and it wasn’t so good. My dissertation supervisor was impossible to get hold of. Fortunately they swapped me to someone else. But it’s not been as good as I hoped it would be. I have found some of my cohort very rude to the teaching staff as well. We are all experienced nurses. There is no need for that sort of behaviour.

Completely agree with the fuller activities at times. Much of it not really helpf to out assignments.

@Toddlerteaplease there's absolutely no need to be rude to the teaching staff, is there? Our tutors have given many long talks about being professional, being on time, respectful etc. Yet they are still letting people wander in an hour late back from lunch. One guy even asked if the lecture start times could be changed from 9am to 10am! This was after another talk about punctuality and leaving early to get there on time. It's such a shame that universities are just getting as many bums on seats as possible. It's affecting teaching quality and staff stress levels too by the sound of things.

Is this your ACP? It’s quite unusual for a post grad masters to be full time as you describe. The behaviour of your fellow students does seem to be more typical student behaviour rather than experience professionals

@ChocHotolate it's a pre-reg masters course, so all the students have degrees and can graduate as registered nurses in 2 years (accelerated course). It's really full-on, but doesn't actually need to be in my opinion. The course is 50% practice in healthcare settings, 50% theory.

@51ducklings don’t worry, they’ll have a shock when they get out onto clinical placements. When rocking up late to handover just isn’t tolerated.

The dropout rate is quite high for courses like nursing. I would prob stick it out in the hope that ppl leave, focus on the end prize.

I’m a nursing academic and the first few weeks are usually a bit chaotic (we timetable a year ahead and generally have to guess what the numbers are) it should settle down a bit.

However, the impact of the funding crisis in Higher Education has meant less academic staff, less admin staff and a push to enrol students even when their education standards and personal values are not optimal. Our staff student ratio is around double what it was 5 years ago despite what our university declares.