What did nursing school do to you?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Did it drive you crazy? What types of feelings did you have? Today was the last clinical day of the semester, and I have so many different emotions. I'm scared, anxious, worried, somewhat excited.......it could go on forever. It has only been these last 10 weeks that I have been feeling this way. I have only the spring semester left before I graduate. It feels as though I have been chewed up and spit out. I guess I am just wondering if other people had similar feelings.:uhoh3:

for the most part it was a disgusting, depressing, devalueing experience....i learned how nasty, vindictive, malacious, irrational, adult women can be

It is a very negative experience unfortunately. Here are my issues:

1. The instructors are very disorganized but expect perfection out of you

2. Everything is "personal" versus professional - the teachers decide who they like/dislike and that is a huge impact on your experience (how you are graded, treated during clinicals, etc...)

3. Tons of busy work which leaves "0" time for studying and learning the material you should know.

4. High stress = tons of caffeine and weight gain.

5. Lots of soul searching.

Specializes in OB.
for the most part it was a disgusting, depressing, devalueing experience....i learned how nasty, vindictive, malacious, irrational, adult women can be

you go to my school !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.

Negatives:

1) I had to quit working altogether because my grades were in the toilet for the 1st semester...don't get me wrong - it's great that I have a mother who can help me do this, but I feel so unproductive sometimes! When I worked as a CNA, my floor loved me because I always signed up for the overtime that nobody wanted. I loved working 16 hour shifts!:smilecoffeeIlovecof Now I feel guilty when I buy birthday/Christmas gifts because it's not really my money to spend, but I feel even worse showing up for the holidays empty-handed. And I feel like such a princess when other people in my program (who, by the way are still getting better grades than me) complain about how exhausted they are b/c they're juggling work & school. Makes me feel like a failure in some ways.

2) Weight gain. I so miss being a CNA, getting paid 8 hours a day to work out...sigh. I was in the best shape of my life before school started.

3) I miss friends! I miss socializing with people, versus my computer & my dog! And as a single woman - I'm just going to throw this in - hope it's not too risque - I miss sex! It wasn't a huge part of my life before, or anything, but it used to be a possibility when I'd go out with my friends! I had a fairly steady thing going with one guy in particular (rest assured, completely monogamous on my part) & within a month of me getting into NS & not being able to go down to the bar, he'd gone back to his ex-girlfriend. What a pig.

Positives:

1) I am no longer afraid of failure. Ever since I got into the program, at least one teacher has told me at least 1x/semester that I'm going to fail. One CI made it a point to pull me aside at least 1x/week to assure me that I was going to fail her clinical. Once the dean pulled me into her office b/c the grade for a psych class I'd taken five years earlier was missing from my transcript & if I didn't find the instructor from that class (whom had since retired) to verify that I'd taken the class, I was going to get kicked out of the program. It even took me an extra semester just to get into the program b/c I'd failed to check ONE BOX on my original application & had to reapply, but couldn't until the following semester.

2) My alcohol consumption has cut way down. When I just worked full-time, I'd probably go out to the bar 3-4 nights a week. I get out maybe once a week now.

3) The aforementioned pig that I was totally in love with...getting some space from him made me realize what a loser he was...I probably would have followed him to the ends of the earth for the rest of my life (& he probably would have let me, along with all the other girls he kept in his back pocket) if I hadn't had to buckle down for nursing school. He's actually going to jail for 90 days on Dec. 17th. By the time he gets out - in debt, with no job, & with no drivers license - I'll have less than 2 months before I graduate & be able to call myself a nurse.

Specializes in OB.
It is a very negative experience unfortunately. Here are my issues:

1. The instructors are very disorganized but expect perfection out of you

2. Everything is "personal" versus professional - the teachers decide who they like/dislike and that is a huge impact on your experience (how you are graded, treated during clinicals, etc...)

3. Tons of busy work which leaves "0" time for studying and learning the material you should know.

4. High stress = tons of caffeine and weight gain.

5. Lots of soul searching.

you go to my school too !!!!!!!!!!!

especially number 2 !!!!!!! you would think that professional women would not pick "teachers pets" but they do! and of you arent one of the chosen, you always are "substandard" in everything, no matter what you do. it gets old and it is also hurtful. Most times I feel like a stepchild always trying to please, doing what I am suppposed to but falling short. I think I will change my name from Moon to Cinderella

Specializes in Med/Surg.
:uhoh3: It's gonna drive me to drink!!!:biere: hehe no seriously, It's very stressful, but I keep focusing on graduation day
Specializes in Med/Surg.
It is a very negative experience unfortunately. Here are my issues:

1. The instructors are very disorganized but expect perfection out of you

2. Everything is "personal" versus professional - the teachers decide who they like/dislike and that is a huge impact on your experience (how you are graded, treated during clinicals, etc...)

3. Tons of busy work which leaves "0" time for studying and learning the material you should know.

4. High stress = tons of caffeine and weight gain.

5. Lots of soul searching.

HOLY CRAP........My school is like this too. we've been through 5 or 6 instructors in the past 4 months. God forbid the teachers don't like you, then you'd be wasting valuable money and time. please don't tell me it's like this everywhere. :confused:

Specializes in PCU, Critical Care, Observation.

The good thing about it....after it's done & over with, the bad/sad memories fade away only to be replaced with good memories as well as a great career. It was rough, but I am so glad I endured the hard work & b.s.....it is so worth it. Hang in there those of you still in school - your hard work will pay off.

Jen

Specializes in Registry, all over the place.
I must be one of the odd ones. I loved nursing school. :p It literally was one of the best times of my life. I really found my niche. I did very well and really didn't stress out too much. I had a ton of single freinds (by single I mean they might have been married but most didn't have families yet) and we would do everything together (classes, clinicals, study, party, etc.). No... I didn't work while I was in school and neither did most of them.

A couple of them are my closest freinds still.

I loved the entire experience.

I'm with you, I love the experience of nursing school, never really stressed out except when I studied for a test an hour before it was given but that wasn't to often. I absolutely love theory, though it van be boring at times, I love having my skills tested in clinicals. Maybe because I love chaos. I love that I will be graduating in February even more, but the 11 months of clinical really taught me what I can do when I put my mind to it.

Specializes in PICU, Nurse Educator, Clinical Research.

I hated it. Pettiness, vindictive students and teachers (threats of violence from a fellow student).....the LYING! Being treated like an idiot by nurses in clinicals. Being chastised for standing up for my values and principles (hm, I thought nurses were supposed to be willing to stand up and demand good patient care?). A 75% reduction in income- and I'm talking about my starting salary as a staff RN. Screwing up my back and hip permanently, to the point where I'll probably never work at the bedside again (which is fine with me). Exposure to some of the most appalling treatment by employers, worse than I ever expected (and I worked in a fortune 100 corporation for several years, so I saw all sorts of things). Being shunned for being smart and a hard worker. Having people at my rural school act like I was a snot because I'm articulate (oops, should've dumbed myself down, I guess).

All in all, a miserable experience- but it gave me a way to work as a research nurse, which I love more than any job I've ever had. Well, except for being a jazz singer on a cruise ship (that was a sweet gig!)

It was worth it. And my husband was deployed overseas through most of my time in school, so I was too busy to agonize much over his absence.

Specializes in Infection Preventionist/ Occ Health.

The negatives:

1) I gained 10 pounds and lost considerable muscle mass.

2) I had to go back on migraine preventative medications again (contributing to the weight gain)

3) I lost touch with my friends and family, and had one bad episode with my mother over the fact that I didn't attend family functions for a whole semester

4) I lost out on almost $100,000 in potential income over the 2.5 years it took to earn my degree and amassed $25,000 in student loans

The positives:

1) I learned that my husband is much more understanding and supportive than I gave him credit for..

2) I am on my way to being a nurse practitioner

3) I learned that the "psychosocial bull***t" that I so detested at the beginning of the program actually has some value

4) I found out that I LOVE peds- who knew?

5) I had wonderful support from some of the faculty members in my program, and I will always appreciate that.

Specializes in SDU, Tele, Hospice, Radiology, Education.

What did nursing school do to me????? Hmmmm.... what didn't it do? I gained back almost half of the weight that I lost before school (about 30 pounds), I almost lost my bf, my family no longer knows who I am.

On the positive, I know I will be able to deal with negative, vindictive people and be a stronger person than I was before.

+ Add a Comment