Hate nursing school, please help

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can someone help me, I'm currently enrolled in a grad entry program, and in short I hate everything about it. I can't stand the lack of organization in the program, subjective grading, and that in what tests there are focused on therapeutic communication.

In short I'm sick of material, including the complete lack of education on science and treatments, and the professors obsession into turning every damn thing into a paper on my feelings.

I was a successful candidate for medical school but I passed it up because I believed in nursing, still do really, but I am so sick of writing papers on nursing theory, my feelings toward patients attitudes and outcome and writing completely redicous patient care plans. I see how these things are important but not that they are the only important thing, I'm supposed to be an ANP, how am I going to heal the patient, say that I care?

Whats more is that this semesters grades should pretty well make sure that I can no longer go to med school.

P.S Apologies for the spelling and grammar, I'm just angry.

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I've come to the conclusion that many people have a different perceotion of what nursing (or at least nursing school) is like. When I look at my stiudents care plans, all they want to do (and of course I am generalizing here) is treat the pateint medically. I find myself writing "nursing, nursing, nursing!!!" in the margins. They want to send for this test, draw this level, and give this drug.

Then there is reality. When you're done with school, many of those handy-dandy nursing interventions are long forgotten. It's inevitable. But this is why, in nursing school, we attempt to ingrain (?sp) these nursing measures into your heads, to build a foundation. If there is one thing I have learned in my short time as an instructor, it is that nursing interventions are just as important as meds, test, and labwork. It has made me rediscover the essence of nursing. Turning, positioning, exploring feelings, all that stuff...it's nursing. Sure, we do (and are expected to know) a lot more than that. That all comes in time. Be patient. We need to start with the basics. Honestly (and I know this is easier said than done), if you just want just the 'medical' stuff, then don't become a nurse.

It's all a matter of perspective. I wish my nursing program dealt more with therapeutic communication and feelings. I really feel like my calling is to help family's cope with illness. Maybe you should have gone to medical school and I should have gotten a degree in social work.

Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

I am forever grateful that I don't have to write careplans anymore. It drove me crazy when I was a student (decades ago) to have to write "Ineffective airway clearance r/t acute exacerbation of asthma AEB..." Good Lord! Get to the point! The pt is short of breath/wheezing...what are you going to do about it?

That is my biggest beef with careplans and "nursing diagnosis." Till you wade through all of the circumlocution, your pt. could be brain dead from lack of oxygen. It's no wonder the few docs who do look at nursing careplans laugh; I find them ridiculous, and I used to have to write them.

Exploring feelings isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's way down on the list of priorities most of the time. ("Excuse me, Mr. Smith, I know you're having crushing s/s chest pain with radiation to the jaw and L arm, and that your EKG is indicative of STEMI, but would you mind telling me how you feel about what's going on?")

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I can't say that it suited me and I personally have many disagreements with how it is often approached. What they teach and how one actually practices are often very different.

I was about to write a ranting paragraph or two describing my thoughts on nursing school but wow what a diplomatic and professional way to put it so I'm going to just say:

:yeahthat:

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
I just finished my BSN degree and that is all I did was write papers. I am not a better nurse or instructor because of my BSN classes. All it is, is busy work. There is research saying papers are not a good learning tool. Hang in there. Are you an LPN or RN becoming a ANP?? Your e-mail didn't disclose that. If the nursing school you are going to is mostly writing papers, then you are in the wrong school.

I was constantly told throughout my bachelor's program that the writing of papers was for us to learn how to properly research subjects as well as to learn how to find information independently. We were also told that it would help prepare us for the thesis that needs to be written if any of us decided to continue on to get Master's or PhD's, which require even more research and independent learning. Just like any beginning classes (i.e. math, science) prepare you for the next level of that subject, the mechanics of paper writing prepares you for the next level of collegiate activity. I think it's important to make a distinction between the activity of writing and the content of what goes into the writing. With higher education in nursing, each nurse specializes and has to resort to a certain degree of independent learning rather than dependence on an instructor for the content of their subject area. I am shocked that an instructor would make a comment like "write papers. . .All it is, is busy work."

I feel for ya, too. I just finished my first semester of a direct-entry masters (FNP track, but I want to change to ACNP), and I'm also frustrated with the amount of "fluff", busy work, etc. I'm getting an MSN - the "S" stands for SCIENCE, doesn't it? Well where's the science?? I am so not-challenged it's almost funny. :uhoh3:

I probably would have left already, except that I LOVE LOVE LOVE my clinicals!! Do you like yours? I figure get through the classes, get through the bs, and eventually what will really matter is the clinical stuff anyhow, right?

Just an update for you guys, I did indeed quit my nursing program and am now officically accepted as a medical student at Kansas City college of Medicine and Biosciences class of 2012!

just an update for you guys, i did indeed quit my nursing program and am now officically accepted as a medical student at kansas city college of medicine and biosciences class of 2012!

awesome! congrats! well update us after you start and let us know if it's any better! i'm feeling very similar to your previous posts right now.

Thanks for the update! It's always neat to see what eventually happened in regard to an old posted question/rant/etc. I'm sure you'll be busy next year, but at some point drop back by here and let us know how med school goes! Congrats and good luck!!

Oh yeah, and I'm just being curious, but would you be willing to share how far you got into your nursing program and how you made your final decision to change direction?

Oh yeah, and I'm just being curious, but would you be willing to share how far you got into your nursing program and how you made your final decision to change direction?

I completed all but my OB, Peds, and nursing managment course....

I completed all but my OB, Peds, and nursing managment course....

Out of curiosity, what was your start-to-finish process for getting into nursing school? Congrats to you!!

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Good for you. After looking back at your original post, it sounds like this is more of the path you should be taking, like the nursing model wasn't for you. Sorry to see you go, but you gotta do what you gotta do for yourself. Good luck!!

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