Nursing school grades, and getting a job.

[Zooey72]

Getting into nursing school can be tough, but once you are in do grades really matter that much when it comes to getting the best job?

First, I know that:

1) Better grades means you probably learned more, and hence will be a better nurse.

2) If you want to go further with your education better grades will help you with that.

My question is more about something tangible you can put on a resume that will mean something. Does the person who squeaked by with Cs have the same shot at a job as someone who graduated with honors?

Having done the pre-reqs I got all As and 1 B+, did 'ok' on my TEAS and got in. I worked really hard and am happy with my results. I know people who did not try as hard, and hence did not get as good of grades but also got in. I stressed and ate my gut over the last year, and in A&P1 I got an A by 1/10 of 1% so it was close, but all that extra time and stomach lining I spent seems like a waste given I am sure I would have gotten in even if I pulled a B+.

I am going to push myself as hard as I can no matter what (that is just the way I am), but ultimately does it give you anything you can use in the real world to say "I graduated cumma sum luade", or does it just not mater "Meh, I passed my NCLEX on the 4th attempt, gimmee a job".

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

OP, are you actively in a Nursing Program?

I graduated nursing school with a respectable 2.89, and was able to secure employment at top belated systems in the region and recognized as top places in the country; my leadership skills and my nursing practice have been recognized despite this 2.89 GPA, which may or may not be up to par with your theory that better grades mean that one is a better nurse; although it is safe to say that having strong recommendations, and interviewing well can net a job.

Having a GPA above 3.0 can certainly give one some precedent over residency programs; however not all of them; also, having a certain GPA over 3.0 may preclude someone from taking the GRE, but not always.

Employers I've come across don't care how well one does in the classroom, rather, how well one applies safe effective care, health promotion, physiological and psychosocial integrity and above all emotional intelligence-that's what matters, at least in my experience.

While I was filling out paperwork at one of those top employers, the HR rep stated: "you can have all those As and Bs, but that doesn't matter when you are taking care of those pts and cannot do it safely."

A 4.0 is not going to stop one from not committing a med error, an accidental safety breach, a near miss, a delay of care, or being to effectively solve an ethical dilemma consistently; these aspects are learned on the job, and can cost one theirs, despite one's high GPA; being a consistently competent nurse that advances from novice to expert successfully will get one farther than merely a GPA.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

In my part of the country, GPA is generally one of the criteria that is considered for application to new grad residency programs - along with exit test scores, instructor recommendations, etc. It probably depends upon the number of schools/grads in the area.