Wannabe MDs in Accel Nursing School

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So a rant here. I'm in an accelerated 2nd degree nursing program. Most of the people are awesome, but there's one weird contingent. The people who didn't get into medical school, so they're intent on becoming DNP's.

To be absolutely clear, I have no problem with someone whose goal is DNP. I've thought about it. My problem is that they've taken on this very superior attitude of "I should have been a doctor, except [insert excuse] so I'm applying to DNP programs while I'm still in nursing school, because bedside nursing is beneath me." They really don't want to do the nursing part of being a nurse, just the getting to prescribe and be called doctor.

One of them asked a nurse during clinical how she could wipe butts for her whole life. It did not go over well. The same person tried to argue with an instructor who told us never to use the phrase "just a RN," because this student said you are "just a RN." Still, it sucks to be stuck around people with that attitude.

I guess my only consolation is that they're going to find out that this attitude won't serve them very well in their first job as "just a RN."

elkpark

14,633 Posts

Shoot, there are plenty of people in regular nursing programs nowadays with that attitude. It's everywhere.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
One of them asked a nurse during clinical how she could wipe butts for her whole life. It did not go over well.

What I wouldn't give to have been a fly on the wall during THAT conversation!! :eek:

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

It will certainly be interesting when they eventually crash into the job market and discover the dim prospects for brand new NPs without any experience and tons of hubris. It also will be amusing to see how they're going to relate to physicians who are likely to be all "you're just a nurse" on them. But the poor patients . . .

cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP

7 Articles; 1,156 Posts

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.
So a rant here. I'm in an accelerated 2nd degree nursing program. Most of the people are awesome, but there's one weird contingent. The people who didn't get into medical school, so they're intent on becoming DNP's.

To be absolutely clear, I have no problem with someone whose goal is DNP. I've thought about it. My problem is that they've taken on this very superior attitude of "I should have been a doctor, except [insert excuse] so I'm applying to DNP programs while I'm still in nursing school, because bedside nursing is beneath me." They really don't want to do the nursing part of being a nurse, just the getting to prescribe and be called doctor.

One of them asked a nurse during clinical how she could wipe butts for her whole life. It did not go over well. The same person tried to argue with an instructor who told us never to use the phrase "just a RN," because this student said you are "just a RN." Still, it sucks to be stuck around people with that attitude.

I guess my only consolation is that they're going to find out that this attitude won't serve them very well in their first job as "just a RN."

I appreciate that you don't have that attitude and you recognize that how your classmate(s) are behaving is wrong. As someone pursuing the NP route with a post-graduate certificate, I have never considered myself above bedside nursing. I love being an RN and will still consider myself a nurse even when I become an APRN. As a clinical instructor, if I ever heard one of my students ask how a nurse (LPN/LVN/RN) "how could they wipe butts for their whole life" that student would get a clinical warning so fast that it would make his/her head spin and you bet I would be marking down their final clinical grade. That kind of arrogant behavior is unacceptable and although we are not likely to change their mindset, students certainly deserve to face punishment for behaving that way in the clinical setting.

!Chris :specs:

A podcast I listened to from a MD titled "Do Better Because You Will Die Someday"

Wished there were more humanity classes in the nursing programs or prerequisite to stay connected and discuss how you treat people in the health care setting matters because one day you will be old too.

crazydoglady89

237 Posts

They'll be sorely disappointed when they discover that DNP =/= MD.

AliNajaCat

1,035 Posts

I'm "just a nurse" and am probably earning more (as a nurse business owner and expert) than these fools will ever make. They'll find out the error of their ways soon enough. If they think they are going to graduate from an accelerated DNP program and get hired right into a physician-like role, they got another think coming. Karma, baby; karma's a beeyotch.

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