Are most nursing students cruel?

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Is it just me or do a lot of people in the nursing program seem rather cold and cruel? I do not mean to generalize but, many times, I notice that most nursing students I talk to don't seem like they are getting into it for the right reasons. I know we all want to earn the big $$$ but are people really foolish enough to believe that making 30$hr will make up for being involved in a profession that you are not prepared for. Call me crazy, but the not so kind people I encounter in the program do not seem like the type of folks who will be able to find the joy in cleaning behinds, wiping up blood and doing all the other nasty tasks that come with nursing.

Has anyone else noticed what I am talking about? Does anyone out there feel the same way?

Oh... I am not in it for the money because I can live well off my husbands salary. I want to do it for me and to help others in need.

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I am sorry, hopefully it will get better for you. I am a housewife and stay at home mom and I am going to school to be a nurse, I know that I love to take care of people, I want to make patients feel at ease with me because I remember when I was little and i had to have surgery the nurse I had was very sweet and kind and thats the kind of nurse I want to become. Hopefull those nursing students will remember why they want to be nursesAnd if they are going to school to become nurses for the money thats not a really good reason, they should want to become nurses because they want to help people and like the medical field. The money is wonderful but that is not why I want to become a nurse!!!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

I think it all depends on the timing and yuor approach, next semester is make or break at our program, Mondays we come in at 8am for exams, from 10-11 we have assessment lecture, then break into lab groups, my group is in the lab from 1:30-3:30, Tues & Weds we have med/surg II lecture from 8-12, Thurs & Friday are clinicals 6:30-3:30 (we'll have clinicals on tues & weds after fly thru M/S II at warp speed, literally lol) on top of that we have to find time to get in 24 hours, yes 24 hours of NCLEX practice in teh computer lab which consists of 12 stations for 91 students (it's required of ADNI, ADNII & LPN students) so if I get caught right after a really rough exam and b4 an assessment exam I may be less than thrilling to talk too, one of my favorites *insert a touch of sarcasm here as it keeps me sane* is when one sees me with the Med/Surg text as I am sitting there plugged into my iPod very visibly studying and taking down notes, I get tapped on the shoulder and asked "OMG that book is HUGE! do you have to go through it all in one semsester and what on earth did you pay for that?" so yeah I may have been less than nice to one or two people during finals time, but if they look just 2 ounces of stressed wouldn't ask a whole lot of questions cuz the person that answers may not be the real them as the last person they spoke to may have done what I just listed above

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This is why I am going into Pediatrics. I want to care for the children and yes, the money is nice, but that is not why I chose the career. I actually want to care for patients. That is the most excited part about this career. I have experience working with a staffing firm, and the nurses that are like that sometimes even have a hard time finding travel jobs. If they treat their recruiter like **** then they will be that way in the hospital as well. Just ignore those people, because they won't last long. You have to like your career to do it well.

Christy

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Specializes in CNA, RN Student.
Ok, I'm going to play devil's advocate. Maybe these 'mean' nursing students are stressed out due to the rigors of nursing school and tired of pre-nursing students bugging them. Pre-nursing students are everywhere. I think we multiply like rabbits.

Was totally going to say this word for word...until I read your post so on that note :yeahthat: .

And just wanted to add, I think I also at one point assumed nursing students were a little quiet, now I realize just how much work they need to do and how stressed out they might be and no matter which one I randomly speak to, I have never had a cold shoulder and right now as I'm starting my first semester of Nursing School, I have had so many alumni and current nursing students at my school offer loads of help for newbies like me. It's just a little bit unfair to judge a book by it's cover. I hope you don't come across this too much on your journey to becoming a nurse. One thing to keep in mind is if you feel this way, know that you can make a difference by how you act on the people in your environment.

And also, if it weren't for my children and being a stay-at-home mom, I would have never had the motivation to become a nurse. I don't care how that is judged, but I know that I will be a great nurse...this is my passion not my paycheck.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
Most of these "mean" students are housewives and do not know what they are in for once they start working. If they truly are in it for only a paycheck the will not last long. I actually feel sorry for them.

I got news for you....a lot of the "mean" students also include younger, ignorant kids fresh out of high school who don't have a clue what the real world is like or how to be courteous to anyone. "Mean" also includes pompous older "kids" who have thus far had life handed to them on a platter and to whom learning comes very easily. "Mean" also can include just about anyone.

For those of us who have been "housewives" (perhaps also "househusbands" these days), we can probably run circles around the rest of you. We have juggled all the things the other "housewives" before me have listed in their responses. "Housewives" are other human beings who had, or chose, the opportunity to stay home rather than work for some period of time. We are not ignorant of the realities of the world. Rather, many of us have been enriched by getting our introduction to the realities of the world outside of some big corporation.

I was a housewife for many years while attending school part-time. I got a bachelor's in business and worked in IT for 7 years. I just started my 3rd semester of an ADN program. Most of the people in my class would probably tell you I spend as much time looking out for them as I do myself.

"Mean", "unprepared", "in it for a paycheck" are not words that begin to describe me or my fellow classmates -- most of whom have been housewives at some time in their life. Get a clue; this is 2007, not the 50's.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

I totally agree with wdwpixie. Could not have said it better myself! As to the person who listed "mean" to include a generalization of housewifes, I think that was mean. I hope no one does sweeping generalizations of your peer group or criticize your experience or lack of because of comments like that.

The point is we all have something to learn from each other and there will be people that we don't get along with no matter what their age or experience -that's life.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
Whenever I ask my friend who graduates in October a question about the program, scholarships, etc., she totally ignores my questions and doesn't seem to want to help me succeed too.

That doesn't sound like a friend to me.

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