Even though this is my first post, I have been a lurker for over a year and I love reading everyone's comments. So I am hoping I will get some advice.
A little info. My LPN class started last fall so I only have around 10-11 weeks to go until graduation. Our class has around 25 women and one male. We have two classroom days and two clinical days. There are three groups of around seven people in each clinical group that go to separate hospitals/nursing homes.
At first my class was fine. No issues and everyone got along for the most part. There were groups of people but, no real clique's. That is until around a month or two ago. It started with two rude women and since then, their group has included a total of 12 now and each week there is someone new that joins their group. It seems that these two women are very mean and gossipy and what happens is that each week they will talk to a person or get really chummy with them and the next day that person will not speak to you and when they do they are very nasty and short. It just seems that I will talk with someone for weeks and have good nice conversations and then 'poof' they go out to lunch with the group and I don't get a hello. At first I thought it was my imagination or I was being paranoid but, it seems it be a common occurrence. I though that maybe I brought it on myself, but I am nice to everyone and I try to help anyone that needs it. I am not a social butterfly but, either are a group of people I still speak too. Some are just very mean and some will snicker when you walk by. They clearly make it obvious that they are talking about certain people. It's just annoying and I am so sick of it. They are not young. They are a diverse group between 22-50, so it's not like a bunch of teens. It's not just me who has noticed the changes in people either. At first, it did not bother me but, now it feels sad that I once spoke to you now you are so different. I hate going to class more and more each day because of them. I know I have only 2 months to go and soon I won't see them again. I am glad that the major instigators are not in my clinical group, however; one of the women I used to speak to has stopped speaking to me so that frustrates me. I feel like I am in high school again. Are people that in need of acceptance that they really turn into a mean person because of influence? I just don't get it. Do other people have this same problem?
Long rant, I just needed some advice and a place to vent.
10 weeks before graduation the only one thing which should be of any degree of significance for you is your own graduation. You have tons of things to do right now: preparing for Boards, getting your paperwork in order, writing resume and cover letters, searching for places suitable for employment, networking, for a short list. it should get you busy enough to forget about these school squabbles.
I have been in LPN school since Oct. of last year and my class is the same way. I have one real friend in the class and everyone else is nice to your face and talks about you behind your back. I just keep counting down the day's and reminding myself that this is for me and my family not them!
So sorry to hear about this. It's a shame that you can't find some common ground and just support each other. Nursing school is stressful enough without all of that extra stuff added onto it. I hope you can just tough it out and ignore them until graduation. Unfortunately people like this are never going to change :-/ it sucks but there will always be someone that you don't like anywhere you go.
LOL! OMG, My school was ghetto too. hahaha! Ugh- What a nightmare. Glad it is Over. My advice is don't say anything. Be on your hi and bye tip. The more you talk the more trouble you invite. Don't talk about your personal business to anybody. Do your work and keep it moving. I know its really hard especially amoung those type of people, even if you don't say anything trouble will come. It's worth it in the end. Nursing is a great/rewarding field. When your done, you won't even remember some of those peoples names and they won't be a thought in your mind because you can just delete them out of your life and associate with more appropriate folks. Your gonna meet a lot of difficult people in life, just don't let it freak you out too much. It'll be over soon. I was kind of really shocked in the beginning by some of the behaviors in nursing but you'll realize that you can't control anyone but yourself. You aren't responsible for anyones behavior but your own. Also, Karma can do way more damage than you can, so let it be. LOL
Ah, the inevitabilities of nursing school! You spend all your time for a year cooped up with the same group of over-stressed, over-tired women, and it's bound to happen. No matter how much you care (or don't care) about people, personalities will clash when you're confined like that. Once you graduate, it will mean very little in the grand scheme of things, and it will be easier to feel comraderie toward them! Just stay cool, put your head down and finish! Not every will click and become lifelong BFFs, and that's okay.
I made the mistake of losing my temper and yelling at a classmate right before graduation. Whether or not she deserved it was negligible, and I sincerely regret it. You definitely don't want to end on a bad note!
Grin and bear and keep it moving. You'll never see them again. ThankGod- LOL-And in the end you can tell them what you really think about them.LOL Alot of nursing schools are like this, especially the Ghetto-wannabe Tech programs. LOL sometimes you'll even find these behaviors in the work place. It's harder in nursing school because you have to stay there and tolerate it until you get your license whereas at work you can easily find agency, find another job and just quit and never have to deal with them again when it happens in the work place. Tough it out and keep it moving.
I realize i am a little late for this discussion but I am having a similar problem! I too feel like I am in Jr. High again except the "mean girls" are in my class. When I say mean girls they are exactly like the girls from the movie. They know how to smooze the instructors but they fake smile at everyone and then talk behind peoples backs and when they do talk they do it with this air of superiority. Unfortunately I live in a small town so what makes even worse is I recently found out that my stepmother actually wrote one of the "mean girls" a letter of reccomendation! I couldn't believe it. But then again my stepmom was the charge nurse were she worked so I am sure that she smoozed her but still if you knew my stepmom she should have been able to see through her, but I digress she did not. And then we have the "interrupter" who always has a story to tell some relative who has had every illness i think we have ever talked about always an anecdote to tell, its ALWAYS something. The instructors try and make her stop but I think they want to be liked which is crazy. They aren't there to make friends with their students they are there to teach because of this class gets held up and by the end of the trimester we rush because we are behind and then people end up failing because they need as much time as they can get as it is a fast paced program! Sorry don't mean to rant but I still have 6 months of this nonsense and it is getting harder and harder to deal with it.
Tinkerbell1455, ALL nursing students have classmates like these; in PN school, even in my BSN program; the first semester happen like this, then the work gets more complex and more complex, and that goes away because of the real work that needs to be done.
When I go back for my graduate degree, It will be more online than class time; hopefully to allow for more focused time; there will always people that their forte is only networking and schmoozing; especially now since it's an employers market; however, my focus has always been on my own success; it's worked out for me. :)
I can't foresee myself getting so upset. I guess I've been through this so much that stuff like this literally rolls off my shoulders. The expression "what you eat don't make me ****" comes to mind. I just started my program last week and I notice a student already making comments about the teacher! Seriously? I'm here to learn, because at the end of the day he has the degree and I'm trying to get to where he is one day. The point is, life is too short and significant to worry about someone talking about you or mistreating you. Karma comes around. You will encounter this behavior the rest of your days. It's truly not worth that to get you focused on anything else but your goals.
I don't care about the talking behind my back etc, they can just kick rocks, there's a couple of people Icant stand but if they say a smart comment I tell them one right back. It's the immaturity that leaves me with my mouth open. And they can't leave the freaking dummies alone...even the old ones I look at them and I'm just thinking "you're too old for that you should be ashamed..." AND some already work in the medical field!!
gainschool4lpn
36 Posts
Seriously!! HAHAHAHAHA! This should have been our class shirt!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!