I know some of these things are things that all students complain about, so they're not stupid. They just need to realize that it's not only our school that makes you do these things. Most are the standards for every program. But some of these are just dumb, I'm guessing because they just didn't know how intense a nursing program is, especially since our school has pretty easy admission compared to others (3.0 gpa and 75 overall on HESI A2)
1. The Community Nursing class/clinical is a waste of time.
2. The clinicals aren't in anything I want to specialize in.
3. Too many classes each semester. (It's a full time program where all your core credits have to be completed beforehand so there are 4 nursing classes a semester, 3 in the last semester)
4. You have to take med math tests every semester and pass with a 90.
5. Having to write research papers.
6. Leadership Management and End of life care class aren't easy A's.
7. Having to take exit hesi's every semester. (I think the minimum score you can get on it is 800 and if you fail you take a remedia class).
8. Making careplans.
9. You need 100 hours of community service before graduation.
10. The lecture exams are too hard. (I wouldn't say this is dumb but some students say this and then laugh about how their books are still in the wrappers they bought them in.)
I know some of these things are things that all students complain about, so they're not stupid. They just need to realize that it's not only our school that makes you do these things. Most are the standards for every program. But some of these are just dumb, I'm guessing because they just didn't know how intense a nursing program is, especially since our school has pretty easy admission compared to others (3.0 gpa and 75 overall on HESI A2)
1. The Community Nursing class/clinical is a waste of time.
2. The clinicals aren't in anything I want to specialize in.
3. Too many classes each semester. (It's a full time program where all your core credits have to be completed beforehand so there are 4 nursing classes a semester, 3 in the last semester)
4. You have to take med math tests every semester and pass with a 90.
5. Having to write research papers.
6. Leadership Management and End of life care class aren't easy A's.
7. Having to take exit hesi's every semester. (I think the minimum score you can get on it is 800 and if you fail you take a remedia class).
8. Making careplans.
9. You need 100 hours of community service before graduation.
10. The lecture exams are too hard. (I wouldn't say this is dumb but some students say this and then laugh about how their books are still in the wrappers they bought them in.)
I hear these on a daily basis from students, and I've included my responses
What I have found:
1. If you give it half a chance, you will learn stuff in community nursing you will use forever-ie-TB info (found in all populations) where to refer people with a multitude of issues, both physical &/or finiancial. You'll also be more apt to give better & more appropriate d/c teaching
2. you never know where you'll end up in 20 years--you can ask any of my out of work psych specialty friends. You also can run into people with co-morbidities that will make you thankful you paid attention in that worthless clinical.
3. I tend to agree-but nursing school tends to be a cohort program and it is how it is for a reason
4. So you don't kill anyone. I have seen people pass one time & not the next. I have also seen some rather creative math even among those who passed...again with potentially lethal consequences
5. now you know how so you can further your education or know how to evaluate research--so you can recommend policy changes to your facility
6. I agree
7. again, to make sure you've learned what you're supposed to have learned. so you don't kill anyone.
8. They are acutally very worthwhile, and help you with critical thinking. (I also did them for a job for a while-writing MediCal TAR's-which helped people get the care they needed.
9. good. altruism is one of the defining characteristics of a professional. It also opens your eyes to groups of people you may not have been exposed to, thus helping foster compassion and a degree of understanding. This will help you in your practice.
We take a Community Health class in my ADN program...in the final semester.
It's not typical for diploma or associate programs to include public/community heath. The AACN states, "The BSN curriculum includes ... specific courses on community health nursing not typically included in diploma or associate-degree tracks." It is my understanding that this is the reason why community health is not included on the NCLEX exam & is one of the very few things that differentiates the bachelors level education from other entry-level professional nursing degrees. In fact the state health department here only hires BSN grads & i believe this standard in most states.
It's not typical for diploma or associate programs to include public/community heath. The AACN states, "The BSN curriculum includes ... specific courses on community health nursing not typically included in diploma or associate-degree tracks." It is my understanding that this is the reason why community health is not included on the NCLEX exam & is one of the very few things that differentiates the bachelors level education from other entry-level professional nursing degrees. In fact the state health department here only hires BSN grads & i believe this standard in most states.
I had no idea it was that unusual for an ADN program to require a community health class. That's interesting! Thank you for sharing.
Most of the ADN programs I've seen at least cover some community health, though no where near the extent of the BSN programs I've seen. In fact I had it in my LVN program (30 years ago though)
Sitting here and reading all these posts has been rather humerous. If we are all honest there has not been a one of us that has gone through nursing school without complaining about one thing or another. Lets face it even when we applied we had no true idea what we were about to embark on. So yes, it was like nothing we had ever done before and most other professions are not taught so rigorously. But stop and think about it would you really just want anyone off the streets to be able to get the letters RN or LPN behind the name? I know I wouldn't. So yes we had alot more hoops to jump through, our tests were harder, we had to take math competency exams, blah blah blah. I have to stop and wonder if the people that are doing all the complaining taking as much time to study and prepare for these things because it seems to me like if you spent a little more time studying and preparing you wouldn't have to complain as much because then it wouldn't be as hard. Also our instructors know what we are going through have you forgotten that they had to go through the same rigamoroar as we did to be where their at. In stead of complaing all the time why not thank your professors for taking the time to teach us and be grateful for this oppurtunity because not everyone can get this oppurtunity to become a nurse. I bet there are people out there that would love to have the oppurtunity we have. So I say we should grab the reins and jump on the bucking bronco called nursing school and just enjoy the oppurtunity and look around at the view we get that others do not.
Specializes in Care Coordination, MDS, med-surg, Peds.
My last class way psychology! LOL by the time we took it, WE ALL found ourselves in the DIAGNOSIS we were learning! My least favorite was nutrition, right after lunch...snore!!!! I enojyed all clinicals, and learned from all of them.. If you ain't learning everyday, you might wanna re-think nursing as a profession!!!!
zebsmom2002
91 Posts
I hear these on a daily basis from students, and I've included my responses
What I have found:
1. If you give it half a chance, you will learn stuff in community nursing you will use forever-ie-TB info (found in all populations) where to refer people with a multitude of issues, both physical &/or finiancial. You'll also be more apt to give better & more appropriate d/c teaching
2. you never know where you'll end up in 20 years--you can ask any of my out of work psych specialty friends. You also can run into people with co-morbidities that will make you thankful you paid attention in that worthless clinical.
3. I tend to agree-but nursing school tends to be a cohort program and it is how it is for a reason
4. So you don't kill anyone. I have seen people pass one time & not the next. I have also seen some rather creative math even among those who passed...again with potentially lethal consequences
5. now you know how so you can further your education or know how to evaluate research--so you can recommend policy changes to your facility
6. I agree
7. again, to make sure you've learned what you're supposed to have learned. so you don't kill anyone.
8. They are acutally very worthwhile, and help you with critical thinking. (I also did them for a job for a while-writing MediCal TAR's-which helped people get the care they needed.
9. good. altruism is one of the defining characteristics of a professional. It also opens your eyes to groups of people you may not have been exposed to, thus helping foster compassion and a degree of understanding. This will help you in your practice.
10. good. You actually need to know the material.