i am half way done with nursing school and i am to the point where i cannot stand half of my class. i am a pretty average student, not the best and not the worst. i’ve never worked in the healthcare field and the first time i stepped into a hospital was my first day of clinical. i just wanted to share my annoyances…as the student who didn’t have a heads up of what to expect. i wish i was forewarned about the social aspect of nursing school because in reality you would be spending about 2 years with the same people and you are going to have to learn to tolerate them.
i have categorized my “annoyances” from most annoying to least annoying, although some people fall in several categories. (i really do feel like the stressors of nursing school are taken a toll on me causing me to be annoyed about everyone and everything but hey, here it goes)
1. the very competitive nursing students.
you may have been the smartest student in your anatomy class but now there are about 50 of you sitting in that classroom. each and everyone striving to be at the top of their class. a few of them are going to shine brighter than you. it is a very annoying feeling. you will develop some negative feelings towards them and try to find a few aspects of life that you are better at than them. well don't. befriend them, if anything they are a great resource
2. the students who study less but get better test scores.
i sat down to take my very first test in nursing school and i was stressed. i studied every single day since the lecture, i felt like i knew everything. the girl who sat next to me was also stressing but only because she crammed the night before. i got a 70% and she got a 95%. how is this fair? several people have told me that not everyone is a good test taker, i’d rather have a nurse that studies a lot then crams, etc, etc. umm no. she clearly knows what she is doing and her test scores prove it till this day.
3. the complainers. your instructors are people too, with their own personal lives, kids, hobbies, friends and some are still completing some sort of upper division courses for higher education.
teachers don’t get paid well; they don’t do this for money. they obviously love nursing and teaching. they are the most compassionate bunch of nurses you will ever meet. and guess what? at some point they have all been nursing students. it has recently become a pet peeve of mine, when i noticed a trend of several students constantly complaining about how much they dislike their teacher. if you don’t like something, tell the teacher! it's as simple as that. 99% of the time there is a fair rationale as to why they put that question on the test or why they gave you projects back to back or why your clinical schedule is so crappy. and the other 1% of the time? well, human error, don’t hold a grudge. and please don’t complain about teachers to other teachers, so incredibly unprofessional. they are collegues.
4. know-it-all's.
there will be at least one. the know-it-alls are in a completely different category as the competitive people or the people that get better test scores than you. if you state that you are unclear about something they will pull you aside and explain it to you in their own individual way. i know it sounds like they are trying to be helpful...but it won’t feel like that. it will feel like they have officially taken on the role of a teacher without anyone asking them to do so. when coming to class you almost expect them to jump up there and start lecturing. they correct the teacher, they interrupt lectures but most of all they think they are better than everyone. there were a handful of them in my class and it got to the point that when they would start talking i would deliberately ignore every single word they were saying, important or not. and the whole entire time, the only thing i wanted to remind them is that we are in the same classroom, learning the same subject; at the same level of nursing school so please do not act like you are above all. so if i could go back and do it again knowing this what would i do differently? i would ignore their behavior because two semesters later, they have been put in place several times by instructors and one of them failed a semester. (disclaimer: i am by no means happy that they failed out i am just trying to stress the point that even if people act like they know it all, they clearly don’t know it all)
5. those who don’t have to work while in nursing school.
you may come across a few people who constantly talk about how they are so grateful that their significant other is able to support them while they go to school. they can’t bare the thought of having to work while completing their education. and they will verbalize this every single day, after every single test. and here you are working full time because that is the only way you can support yourself. some call them fortunate, i call them annoying.
6. the ones who already work in the health care field.
it’s a tough economy out there. in case you haven’t heard….not many places are hiring new grads. the only worry in my mind at this point is passing nursing school. sooooo with that said….why is it so important to tell everyone, everyday that you have a job lined up for you because the clinical manager loves you oh so very much. if you say it once, that’s great j if you say it again after you are asked, that is awesome. but if you announce this to the whole class during the discussion of what they will do after they graduate… then that’s just boastful. not a single person would say, “hey good for you, look at how fortunate you are” and if they do they are lying.
anyway…well this is my little rant. whether you are in nursing school or waiting to enroll in a nursing program…this is what you should expect. i promise…there will be at least one person in your class that falls in each category…can’t wait to graduate so that i never have to see these people again!
how about everyone else? what is your annoyance with the social aspect of nursing school? i’d love to hear that i am not the only “annoyed beyond belief” one out there.
i don't think she's generalizing about everyone when she says, "all students who...". i truly believe that she's annoyed by the students, who just boast, and boast, and boast about the same thing over, and over again when nobody is asking, or when it's just not pertinent to the conversation. people, i'm proud of each and everyone of you out there who fit into one or more of the categories mentioned above , who are humble about their success in school. therefore, for all of you new and eager nursing students , enjoy your achievements and learn how to get along well with people. nursing is a career that you will feel passionate about!!! :redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe
About the competitive students...are you talking about students that just do really well and try really hard to make A's? Or are you talking about students who act competitive against other students?
Personally, I went into the nursing program knowing it was going to be one of the hardest things I'd ever do and wondering if I would be able to cut it. So far I have made A's on all of my tests besides one. (I'm still in 1st semester) But I truly bust my butt studying to get the grades that I am getting. When other students are going to the beach or going out partying on the weekends, I'm studying instead. I'm not trying to be competitive towards other students, but I am trying to get the best grades that I can possible get because I want to do well and I'm afraid if I start relaxing, it will be a downward spiral and I will end up flunking out. I have a lot to lose, I have quit my job and am paying the bills with student loans. If I don't make it in this program, I may have put my family in a really bad situation. Maybe others don't have as much to lose and that's why they are more relaxed about their studying? I don't know. But I do know that my situation is what is making me competitive. Not because I like to have a one up on other students.
After each test, everybody hangs around and talks about their grades and everybody asks everybody what they got. Every time I tell my grade, people act funny. I'm not telling my grade because I think I'm better than you or because I'm trying to rub your face in it, you asked!!! It's like people would just feel so much better if you were flunking and then they could just feel sorry for you instead of getting ****** off that you did better than them. But what do you say when people ask what you got? I'm trying to figure out a way not to tell people without being rude. It's just too much trouble dealing with catty attitudes from people just because you get good grades.
KayTy, I say. "I'm happy with my grade" or "I'm okay with it, I think I could have done a little better" or "Not as well as I thought I would". If they keep asking, there are several ways to reword it until they stop asking. Rarely are people so rude as to actually come out and tell you to stop avoiding the question. It might help to plan out several ways to reword it. Also, you can say one of the phrases and then not pause as you move into noticing the weather.
I never told anyone at school any of my grades until this term. This is the first class I've had a regular study group and we share grades with each other and which problems we each missed and why so we can study better for the next test.
"If you state that you are unclear about something they will pull you aside and explain it to you in their own individual way."
How does one help someone who states they are unclear about something? Without being annoying, I mean.
I think every catagory is annoying to someone. That includes all the catagories that aren't listed in the thread too.... people who work in the medical field and don't share what they learned there, people who will only say something once or maybe twice or only to a select group of people, people who won't share how they did on a test....
By the second year of nursing school, you usually have a running list of classmates you wish would fall into a blackhole. Most LPN's have a superiority complex over those that aren't LPN's. They tend to act like snobs. Then there are those that are tearing their hair out trying to get through the classes (like me) that you become best friends with.
You must be a really difficult person to get along with, and you have a lot to learn. These annoyances should not be annoying, they are just a different style of person and it is too bad you live with that jealousy.
:) Unfortunately I fall into the category of a know-it all but funny enough I have to study constantly and I hate the people who seem to sleep on their books and by osmosis (I'm convinced of it) they 'just get it'. I really appreciated what you had to say because I am someone who LOVES to learn and SHARE - not because I think I'm great, but honestly because I like talking about what we are learning. But, I can totally see how I'd be the know-it-all, and I didn't realize that it could be annoying. Thanks for the heads up - and maybe I will know better in the future so I don't annoy people and instead find friends and study partners.
I didnt have to work during nursing school. I had the GI Bill to help pay for my schooling. I am sorry my military service annoys you, but i wouldnt change a thing.
Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
I didnt have to work during nursing school. I had the GI Bill to help pay for my schooling. I am sorry my military service annoys you, but i wouldnt change a thing.
I don't think it's just the fact that you (or others) don't have to work that is the problem... it's the people who "brag" about it, which feels like they're trying to make others feel badly because they don't have the financial freedom as the braggarts.
Most normal people (read: non-students) don't go around discussing their financial situation with their colleagues; it's actually considered impolite to do so. For these students to be talking about it ad nauseum, ESPECIALLY since they know that others in the room are NOT as fortunate, is just plain rude (and annoying).
It's not jealousy or general intolerance, it's annoyance at rude behavior, IMO.
And as an aside, thank you for your service. Our family was just discussing the topic this evening, about how thankful we are for the men and women who choose to protect our freedom.
It seems like a lot of people on this thread are bashing the OP and I dont understand why. Everything she said can be found on the "Things You'd Love To Say To Your Fellow Nursing Students" thread, and hundreds of people replied to that thread (and no one was bashed for it). So why are people getting so defensive? It's not like she's talking to anyone here personally...everyone has a right to vent, so let her do it...
How very sad and concerned I am for you. Of all your fellow students, you are unable to see anyone that you would like to interact with once school is complete!! It will be no different when you get into the work force. There will be those who brag about everything they do and how smart they are, those who suck up to administration to get what they want and those who just slide by and still do an acceptable job everyday. You will have to deal with these folks too!
Are you going to change jobs every few years.
Grow up-, accept people for who they are and move on.
Your biggest concern should be how well you will be able to care for those entrusted to you!!!!
How sad and concerned I am for you of your inability to comprehend what you are reading. Maybe you should re-read my post and try another comment. k thanks :)
accept people for who they are and move on.
A Nsg Student
4 Posts
i don't think she's generalizing about everyone when she says, "all students who...". i truly believe that she's annoyed by the students, who just boast, and boast, and boast about the same thing over, and over again when nobody is asking, or when it's just not pertinent to the conversation.
people, i'm proud of each and everyone of you out there who fit into one or more of the categories mentioned above 
, who are humble about their success in school. therefore, for all of you new and eager nursing students 
, enjoy your achievements and learn how to get along well with people. nursing is a career that you will feel passionate about!!! :redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe