I can't take this anymore. Every semester, another group project, another headache. Okay, Miss you-decided-there-should-be-a-group-meeting-after-class-with-no-warning, how about an email or a text, I got plans and can't drop them for your every whim so cut the hissy fit and give me at least a couple hours notice. Or you, Mr. I-have-strong-ideas-about-what-we-SHOULDN'T-cover-but-no-actual-input-on-what-we-should-do...either give suggestions or just go with the flow. Or the rest of you, who don't check your email or respond to group requests - thanks for the apology four days later as we're busy turning in the final product, while you're on your cellphone during the entire class...catching up on email Thanks Lady who gave us all her slides in a completely different format, forcing one person to take an hour to fix her junky looking presention made up of multiple fonts and text colors, complete with citations in MLA (uh, have you seemed to catch the drift that we're using APA here?) and several misspellings. And a huge thank you to the teacher who stuck me with these people, causing me to rip my hair out and dread going to school.
Is real-life nursing like a group project? Because if it is, I need to run for my life. I am losing my mind here...I have HAD IT and I'm only a few weeks into the semester.
Honestly, the more I read about you guys complaining about group projects; it just reminds me what it's like to work full-time for a corporation. For those of you who've never worked full-time, there are always people who do more work than others and the lazier people sometimes get the credit if they're liked by their boss!
Honestly, the more I read about you guys complaining about group projects; it just reminds me what it's like to work full-time for a corporation. For those of you who've never worked full-time, there are always people who do more work than others and the lazier people sometimes get the credit if they're liked by their boss!
I worked for ten years before starting nursing school. Yeah, sometimes that happens, but not as much as people play it to be. We had twice a year evaluations where they raked our performance over the coals, so if you were slacking off you'd get read the riot act and your pay rate would reflect what they thought of your worth to the firm. Maybe that spoiled me for future careers, but honestly--I've never had a job where laziness was rewarded, and that includes working in hospitals.
Honestly, the more I read about you guys complaining about group projects; it just reminds me what it's like to work full-time for a corporation. For those of you who've never worked full-time, there are always people who do more work than others and the lazier people sometimes get the credit if they're liked by their boss!
Somewhat agree. I worked in market research for several years before going back to school for nursing, so I had no problems with group projects. In my previous career the team in project management were the ones gathering the sample, designing the surveys, interpreting the data, and writing the 50+ page powerpoint but then here comes the Associate VP who swoops in and makes the presentation to the clients.
I had several group projects for my first degree, for work, and again during NS. With the different personalities experienced, you're able to work with anyone!
I have always felt guilty about getting deathly ill with mastitis (to the point the doc wanted to admit me) at the end of one semester in grad school, and my group said, "Don't worry about it, we'll finish it up." The baby I was nursing then has since weaned two children, and I still feel bad about it.
the group projects thought me to to cover my own a.. , throw my classmates under the bus when MY grade depended on it, and undermine them to my own benefit.
Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.
I absolutely DESPISED group projects in NS, except when the project was acknowledged as pure busywork and if we banged it out we got to move on to other things. The only thing I learned from it was it reinforced I HATED group projects. Too much drama, too many emails, and too much effort coordinating.
Give me a 5-page paper to write by myself and I will happily work at my own pace and get the grade I deserve.
For the record, working on the floor as a nurse, with other nurses, is a completely different set of social skills than the fantasy land of working in group projects. It is immediate, face to face, communication, where actions have actual consequences.
I have always felt guilty about getting deathly ill with mastitis (to the point the doc wanted to admit me) at the end of one semester in grad school, and my group said, "Don't worry about it, we'll finish it up." The baby I was nursing then has since weaned two children, and I still feel bad about it.
There is a difference in being legitimately sick or otherwise unable to contribute and just being lazy or failing to communicate with your group. Please, don't feel bad about something you can't help.
My last group project was an 8 person project that included a fishbone diagram and an academic paper of at least 10 pages. I completed it alone after everyone else in the group failed to respond to my communications. At least until it was two days until due date when it was "OMG! I completely forgot about this"/"I thought this was due next week" while still not contributing. One or two members did edit the final project for mistakes, but that was it. This was a distance class which I think really played into it. I didn't contact the instructor about that as the previous project with the same group in which two members did not contribute received the response "good teamwork" when I asked her to read the communications on the discussion board. x_x
While nursing is a team effort, I think group projects in nursing education needs to reflect the participation of the members as rated by their group as part of the grade. Otherwise, it's not fair to me for someone to not do the work and accept my A as part of their grade without some type of justification for their absence. It's like being a no-call/no-show for work and yet still getting paid - just doesn't realistically work that way.
Haha, I found this to be true in all non-nursing courses, but in nursing school itself...well, the ladies in my program didn't play around. We ran like a well oiled-machine with every damn cog, nut and bolt in place. Something about suffering miserably through nclex-styled exams and select all answers unified us.
I guess we all have to undergo group projects whether we like it or not. But I hate it too. hahaha. Good for me that I have a cooperative group before.
Lisalis
126 Posts
I hate group projects. Someone always get struck doing the most work if not all of it and then everyone benefits from the grade.