Do you feel this way too?

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

okay, little info:

i've been accepted to a bsn program at a state school. i start in the fall, however, i have decided to take a couple classes over the summer at a local cc to lighten up my load. the two classes i am taking are microbiology and human development. shouldn't be a big deal, right?

well, in my human dev. class, we just had a midterm that i thought (knew) was very easy. most of the class is going into the field of nursing, and i was frightened to hear that the average of a simple psychology test (not to mention the first midterm) had an average of nearly failing (close to a 63%). shocked. really shocked to find i had the highest score in the class (well over 90%), higher than a woman who had her ba in psychology.

on top of that, i hear the class (all older than me by many years, btw) asking stupid questions such as (i kid you not): how many points they can lose to get a c on an online 10pt/10 questions quiz that you can take twice and it gives you the answers you missed the first time around (questions don't change for second attempt).

in my microbiology class, things are much better, but i've noticed a couple of students slacking off, one even enrolled in the class much later than he should and expected the instructor to role over backwards for him. he comes off as clueless, slouches during the class (and puts his feet up on another chair!). overall, just terribly disrespectful.

does anyone else feel that too many, shall we say, "less intelligent" people are ruining the profession of nursing? do you have students who **** you off with their laziness (oh, i studied for three hours, pfftt), those c=degree types who are obviously in it for the money and don't come off as having the aptitude or the brains to be a competent nurse? and how about the ones who always ***** about nursing school being so tough?

i hope i don't sound snobby, but this is something that really is getting at me. a simple test. simple. complaining about the questions being "unfair" when the answers were clearly in the text book!

[wbmebm]

I had an experience like yours in my A&P class in a CC. The class itself left a lot to be desired but some of my fellow students were ridiculous. Our tests were worth 110 points each (built-in extra credit) and my guess is that only 3 or 4 students routinely got A's.

One girl in particular would interrupt the teacher all the time asking "how do you spell that?". The problem is, we were going over outlines and most of the time the word was right there in front of her. That same girl showed up to the final and swore she didn't know we had a final that night, could she take it another time?

I really hope the application process weeded out some of these people, because it really scared me that they would be responsible for anyone's well-being.

[monkeesilly]

hm a couple things.. I understand what you are saying, and trust me, if they are seriously that stupid and asking questions they clearly have the answer to.. they won't make it too long in the nursing program.. BUT on the other hand, some people like ME, have always worked my ass off... I study constantly, didn't work during nursing school and basically always had C's.. I was like that in high school also... I can explain stuff but for some reason I can't test for crap! Which is obviously a serious problem in this profession and what I am working on.. just stating that everyone that gets C's isn't stupid, and everyone that is stupid, doesn't continue through nursing school all the way because it will be too much.. just a food for thought is all..

[meish]

I think those kinds of issues are very common at "first" or at the "beginning" of your nursing program... but just watch. A lot of people fail in Nursing during the first few years in the program. Eventually, the numbers of nursing students left will gradually decline year after year. When you're in your third year of Nursing, you'll see people who are much more determined and I guess, "much more serious and smarter". Those people who are still surviving are the ones who take this program seriously (I hope). From my experience, this is what I am seeing... some people fail and the people who are still surviving sort of view this as "survival of the fittest". It's not a competition or anything like that.. it's more like having that kind of desire to get that degree and achieve something that they have worked hard for.

P.S. I was frightened too when some people asked 'stupid/simple' questions. But hey, my clinical instructor told me that "no questions are stupid". So keep asking questions because that is how you learn. :)

[Asinda, BSN, RN]

LOL Yeah I hear what you are saying... academics is the one area where I become a totally pretentious jerk. I am routinely amazed by some of my classmates. If someone actually tries and it is still a struggle for them, I will gladly offer my help. I learned this past year that I LOVE to tutor people. But for those that completely embody a sense of entitlement and lack of work ethic to get where they want to be... well I just sit back in chuckle (unless they are interrupting class with their braindead questions- then I just want to scream). Because clearly, they are just holding themselves back and probably will not last through the nursing program. If they do, they will be unlikely to have to drive and ambition to find themselves a great job upon graduation.

Just focus on yourself and being the best you can be. Learn all the things! And find someone as smart and driven as yourself to vent with and revel in each other's knowledge and intelligence. You will be much happier!

[FLDoula]

No.... I don't let them get to me. Being a CC doesn't matter. My 2 kids who attended a state college could tell you some stories about these types of classmates at their school also....so it's not just at CC's. I've had 3 kids in various college settings since 2004, one just starting now and I'm in my 6th semester. At 50 I'm beyond caring about it. I've seen a lot from other students. The sense of entitlement is appalling. It seems a matter of a student not paying attention because they are busy texting or didn't bother to show up for that lecture that answered that question. They don't believe in reading that expensive textbook either. Sometimes they legitimately don't know. Just because a question is stupid to us doesn't mean the other student sees it that way. Asking that question can tie it all together for that student so who am I to judge? I've helped other students who were struggling and really trying.

In the end...doesn't matter what grades or if they attended a CC or state university. It won't be a matter of memorization any longer but application of the material they memorized in pre-reqs.

[anneuhbanana]

I've had numerous other students tell me that C=RN, but that scares me. These people are intentionally not trying their hardest because they are just aiming for C's. As for the people who really try and still get C's, I have no issues there, because in some classes...a C would be great! I do not want my nurse to be one that coasted by and didn't try their hardest, but the other poster's are right, you will see them go one by one.