This thread might draw ire, but I feel that it has to be said.
In my carefully considered opinion, one of the biggest things that holds nursing back as a profession is what I view as a high school dropout mentality. Those who have this mentality act as if being an RN gives you the right to bully others. It takes its shape in unprofessional behavior of all kinds, including publicly "calling out" other nurses on the floor, yelling at other nurses in front of patients, lecturing new people about their many years of experience on the floor, and constantly complaining about the facility, the people in it, and gossiping and backstabbing people. You all know people who fit this description to a T at work.
Here is what I discovered through my dealings with these types. Certain groups tend to have high numbers of individuals with this mentality, and they include nurses who were adult learners, community college students, former LPNs, former CNAs, and people who actually did drop out of high school in their teens. Meanwhile, BSN students and second degree nursing students tend to not have this high school dropout mentality. Is that because BSN and second degree students are just less likely to actually have dropped out of high school than the groups I listed above? Maybe.
"Getting my RN" and becoming a floor nurse is seen as the biggest accomplishment in the world by these groups. Becoming an RN is a worthy accomplishment to be sure, but acting like it's the highest honor in the world is rather pretentious. I am not bashing associate degree nurses. I myself graduated with an associate degree in nursing and am pursuing a BSN while working.
Before anyone says it, I realize that most people within these groups are normal, everyday people trying to make a living. But isn't that part of what holds nursing back? I want nursing to attract the best and the brightest. I want people who see it as more than a paycheck. I want people who are interested in professional advancement, education, and research, not people who are content with being a ratty, shat-on-her-scrubs floor nurse in a nursing home for twenty years in order to support three adult children who are on welfare. The kind of nurse who long ago forgot if your appendix is on your left or right side of your body. The kind who doesn't care about the science.
Does anyone want to weigh in? Use this thread to discuss your thoughts and feelings about the high school dropout mentality in nursing. Do you believe it exists? Or do you believe it is imagined? Use this thread to discuss ways in which we can raise the standards of the everyday nurse and stop low class, ignorant behavior.
People drop out of school for many reasons, and not always by choice. What about the person who gets kicked out of school for truancy because they need to get a job to financially support their family & end up spending more time at work than at school, or the person who drops out because of other family obligations (spending time with/caring for a dying parent, or having a child, etc.), or due to bereavement? There are many reasons, not all of them are negative. Not everyone who drops out of school is lazy, poor, from a bad home, with drug issues, or has behavioural problems.
I realize the percentage may be small for those individuals, but there is no need to stereotype and lump everyone together. Sometimes life gets in the way of your goals, and things such as your education have to be put on hold until the issue can be resolved.
Your judgement speaks volumes. It shows that you feel victimized. While I do agree that there are miserable people in any walk of life, I don't think there are more in nursing that any other job. And make no mistake about it, it is a job. If you think that it's a "calling", think about what you do a a volunteer.
If you experience these things from anyone person more than once, twice at the most, you shoulder that responsibility yourself. Nobody bullies me, speaks down to me, or belittles me more than once. I am a skilled, seasoned, confident nurse. I tolerate none of it.
You need some confidence in yourself. Or listen and learn, work hard, ask questions. And stand up for yourself.
I have been a nurse for 20years and I see an over all "high school" mentality in nurses. Not necessarily "high school drop-out". Most of the nurses that I have seen being bullies are the ones that feel they are superior because they did attend a highly accredited high school and or college and have a higher degree.
Furthermore, I have found that, many new nurses have a tendency to feel bullied or picked on when a more seasoned nurse instructs them on problem areas that have been identified.
I do not understand the logic of your post at all, and considering the fact that I have a degree in philosophy, which is pretty heavy on the science of logic, that's saying something.
On the other hand, I am also an LPN, so it's possible that I am very stupid.
I will say this however. If you say that you do not mean to offend someone with a statement, and then you proceed to say something offensive, that does not negate the innate offensiveness of the statement.
Rather, it is merely a way of saying that you know that what you are saying is offensive, you just don't care.
What I think is that you wanted to say something negative about a certain cluster of people you work with, you didn't want to come right out and say it, and so you built an entire post around the concept and presented it as some kind of in depth analysis about the nursing profession in general and the type of people who work in it.
If you don't like the people you work with because you think they are low class and ignorant, either find the courage to say it or move on.
Please don't fuffle around with this piffle or you will most certainly cause a kerfuffle.
This thread might draw ire, but I feel that it has to be said.
The irony of your entire post, OP, is that by singling out a group of people (of whom you have gathered no evidence to support your claims) you are making cruel and degrading generalizations which could, in fact, be categorized as bullying.
I have to disagree with you - I'm in a 2 year ADN program at a major university that has one of the most stringent acceptance requirements in the state...
not a single one of my classmates is ignorant, hillbilly or backward in any way...
oh and I WILL consider graduating, pinning, passing my NCLEX and getting to be a bedside nurse as one of my GREATEST achievements...I have a bachelors in another concentration - I worked in an insurance agency for 12 years - part of that as management - I have NO desire at 38 years old to go back into management - seriously I want to take care of people, hopefully little people (I have a strong pull toward OB/Peds) and whether or not I ever get my BSN - doesn't matter to me
so go ahead and label me a backwards hick who wants to bully people - I guarantee you that every one of my instructors would disagree with you.
High school dropouts are often marred by behavioral issues, drug use, lack of work ethic, low socioeconomic background, abusive homelives, lack of interest in education, lack of motivation.
I'd like to see statistics on this instead of anecdotal evidence.
As for me, I dropped out of high school and that was one of the best decisions I made at that point in my life. I've never had behavioral issues or used drugs (I don't even drink alcohol), and I don't come from a low socioeconomic background. I earned my GED 5 years later and I did that for my own benefit, not because I "needed" to get one. Shortly after that, I decided to go to nursing school. I earned a 4.0 in many of my pre-reqs, and I'm currently enrolled in a BSN program at an excellent University.
You're right about the lack of interest in education and a lack of motivation. I went through that for a while, but then I did this unprecedented thing called "growing up", and now I am far more dedicated to my studies than ever before. I actually care about what I'm doing now, and I am determined to succeed and be the best nurse I can. I'm smart, I'm competent, I'm compassionate, and I'm in love with nursing.
But I mean, even a turd can float, right?
This thread is going to be awesome - my inferior high school drop out senses are tingling.
As a high school dropout and second career RN who does not fit any of your stereotyping, I take offense to your post.
While I agree that behavioral traits have a high correlation to socioeconomic status, this does not make up the entire picture of why we are who we are. Socioeconomic status is only one piece of the puzzle.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
This thread might draw ire, but I feel that it has to be said.
In my carefully considered opinion, one of the biggest things that holds nursing back as a profession is what I view as a high school dropout mentality. Those who have this mentality act as if being an RN gives you the right to bully others. It takes its shape in unprofessional behavior of all kinds, including publicly "calling out" other nurses on the floor, yelling at other nurses in front of patients, lecturing new people about their many years of experience on the floor, and constantly complaining about the facility, the people in it, and gossiping and backstabbing people. You all know people who fit this description to a T at work.
Here is what I discovered through my dealings with these types. Certain groups tend to have high numbers of individuals with this mentality, and they include nurses who were adult learners, community college students, former LPNs, former CNAs, and people who actually did drop out of high school in their teens. Meanwhile, BSN students and second degree nursing students tend to not have this high school dropout mentality. Is that because BSN and second degree students are just less likely to actually have dropped out of high school than the groups I listed above? Maybe.
"Getting my RN" and becoming a floor nurse is seen as the biggest accomplishment in the world by these groups. Becoming an RN is a worthy accomplishment to be sure, but acting like it's the highest honor in the world is rather pretentious. I am not bashing associate degree nurses. I myself graduated with an associate degree in nursing and am pursuing a BSN while working.
Before anyone says it, I realize that most people within these groups are normal, everyday people trying to make a living. But isn't that part of what holds nursing back? I want nursing to attract the best and the brightest. I want people who see it as more than a paycheck. I want people who are interested in professional advancement, education, and research, not people who are content with being a ratty, shat-on-her-scrubs floor nurse in a nursing home for twenty years in order to support three adult children who are on welfare. The kind of nurse who long ago forgot if your appendix is on your left or right side of your body. The kind who doesn't care about the science.
Does anyone want to weigh in? Use this thread to discuss your thoughts and feelings about the high school dropout mentality in nursing. Do you believe it exists? Or do you believe it is imagined? Use this thread to discuss ways in which we can raise the standards of the everyday nurse and stop low class, ignorant behavior.
You should probably work in a variety of different nursing environments before you set your opinions into stone.
thebusynurse
36 Posts
OP, you're painting everyone with the same brush!
People drop out of school for many reasons, and not always by choice. What about the person who gets kicked out of school for truancy because they need to get a job to financially support their family & end up spending more time at work than at school, or the person who drops out because of other family obligations (spending time with/caring for a dying parent, or having a child, etc.), or due to bereavement? There are many reasons, not all of them are negative. Not everyone who drops out of school is lazy, poor, from a bad home, with drug issues, or has behavioural problems.
I realize the percentage may be small for those individuals, but there is no need to stereotype and lump everyone together. Sometimes life gets in the way of your goals, and things such as your education have to be put on hold until the issue can be resolved.