Dear Soon to be Applicant to Nursing School,
So here you are on allnurses, looking for the best option for you. After all, you're a kind and caring person. You're good looking, and gosh darn it, people like you. You want this. You're committed to it.
How committed to it are you? Let's look at this, point by point.
You want....
Cheap
You can't afford this. For whatever reason, you can't get much in aid or loans, and you don't make much money. So you're looking for cheap.
Here's the deal - everyone wants cheap, and that means more competition. Also, cheap may decrease value. Does the cheapest option have a decent reputation? Or does the cheapest option terrify HR departments everywhere? Unless Dr. Kervorkian is getting out anytime soon (hmmm.... Maybe he is already out? Anyone know?) cheaper may be a terrible idea. Research. Don't just sign the dotted line.
Fast!
You can't walk away from life for years. You have responsibilities. You also can't fathom spending years in school.
Dude. Step back for a second. Let's say you've had an embarrassing accident involving a skyscraper, a rusty nail and a poorly placed eyelid. You go to the ER and you get the dynamic duo!!!!! The MD and RN both landed the fastest programs they could find just to get licensed and come care for YOU!!!!
Wonder twin powers! ACTIVATE!!!!!
Wait ...
Do you want a nurse who did a 3-4 year educational process in 10 months? Would you want a doc who crammed 8 years of school into 2, and 4 years of residency into 10 months? Maybe it feels okay to get your educational as quickly as possible, but would you want to be cared for by the nurse who picked the fastest program possible?
(The answer to that is "no". You do not want that nurse or that doctor. I took the longest possible option for my degree and I won't even start to admit how much (little???) I was actually able to remember from it two weeks after graduation. Faster means less time to actually lean LIFE SAVING INFORMATION.)
Low GPA!!!
Look, I'll be the first to say you probably don't need an amazing grade in world history to be a good nurse. It's nice to be smart, knowledgeable, and all that fun stuff, but not all of it is vital.
But....... A lot of it is, in ways you haven't figured out yet. Additionally, programs use your GPA as a prediction of how you will commit yourself and subsequently perform at their program. Their accreditation actually is weighed in part by their students' successes.
Maybe you don't test well, maybe you never applied yourself because you didn't know what you wanted to do when you grew up. (God knows I didn't.) Even if the truth is that you don't need straight As to be successful in nursing school, those who have them will be accepted first. You HAVE to accept that. You'll find programs that will have a cohort whose average is lower than 3.5 sometimes, but to look for it and expect to find it is not necessarily realistic.
Another thing to consider with this, though, is, again, reputation of your school. Is your school known for accepting low GPAs? You might not be very valued as an applicant with that school's name on your degree. Go retake those classes. Get better grades.
If you are a person who genuinely struggles with school, take advantage of campus resources. But even before that, go talk to nurses. Talk to nurses who will be honest with you, and bring your thick skin. The sad truth is that some people, no matter how badly they want it, aren't meant for nursing. The good news is there are other avenues in healthcare that don't require the same education or skill set. Research!
Online!!!!!!
Okay, really?
No, REALLY?!
How are you going to learn patient care without caring for patients? Look, even after a nursing program, you're going to be awful at doing everything, but at least you've had basic instruction, face to face, on actual PEOPLE. Nursing school, at the LPN or RN level, cannot be done online. Stop looking.
I offer my support as you get started on this journey. There may be times when my answers aren't sweet and loving. Nursing school will teach you that direct and clear communication (as off-putting as it may be) is required sometimes. I will, however, promise to be honest. I promise to be thorough. I promise I will try to always be patient. I will take responsibility when I misjudge or misspeak. And I will always expect the same of you.
Congratulations on embarking on this tumultuous journey, and remember to always keep your expectations realistic.
