Frustration over Nrsg Presentation

[kea6783]

Ok, I'm an "adult student" (read: didn't go into college right out of hs) and I'm in an Intro to Biomed Sciences Class as a filler- I just needed an extra hour.

Anywho, I'm going full time to Blinn College in Bryan, TX. Many of our students are co-enrolled at A & M (a huge university 10 minutes away) or plan on transferring. A&M doesn't offer nursing, so obviously I'm not ending up there (never had any interest in it anyway). ANYWAY, since this is the case, there are a lot of rich kids going to school on their parents' dime and racing their 05 mustangs and jacked-up-trucks through the parking lot when coming or going to class. :angryfire (Ok, so that's a very stereotypical view, but for the most part it's true- and deal with it- I'm ranting! ) In class discussions, many A&M students openly say how easy they think Blinn is and how much harder the same courses are at A&M are, etc.

So, anyway, back to the point. In my Into to Biomedical Sciences class we've been giving presentations on our chosen fields. I presented on Nursing (specifically BSN degrees, importance of continuing eduation, etc.). Though there were a few PreNursing students, most were PreMed or PreVet. So, a woman presents and her presentation is very unprofessional. It seemed like she put time into it (it was a powerpoint presentation), but there were repetitive mispelled words (Nuseing, expices=nursing, experience) and she seemed to have no idea what she was talking about but really wanted to be an LVN. So, I'm looking at some of the students (I sit in the back row, and most of the other students were 18 year old freshmen) and they were sorta of giving each other looks and laughing about the presentation. THIS URKS ME. I was so frustrated with the whole situation.

It doesn't help during the past few months in this class we've had recruiters from different schools come and talk to us and the Nursing Recruiter portrayed the schooling as very easy. ("To get into Nursing school, you must have a 2.5, and a 2.0 in Science courses. You can earn your ADN in two years, etc.") I sat there silent during the presentation in awe that she didn't even present the competitive nature of applying and getting accepted into Schools and the option of BSN programs or more. At the end of her presentation, I POLITELY informed her of a few applicant to acceptee ratios and that although a school's required GPA may be 2.5, there's no way you're getting in with just that. AND that the way Schools are in our area, very seldom do students earn their ADN in two years (actually in this area its NEVER possible.. the course itself is two years! nevermind prereqs!) and that for BSN you could need upward of 72 hours before starting the program itself.

What frustrates me about all this is that I feel if we want to change nursing stereotypes, we can do it by informing young people about to enter other Healthcare fields of the REALISTIC requirements and qualities of Nursing Students and Professionals!

I realize I might be overreacting, but if you were there I bet you would have too!

Ok, lemme have it!

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

Noone should be blasting you for anything. Very often, younger students are there simply because mommy and daddy tell them they have to. Given a choice they wouldnt be there at all. Figure its the nature of the beast.

My guess is that quite a few of those kids wont be graduating within 4 years(most dont anymore). They wont know what to do with their Art degree if they get it. While some may be pre-med, pre-vet now,, they are just that pre and probly will change their majors 3-4 times before their declaration date. Will probly be pulling a 2.5 by the skin of their teeth.

They too will grow up someday and figure out what they want to do with their lives. Very few will complete what they started. Let them roll their eyes, snicker and chuckle, what goes around comes around.

I've got a 5th year college senior living with us now, majoring in music with a minor in Art and a few classes toward education, and a son who is a junior and has changed engineering majors 2 times already, thank god its to late to change again. So theres 2 for 2.

[kea6783]

thank you!

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

thank you!

You know after re-reading your post i think im right on target. If they have to point out how easier the classes at Blinn are,, well where are THEY? They arent over at A&M taking the class huh? Reason for that, its to hard and they dont want to put the energy into it. I think im probly right. :rotfl:

[stidget99]

This might be off base a little but here goes anyways....

I think that children should NOT be allowed to go directly into college after high school. I believe that they need to experience life a little first. Have bills to pay. Face some hard times. Then, when they do go, they will be more appreciative of what they have or don't have. Too many times, young kids enter the college scene and they view it as "finally being out from under the ever watchful eye of my parents". They become wild. Start drinking and partying. Unfortunately, many become pregnant.

One would think that the younger kids in college would excel. They don't have other obligations such as their own family and could devote all their energies into school. But they are too immature and don't get serious about school until their 3rd or 4th year. Now not all kids are like this. Some are very focused and are able to excel but I think that that number is proportionately small.

One of the worst things that this country ever did for it's young is lowering the legal age of adulthood to 18. If parents still had legal control of their 18 yr olds, then they would have some say over their child's college education. But the way it is now, we set them out to their own devices. We pay for their tuition, books, etc but we don't have a say over how they live while they are in college.

Ok all......lemme have it!

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

I wouldnt flame you for anything. I have a niece living with us finishing her 5th?/6th year senior of college. Ya you read that right. I cant remember how many years its taken now. She has no concept of what it will take to live on her own. I sat her down today,, because graduation is within a month and we (my hubby and I) have decided that was it,, she is out on her own or going back to her mothers. We have helped in any way we could simply because my sis is low income. Anyway, she had no clue how much it would cost her to find and keep an apartment, buy food, expenses for her vehicle etc.

I sat her down, we did the math on how much monthly she would make if she made various hourly wages. We made a list of expenses, ones that have to be accomodated including her school loans. Well to her dismay she found she will have to make 10-12 bucks an hour to be able to accomodate even a existence. But, the end of the month she is getting thrown to the wolves, one way or another, she can either go home to mummy, or she can get off her lazy duff get a job and an apartment and live her own life. It may sound mean, but sometimes you have to pull off their blinders and shake them a little for them to get a clue. I wont let her starve, but she might get a little hungry.

I think these classes they have in high schools that is supposed to teach kids how to handle budgets and finaces is great, it needs to be mandatory pass like the constitution test is, they just need to incorperate that into college too as a refresher for the real world. Maybe we as parents make it to easy for them. I had to work for everything i had but a lot of kids expect mommy and daddy to give them everything. Uh oh,, soap box,, ill jump off now.

[llg, PhD, RN]

This might be off base a little but here goes anyways....

I think that children should NOT be allowed to go directly into college after high school. I believe that they need to experience life a little first. !

I won't flame you ... but I will disagree. SOME kids should not go to college at 18: that's true. ... But OTHER kids are quite ready and should not be held back and/or punished because of other people's shortcomings.

The decision on readiness/appropriateness of a college education should be made on an individual basis.

I know many people in the 30's and 40's who aren't prepared to devote the time and energy to college that it should entail, and yet I do not propose that no one over the age of 30 should be allowed to go. Some people over 30 can handle the workload and should be given the chance. :-)

llg

[raynefall]

This might be off base a little but here goes anyways....

I think that children should NOT be allowed to go directly into college after high school. I believe that they need to experience life a little first. Have bills to pay. Face some hard times. Then, when they do go, they will be more appreciative of what they have or don't have. Too many times, young kids enter the college scene and they view it as "finally being out from under the ever watchful eye of my parents". They become wild. Start drinking and partying. Unfortunately, many become pregnant.

I disagree with the above and agree with llg. I was 17 (I turned 18 a month after) when I started college and a few months before that, I had to bury my father. If it weren't for me going to college and preoccupying my mind with school, who knows what I would have gotten myself into. I am now done with nursing school and I'm so happy that I did go to college right away and did not wait. Thankfully, your opinion is just that an opinion and isn't the law, because not every 18 year old is an irresponsible, non having gone through hard times, party animal.