"C" Students

Nursing Students General Students

Published

i have an instructor for nutrition who is a nun, rn, bsn, msn and she stated today that some of her best students have been "c" students.

because the "c" students try harder she said.

i've heard this before and just wondering if there is some truth to it.

are there any nurses out there who got mostly "c"s and were told they are excellent nurses? maybe this topic has come up before.

Great, now instead of the ADN vs BSN debate, the topic can now be "C students vs A students - which is better?"

The statement that "the grade doesn't matter, it's what you do with it" probably holds true, but for the nun to say something like "C students TRY harder" is a bit biased, no? Kinda like that BS about "ADN students have better clinical skills" (I swear I'm gonna puke if I hear that again).

To imply that "A" students don't TRY harder than "C" students for their grades is, well, more nursing BS that floats around and just won't do down the drain no matter how many times you flush....

But I did have a girlfriend who used to say "A cups try harder" - she seemed to live by that motto...

I don't believe that an A guarantees that one will be an excellent nurse anymore than I believe that a C means that someone will be a substandard nurse. I think your instructor was trying to prove the point that grades don't necessarily make a nurse...

Personally, I am more concerned with whether or not I am capable and whether I have learned something. Quite frankly, my grades will not necessarily determine this for me. That being said, there are numerous things that go into making a competent nurse...my motto in life is to do my personal best.

Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.
originally posted by psychomachia

great, now instead of the adn vs bsn debate, the topic can now be "c students vs a students - which is better?"

the statement that "the grade doesn't matter, it's what you do with it" probably holds true, but for the nun to say something like "c students try harder" is a bit biased, no? kinda like that bs about "adn students have better clinical skills" (i swear i'm gonna puke if i hear that again).

to imply that "a" students don't try harder than "c" students for their grades is, well, more nursing bs that floats around and just won't do down the drain no matter how many times you flush....

but i did have a girlfriend who used to say "a cups try harder" - she seemed to live by that motto...

welcome to the board.
Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.

why would one think that the question posed would have to turn into a debate?

Oppps, haven't been checking the posts..

Welcome everyone !!

I really like the instructor who said this , and I don't feel she was cutting down the "A" students, actually her tests are really difficult and possibly she gives a lot of "C"s.

I just found out that she does teach one of the nursing clinicals, so this is probably where she runs into her "C" nutrition students and finds that they do really well in the nursing classes. Just my guess.

:) :nurse:

LPN,Future, RN replied: Why would one think that the question posed would have to turn into a debate?

Me: Oh I don't know, maybe because every other message board/newsgroup/mail list I've subscribed to has had the "Are grades everything" debate, along with the "BSN vs ADN" debate.

Along with those classics, there is the "Is a year of med-surg needed before going to the ER/ICU/SICU/PICU/NICU/WhateverCU" opinion-fest that usually ends up with one party p***ed off at the other.

Actually, you're right, this doesn't HAVE to end up as a debate, but any time someone poses a "comparison" type question, most people have to take one side or the other...and that's when the conversation usually heats up.

In the end, like all the other great nursing debates, it doesn't really matter. A grade doesn't equate to ability - we all know that. But an instructor who places one group of students against another with statements such as "C students TRY harder than A students" is only perpetuating this pettiness that seems to be a malignancy within the nursing "profession."

Instead of saying one group "TRIES" harder, she should be supporting all students by acknowledging their individual strengths and working to improve their weaknesses.

Oh, thanks for the welcome,

psychomachia

Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.
originally posted by psychomachia

lpn,future, rn replied: why would one think that the question posed would have to turn into a debate?

me: oh i don't know, maybe because every other message board/newsgroup/mail list i've subscribed to has had the "are grades everything" debate, along with the "bsn vs adn" debate.

along with those classics, there is the "is a year of med-surg needed before going to the er/icu/sicu/picu/nicu/whatevercu" opinion-fest that usually ends up with one party p***ed off at the other.

actually, you're right, this doesn't have to end up as a debate, but any time someone poses a "comparison" type question, most people have to take one side or the other...and that's when the conversation usually heats up.

in the end, like all the other great nursing debates, it doesn't really matter. a grade doesn't equate to ability - we all know that. but an instructor who places one group of students against another with statements such as "c students try harder than a students" is only perpetuating this pettiness that seems to be a malignancy within the nursing "profession."

instead of saying one group "tries" harder, she should be supporting all students by acknowledging their individual strengths and working to improve their weaknesses.

oh, thanks for the welcome,

psychomachia

my post wasn't directly to you or any one person, but do agree with why it could be seen as a "debate" topic. stick around and enjoy!

I always tried to make the best grades I could (A's) because I wanted to learn as much as I could, in order to be the best possible nurse. I have plenty of common sense (thanks to my Mom & Dad, and country raisin'), so have no problem integrating book learnin' with life knowledge, and applying it.

In my opinion ( and I am NOT throwing flames here) MOST C students are lazy. I was a C student in high school, for that very reason. If I'b bothered to study, I probably could have gone to medical school. If they aren't lazy, they would make better grades, or flunk out. I'm sure that there are excellent nurses out there who were poor test takers, etc., and that the C grade does not adequately depict the knowledge that they carry with them.

However-the C nurses I was in school with scared the bejeepers out of me! I would sooner let a chimpanzee work on me as one of them! The reason? They were too busy drinking, doping, screwing around, cheating (in class), and blaming the instructors for making the classes hard!:(

I had a Ph.D for an elective course who didn't care if you showed up, worked your butt off, participated in class, went the extra mile on papers, if you weren't a "male" you were lucky to get a "C".

He was not only a Ph.D, he was also the "Chair" of that particular department so basically he told us all upfront the first day of class that all complaints would be addressed to him. None of the males ever complained. Finally the nursing dept. asked students not to take his course, to take another instructor after many complaints, but not by any males.

If I did "C" work then I deserve a "C" but I will not tolerate the gender bias thing and it does exist in Higher Education, as with many other prejudices. Just because there is a Ph.D behind the name, doesn't mean jack.....

Sorry to go off on a tangent... one bad apple shouldn't spoil the whole bunch !

Mkue, I had a black, female, Developmental Psych Professor who was a PhD. She was not the department chair, but had over 20 years tenure. She was the most rude, biased, predjudiced professional I had ever met. When she brought the term papers that we had written (I had spent HOURS on my mine) into class and dumped them (as one) on the floor in front of the podium and told us that they were not worth reading and that we would have to rewrite them, and then told us to come and pick them up off the floor, I didn't. When she finally picked mine up off the floor and saw whose it was, she asked if I wasn't going to take it back. I got up, walked to where she stood, took my paper back, and asked for an appointment when I could talk with her privately. She told me to see her after class. I did. We made an appointment, and she was almost 30 minutes LATE for it! I was LIVID! I told her that I was not rewriting my paper, and that I was really apalled at her lack of professionalism and decorum (she was big into that). She said that most people in her classes did not take them seriously (wonder why), so she did not take the students seriously. I asked her to read my paper and grade it fairly. If she then found something that needed to be rewritten, I would be happy to do it. She agreed, and I left. I got an A on the paper (with nice comments, too) and an A in the class. I tore her up on the written instructor evaluation!:devil: ;)

I had a class before where if you weren't a young (between 18and 25, let's say) female, you weren't going anywhere...

It was taught by a pompous male chauvinist jackass who thought the sun rose and set on his old nasty behind. If you didn't kiss up, laugh at his jokes and put up with his disgusting behavior, you weren't gonna make it.

I didn't. Have to take Sociology over this fall (this happened at another college about 2 years ago.). I'm actually looking forward to it this time. I know it's not him.

Naw. Sociology is a cool class. You should've reported his sorry behind, Julie! Some of this stuff is hard enough for students to learn, and they don't need professors who are supposed to be professionals bringing their personal axes to class to grind!

+ Add a Comment