Are A's a thing of the past?

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Before I got into nursing school I was an A student, not A-, but A. So far I have not gotten a single A. I got an A- in pathopharm and am going to have an A- in Peds/Ob with the rest of my classes being B,s and B+'s. I really wanted to get an A this semester because I want to go in OB so I though I should be able to pull it off at-least this time, but NO, I missed it by 3% ugh! Is any one else finding that getting A's seem to be a thing of the past once in nursing school?

MB37

1,714 Posts

I'm still getting them...but first of all we don't have the A-, so an A is an A, and second of all our program doesn't accelerate until next semester. With Med Surg I&II and Psych all together, I've already told myself I'm not allowed to beat myself up if I quit seeing As as much as I'm used to.

Something my friend told me...b/c we're both used to getting all A's too!

C (or whatever it is at your school) = RN

Specializes in LTC, Nursing Management, WCC.

The first semester in nursing school can be a little rough on your grades. For me it was a transition period. New instructors, new exams, new material... Don't get discouraged. Once you become more familiar with your surroundings, it should get better.

The following semesters I normally got a lower grade on the first exam of each new semester with different instructors. Teachers write exams differently. But I was always able to pull the grade up to an "A" with the next exams.

You can do it!! Study hard but remember to have fun. :)

jackson145

598 Posts

My husband was average (B,C) during his pre-reqs and then kept a 4.0 during NS. He kind of did it backwards, but I guess there is no formula for it!

nurz2be

847 Posts

C = RN

I think that this very statement is HORRID. I am sorry but I WON'T, REFUSE TO BE, and am appalled at nursing students who use this phrase. If your child or my child were in a serious situation would you want a nurse or a doctor working on them that had this for an attitude? NO WAY! I don't think that this particular phrase says anything to uplift the nursing profession. Nurses, at times and in certain circles, are not considered "intelligent." It is phrases like these, used by students that push that point of view. I am an A student, I will be an A nurse or I won't be one. I won't settle for myself or my patients to be someone who just does enough to get by. I think it is very very sad for the nursing community when phrases like these and others flow through students. There are students in my class who started out their pre reqs with this "fun little saying." Those are the very students who complain about tests being too hard, instructors being too hard, who are BARELY making the minimum grade required to pass each class. I think students need to take a deep look into what having this type of attitude brings. Trust me, if your child was in a NICU or PICU and you had to choose between a nurse who pushed him/herself and made the grades or one who just did enough to get by (C = RN), you would pick the one who pushed themselves.

VERY VERY sad, indeed.

jackson145

598 Posts

Some of the best nurses at my hospital were not A students and I've met some A students that didn't have the sense to get in out of the rain. If everyone in the class makes an A, then the instructor is making it too easy. Are you saying that you will quit NS if you make a B? Grades are not the only measure of a good nurse (or a good anything). They are one way to assess a student's progress. If a C wasn't acceptable, wouldn't the various state BON's deny C students a license?

By the way, this isn't a case of "sour grapes", I have a 4.0.

nurz2be

847 Posts

Some of the best nurses at my hospital were not A students and I've met some A students that didn't have the sense to get in out of the rain. If everyone in the class makes an A, then the instructor is making it too easy. Are you saying that you will quit NS if you make a B? Grades are not the only measure of a good nurse (or a good anything). They are one way to assess a student's progress. If a C wasn't acceptable, wouldn't the various state BON's deny C students a license?

By the way, this isn't a case of "sour grapes", I have a 4.0.

I said for ME PERSONALLY, I won't make lesser grades. No, I won't quit, I am no quitter by any stretch. I know how hard I work and study to make the grades I make. Not everyone makes A's in my school, which is accelerated, there are those, as I stated above who could make MUCH better grades if not for their attitudes about doing just enough to get by. No, grades are not a measure, but they are a measure of some peoples determination and work ethic. Work ethic is extremely important, or it should be, in the medical field. I am the daughter of a physician and a nurse, I KNOW what it takes to do this and to do it right. Actually our state just upped and is going to up the minimum GPA for nursing students because there have been so many "errors" that could have been avoided. They raised it from a 70 to a 76 and by this time next year it is going to be a 82. This is per the state BON education director. I am glad they are raising the bar. I think if you look at it logically, you aren't saying I know 70-76 % of the material I should know, you are saying that you (NOT YOU PERSONALLY) DON'T know 30-34 % of what you should know. Again not you personally, but students in general. That 30-34 % of knowledge not known can and does contribute to errors and death. Am I, an A student, going to make errors? Sure. Am I going to make them because I didn't study hard enough or did just enough to get by in nursing school, NO WAY. As I said, this is MY PERSONAL opinion and experience in and around the medical field for the last 34 years of my life.

jackson145

598 Posts

If they are making C's because that's all they need to pass, that's sad. Not a good attitude to live by. I don't think that's the case with the OP, however. It sounded like she was distressed over her grades dropping, not just "getting by".

lizzyberry

440 Posts

C = RN

I think that this very statement is HORRID. I am sorry but I WON'T, REFUSE TO BE, and am appalled at nursing students who use this phrase. If your child or my child were in a serious situation would you want a nurse or a doctor working on them that had this for an attitude? NO WAY! I don't think that this particular phrase says anything to uplift the nursing profession. Nurses, at times and in certain circles, are not considered "intelligent." It is phrases like these, used by students that push that point of view. I am an A student, I will be an A nurse or I won't be one. I won't settle for myself or my patients to be someone who just does enough to get by. I think it is very very sad for the nursing community when phrases like these and others flow through students. There are students in my class who started out their pre reqs with this "fun little saying." Those are the very students who complain about tests being too hard, instructors being too hard, who are BARELY making the minimum grade required to pass each class. I think students need to take a deep look into what having this type of attitude brings. Trust me, if your child was in a NICU or PICU and you had to choose between a nurse who pushed him/herself and made the grades or one who just did enough to get by (C = RN), you would pick the one who pushed themselves.

VERY VERY sad, indeed.

First of all as far saying nursing students need to be A students there are over 75 students in our program not one getting an A. I believe if you are passing Nursing school you are trying very hard you would have to be like a genious to slack off in Nursing school and still pass. Half of the people in our program failed out and I believe some of these students studied thier butts off. So I hate it how people say you have to get an A sometimes that is not possible. I put my life into this program and I was once an A+ student during my prereqs now I am getting high B's. Am I going to be a bad nurse because Im not getting A's? No! Like my teacher said "Some of the best nurses are C students."

Alex_RN2b09

43 Posts

C = RN

I think that this very statement is HORRID. I am sorry but I WON'T, REFUSE TO BE, and am appalled at nursing students who use this phrase. If your child or my child were in a serious situation would you want a nurse or a doctor working on them that had this for an attitude? NO WAY! I don't think that this particular phrase says anything to uplift the nursing profession. Nurses, at times and in certain circles, are not considered "intelligent." It is phrases like these, used by students that push that point of view. I am an A student, I will be an A nurse or I won't be one. I won't settle for myself or my patients to be someone who just does enough to get by. I think it is very very sad for the nursing community when phrases like these and others flow through students. There are students in my class who started out their pre reqs with this "fun little saying." Those are the very students who complain about tests being too hard, instructors being too hard, who are BARELY making the minimum grade required to pass each class. I think students need to take a deep look into what having this type of attitude brings. Trust me, if your child was in a NICU or PICU and you had to choose between a nurse who pushed him/herself and made the grades or one who just did enough to get by (C = RN), you would pick the one who pushed themselves.

VERY VERY sad, indeed.

Now I agree with the spirit of what you are saying but you cannot deny much of what we learn in nursing school is barely applicable if at all to the reality that is the nursing profession today (particularly BSN programs for those who work the floor). Additionally the students that may be 'just getting by' could easily have other issues in life that are unknown to you, so I would not be so quick to judge. Many of these people are just trying to relieve stress by understanding no matter how hard that material is they know the cut off they need to pass. I strongly believe that any good nursing program will weed out people who just try to achieve the bare minimum. People that end up with low or borderline passing grades are usually trying just has hard as the majority of the class, but due to external issues (stress, kids, family, etc.) they don't achieve stellar grades. Students come in all shapes and sizes people are not equal and many people find they are better student nurses then actual nurses, many individuals I know are excellent on the floor but may only be getting C's and low B's in their classes. Grades do not make the nurse and if you look down on others for their grades it will show, always examine yourself before others. My point is being a student nurse is one thing, being a floor nurse is entirely different, it's important to learn but you will do the majority of it on the floor. Nursing school gives you a solid base and framework, the floor is where the real education starts, don't be so quick to dismiss those with lower grades you might work for one of them someday.

nurz2be

847 Posts

If they are making C's because that's all they need to pass, that's sad. Not a good attitude to live by. I don't think that's the case with the OP, however. It sounded like she was distressed over her grades dropping, not just "getting by".

I agree completely. We have lost 7 students in the last 3 weeks, all of them had that attitude. I think the OP has to do one of two things. 1. Really work extra hard, if the grades mean that much to her or 2. Accept that she is doing the best she can and move forward.

The hardest thing about nursing school is learning how to think critically. Some it comes to easier than others. Years of school and working will get us all to the point where it is instinct to think and react with that level of critical thinking.

Good luck to the original OP and to you jackson in your studies...Keep up the great work all of us.

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