Do you guys see a lot of people saying they are nursing students....

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN]

or go to nursing school and than find out they are still in the Pre Req phase? I swear I have seen a good number of people do this, and than when I say, "Oh what semester are you in, I am in this semester" they are like, Oh well I am not actually in yet but I start pre reqs soon, or I just started pre reqs. I wonder why that is. Before I started the actual program I would say if asked that I was doing Pre Reqs to get into the nursing program. Or I am on the waitlist for the nursing program.

[K nurse-one-day]

Good gosh. People are speaking of pre-nursing students like theyre stupid or something

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

Good gosh. People are speaking of pre-nursing students like theyre stupid or something

and dishonest! I wonder how any of us will ever make it to nursing school, or RN for that matter! lol

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Some people way overreact over a simple discussion. They take it as a personal attack on them and get hyper defensive.

[AeroNat13]

Personally, I always down play everything and say less than what I am doing. I am in an entry level masters NP program and after a year and a half we get an Accelerated BSN. So I always tell anyone in the hospital and outside that its an accelerated BSN program and its super hard and quick and we have 12 hr shifts two times a week so they know we are working hard. If they ask more then I go on to share more, but most don't really and I don't mind because I'm not even in the masters part yet. What's with people's deal of getting ahead of themselves. If I was a pre-nursing student I would say I'm just thinking about nursing and when they ask more I have a ton of info to share about my school and pre-reqs.

Or to people outside nursing I say I just started "nursing school" if they think CNA program then whatever, most people do when they hear nursing, its all the same profession to everyone in the general public and I don't mind. If they inquire more and have a story to tell thats when I say bachelors program and if they really know something about nursing I share its an entry level NP program. Who cares what people think, I know what I'm doing and that's all that matters.

Some people will just always feel the need to prop themselves up when speaking to others, and I see that, but hopefully there are some out there like me that do the complete opposite, lol.

[JustKeepSmiling, ADN, BSN, RN]

The way I see it - people just need to say what they are.

When I was a pre-med, I either said biology major or pre-med. Never medical student. I wasn't a medical student!

As a pre-nursing student, same thing, pre-nursing. I am now a nursing student. And in clinical, I refer to myself as an RN student when asked by a staff member so they know what they can and can't try to delegate to me.

I don't care if someone says they are a nursing student to me and then I find out they are still in pre-requ, their face says it all. They always give you this look of surprise when you ask what semester and I genuinely just want to talk about the program!

[shortnorthstudent]

I'm curious. Do you all have an opinion on the difference in these two terms:

nursing student

student nurse

I was accepted into my program this past winter, so technically I was a nursing student at that point, although I had to wait 7 months before taking my first NURS class. My major didn't change in our school's computer system until I was officially cleared to register for classes - 4 months after I was accepted into the program.

But, now I'm doing clinicals and we are identified as Student Nurse.

I really feel a big difference between those two terms.

[gabriella.b]

Hmm...I see your point. I think some of it may have to do with the fact that they are saying they are a nursing student not because they are trying to pretend like they are in the program or whatever but because its like saying what major you are.

For example if someone said what major are you? You would usually reply I am a biology major, or social work major, or pre med major..or in this case nursing major. It would be weird to say oh I am a pre nursing major. So maybe these people are doing the same thing saying they are a nursing student.

Anyhow remember when you guys were pre nursing students so excited and hopeful to get into a program..these people are in the same spot. You should encourage them rather than trying to point out that you are a nursing student and they are not.

I also agree with the previous poster.

There is a major difference between the terms student nurse and nursing student.

Anyway good luck in all your programs!

[Chapis]

yeah, i've seen people do this, and it's not that we are better than those not in a nursing program, but why claim you're a nursing student when you are not.

it used to bother me, but now i don't care. i know i am, and they can claim all they want, like another posted said before, 'are they going to claim they're in nursing school for a decade?"

good topic :)

[StangGang92]

I didnt read every page, so please excuse me for restating something already said.

I can see this happening because

a) It isn't common knowledge that there is pre-nursing. It's simpler to say "i am a nursing student". I can see saying "pre nursing" to other college students, but when explaining to your grandparents or neighbor, nursing student is a lot less complicated. What does it hurt really?

b) Some schools, namely small private colleges, offer direct entry. You freshman year is spent dong pre-reqs and as long as you maintain a C average you are automatically into the program. For the freshman year at my university you do pre-reqs, but also have a basic nursing class (med term and some CNA type skills). They consider us nursing students although we are in the pre-req stage.

[Despareux]

I'm curious. Do you all have an opinion on the difference in these two terms:

nursing student

student nurse

I was accepted into my program this past winter, so technically I was a nursing student at that point, although I had to wait 7 months before taking my first NURS class. My major didn't change in our school's computer system until I was officially cleared to register for classes - 4 months after I was accepted into the program.

But, now I'm doing clinicals and we are identified as Student Nurse.

I really feel a big difference between those two terms.

I like to say student nurse because anytime I hear nursing student my first thought is a student who is being breastfed. Weird, I know.

[shortnorthstudent]

What about those students who are accepted into their program, but are on a wait list to actually start for 9, 12, even 18 months? What are they? They're no longer pre-nursing students, what exactly should they call themselves?

Or for example, I mentioned earlier that I got in last winter and continued to take co-reqs through the summer, starting my NURS classes in the fall. What would I have been considered? In fact, my school is a community college and as long as you meet the requirements, you will be accepted into the nursing program. I met those requirements an entire year before I applied. I waited because I wanted to go part time and finish all of my non-NURS courses prior to applying to the program. That application was really just a formality. Depending on my timestamp I would have either started this fall or next spring.

Honestly, I can see how someone could consider themselves to be a nursing student before the official commencement of their courses. However, I wasn't a student nurse until the day I started my first clinical.

[Anoetos, BSN, RN]

Nursing Student and Student Nurse are interchangeable. I think the latter is more common in clinical settings because of the perceptual value to the patient.

In the former, you're perceived as a student who is studying nursing (true, but the noun is still "student") and in the latter, you have some of the scope of nursing practice, and are functioning to some degree as a nurse, but are gaining expertise (true and probably more therapeutic for the patient).