Flip side of "I hate nursing school"

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

To pre-nursing and new nursing students:

I respect the "venting" that has been expressed in the other thread. Some of those posts have made me chuckle, some have made me shake my head and say, "good grief." However ...

It's not all like this.

My experiences (and others') have been very different. All of my instructors but one have been unfailingly supportive (and there's always one, ya know ... that's just part of life). They consistently demonstrate intelligence, a thorough understanding of material, competence and compassion. Never have I witnessed someone being ridiculed. A few students have been called on the carpet from time to time, but with good reason.

Our curriculum has covered more material than I ever thought I could cram into my brain, but ALWAYS with real-world relevance. (that's what critical thinking means -- not being able to twist semantics in such a way that would make a logic professor chuckle). All of our classroom and clinical instructors currently practice, apart from their faculty positions, so there has been no disconnect between classroom and clinical.

Have I loved every minute of it? No. Have I ever thought that I would really rather have a root canal with no meds than do ONE MORE BLEEPING MED CARD? Yes. Have I ever muttered expletives as YET ANOTHER group project or concept map was assigned? You bet. But guess what -- I made it. In seven weeks I'll graduate, as a much different person than when I started nursing school.

Is it hard? Yep. But that's sort of the point. Choose your school carefully, then knuckle down for the long haul. You'll be glad you did.

To any instructors reading .... a big THANK YOU from this student nurse, soon-to-be-graduate-nurse. :) :flowersfo

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

AMEN!!!!

I loved it so much I want to go back a teach in a few years, after I get the right learning. :) -Andrea

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36_1_55.gif Well said! Congragulations on your upcoming graduation, can't wait until I'm in your shoes.:balloons:
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Specializes in OBGYN, Neonatal.

I definately have to agree with you there. I'm halfway there, but will be taking next semester off for pregnancy. I have had fun, though there are times when I wonder what was I thinking! LOL!

:Melody:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

Excellent post...

Nursing school is not all gloom & doom! I love my Nursing program and am having an incredible rotation through L&D right now. One more year to go until I graduate in May, 2006. I have never regretted my decision to return to school for nursing; I anticipate much growth with on-the-job experience & I am realistic to know there are many things we are going to have to learn once we are RNs.

To everyone hanging in there, YOU CAN DO IT!

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While I am personally loving nursing school, I can understand the thread about hating it. It really depends on your instructors, your clinical sites, etc. My advice to pre-nursing students? Do your research. Talk to current nursing students and recent grads. While some of the hating that is going on may be based on attitude, much of it may also just be the simple truth. Some schools are notorious for weeding out students, for humiliating them, etc. Find a school where the current students are happy, and if your attitude is good, you will like it too.

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I have to agree. I love nursing school. I stress at times, but for the most part I go to school everyday with a smile on my face, and you should see when I leave clinicals! I am grinning ear to ear! It is tough, and alot of work, but so worth it.

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I have to agree as well, and tried to make this point on the other thread. While I won't go as far as to say I "love" nursing school, the experience has generally been positive.

The vast majority of instructors, RN's in clinical, etc. have really great and helpful.

:coollook:

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While I am personally loving nursing school, I can understand the thread about hating it. It really depends on your instructors, your clinical sites, etc. My advice to pre-nursing students? Do your research. Talk to current nursing students and recent grads. While some of the hating that is going on may be based on attitude, much of it may also just be the simple truth. Some schools are notorious for weeding out students, for humiliating them, etc. Find a school where the current students are happy, and if your attitude is good, you will like it too.

I'm not sure I agree with this. People spead so many rumors at my school that you can't believe anything you hear.

Most of the people who trash instructors, for example, never do any work. Well .... duh .... that's going to be a problem. They want to blame the school, but it's really not the school's fault.

So a lot of what you hear isn't always reliable.

:coollook:

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Specializes in ICU.

Great post MLOS! I am grateful 'almost' everyday that I got into my program. Now there are those days when I wonder what I did or if I will ever finish. I look at the nurses at clinicals and our instructors and wonder if I will ever be able to recite all that information and all those facts. It's like they know EVERYTHING! I can't wait to be in their shoes. Nursing school makes me feel good and keeps me on my toes.

I would also agree not to believe EVERYTHING you hear. Consider the source of the info. before you go quoting someone else. What's difficult to some may not be for others.

Overall I would not give it up for anything! :)

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I'm not sure I agree with this. People spead so many rumors at my school that you can't believe anything you hear.

Most of the people who trash instructors, for example, never do any work. Well .... duh .... that's going to be a problem. They want to blame the school, but it's really not the school's fault.

So a lot of what you hear isn't always reliable.

:coollook:

I agree... so I will add to my original post... consider the source and consider the comments. It's true that some students will complain and whine no matter where they are. But if current students have valid concerns then it should be considered.

Complaining about how hard it is, for example, is not valid. Of course it's hard. Of course you have teachers who you won't like and who won't like you. But if there are consistently issues with clinical sites or a complete lack of instruction, then it should be considered.

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

I agree with Lizz....in most cases i've found that the students that complain about instructors, school, etc are those that have an excuse for everything and very seldom put time and energy into the assignments. Or they're the ones that think the rules apply to everybody else, but not to them.

I can honestly say that I've never had an instructor I didn't get along with...even those that had a horrible rep for eating their young :rotfl:

Nursing school: it is what you make it!

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