That irks me to no end! I've read so many posts on here where people state that "your grades don't matter!" Are you kidding me?
I bust my butt to get A's. I think my grades reflect my work ethic and my willingness to learn. I am not content etching by as average. I do not want an average nurse caring for me. I do not want to be an average nurse caring for others. I want to be the best nurse that I can be, and I hope that others that currently don't think likewise drop the mantra that a C is good enough. Even if an employer may not look at your transcript, those grades should still "matter."
That irks me to no end! I've read so many posts on here where people state that "your grades don't matter!" Are you kidding me?
I bust my butt to get A's. I think my grades reflect my work ethic and my willingness to learn. I am not content etching by as average. I do not want an average nurse caring for me. I do not want to be an average nurse caring for others. I want to be the best nurse that I can be, and I hope that others that currently don't think likewise drop the mantra that a C is good enough. Even if an employer may not look at your transcript, those grades should still "matter."
There are so many variables in grading systems, student populations, etc....that using a letter grade can become a poor method of evaluation. Of course grades "matter," but are they the best bar by which to measure a good nurse? Is an "A" from a 20 year old, living at home, whose parents pay their tuition, who doesn't have to work to survive....equal an "A" from a 40 year old single dad who's working full-time NOC and going to class during the day? Do letter grades really reflect someone's skill or intelligence? IMO? No way.
At my school: No grades for clinical or clinical paperwork - pass/fail only and "graded" by the 12-page professional standard of nursing competency. No grades for lab projects, lab tests, or lab skills tests - pass/fail only and "graded" by peer and faculty review of written work and live return demonstration. No grades for presentations, papers, projects - pass/fail only and graded by peer and faculty review. The only thing receiving a letter grade are written exams. It's simply another method of evaluation.
So...do I care more about someone's ability to score well on their written exams, or that they can demonstrate professional and clinical competency? After being on the job for a while now....I can tell you with ease....that I could care less about someone's grades. By whatever means their school evaluates, they were deemed to possess the minimal level of competence. The NCLEX confirmed that assessment. Good enough to get you in the door....now let your work speak for your level of knowledge.
I can also say....honestly....that I've never asked anyone about their grades, nor has anyone ever asked me about mine. No one cares once you're beyond the doors of your institution, even though you feel like it's your entire world right now. When I'm doing chest compressions on a 25 weeker while my teammate prepares for an intubation, she doesn't turn to me and say, "Wow....I bet you got an 'A' in Critical Care Theories."
They don't symbolize intelligence. They symbolize drive and desire and hard work though. You think anyone that excels at anything just does good enough to pass?
I understand some people do their best and get Cs. I am not talking about them. I am talking about the slackers. It's about time this country has motivation and stops settling for 'Satisfactory.'
It doesn't cut it. Someone that does just enough to pass on purpose is going to always do that with everything they learn.
Anyone can pass a pill sure. I am sure there are many things to learn in LTC. For me, I want Trauma ICU and maybe CRNA or ACNP. Mediocrity won't cut it there.
Don't blame me. I was raised that way, the military reinforced it, I accept it. There are a million mediocre people. I'd like to rise above that...
Can I be called overachieving? Sure. Workaholic? Yes A person that expects to much from myself? Probably Mediocre? Heck No.
No one will ever meet me and attach mediocre next to my name. That's just me. Like i said before. What others do is up to them.
I've been told that since I was in elementary school. I might lose the fight. I'll still get the job.
The #1 quality of a successful person is persistence... I'll take any beating I need too.
And that's why you'll be successful and will be able to take pride in your achievements, because you worked for them. Like you said, these days mediocrity is rewarded and everyone is a victim. The only real victims are the patients and the nursing profession.
Only in nursing is furthering your education looked down upon and while in NS, the mediocre, the lazy and the inept are allowed to skate by, because it's been their lifelong dream to be a nurse or they think all it takes to be a nurse is the ability to be nurturing. That's a bare minimum.
I was with my little niece the other day, and she's at that age where girls start to feel self conscious and some of them are afraid to be smart and to show that they are smart. It was a sad thing for me to realize that in the profession I love so much, that this attitude is alive and well.
I'm sorry, I disagree. I don't just want the compassionate, nice nurse....I want the nurse who knows their stuff! Truthfully, I'd like both....but if I have to choose, I'll take the socially inept nurse who really knows their stuff. (I'm envisioning the RN version of House ).
Does a 4.0 mean that they are the better nurse, not necessairly....but it sure doesn't mean they're a worse nurse, and it does say that they were committed to their studies (which doesn't mean a C student wasn't committed....it just means you can't tell from their grades if they were committed to their studies or not).
I agree with Stanley, my goal is not just to get through nursing school, my goal is to get everything I can out of the experience and be as great as a nurse as possible then become an amazing APN. Nothing less will satisfy my goals.
On the whole, I'll take book learning over hand-holding any day. But the great thing about nursing is it's a profession that lets you do both of those things.
Grade's matter, in the field while you're studying... Because you are actually gaining competency by having the knowledge from the most basic to the complex.. You need these Raw Knowledge to Apply to the resource that you have...
And what are Resource that you have... TLC.. Tender, loving, Care... It makes a big difference if these two are added together...
Honestly, Theoretical knowledge is as important as the Clinical and your attitude towards application.. GRADE signifies how task oriented a person can be to attain the course and how determine a person to become a Nurse..
Once you reached what you want, the rest follows...
It's not about grades anyways, it's just how important for you to become what you want to be no matter what..
From where I came from, people can buy an 'A'...so to me grades don't matter..
all that matters is that I know myself and I know I'm a great nurse..
Really? How much do they run? I have not heard of buying a grade, but I suppose it happens unfortunately! Now that is the nurse I do not want taking care of me or my family!! Things sound like they are different out there in the real world, I guess I am sheltered!!
I agree with Methelyne: Grades do matter. BUT a new nurse has to turn her knowledge (book smarts) into real life nursing smarts. And that starts at your first job.
Hopefully you will have a great preceptor. You must learn to prioritize and re-prioritize throughout the day, not be so "task oriented' but be focused on what "must be done first" rather than "what I would like to do first" You must learn translate your book smarts into labs, xrays, CT Scan, assessment data (objective and subjective) I&O == (______ disease process) and my medical orders are ________, and my nursing diagnosis is _________ so my intervention is going to be "blah, blah, blah.
Then, did I meet my goal with my interventions? etc... you get the picture.
School gives you the basics, the learning to be a nurse, and "putting it all together" comes at your first job.
That irks me to no end! I've read so many posts on here where people state that "your grades don't matter!" Are you kidding me?
How far into your nursing education are you? I must admit, that even though I pulled As throughout NS, by the end I was so exhausted that all I cared about was passing. I do have a strong work ethic and have high expectations of myself, and I think I'm a pretty good nurse. But after working so hard for so long, you get tired.
I believe that grades are important and that those who get higher grades should be acknowledged for it in some small way. Perhaps it could be noted on your transcript or the students with higher grades when graduating are put in a graduate with honours group or something.
I absolutely respect students/nurses that give their all. This is in no way average. When you strive to be all that you can be, then you have found success.
However, I am irked by those who have the attitude that all that is required is "X", so I will give this and nothing more. The ones who say " I could easily make an A, but I don't want to lose any sleep or be stressed out." The ones who aren't willing to sacrifice anything in order to gain a better understanding. These people are what I view as average. These are the people that I would not want at my bedside, nor ever want to become.
I want to carry out my career knowing that I gave it my all, not what was minimally required of me.
Atheos
2,098 Posts
Brother even :)