do grades really matter after graduation?

foxyhill21 · Nov 21, 2006

good question...

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Nov 21, 2006

Fear not. In so many places, license = job. C's get degrees.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Nov 21, 2006

Why don't you contact some places with internships and ask?

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Nov 21, 2006

Not in my experience. I made decent grades - but nobody has EVER asked for them.

indigo girl · Nov 21, 2006

In almost 25 years, no one has ever asked about my grades, ever.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Nov 21, 2006

I've seen our HR Manager look at grades only when nurse is applying for first position after nursing school.....ALONG with prior jobs they held & # months/years at position. Combining two issues together, candidtate with higher grade may get position.

4.0 perfect score looked unfavorably however as often person wants "the ideal" and often unable to accept imperfect world or roll with the puches that nursing requires.

Biggest reason NOT to hire based on application is frequent job changes less than a year in length...unless in military/moved states.

AfloydRN, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2006

NOPE! If you have a pulse and a license, consider yourself hired. There is such a shortage now. Noone cares if you got A's os C's. The letter grade you received has no bearing on the quality of a nurse you can be.

aggieamy5 · Nov 21, 2006

I've seen our HR Manager look at grades only when nurse is applying for first position after nursing school.....ALONG with prior jobs they held & # months/years at position. Combining two issues together, candidtate with higher grade may get position.
4.0 perfect score looked unfavorably however as often person wants "the ideal" and often unable to accept imperfect world or roll with the puches that nursing requires.
Biggest reason NOT to hire based on application is frequent job changes less than a year in length...unless in military/moved states.

I hate the whole mindset that employers not wanting to hire people with 4.0 GPAs. I'm friends with a high school principle who says he will not hire a first year teacher with a perfect 4.0 because he/she will expect this from all students and not understand when they may make poor grades. Personally, I think this thinking is assinine, as I graduated with a 4.0 in both undergrad. and graduate school and would never expect everyone to make the same grades. I can also definitely roll with the punches and do not always expect perfection. In my field, having a very high GPA or even a 4.0 is necessary for getting into graduate school and I was hired for the first job I interviewed for. It's sad that in some fields such hard work is not rewarded. I had no idea that this may be true in nursing. My husband has a 4.0 in nursing school and is about to graduate. I hope this does not hurt his chances of jobs/internships, as he sounds like he's really enjoying it and relating very well to the patients!

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Nov 21, 2006

I used to have this in my most recent signature line before the upgrade limited it to 4 lines:

The following is true and statistics fully bear this out: 50% of all nurses graduate in the bottom half of their class.

Or,

Do you know what you call the student that graduates from RN school last in their class and passes NCLEX? RN.

~faith,

Timothy.

BSNtobe2009 · Nov 21, 2006

If I was the recruting manager, and had several new grads, and liked them all, I would take the one as the highest GPA.

However, if your grades are very low they will come back to haunt you if you attend graduate school or getting your BSN (assuming you have an ADN).

AussieRN1 · Nov 22, 2006

Hi I have just graduated from nursing school in Australia. I did start my degree in good ole' Texas. My impression is that grades truly do not matter, there is a global nursing shortage. Any hospital would be lucky to have you.

Cheers

AussieRN1