Let me guess......you have what it takes to become a great nurse but you can't get into nursing school?!?!
Research proves that GPA and high-stakes testing does not predict nursing school completion/success. Yet, most nursing schools still use those numbers to decide who gets in and who doesn't. I have to admit that I entered nursing school in an era where all interested were admitted (thank goodness because I didn't have good grades- I was well-rounded). The reason that academic leaders use numbers (GPA and/or test scores) to decide admission is because it's easiest and least likely to be litigated. The profession of nursing is an art AND science. It's a caring profession that requires compassion AND competence. Since you are reading this article, you want to get into nursing school/ you are meant to become a nurse. Don't give up.
My advice to you comes from a decade of serving on admission committees/ deciding who gains admission. First and foremost, find an accredited nursing school and apply. Keep applying to schools because the profession does not punish applicants for applying elsewhere (med schools are notorious for that type of exclusivity). Professionally accredited nursing schools are all quite similar and your goal is admission (anywhere). Hospitals (employers) do not publicize what college their nurses attended, so don't worry - graduation/passing Boards is your goal. If you have to take a standardized entrance exam, be confident! Sleep the night prior, eat a healthy meal, and plan to ace the test. If you get to write an essay or interview, please don't say, "I love helping people". SO many professions help people. Why do you know that you are meant to be a nurse?!? Do you know a nurse? Do you know what a nurse does? And please don't offend the admission committee members by telling us that "I wanted to become a doctor but couldn't get into med school so my mom talked me into nursing school" or "I want to become a nurse so I can go back to grad school and become a PA". PLEASE!!! OK, I'm done ranting: good luck- it's an amazing profession worth fighting to get into.
While nursing does require compassion and competence it also requires an amount of intelligence and dedication. Just about anyone can be taught the tasks of nursing, there are families at home that are doing that for love ones all the time, completing wound dressings, providing trach care and such. Not saying that a person doesn't need to learn and be able to do skills correctly, but a nurse also needs to be able to think critically. Some people no matter how much they may want to a nurse never will be. We tell children that they can be what ever they want when they want when they grow up, but that is not realistic. A student who makes C's and D's within in their prerequisite classes are more than likely not going to do well when it comes to their nursing classes. There is a base of knowledge that you need to have to be able to build upon.
The program that I am in starting with my cohort has raised the minimum for passing nursing classes to at least an 81% from 76% because statistically those who have those higher grades are more likely going to pass the NCLEX. There are posts all the time in the NCLEX forum of people who have taken the exam several times and have been unable to pass, it would be interesting to see what their grades where while in school, I am sure there is some correlation.
Does it mean that you have to be a straight A student to be a good nurse, no. However a student does need to have basic algebra skills, a knowledge of anatomy, physiology and how drugs work within the body, you need to be able to communicate with others verbally and in written form. For some this may come easy, others are going to have to work at it, but somehow that needs to become part of a persons base of knowledge.
Leonardsmom,LPN
367 Posts
While nursing does require compassion and competence it also requires an amount of intelligence and dedication. Just about anyone can be taught the tasks of nursing, there are families at home that are doing that for love ones all the time, completing wound dressings, providing trach care and such. Not saying that a person doesn't need to learn and be able to do skills correctly, but a nurse also needs to be able to think critically. Some people no matter how much they may want to a nurse never will be. We tell children that they can be what ever they want when they want when they grow up, but that is not realistic. A student who makes C's and D's within in their prerequisite classes are more than likely not going to do well when it comes to their nursing classes. There is a base of knowledge that you need to have to be able to build upon.
The program that I am in starting with my cohort has raised the minimum for passing nursing classes to at least an 81% from 76% because statistically those who have those higher grades are more likely going to pass the NCLEX. There are posts all the time in the NCLEX forum of people who have taken the exam several times and have been unable to pass, it would be interesting to see what their grades where while in school, I am sure there is some correlation.
Does it mean that you have to be a straight A student to be a good nurse, no. However a student does need to have basic algebra skills, a knowledge of anatomy, physiology and how drugs work within the body, you need to be able to communicate with others verbally and in written form. For some this may come easy, others are going to have to work at it, but somehow that needs to become part of a persons base of knowledge.