Is it ever appropriate to tell someone...

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Specializes in Tele, OB, public health.

Not to go into nursing? If so, how? here's my dillemma...

I work in my school's tutor center- I see a LOT Of people who are barely making it through pre-reqs, have to re-take them as many times as is allowed, etc. I'm not making judgement's about their intelligence, 99% of the time it's a lack of commitment on their part, not willing to put foth the work, etc. All they seem to see is that this is a job that pays well and is stable, etc.

One girl wrote an essay for a pre-nursing class about why she wanted to be a nurse...she brought it in for profreading, and I heard my co-worker say to her "Umm, you didn't put anything in here about wanting to be an RN because you like to work with people, you only talked about the $$" :0!!

My usual "gut-check" for this is to ask myself "Would I want this person at the bedside of one of my loved ones?"

If the answer is "NO!" that's my criteria.

Beyond the fact that I am truly frightened about the thought of some of these people ever being RNs, there's also the fact that I go to a very expensive private University- it's heartbreaking to me to see so many people go through the stress and heartache of nursing school, only to end up tens of thuosands of $$ in debt with nothing to show for it when they finally flunk out for the last time.

So , any thoughts on this?

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

I don't think it is anyones business to tell some one to go or not to go into nursing. I would however tell them exactly what nursing school was like and what being a nursing entailed. There are always those people that just have to figure out things for themselves, even if it is that they are not cut out to be a nurse.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Nursing is the only profession that checks the motivations of its members. Are they doing it for the money? Is this person a nurse because they like people? Are you a nurse because you're a selfless angel of mercy?

Take a close, hard look at the other educated professions in society. Nobody is questioning the motives of the physician, college professor, engineer, librarian, social worker, physical therapist, businessman, linguist, or pharmacist. Other members of their professions aren't bothering them about selecting their respective career fields for the love of the job itself or other altruistic reasons.

This might sound blunt, but another nurse's personal reasons for entering the profession are absolutely none of my business. We, as nurses and future nurses, need to take a lesson from the other professions and stop beating each other down. I do not work for free, and I fully expect to be paid for the services that I render.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I agree that a person's motives are their own business and that it would be inappropriate for a tutor to bring that up. However, if you are assigned to help a student who is not doing the work, I don't see any reason to not say something like: "Do you realize that this assignment requires far less effort from you than the assignments you will get as a nursing student? Are you prepared to work that hard if you are accepted into the nursing school?"

Such a comment puts the ball in their court. They can then decide for themselves if they want to make the additional effort to complete the nursing program. You're not telling them what they should or should not do: you are simply giving them information about the requirements of the nursing program so that they can decide for themselves. I think that would be appropriate for someone in a teaching role of any kind.

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Specializes in Tele, OB, public health.
Nursing is the only profession that checks the motivations of its members. Are they doing it for the money? Is this person a nurse because they like people? Are you a nurse because you're a selfless angel of mercy?

Take a close, hard look at the other educated professions in society. Nobody is questioning the motives of the physician, college professor, engineer, librarian, social worker, physical therapist, businessman, linguist, or pharmacist. Other members of their professions aren't bothering them about selecting their respective career fields for the love of the job itself or other altruistic reasons.

This might sound blunt, but another nurse's personal reasons for entering the profession are absolutely none of my business. We, as nurses and future nurses, need to take a lesson from the other professions and stop beating each other down. I do not work for free, and I fully expect to be paid for the services that I render.

Actually there are plenty of other fields that people's motive are questioned. Being married to someone who is hoping ot enter acadamia and currently working on his doctorate, not to meniton knowing several clergy, a few

PTs and OTs and social workers, I can promise you, they have or all do get this question.

I would also like to humbly point out that comparisons between nurses and those pursuing an MBA or linguistics are comparing apples and oranges. Last I checked, those going into those fields are never directly responsible for caring for people at their most vulnerable moments, i.e sick, disabled or injured.

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Specializes in Tele, OB, public health.

And I do find the question "Do you like people?" Perfectly reasonable and applicable to nursing- why don't you?

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I have to agree. It is acceptable and done for many fields. Many people are told they aren't material for certain jobs or careers. I also don't think its a problem to give a little reality to those wanting to go into the nursing field. To explain that if you are having trouble with Anatomy, it may be more difficult with nursing classes, is not a bad thing. To explain that nursing involves poop and is not recession proof is not wrong. If they still want to attend nursing school, then they either wanted it really bad or will eventually leave the field.

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And I do find the question "Do you like people?" Perfectly reasonable and applicable to nursing- why don't you?

You don't necessarily need to like people as much as anyone else to enter the field of nursing. There are areas of work with limited one-on-one communication or patient interaction. Also, I've encountered nurses during my clinical who are simply standoffish to everyone around them, yet they are still nurses.

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Specializes in Tele, OB, public health.

I agree that there are many aspects of nursing that are not bedside. However, I think it is an unavoidable fact of this field that you do have to spend a few years doing bedside before moving on to the insurance company or researcher job

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I agree. The majority of jobs are bedside. Even if you do happen to get one of those limited non contact with human type jobs, you will most likely have to do some work at the bedside. I can't imagine someone being hired for those jobs - especially in this economy - without some experience.

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I agree that there are many aspects of nursing that are not bedside. However, I think it is an unavoidable fact of this field that you do have to spend a few years doing bedside before moving on to the insurance company or researcher job

I was thinking more along the lines of in-hospital jobs. (i.e. OR, ED, PACU, etc.)

There's more to nursing than the idea of being at the bedside of your patients for an extended period of time. And while I agree that all students need to spend time doing bedside, it doesn't mean they can't become RNs (or even great RNs) because of their feelings going into nursing school. Like I mentioned, we've all probably seen nurses during our clinicals that are standoffish and seem as if they don't like anyone- they are still RNs.

It should also be considered that nursing school changes people. It shifts perspectives, creates discipline, inspires learning, and challenges people to become better people. The people who were never meant to be nurses won't make it anyway, and really, they should figure out for themselves if this is a field they want to pursue. If you feel that strongly about telling someone they shouldn't pursue nursing, then bring up logical arguments based on facts rather than judgments (i.e. the ones included in Ilg's post). The moment you start telling students that they shouldn't go into nursing, you are making judgment calls based on your own biased opinions of both the student and the entire nursing field. And to be frank, it's not your call.

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Specializes in Tele, OB, public health.

"The moment you start telling students that they shouldn't go into nursing, you are making judgment calls based on your own biased opinions of both the student and the entire nursing field. And to be frank, it's not your call."

Nor do I want it to be my call, I don't really wan't that responsibility- the intent of my OP was to get feedback on the idea as a whole- should someone be making that call? I do know of people in other fields (specifically ministry) who were told straight up by faculty they did not have the enough of a "pastoral attitude" to be ministers.

Why is thisi such a controversial issue with nursing?

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