Is it ever appropriate to tell someone...

[dinah77]

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?

[CuriousMe]

I didn't say it didn't pertain at all, it just wasn't the main point I was getting at. Just like I also said, I am sure their are probably some schools where things aren't always the same, but majority of them seem to be.

Thank you and good luck to you :)

Right, it wasn't the point you were getting at....it was an alternate perspective that showed an exception where your point might not be true.

Best of luck to you as well.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Oh my goodness, seriously?!?!, my point was true, it was true in my case, which makes it true. I never claimed it to be true for every person, just like I never said ALL schools do things this way or that way. I also pointed out that a few 4.0 pre req students were now doing poorly in nursing school, 1 I know failed both Pharm and Fundamentals and can't even reapply to our program because you can only have 1 retry on one class. Again, this doesn't mean that ALL 4.0 pre req students will do poorly. I never claimed anything to be 100% the case. The point I made may not be true in every person or situation, which I stated numerous times, we learn in nursing their are no certainties.

[CuriousMe]

Oh my goodness, seriously?!?!, my point was true, it was true in my case, which makes it true. I never claimed it to be true for every person, just like I never said ALL schools do things this way or that way. I also pointed out that a few 4.0 pre req students were now doing poorly in nursing school, 1 I know failed both Pharm and Fundamentals and can't even reapply to our program because you can only have 1 retry on one class. Again, this doesn't mean that ALL 4.0 pre req students will do poorly. I never claimed anything to be 100% the case. The point I made may not be true in every person or situation, which I stated numerous times, we learn in nursing their are no certainties.

Wow, I hope you have a good rest of your night. I'll make a mental note to only reply to posts of yours in which I agree with your perspective.

Silly me, I thought this was a forum where folks discussed ideas....I see now, some folks just like to be agreed with.

Good night and I wish all the best to you.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Sounds good. Goodnight :)

[NRSLDT]

There are plenty of people who go into nursing for the money & stability, but it does not mean they won't do a good job. I went into nursing for high school credit. I am now a darn good RN. If you can make it through nursing school then kudos. It is very important to stress the hardwork and dedication to nursing, but its their choice. Nursing has many, many opportunities. It is not limited to only LTC/SNF or hospitals. You definitely don't have to be a person who just loves people, but you better know how to communicate and respect others. There are nursing laws and principles that must be followed no matter what.

[makingitright]

I am not selfless and neither am I Florence Nightingale. What I am however is someone who likes to make a difference, I like to help people, I love feeling relevant and making others feel this way as well. I do not in general like people. I have loved some people, learned to like others and have tolerated some.

From the time I was a little girl I have always wanted to be a nurse. I use to watch GH and fell in love with the possibility then. There were a few nurses and Drs in my family and as friends and I respected them greatly. My grandmother I came to find out always wanted to be nurse, but she chose her family over her own happiness, when I complete this journey I would have done this for both her and myself. She would have been a fabulous nurse! A rockstar even!

As a CNA I have worked under fabulous nurses, knowledgeble and adept people who make a difference. I will make a difference and I will be paid to live my passion. I cannot think of anything better.

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

Why the concern over other people's grades? Or the justification of your own, whether good or bad?

Some people do well academically, others do not. Is it the only indicator of their intelligence? No way. Some may be book smart, others street smart and many of us find ourselves somewhere in the middle.

Do I think its a tutor's job to tell someone whether they should or shouldn't apply to a nursing program? Or that they should tell someone whether the think the person is cut out for nursing? No, I do not.

What you can do though is offer advice and encouragement and give them tips and pointers on how to do well. That is your job and the service in which you are there to provide to these students.

Ultimately, it is up to the individual if they will succeed. Sure, it might take them a few tries. But so what? Sometimes it takes a kick in the behind (like a failure or a bad grade) to motivate someone. If they can fall and then pick themselves back up and make it...that is where true learning occurs.

And so what if someone said that they wanted to go into nursing for the money? It does not mean that that person will make a bad nurse. That was one of the reasons I wanted to go into nursing...for the salary and job security that it brings. Was it my only reason? No, of course not. I have many others. Either way, maybe this particular person was having a hard time articulating themselves. I find personal statements extremely challenging, as it is very hard to write about myself. Maybe this person struggled with the same. And since you were so quick to pass her off, you missed an opportunity to help someone.

[KarenBuley]

If someone asks you whether or not you think they should go into nursing...if you've seen them struggles with pre-reqs, I think it's fair to talk about the difficult courses they'll be facing, which is the truth. That might be all you have to say.

[PumaAngel]

We have programs at the hospital where they can shadow a nurse for the day. I would definitely recommend something like that. It may change their mind, but it will at least give them a good idea of what exactly the job entails.

[tfleuter, BSN, RN]

For the student who wrote her "want to be a nurse" paper from only a monetary aspect, I would have only made a comment on anything she wrote that was not necessarily true or not the whole story. Example, if she made some kind of comment like "my friend's mom in makes $50 per hour" I would point out that 1) wages vary from state to state, check out the average wage in your area, 2) your friend's mom might have been a nurse for 20+ years and certainly didn't start at the wage. Otherwise, I find nothing wrong with someone who wants to enter the profession because of it's earning potential as long as they have their facts straight and know what to expect, not what they have heard second or third hand.

[kayskate]

First: Everyone needs to earn a living. However, it helps if you like what you do. I earned a good living in jobs I hated and a lousy living in jobs I loved. If someone likes RN and thinks they can earn a living as a RN, that kills 2 birds w one stone. If someone is vacillating between 2 choices and one will earn him a better salary, that may be the deciding factor. Nothing wrong w wanting to earn a decent buck for the hrs you work.

Should a tutor tell someone they should reconsider? My first response is "no". That applies to unsolicited advice. gentle suggestions about the difficulty/content/commitment of NS, okay. Ultimately, the person will either not be accepted b/c his grades are not appropriate or he will get into NS and decide if he can handle it or wants to handle it. I know ppl who got into NS then decided to do something else. Others, like the students the OP mentions, who are retaking pre-reqs may be very committed. It takes a lot of motivation to retake classes and keep your eye on the goal when others may have bowed out b/c they lacked the drive or commitment. Personally, I cannot imagine why someone would retake classes if they were not serious. Who wants to retake a class? The fact that the students are seeking tutoring may indicate they are serious about improving study habits for future success in NS.

Kay