It seems that some students are not a good fit for nursing.

Quota, BSN, RN · Mar 5, 2016

Wow. Just wow. You need to take your self righteous attitude down, waaaay down if you ever want to learn to actually be a nurse. How can you know you are better, if you've never seen any of these people work as a nurse?
I don't need a nurse brimming with positivity. I need a nurse who knows what she is doing, practices safely and according to evidence, and advocates for me. Those are my priorities. If my nurse also happens to be compassionate, that's flipping awesome. But not the most important factor.
If you are already considering yourself better than strangers on the Internet from a few posts. You have a long way to go.
Truthfully,
A Nursing Student.

Speaking as someone who has spent extended time as a patient in the hospital I want those bubbly, extra compassionate, touchy feely nurses to go the F away and leave me alone. I want a nurse who is good at their job, period. I'm just starting my pre-reqs so that I can apply to nursing school myself now. I do not have a "passion" for caring for people. I do have a great interest in all things medical, interested in the nice pay, and feel I'd do well at the job itself.

Banana nut, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 5, 2016

This has been a great thread thus far. Thank you all for your posts I really appreciate taking the time to give me your thoughts and opinions on this matter.

Monicad0211 · Mar 5, 2016

Don't judge anyone by their prereqs. Those honestly mean nothing. I'm currently a nursing student and I have always been an A student. Once nursing school started, it was a whole nother ballgame. Nursing school has made me feel dumb, when I once thought I was pretty smart. Those same people you are judging may be your saving grace once you actually start nursing school.

Wake88, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2016

Noctor, a few things. Nursing school naturally weeds people out. Don't worry about anyone else. Worry about yourself. You want to know everything but you won't, yet you can strive to learn as much as you can. If you want to find people 'knowledgeable at an elite level,' take the time to look for them, and invest in those people alone if you're looking for smart people to help motivate you.

Like jensmom said you do sound a tad smug; if I were you I'd stop that immediately. It'd be wiser to absorb as much information as you think you can, but stay silent about it and speak your knowledge when you have to. You'll kill people if you behave like a smug know-it-all. In spite of this I'm not going to rag on you about your initial username like those who took the easy way.

Having been in nursing school in the past, and going to nursing school this Fall, what you want to do is have an aura of calm. You'll be having enough to think about with your studies, so worrying about anyone besides yourself is counter-productive.

Looking at it another way, maybe it is true that some fellow classmates aren't doing more than they can. Still it's better not to put any sort of attention towards it. In some nursing schools, so long as you have a C average you will pass, provided you complete the NCLEX. Rather than clogging your brain with unimportant thoughts you can put that energy towards reaching that point.

Sucks having to say this, but windsurfer, in condemning arrogance, managed to come off as arrogant more than once in that post.

Liking AspiringNurseMW's point about awareness. The more you learn, the more you realize the things you don't know.

While kiki1970 chimes in on more than one occasion to admonish the OP, she has yet to actually say anything constructive, which sort of undermines her whole shtick.

Lady_j is absolutely right about experience being the best teacher and the risks of making assumptions.

Anyways, a few more things for the OP: Seek out a study group. Nursing school isn't a race or a tournament, but a journey with the destination being the successful completion of the NCLEX. Look for people in your nursing classes who seem eager to join a study group. Make detailed notes and go back and forth with your group members over everything you need to know. You can do this before each exam, or you can do it more frequently than that provided they're able.

And I don't appreciate the immaturity by jensmom on page 3, which conflicts with her earlier bit about the OP being smug. Your posts against jasmine were full of attitude. You were being condescending. Instead of behaving unlike an adult you would have been better staying calm and considerate. You having a nursing degree and other people who don't yet are posting here doesn't mean you get to act as if they can't share their own opinions here. Who cares if you have a degree if you act elitist. Share your differing view with her but don't behave like a child and expect to be taken seriously. You should apologize to jasmine.

Jensmom7, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2016

And I don't appreciate the immaturity by jensmom on page 3, which conflicts with her earlier bit about the OP being smug. Your posts against jasmine were full of attitude. You were being condescending. Instead of behaving unlike an adult you would have been better staying calm and considerate. You having a nursing degree and other people who don't yet are posting here doesn't mean you get to act as if they can't share their own opinions here. Who cares if you have a degree if you act elitist. Share your differing view with her but don't behave like a child and expect to be taken seriously. You should apologize to jasmine.

Everyone has an opinion. I find it interesting that you singled me out for criticizing jasmine, when there were many other posts saying the same thing.

I'm going to tell you the same thing I told her. You are not now, nor have you ever been a nurse. Finish school, pass your Boards, get some working experience under your belt, then come back here and we can talk peer to peer.

Until then, it would behoove you to back the indignation train up a bit. You don't appreciate it? Noted, doesn't really change anything. When I post here, it's with the understanding that not everyone is going to agree. You don't have any frame of reference to get your feathers ruffled.

Apologize to jasmine? I don't have anything to apologize for. I'm not the one spouting off about something I know nothing about.

Once again, there are many students on AN who have my respect and admiration. It's not easy getting through school, and the profession itself has changed so much, I'm not sure I would want to brave it all again. These students are more than welcome.

And then there are the others.

cracklingkraken, ASN, RN · Mar 6, 2016

Wow and it's not rude to be negative to others (if ever... ok Mr./Ms. Negative, how did YOU get in the program then), practice what you preach! Get yourself off your high pedestal because it is possible for anybody to become a nurse and I will prove to you and all the other nurses like you that you CAN be caring towards people and passionate about your job. I have seen it myself! You should never be demeaning towards others because they want a job you already have. You don't even want to research the differences nurturing makes in recovery for patients. Don't you think you should care? I think so. But what do I know, I'm not a nurse yet so I obviously don't know the importance of caring for a person whose health is in your hands! Nope. No idea. It is not like that IS THE REASON why I am going to be a nurse. Be a positive influence in people's lives, quit being so rude and negative! It is not going to hurt you, and will probably be better for your health in the end. Geez!

Dear goodness, get off of YOUR high horse.

No one said that you cannot be passionate about the job, but, as several posters pointed out, passion is not a requirement. If you love your job, great. But don't go around judging people who don't feel the same way, especially when you haven't even walked a step in their shoes.

NanikRN · Mar 6, 2016

Wow and it's not rude to be negative to others (if ever... ok Mr./Ms. Negative, how did YOU get in the program then), practice what you preach! Get yourself off your high pedestal because it is possible for anybody to become a nurse and I will prove to you and all the other nurses like you that you CAN be caring towards people and passionate about your job. I have seen it myself! You should never be demeaning towards others because they want a job you already have. You don't even want to research the differences nurturing makes in recovery for patients. Don't you think you should care? I think so. But what do I know, I'm not a nurse yet so I obviously don't know the importance of caring for a person whose health is in your hands! Nope. No idea. It is not like that IS THE REASON why I am going to be a nurse. Be a positive influence in people's lives, quit being so rude and negative! It is not going to hurt you, and will probably be better for your health in the end. Geez!

---yawn----

You might try proving it by applying yourself to your schooling, graduating, working as a nurse

*then* come tell us how we should be

Farawyn · Mar 6, 2016

Wake, are you a nurse?

ETA: Got my answer. As you were.

direw0lf, BSN · Mar 6, 2016

This post is just a bit of a rant so please take it with a grain of salt: I am finding MOST "pre-nursing" students I come across are not cut out for the gauntlet that is nursing school. It may be a maturity issue or an ignorance issue, I do not know. What I am seeing is a total lack of competition in my prerequs. I may just be an over competitive young man wanting to provide for his family, but I don't see anyone in my classes who is on another level kind of smart. Has anyone had this experience? I have a desire in my heart to know EVERYTHING so I am kind of constantly studying everything that has to do with nursing all the time, and I don't see anyone, really, that is knowledgeable at an elite level. It makes me sad because smart people motivate me to be better and I'm not getting any of that in my experience. please feel free to comment negatively or positively to this thread. I would love some feedback.
Thank you

When I saw 64 comments my nosiness had to look at this thread. I wasn't going to comment until I read "it makes me sad because smart people motivate me to be better and I'm not getting any of that in my experience"

Let me get this straight....you're sad because you think that there is no one smart in your class, so you aren't motivated to do well, because you like to be competitive.

Not everyone likes to be competitive so not everyone is going to tell you their real grades, GPA, and how much extra they like to study at times, if they're an honors student, etc.

If I was in your class you'd probably think I was dumb. I'm outgoing, talk about make up and hair, love to make jokes, and don't tell anyone my grades and I downplay how much I study and enjoy it. Hmmm.. I wish you were in my class because I'd just feel so important that by being myself it could effect you so much that you'd be sad and unmotivated.

Farawyn · Mar 6, 2016

direw0lf, not to mention GOT.

ChicagoNative · Mar 6, 2016

I don't think that's what he meant. It's probably difficult to see his peers have a cavalier attitude towards something he takes very seriously.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 6, 2016

I don't think that's what he meant. It's probably difficult to see his peers have a cavalier attitude towards something he takes very seriously.

Even if the OP meant that, not everyone shows their emotions differently, and cope differently.

People who constantly are competitive and want to know grades, etc (not saying the OP is doing this), in my experience, would NEVER know what grades I received, because I was in competition with only myself-I had a goal to achieve, and I did so; like direw0lf, I would be one who would crack jokes, etc; if there would be a discussion about schoolwork, I would let my answers show I knew the material, but wouldn't divulge my grades-it wasn't anyone's business, while making my way through school and graduating.