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

Illuminati · Mar 9, 2016

As a pre-nursing student who has already earned a Bachelor's Degree with honors, and even actively considered applying to medical school before choosing nursing, I would never look down on a fellow classmate for pursuing their dreams...with or without traditional "book smarts". How silly; just focus on yourself and your own path.

What made you decide against medical school?

AesthesiaSeeker · Mar 13, 2016

So I'm kinda new to this forum (new-ish more like it), I'm a nursing student who graduates in two weeks and after spending 12 hours in the NSICU where I had quite a brutal night with 2 "expired" (I could be wrong but that's the technical term my preceptor was using) codes, one involving a kid, that were quite emotional I have this to say:

Doctor_Nurse/whatever...I'm not going to tell you what to do but I'd consider changing your username. It's pissing people off and changing it may actually stop some of the **** people are giving you. By now I'm sure it's blown up your inbox/alerts and the further you push people past their **** eating threshold the more they're gonna start biting back.

Also please don't take this the wrong way but "You know nothing, Jon Snow." Academics aren't a bad thing to excel in; I had a 3.9 and applied to a nursing program and got waitlisted. Then I found another nursing program that was accelerated, crammed 16 weeks of traditional school into 9, ran through breaks & promised that with hard work and dedication I'd be Aesthesiaseeker, BSN in 18 months. I did it, I'm glad I did it but realize that you're going to probably be in a program where everyone is going to be like you.

All nursing school does is prepare you to be a safe & competent med surg nurse - at least that's what I've been told by the nurses I've followed.

But when you're doing your first head to toe assessment check-off and the instructor sets a 6 minute timer, when you set up your first sterile field, put in your first foley...believe me you'll know the fear & stress of it all.

I'm not trying to freak you out but it's going to happen - that's why nursing's a practice.

Once you get that down, pass the NCLEX and start precepting...now you're getting to the fun ****. Like...hypothermia induction for ROSC patients, giving mannitol without exposing it to oxygen and having it blow up all over you (totally happened last night, I still feel sticky), titrating cardene drips and setting up an EVD. It's cool **** and this'll be the day you'll be waiting for.

In the meantime, just tone your attitude down a bit. Confidence is good, arrogance is not.

As far as the other **** I've seen in which everyone seems to be throwing their two cents in (myself included), I think it's important that we all remember personally attacking people on the internet is kinda...not very nice. While responding to people negatively who personally attack you may be seen as somebody defending themselves, keeping the hate going...not a good idea either.

I can honestly say the only thing I know really well is how to keep a patient safe. But I'm learning/practicing everyday which makes me better.

In the words of Forrest Gump "That's all I got to say about that." Now I'm gonna go shower, probably cry just a little bit and then pass out.

Deuces.

*mic drops*

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 13, 2016

Doctor_Nurse/whatever...I'm not going to tell you what to do but I'd consider changing your username.

This member had changed his/her name several days ago. It is now water under the bridge at this point in time.

AesthesiaSeeker · Mar 13, 2016

Whoops, my bad.

Banana nut, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 13, 2016

So I'm kinda new to this forum (new-ish more like it), I'm a nursing student who graduates in two weeks and after spending 12 hours in the NSICU where I had quite a brutal night with 2 "expired" (I could be wrong but that's the technical term my preceptor was using) codes, one involving a kid, that were quite emotional I have this to say:
Doctor_Nurse/whatever...I'm not going to tell you what to do but I'd consider changing your username. It's pissing people off and changing it may actually stop some of the **** people are giving you. By now I'm sure it's blown up your inbox/alerts and the further you push people past their **** eating threshold the more they're gonna start biting back.
Also please don't take this the wrong way but "You know nothing, Jon Snow." Academics aren't a bad thing to excel in; I had a 3.9 and applied to a nursing program and got waitlisted. Then I found another nursing program that was accelerated, crammed 16 weeks of traditional school into 9, ran through breaks & promised that with hard work and dedication I'd be Aesthesiaseeker, BSN in 18 months. I did it, I'm glad I did it but realize that you're going to probably be in a program where everyone is going to be like you.
All nursing school does is prepare you to be a safe & competent med surg nurse - at least that's what I've been told by the nurses I've followed.
But when you're doing your first head to toe assessment check-off and the instructor sets a 6 minute timer, when you set up your first sterile field, put in your first foley...believe me you'll know the fear & stress of it all.
I'm not trying to freak you out but it's going to happen - that's why nursing's a practice.
Once you get that down, pass the NCLEX and start precepting...now you're getting to the fun ****. Like...hypothermia induction for ROSC patients, giving mannitol without exposing it to oxygen and having it blow up all over you (totally happened last night, I still feel sticky), titrating cardene drips and setting up an EVD. It's cool **** and this'll be the day you'll be waiting for.
In the meantime, just tone your attitude down a bit. Confidence is good, arrogance is not.
As far as the other **** I've seen in which everyone seems to be throwing their two cents in (myself included), I think it's important that we all remember personally attacking people on the internet is kinda...not very nice. While responding to people negatively who personally attack you may be seen as somebody defending themselves, keeping the hate going...not a good idea either.
I can honestly say the only thing I know really well is how to keep a patient safe. But I'm learning/practicing everyday which makes me better.
In the words of Forrest Gump "That's all I got to say about that." Now I'm gonna go shower, probably cry just a little bit and then pass out.
Deuces.
*mic drops*

This is a great post. Thank you for your input. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I think your advice is solid.

Thank you for your time.

la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2016

Although your original post does sound very smug, I know where you're coming from. I've seen this with some of the pre-nursing students in my area as well. They seem to want to try to get to the easiest path of becoming a nurse and I don't really get it. It must really be the Facebook Generation syndrome or something.

But, yeah, it's good to have a curiosity about stuff but being extremely humble and staying in your lane is far more important.

alissa8168 · Mar 14, 2016

I've seen this in my pre-nursing classes as well. I've had classmates talk during the whole class, sleep, refuse to take a test because they didn't know we'd have one (even though it was on the syllabus from day one), etc. It does annoy me a little but as long as their actions arent effecting my grades then I just leave it alone and trust they'll weed themselves out.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2016

I'm sure I will help people more positively and skillfully than you ever did. And that's all that matters to me. I don't care about feeling warm and fuzzy myself, I want sick people to feel better in everyway.
In that way, I believe I am better. And 40 years from now you will be dead so I can't talk to you when I am seasoned, sorry.

As every experienced, knowledgeable, and "passionate" nurse knows, even young people get sick and die. You may not make it 40 years yourself. You might not make it 5 more years. None of us are promised even tomorrow. A 25 year old can drop dead of an aneurysm. One thing nursing has taught me is that illness and death can be very very random. One of the young women in my nursing school class got leukemia our junior year. She died within a year. Being young doesn't make you invincible, and being cocky about it won't guarantee you a long life either. Some of the COBs who are already "old" may well outlive us. In fact, I'm pretty sure some of them will!

I know some incredible nurses who aren't particularly "passionate." They are kind, compassionate, very sharp, know their stuff, advocate for their patients, anticipate and head off complications, are trusted by doctors and coworkers, etc., but they are there for the paycheck just as much as any other reason. Passion isn't a bad thing in a nurse, but it's certainly not a requirement.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2016

I've seen this in my pre-nursing classes as well. I've had classmates talk during the whole class, sleep, refuse to take a test because they didn't know we'd have one (even though it was on the syllabus from day one), etc. It does annoy me a little but as long as their actions arent effecting my grades then I just leave it alone and trust they'll weed themselves out.

Your teachers must be wusses. How does one "refuse" to take a scheduled test and not fail the class? Sure wouldn't have cut it at my program, which is considered to be one of the top programs in my state. Our professors would go above and beyond to help us succeed; refusal to take a test would simply result in a zero, however. That sounds like the tail wagging the dog at your school if that is tolerated.