I've always wanted to be nurse, but...

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 20, 2016

I had WAY less than a 4.0 when I went through nursing school; most of the time I had a 2.9-3.0 average throughout college.

College is a whole ball game; you at expected to act like an adult and guide your own learning; professors are only the mediators to the information, it is up to you to understand the material by reading the material, doing the work, and seeking out additional avenues through additional readings or using college resources in order to understand the material.

amberlayne · Mar 20, 2016

I understand that I am expected to act like an adult and be in charge of my own learning. I love to learn and enjoy the learning process.

What I do not enjoy is taking an organic chemistry class, raising my hand and asking a question to clarify a point, and having my professor snap at me and say "Go see a tutor if you don't understand," when I was asking something very simple. I pay attention, bust my butt on the homework, use Khan academy, reddit homework help, my school's tutoring services, and a private tutor as necessary.

So clearly, I don't have a problem with the workload or understanding the material. I was asking if, as a nurse, the stress to get the good grades and be an excellent student was worth it to you now that you are a nurse?

I appreciate your reply.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 20, 2016

Like I stated to you before; I didn't get straight A's in college; I worked hard to understand the material because I wanted to be a nurse; if anything it was imperative to understand the material more than "get good grades"; those things are not mutually exclusive; understating the knowledge theoretically and practically was certainly worth it; I used my knowledge and continue to learn every day and every year as a nurse; you never stop learning in this business.

Once you become a nurse, you will find that you will need to self study and investigate in order to understand a pattern of how your pts are responding to a treatment, or how there signs and symptoms are atypical, or what other options and strategies are available to the health care team.

As you continue on with your studies and continue to have the desire to learn, that trait will best serve you in developing your nursing practice.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2016

SO when things are easy you like it...when it is not easy you want to quit? You will have doctors you don't like...will your patients still receive A level care or not? You will have work shifts you don't want...will your patients receive A level care? You will have co workers who are not helpful...will your patients receive A level work?

You are expected to perform when things are "easy" and when they are not "easy". You do not like your professors? OK? Do you think other students love all their professors? Quit if you want or push through.

SabineEffect · Mar 21, 2016

Hey, I totally understand your frustration and I'm sorry it's also happening to you. I'm going through the same thing. My professors aren't that kind either. They've made things more complicated than they need to be, but I'm trying to see it as a blessing in disguise as making me stronger so I'll have thick skin by time I get into the RN program. Some people don't understand me when I tell them how tough things are right now, but my Micro Professor just made us all submit 5 (FIVE!!!!) micro lab reports ALL AT ONCE. They weren't all due at separate deadlines, NO- they were all due together in one document. Luckily I did great on all of them. His reasoning is he's trying to prepare us for the abuse that the RN program will expose everyone to when they get in. I've talked to my RN colleagues at work about all this and they think it's absurd he's acting like this, but I think times have changed. Schools have cracked down to the max and the RN program is probably no longer for the one who loves nursing. In fact, the RN program is probably for those that are just crazy smart in theory which is something I lack. I'm fantastic with skills check offs, but if you give me theoretical info that won't get applied to the real world (ever), then I'm lost. I do try to study and I'm always doing homework, recording lectures, doing extra credit. Heck, I even talked with my professor to give him input on how his lectures could be more effective in class. For some time there, he was a wreck in class. When I talked with him, he somewhat listened. He's still tough, but I am not giving up. I try to see it as a blessing in disguise because by now, I know how to write some hardcore fancy S.O.A.P. notes and I'm not even in the RN program yet. I also have found out the stuff I've learned so far, my colleagues are oblivious to that new knowledge these days. You're at an advantage these days, believe me. We are learning the newest and best info these days that will help boost our resume later on. Knowledge and experience is gold.

On the other hand, don't listen to negative input.

I am where you are to an extent and from what it looks like, I would highly recommend you changing schools. One of my colleagues was in one RN program and she said it was a total wreck. She transferred to another RN program at a different school and was pleased with her experience. Plus, it may prevent trashing your GPA. If you're not liking the school you're at due to the RN program, your GPA might suffer to the point you may have an even harder time trying to get accepted elsewhere.

Also, don't limit yourself. If you truly want this, consider applying at multiple schools.

Otherwise, consider more tutoring and talk with your peers, too.

For me, my peers were so lost and they still are. Actually they don't even have time to explain anything and nobody in my classes seems to know tit-for-tat. We're all lost because it's so difficult right now. If you can afford tutoring, get it. Otherwise, I would transfer to another college.

Don't settle. This is your money that you're using to pay for college and every bit of it counts.

Don't let anyone ruin your GPA even if you're trying your hardest to make it work. Sometimes the school itself doesn't have the right professors or they enforce a teaching method that isn't "one size fits all".

On another note, I've looked at youtube to see what other RN nursing students are saying. Pretty much everyone is saying same thing- study, study, study. You can't study if you don't understand what you're reading, I know! I have had and still have a professor that gets snappy when questions are asked, but don't be afraid. Keep asking questions. If he/she isn't allowing for office hours, I would talk to the department chair and let him/her know that the professor isn't providing tutoring hours. Explain your situation. The worst they can do is not help you. Just try to talk with the dept. chair. and see what happens. If they aren't supportive, I would be considering applying at a different school while you're still at this current school and transfer out. This is your life your working on.

I don't have straight A's either. I certainly don't have a 4.0 GPA and it boggles my mind to see how people with that high of a GPA get through the RN program without it getting beaten down and trashed to a 3-point-something.

A lot of people don't understand our situation because times have actually changed. RN programs and science programs have cracked down and a lot of people don't seem to believe how much more difficult it is to get through them now compared to just a few years ago or prior to that.

Anyway, best of luck. Don't give up. You can do this! Don't ever settle. If that school isn't supportive, transfer out (last resort). Otherwise, keep sticking it out and don't get C's as a final grade in any of your classes. Talk with other people in your class and find out how they're managing (everyone has a different approach, believe me.) Also, ask your professor how he or she learned the material.

Lastly, talk with your colleagues. I have a feeling I'm going to have to invest in books to act like a know-it-all before I get into the program because the professor is already telling us we better know the Fundamentals of Nursing before we even get into the program. How that is possible, I have no idea. The things they come up with just doesn't make any sense, but okay then!

Best of luck for you. Stay strong. Don't quit. People like them will try to do everything they can to discourage you to see if you really are passionate about the RN program (that's my theory anyway).

Flex your muscles and keep pushing through! It's rough out there, I know! I'm feeling it over here too. I just do my work, do the best I can- talk with classmates and get input, I do outlines on my notes, and cross my fingers. Oh, and I am a snob about my sleep at night. If you don't get your rest, you'll lose your mind and then everything will spiral out of control. Some people can function perfectly without rest, but consider what works best for you.

-Sabine

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Mar 21, 2016

Your husband won't have kids until you have a degree? I think that is a big part of this, you want kids, he won't. The fastest way to get a degree for you is nursing. For you, it's been relatively easy up until this point, now it's tougher and you can't deal. Can I point out you are only in the prereq stage here?

A 3.8 is a good GPA. But you apparently live in a very competitive area. How many programs are you applying to? Just one? Have you looked at going the LPN route, then going for your RN? You could bridge. I don't see why a 3.8 would not get in. Are these actual facts that only 4.0s are getting in, or is that the school rumor mill? Lots of people lie about their GPA and entrance exam scores to make themselves look better. The absolute last thing you should listen to is the school rumor mill.

Nursing school is much harder than the prereqs. And you are not going to mesh with every instructor you have. Just as in the workplace like Windsurfer said. This is the part where you need to suck it up. Because you will encounter this in nursing school. You are in college. The coddling and babying of high school is over. A lot of this is some self-teaching. You will self-teach on the job as well.

You are young. To me, you need to get this baby thing worked out with your husband. Take it from a divorced, single mom. That one sentence in your original post is what stood out to me. You want a baby, he's not ready and he's putting conditions on you to put it off. Just sit down and have a good heart-to-heart and get it all on the table. Because if you are having these issues in your prereqs, I'm not sure I see you making it through nursing school. I see you getting in, but not making it.

Dd04321 · Mar 22, 2016

Sometimes you get instructors that you just don't click with, and that's okay. It happens - you're not going to like everyone, and not everyone is going to like you. You're responsible for learning the material whether they teach it to you the way that you like or not. Every instructor has their own teaching style. You could always go to a resource on campus and seek assistance, too. Or you could transfer out if you really aren't liking the school.

I'm currently a second semester BSN student at a local university. The average GPA for our program was around a 3.4.

ICareAlot · Mar 22, 2016

Is that the only school that is located near you, if not, would you consider traveling to another school with more spots? You may also want to consider LPN or ADN schools if you have not already. If you are truly willing to spend the money then look at private BSN school programs.

devorahna · Mar 22, 2016

Look, some teachers just suck, irregardless of that fact, you can still do well, and it sounds like you ARE doing well. Its frusterating, but you will only have to be in that teachers class for 1 semester, and then it will be nothing but a memory. I had a horrible microbiology teacher who literally told us to download the powerpoints and read the book, and did not lecture at ALL, and gave very difficult tests. I hated HATED the class, but I managed to get an A anyways. Just take a deep breath, apply to schools that you want to go to, and then evaluate from there!

devorahna · Mar 22, 2016

Also, I am a non traditonal student (31 years old, former teacher, have 2 small kids at home) and although we want another baby, we will not have one until I am done with school. So I totally feel your angst about wanted to get on with school already!! However, since you dont know if you are in or not, I recommended working your hardest,try and stay calm!

LPNtoRNin2016OH, LPN · Mar 27, 2016

I am a non traditional student as well, 28, married, 3 young children. I'm an LPN bridging to my RN at the community college.I start my clinical this July and will be done next spring. Its taken me three years to get all the pre-requisites because I did technical school for my PN and nothing transferred. Its been my whole life for three years because its mostly self teaching especially when it came to the sciences. I also work full time the first 2.5 years which I don't recommend if possible. Its been worth the hard work, I carry a 3.96 GPA and because the bridge application pool is much smaller than the traditional RN program, it wasn't much of a question whether or not I would get in. Obviously I am not finished yet but would I do this again if I could go back in time? 100% yes. Its been the most soul crushing exhausting back breaking thing I have ever experienced. I literally run on fumes and recently dropped down to PRN to refuel for the hardest part of the race, clinicals. But I have gained invaluable respect for myself and my work ethic at this point is rock solid. Whatever it takes to pass, I'm doing it. But I can't imagine doing this well if I didn't want it as bad enough as I do. That's what pushes me through crappy professors, impossible exams, and hours worth of studying: I want it. I can't speak on needing to move in order to move to a more accessible program. As I said before, my bridge program usually only has just enough applicants to fill the 30 spots every year, so unless your completely screwing around, you can get in with a 3.2. I just wanted to make sure there was no question whether not I would be accepted when applying. Good luck!