Know-it-all nursing students?

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Specializes in CNA/Nursing student.

Has anybody had to deal with know-it-all pre-nursing students?:cool: I recently got hired for a local retail job and I started talking to this girl during first day work orientation about school and I found out she wanted to be a nurse and go into the same program as me. Then, out of no where she starts coaching me on how to get into the program(that she is not even in herself) and about all the prerequisites and how and when to take them all while I am trying to make clear to her that I am fine and know what I have to do. I am not sure what I did to set her off all I was asking her were general questions like What type of nurse do you want to be when you graduate? and Are you going to be a CNA first?. What kind of ticks me off is when she starts talking about her grades and they are lower than mine! I really feel as if she was talking down to me just because I am a few years younger. I know some of the things she said sounded "helpful" but there were more things she said that I can't remember that you could tell were just down right condescending if you were there. Ugh, has anybody else had to deal with someone like this while studying to become a nurse?

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No, I havent really encountered that attitude so far. Im in the Nursing program and have been asked by nursing aids about how and what is needed to get into my particular program. I love to be helpful and tell them what I did , but in no way am I condesending. So, you told her that you were going for the same program? Wonder why she felt the need to enlighten you? Instead she should have been asking if you wanted to take classes together or form a study group.

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It sounds like she was just excited and trying to help you.

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I had someone like that in my chem class recently. She was encouraging me to ditch the ADN that i was already accepted to in favor of a BSN which she was still miles away from because i would be "wasting my time". She said that it was "just friendly advice". she then asked me how to convert inches to grams because she did not want to wait in line for the scale. ha!

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That's nothing there are some actual nursing students like that....then they answer a question that the instructor ask and they learn that they don't know everything and that is why we are all there=)

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I had someone like that in my chem class recently. She was encouraging me to ditch the ADN that i was already accepted to in favor of a BSN which she was still miles away from because i would be "wasting my time". She said that it was "just friendly advice". she then asked me how to convert inches to grams because she did not want to wait in line for the scale. ha!

I didn't even know you could convert inches to grams. :confused::confused::confused: wonder what their answer showed.

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Haha, I'd just like to point out that you don't have to be a nurse/nursing student to have this "know-it-all" characteristic. You will find it within any and every profession However I do also have an instance where I met a girl at a dinner who was a first year nursing student. I made the comment that I would like to be a mental health nurse, then realised I hadn't told her I was already in my last year of the course. Without hesitation she went on to tell me about what the course is like and how I might apply for it and how I may be able to do another postgraduate course to get into the mental health specialty. She was so passionate about trying to help me out I didn't have the heart to say "No, it's actually like this and I already know how it works" so I just nodded and pretended to not know anything. We ended up parting without any qualms.

If you know your stuff, you shouldn't feel intimidated - you can listen to some ones opinion without taking it on board, this is important in the nursing world because every one will have their own methods of practise. For example one lady tried teaching me her way of putting on sterile gloves, I did not feel comfortable doing it her way so I said thank you but if you don't mind I will do it the way I am used to. No point getting upset at each other over it.

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HA! Do we know the same person?! A coworker of mine does the same thing. You just have to look at it this way: she's just trying to help in her own special way. Yes, it can be obnoxious, but it's most likely coming from a good place. Some people come off condescending when they don't mean to.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm one of those "know it all" types of people- but only about topics that I actually know stuff. When it comes to the nursing program, I have no clue! So I just go with my experiences and keep my mouth shut otherwise! With topics that I'm fairly knowledgeable, I try to be helpful (but only if someone asks or expresses an interest for more information) without sounding condescending. But apparently I missed that day in class in 1st grade and that's a character flaw I struggle with on a daily basis. I utter the words "I'm really sorry if this comes across b!tchy or like I'm a know-it-all, but I suck at this social skill so I'm just going to say it the way it is in my head and hope that you don't take offense" on a weekly basis.

Just take what she says with a grain of salt. Or if it gets to be too much, be honest with her. Let her know that you appreciate her advice, but that you've spoke with people in the program and you've got your game plan in tact.

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Specializes in Mother/Baby.

AprilAnney said everything I wanted to say! I do not know the tone of the person you dealt with but my (biased, because I have been that person) opinion is that she was trying to help. I would just tell her where I am in applying or counter her advice with my own (if she says "it helps if you do this" then say "I prefer to do it that way/I don't think that's important" or so) to show you do not need her advice and help. Perhaps she will get a clue and back off, or admit she is just really excited and stressed out and did not mean to sound condescending. Perhaps she will not get that clue and you will know it is best to distance yourself from her. :)

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Yes, i have actually. So much to the point that she started talking about how bad of a mother my nieces mom was because Nursing school made her such a better mom. Its one thing to advise but to actually start using it as a "I'm better then you" attitude is really annoying.

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It sounds to me like she was excited and just really wanted to talk about the program! Maybe she didn't realize it came off as condescending. Perhaps you can gently tell her? Since you're in the same program, maybe it'll turn around and become a great friendship instead, haha! Or..... she could just totally be a know-it-all.

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Heh, I had something like that happen. Had a fellow student bragging about his 90 he had made on a test and how he knew he had the highest grade in the class... I let him go on for a couple of minutes then showed him my 98... :devil:

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