Level of intelligence

[Divest]

Going through nursing school, I have to say that it's overwhelming. They throw a ton of information at you all at once, most of which aren't on the exams (they don't tell you what information will be on the exams, either). It's so overwhelming that sometimes I think you have to be a genius just to pass these classes.

Then I meet nurses who are... well, let's just say they're not the brightest people I've ever met. Some of them have horrible grammer (they couldn't pass a 4th grade english class for the life of them), can't do math, and just have absolutely no common sense whatsoever. I worry for the people that these nurses take care of.

I've also seen some people post on this very site, posting things that don't make any sense with horrible grammer and exhibit no intelligence whatsoever... yet they're nurses. How the hell does that happen?

No disrespect meant towards anyone whatsoever, I'm not trying to upset anyone, but let's face facts, there are some less-than-average nurses out there, so how do they do it? Admittedly, I don't see them very often, but they're out there. That just scares me and confuses me at the same time.

How the hell did they get through nursing school?

[fUsi0n86]

Then I meet nurses who are... well, let's just say they're not the brightest people I've ever met. Some of them have horrible grammer

No kidding? LOL

(they couldn't pass a 4th grade english class for the life of them), can't do math, and just have absolutely no common sense whatsoever. I worry for the people that these nurses take care of.

ME TOO! :wink2:

I've also seen some people post on this very site, posting things that don't make any sense with horrible grammer and exhibit no intelligence whatsoever... yet they're nurses. How the hell does that happen?

On this VERY site? No way! Such as who?

[JomoNurse]

There were a handful of students in my class that couldn't write an essay. A lot of them were weeded out, but unforunately, some go through. I don't mean any disrespect, but there was this one crazily "less than average" girl in my class. Some classes she barely got by. I really think it was luck! When we were at graduation I was literally thinking to myself "Why in hell did this girl make it!?" It really was luck.

P.S. One thing I noticed about nursing school... I noticed a lot of the chatty talk-a-lot (or complain) flunked out. A lot of people that just shut up, studied, and did what they were asked to do and SECRETLY complained passed. I secretly banged my head into my book when I realized how much of the chapter I had to read. Ugh, that totally blew.

P.S.S.S. Some people come off as stupid but they're actually pretty good at taking exams.

There are ALL types of people that make it as nurses. I'm quiet and keep to myself (I don't engage a lot of conversation with patients, for example), but I end up doing what I need to do. Some people like it and then some people don't. Now that I think of it, I didn't even talk a lot at my interview. It was literally about 15 minutes because I give short answers when I speak.

P.S.S.S.S. I'll admit it... I was happy to hear that some people flunked as bad as that sounds. A lot of them were annoying people that I wouldn't want as my nurse.

P.S.S.S.S.S. Some of the people I hung out with in nursing school didn't even have to read everything they were supposed to do - they were just good test takers. Bastards. (just a little dry humour, please don't attack).

Nursing school is a lot of work, but keep pressing on and take it one chapter at a time. You'll be at graduation before you know it. Working as a nurse is pretty easy (IQ wise) in general.

Did the OP mention anything about spelling? I can't remember. Anyway, the grammer/grammar refute is really old and unrelatable. The OP is just bringing up the fact that stupid people pass through the cracks. The OP didn't sound harsh or judgemental - sometimes it is hard to hear the truth.

[Mollypita]

I would just add, regarding his/her comment about posts on this site- I remember a thread with a poster whose spelling and grammar made her sentences barely comprehensible. Then come to find out English was her fourth language! Imagine taking college level classes in your fourth language- pretty astonishing. So this person who initially came across as not very smart is probably one of the more intelligent posters around here...

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

OP, I know what you're getting at, and I agree with you. I've worked with nurses that SCARE me, since both book smarts and common sense were lacking, if not nonexistent.

I think some of the responders perhaps feel a little insecure about their OWN shortcomings, to be so defensive. Sorry, just being truthful.

And I'm also sorry that, to all the people who pull the mighty "you have no right to judge card"....EVERYBODY judges. It's the nature of the beast. You're judging the OP as being narrow-minded, whatever, based on YOUR interpretation of the message. The people that claim so much that they DON'T judge are often the ones that do the most judging. Just saying.

I'm a grammar and spelling stickler. That's just how I am. I'm also not saying that I don't screw up, or commit the occassional typo (in fact, I type quickly and have letters end up out of order on a regular basis...I can't NOT fix it, though, if I notice it!). But, I do take the time to look up the proper spelling of a word if I don't know it. It's another facet of how you present yourself. When I see someone who uses little, no, or improper punctuation; doesn't capitalize anything; or places emphasis on the wrong syllable in a drawn-out word (ie: okaaaaaay vs. okkkkkkay, pleeeeeease vs. pppppleassseeee)....yes, they appear less intelligent in my eyes. That's my opinion, I have a right to it just like anyone else who thinks it makes me a stuck up prig. Call me judgemental and guess what you're doing. Ain't life grand?

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

There are "less than intelligent" people in every field.

A few are flukes who somehow got lucky.

Others are people who have mastered some areas but have gaps in others. They can recite the correct lab values for a chem panel but may not do the best job interacting with patients. Or they're great with patients but have to look up the lab values every single time. They may come off as intelligent or moronic depending on the task they're engaged in at the moment. Usually, they are competent overall and do a decent job.

Some nurses have excellent clinical judgment and patient-care skills, but they may have speech patterns or inelegant presentation that makes them seem uneducated.

Then there are those who have book smarts but they are devoid of common sense. These are the ones I have the most difficulty with. You can teach information, but sense is a whole 'nother animal. Fortunately, their number is comparatively small.

Finally, there are many of us who make mistakes on a regular basis who are neither ignorant nor senseless. We just make mistakes. (For instance, there are at least three mistakes in the opening post. :wink2:) Taken in isolation, such errors are not a good barometer of a person's worth--as a human being or a nurse. They just show that we all have our little flaws.

This. Also, keep up with the attitude, OP, and the day one of those "less than intelligent" nurses saves your behind will be a humbling one indeed.

[kanzi monkey]

What's funny is that even though we haven't pointed fingers or used specific examples, everyone is quick to defend these people.

I won't defend them. My opinion of any of my colleagues is irrelevant. If they can't do their job, I dread working with them. I want all nurses to succeed, and I want all patients to have the best possible outcomes. When I follow a nurse who does not understand basic patient care principles (in all domains), I am nervous about what I will encounter in my shift. These are also nurses who give poor report, leave out important or critical information, and don't follow up with things from previous shifts. Labs don't get followed up on, stat tests don't get done, interpreters don't get called, etc. I can think of 2 cases where these 3 examples of negligence occurred. The patients died. Whether or not our inability to address (or recognize) the urgency in these cases had any effect on their outcomes is unknown. These examples represent team failure in my mind--but the nurses ability to communicate effectively with the team, the patient, family, and consults, is absolutely invaluable. I am not a perfect nurse, and I do make mistakes. But, in general, I know what I'm doing. And if someone says otherwise (which happens sometimes) I listen, learn, and change.

On another note:

Grammar is a frequently misspelled word. Focusing on a misspelling in an otherwise thoughtful and articulate comment is attacking a straw man.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

unnecessary input.

leslie

on the contrary. someone who starts a thread decrying the lack of intelligence and communication skills among nurses ought to at least spell everything correctly. on another thread, it might not be a big deal, but on this one . . .

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

I usually agree with your comments, Leslie, but in this instance I'm going to disagree and say that I think the OP's repeated spelling mistake was definitely relevant.

[petunia2016]

Oh, man, I needed a good laugh today! Reading the original post made me laugh on the inside, but the rest made me lol! This is a gem. Especially grammer. Haha. :chuckle

[petunia2016]

Also, I don't know what you're basing these judgments on, but if it was one simple exchange with one person, it could be that person was just having a bad day.

I understand the original point you were trying to make, but I think you didn't choose your words wisely. And honestly, when your attack is against people on the very forum you're posting to, what did you expect would happen? Roses to bloom and scented perfume to fill the air?

[nursel56]

Dont worry about that guy, ya'll, their will come a time when he gets his just deserts when new grads get there jobs. I don't think it will be to long from now. He or she not sure cannot except other people 301.81 is a terrible thing to have. :vlin::vlin:

[Higgs]

Sorry to hear that everyone's grammer is bad. Hope she gets better soon...