New grad not wanting to work

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 3, 2004

I would echo your sentiments if I were the first person on the waiting list for the program in which the OP applied. Of course that would be sour grapes, but I can appreciate what you are saying.

I agree. That post didn't seem to be made with malice or judgement, just saying how she/he felt about someone going through school and not using the degree, however it was off topic and didn't address the original op's questions. But it was a good point.

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 3, 2004

I really do hope this thread will not turn into a debate about the OP's choices and values here. Really, it's not for us to decide who "deserved" to be in nursing school and what choices one makes once he/she graduates. Most of us pay a high price for our educations in time, sweat equity and money spent. I think that is fair enough.

angel337, MSN, RN · Sep 3, 2004

alot of posters are suggesting that the OP do per diem work, but it should be understood that without some solid clinical experience after graduation, very few hospitals or clinics will take her seriously. she needs at least 6 months clinical experience before she can work per diem. if an agency or hospital hires her per diem w/o experience they are taking a big risk and she is also at risk of making mistakes that normally wouldn't happen to someone that has proper orientation. someone else said that she can always go back to nursing when she is ready and will be considered a new grad. that is not true. if she stays out of nursing for two years she will have to take a refresher course because her exposure was limited. i know all states are different but most states require some kind of course that will test your competence level. there are nurses now that had 10-15 years experience who stayed out of nursing for long lengths and they had to do a refresher course. medicine is constantly changing and what you learn today may have a totally different approach 5 years from now.

to the OP: go to http://www.nursingspectrum.com and read the advice column DEAR DONNA. she talks about this subject all the time and this is where i got my information from. good luck to you.

Energizer Bunny · Sep 3, 2004

ummmm.....isn't it true, OP, that you aren't even really going to be home with the kids but off taking your daughter to modeling jobs? I'm just trying to get a handle on this here. Because you mention signing a modeling contract for your three year old, I am wondering if that is your true motivation for not wanting to work or if it is to spend time with the kids or a combo. of both, etc? It really has no bearing on your original question..I was just wondering.

leslie :-D · Sep 3, 2004

I agree. That post didn't seem to be made with malice or judgement, just saying how she/he felt about someone going through school and not using the degree, however it was off topic and didn't address the original op's questions. But it was a good point.

yes it was a good point.

sheesh. all of a sudden we're going to be hypervigilant about staying on topic.

yes, we all know we should but it runs 50/50 with any or all of the threads on this board re: 'staying on topic'.

i think we should all practice what we preach.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 3, 2004

I really do hope this thread will not turn into a debate about the OP's choices and values here. Really, it's not for us to decide who "deserved" to be in nursing school and what choices one makes once he/she graduates. Most of us pay a high price for our educations in time, sweat equity and money spent. I think that is fair enough.

Of course. Her priorities have changed since she got accepted into the program, those are the breaks, and she's fortunate to have choices now that her family situation has changed.

But it is a valid point that her spot would have been better used on someone who really needs the money. That's not a judgement against her, just an opinion, just a statement. Why sugarcoat it if that's what someone is thinking? Off topic though it may be, but that's the way threads go sometimes, as long as there are no personal attacks.

But I agree 100% there should be no screening process as who deserves the spot, someone who doesn't need to work or someone who does. The op qualified, she got in, she passed and deserves to pursue whatever direction she needs to go in.

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 4, 2004

SO should this hold true with all college programs? Maybe we should exclude parents who may want to work only part time, or have a baby and take a sabatical for a year or two....... Or exclude people who want to educate themselves for self-improvement purposes? Hmmm, you are on a slippery slope my friend, Tweety. IF you are saying this, you are saying these spots should go to "more deserving" or "needy" people. Hmmm should this hold true for all programs of study????? I think that is unfair really.

leslie :-D · Sep 4, 2004

SO should this hold true with all college programs? Maybe we should exclude parents who may want to work only part time, or have a baby and take a sabatical for a year or two....... Or exclude people who want to educate themselves for self-improvement purposes? Hmmm, you are on a slippery slope my friend, Tweety. IF you are saying this, you are saying these spots should go to "more deserving" or "needy" people. Hmmm should this hold true for all programs of study????? I think that is unfair really.

deb,

yes. i would exclude someone from entering a nursing program if it was just for self-improvement, or there was really no intent to use it.

there are so many people here that are frustrated because of the waiting lists.

it's not about who is 'needy' but about someone who wants to be a nurse.

to me, that is reasonable.

it has nothing to do with deserving.

it is more pragmatic than that.

the nursing programs are there to train those who want to nurse.

and given the current nursing shortage, it's even more necessary to have our nurses.

martymoose, BSN, RN · Sep 4, 2004

Sorry if I was not on topic. My comment was derived from the line "New grad not wanting to work" and "I have no desire to work" and the fact that she gave up what was probably a good opportunity to get experience as a new grad.She stated she wanted to stay home because her kids need her. It sounded to me like she had her mind made up. There is nothing wrong with wanting that- her kids will thank her when they are older (I hope). I was just saying if she felt that strongly about it, she should have reconsidered going to school maybe when the kids were older. I guess some things just don't work out the way we plan them. Maybe no one in school told her that in the beginning she might have to work so many hours to get practical experience. But when I read "not wanting to work" it sounds to me like not wanting to work at all, which is what I based my comment on.

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 4, 2004

See now, I read her comment to say she did not want to work now while the kids were young.

What is wrong with that? A person cannot change her mind?

I guess I don't buy into the "only the needy should apply" mindset of people here. I thought this was a free society where people who are ambitious, and hard-working enough and willing to pay the price, should have the opportunity to seek the education they want. Yes, there are waiting lists. This is not a new development. They were there when I applied for nursing school 9 years ago. I waited it out and kept trying. And, Did any of you ask how long the OP waited to get into nursing school? How hard it was for her to finish? How hard it was while raising kids? If you did, I missed it....

I think it's rather harsh of us to judge her not wanting to work "RIGHT NOW" because she re-thought some things......I am not looking to upset people here, but I think we are being unfair.

Brickman · Sep 4, 2004

If someone posted that their husband had just spent years and thousands getting a degree and then decided that he didn't want to work, then I think the reactions might be a little different. To the OP, I think you should think about your reasons for becoming a nurse and see if they still apply. If they do then you should work at least a little while or you will regret it. There are a variety of schedules available so you won't miss your children growing up. Before you decide not to work please investigate how long you can wait before a refresher course is required so won't be suprised down the road.

leslie :-D · Sep 4, 2004

i added my .02 regarding taking time off and contemplating working part time or per diem.

op observed that perhaps someone else could have benefited.

it certainly is not limited to the 'needy'.

but ideally, people that go to nursing school, would pursue nursing after graduating.

of course, it goes w/o saying, everyone has the right to change their mind.

but we must be careful to differentiate between judging and observing.

to me, someone made a valid observation.

and the poster did come to this board for input.

as someone else mentioned, if we're going to be chastised for expressing an unpopular opinion, we just may as well have the mods pretext our responses.