why do nurses discourage nursing students?

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This is not based on any thread I've read on allnurses but on other other forums like indeed and not really just one post I've read in particular, but over the years I've read many that discourage nursing students..

For example, it seems like a lot of nurses and nursing professors say many if not most students don't really want to be nurses or think that it's hard work, then they go on to say that nursing ruins your back and feet, you deal with the messy stuff, you're underpaid, overworked, under appreciated, wreck havoc on your body because of the erratic work hours, etc. I pretty much assume nursing students know all that too.

What do you guys think about this topic? I guess I will feel differently after I had experience but right now I feel like encouraging and building up nursing students, not trying to tear them down or paint the worst picture possible of this profession.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.

So much of that stuff is true for many nurses. Do students know this? Not all.

My husband decided to go for his RN. He came home one day (and has since said it many times) that he had no idea the amount of knowledge nurses had or the level of education or what was involved.

He was married to a nurse and I got my RN while married yet he still had no idea how educated nurses are. He missed it. He never gave me the credit I deserved because he didn't see it himself as a student nurse.

He believes that most people don't know how educated nurses are.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.

I don't think the discussions paint the worst picture but a picture of reality instead! You've got to want to play in bodily fluids (or at least not have an aversion to them) and it is a really really hard, face-paced, you probably won't ever get consistently or will only randomly get thanked for all that you put into it kinda work! I think it pays pretty darn well but I wouldn't if I hadn't been able to secure employment right after passing boards! Some new graduate nurses are two years out and haven't scored their first job! I love nursing and can't think of anything else I'd rather do (maybe be an A&P teacher) but nursing is just not for everyone nor should it be!

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I guess I didn't know how educated nurses are either until I had my CNA/PCT classes with 2 excellent RN instructors. They were amazing with their knowledge and experiences. One of the nurses had specialized in cardiac care for years, and wow. I would have believed she was an MD if I didn't know it.

I didn't mean to go to this subject exactly but I think nurses should have a salary closer to an MD's.

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I agree AJJKRN.. I guess what I mean though is I'm surprised if anyone doesn't realize that already.

I don't think any career is easy but with nursing you have the mess yeah. What I care about least is getting a pat on the back, but what I worry about most is being physically able to do everything. I'm really small and as a CNA I had trouble, I did end up with an aching body a lot.

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I used to be very forthright about the cons of nursing because honestly they are big and worth knowing. But I stopped because people don't want to know the truth and I kind of get tired of being the bad guy who burst their bubble. If asked though I will share. I think many many people have this idea that its great hours, great pay and its just this wonderful happy life fulling job, and while it can be all of those things it can be the exact opposite too. The fact that you even feel the need to ask why people say this makes me think you don't really grasp the reality of nursing (no offense, its hard too when you aren't doing it and yes someday you when you are a nurse you will remember this post and think omg I get now). I don't think people say it to be discouraging, I don't. I just believe people should know what they are getting into. Nursing is hard, and if you don't love it completely it will break you and make you miserable physically and mentally. I think if you can hear all the negative and still want to be a nurse then you are on the right path, but if it makes you stop and think "woah I need to reevaluate if this is the plan for me" you should find a new plan. Of course some people are just downers and miserable in nursing and you know what they say about misery loving company, but I think most people are just trying to be helpful, or they need to vent lol

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SO true. I'm currently in term 1 in nursing school and I can't count how many times I told a nurse I was majoring in nursing and they just shook their head. Luckily, I never let it get to my head and continuing to follow my dream :)

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Specializes in PICU.

I don't think that when people are commenting negatively about the nursing profession it is trying to bring prospective nurses down. It is important to hear and see both the amazing sides of nursing as well as the hard stuff. Nursing is very hard job, you have the great days when you make a difference in a families or patients life, or you caught a mistake before it reached the patient, or a family or staff personally thanked you for all your hard work. Those are the great days, however... most days are not as rosy, patients get sicker, new regulations, complaints about others, etc.

With nursing you are dealing with the general public and helping prepare new nurses for the reality of the general public will better prepare for the reality of the job. Most days it is always a rush, education needs completed yesterday, new labs, tests, consults all need to be done now. You can still be positive, but that is the day in day out reality of nursing.

I love being a nurse. Most days are pretty good, some days are just a day. I remember nurses telling me in school when I was a nursing assistant tell me not to be a nurse. I understood from their perspective it was just a vent of frustration because of the day/night they were having.

If you hear the horror stories, you then understand how bad it can get and realize the other side is probably not bad at all. It is not meant to bring you down rather help you understand the frustrations some nurses have with the assignment, unit etc. On any given shift you will see people counting the hours till they go home and others who want to help out the unit/floor any way possible

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"When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things." ~ Corinthians

Now take out the word "child" and substitute "nursing student". And hold on, everyone, please don't go all literal on me and say 'how can you call nursing students children?!'.....that's not what I'm saying.

I AM saying that when I was a student I, too, thought "how can these nurses who are leaving at the end of their shift as I'm coming in tell me to RUN when they see us? How can they be SO discouraging when they KNOW we are students?"

Now I know. I certainly wouldn't announce to a group of students coming on for a clinical assignment to "RUN", but at least now I understand the sentiment behind it.

All too often, actually IMHO MOST of the time, students manage to remain starry-eyed throughout school and do NOT know what it is they are really getting into. Their instructors canvas the floor before the students get there, and choose assignments specifically for their students. They are, in essence, shielded from the 'typical' assignment a floor nurse REALLY gets. Heck, most of the time we only had two patients, then three...it wasn't until the very end of our program that we got four! And then you are a new grad freshly off orientation, and here's your five. And they're YOUR patients, not being covered by another nurse, not being watched over by a clinical instructor. Safety net is now very small indeed (charge nurse, usually) and that safety net is busy as all get-out. BIG difference.

I think if a student reads through all this, reads what you might consider 'discouraging' posts and stays a student, then becomes a nurse, at least it's not a situation of 'why didn't anyone TELL ME??' It's more a situation of 'why didn't I GET IT??'

I'm all for going into something with your eyes wide open. Good, informed decisions, clear POV. I didn't have that, I guarantee you! I didn't have AN early enough ;)

I'm glad I became a nurse, honestly. And I don't think I would have changed my mind about it even if I DID have a solid clue what I was getting into, LOL....but for some, well, they really SHOULD think about some other career because what they expect out of nursing just isn't realistic.

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Oh thank you all for the replies. It really does make sense and even help me understand "that other side" (what I was calling being negative or bringing students down) more but I know I won't completely until I'm an actual nurse one day.

It reminded me of my friend's sister who became a social worker. She got burnt out in less than a year. Because she went into it expecting to help children and families, but rarely deals with the kids and is so backed up in paper work and school red tape that she can't make a dent in their lives. She tells people never go into this profession and I don't think I ever heard her talk positively about her job sadly.

I guess I'm understanding that helping the starry eyes see clear is just going to be helpful in the long run. Even though I worked as a CNA I think my eyes are still a little starry even though I had some trouble in a few areas like I couldn't make a difference for most well not one that was good enough and I guess that was my rude awakening that I would have liked to have talked about with a nurse or CNA before I worked.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Crusty old bat here...

Some of us oldies do have a basis for comparison (then versus now) that is somewhat alarming. The motivating factors for wanna-be nurses is different now. The "nursing shortage!" "big money!" "job security!" media blitz has been going on for quite a while now... with hyper marketing from commercial schools adding fuel to the fire. As a consequence, the motivation & expectations for many new grads is very different today. At the same time, working conditions have become more difficult due to numerous factors. So there is a much bigger 'reality shock' gap than ever before.

Those of us on the employer side are dealing with the results. New nurses are becoming disillusioned very rapidly; burning out and leaving the profession at much higher rates than ever before. Something is broken.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Something is broken.

Something is broken indeed. What scares me is what it will take to get it fixed.

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