A girl made a post about the parenting class she took, where she was given some information regarding breastfeeding that she didn't think was correct. She had asked her mom, who told her something different. So she came on to clarify. One of the other members responds to her to listen to her mother, because nurses really are not the smartest people.
I normally just try to ignore the ignorant things people say, it's the internet after all. But that just aggravated me. First off, no where in her post did she say a nurse taught the class. Secondly, way to stereotype a group of people. Here, let me give you a pretend report on one of my ICU patients, and see how much you understand. Then tell me how "not smart" nurses really are. That would be like me saying Stay at home moms are lazy and that is why they don't work. Ugh.. sorry just needed to vent to people who understand. I don't know why it bugged me so much, but it did.
We are upset because somebody who would most likely be grouped with people who wear foil on their head to keep the CIA from jamming their ESP said nurses are not the brightest people?
I laughed so hard I nearly spit out my diet dr pepper at the computer screen! Made me think of Futurama and when Fry becomes "telepathic" and wears foil on his head! ROFLMAO!!!!!!!! :lol2:
Having studied for, taken, and passed the exam, I think I have an understanding of the how the NCLEX is structured. I also know I was not tested on OB, psych, or pediatrics during my exam.
How was my overall competency tested when I was not asked to demonstrate competency in several crucial areas? Given that I went into the ER where I deal daily with OB, psychiatric, and pediatric patients, it seems to me even more distressing.
The NCLEX is a cake-walk. That may offend those who had to take the exam multiple times, but it does not change the fact that compared to the Bar, CPA, USMLE, or even the board exams engineers take, the NCLEX is laughable. Many people confuse the stress surrounding the exam and equate that with difficulty. They think high stress = a complex, difficult exam, but its just not the case.
And this really shouldn't surprise anyone. With the mentality still in place that nurses are in short supply, and that nurses need to be graduated and licensed as quickly as possible, it only makes sense that the licensing exam should measure only the absolute, bottom-of-the-barrel, minimum level of competency. And this should be less surprising still given the lack of understanding of what nursing is from the public and within the medical community. Nursing is often viewed as grunt work that requires special training, but does not necessarily require a high level of education. And, as it turns out, one does not need a high level of education to be a nurse. ( you can get it if you want, but it's certainly not necessary.) "We don't need rocket scientists!," they think. "We just need warm bodies to wipe butts!" If this forum is any indication, nurses are vehemently opposed to measures that would work to dispell this attitude. Increase educational requirements? U dont need a BSN 2 B a gud nurse! Make licensing more difficult? But so many can't pass the NCLEX as it is, and we can't crush their dreams!
I just don't understand the resistance to ideas that would elevate and add to our professional cachet, nor do I understand the uproar that ensues when one suggests that the NCLEX is such a poor indicator of competency that they should just give graduates licenses along with their degree. *shrug*
I stand by my original statement. Nothing here changes my mind.
I DID assume that you studied and took the NCLEX since you claim RN status. If one studies and knows his or her stuff, then of course the NCLEX, as with any exam, will seem easy.
i wonder if she didn't mean it the way she said it...ie...maybe she meant, as we are all taught in nursing school, for example, someone living with an illness is likely to know more about that particular illness than even a nurse. perhaps her mom breastfed 6 kids and knew something that worked better than what the lactation consultant had taught. i know when my youngest was born...and i have 2 older children who blissfullly breastfed...he was jaundiced and due to pre-eclampsia and 6 week early delivery was a weak nurser etc... my lactation consultant advised only breastfeeding, and his bili levels increased so that he was almost readmitted. my mom and i are both nurses, but not neonatal, and between the two of us, decided since bili had to be excreted and he was not eating much (even with that tiny drippy preemie bottle) to give not only pumped milk, but similac... he started peeing, pooping, and de jaundicing . yeah, we had nursing background, but the person teaching us didn't necessarily give the best or all of the information. i believe she was an rn. anyway, benefit of the doubt.
maybe she wasn't smart enough to get through nursing school? lol.. kidding... that was mean.. :/ but i had to say it...!
my cousin couldn't pass the entrance test to become a nurse, so her mother, my aunt, is always telling my mother that my cousin never really wanted to be a nurse anyway! Guess my cousin didn't tell my aunt the truth that she couldn't pass the entrance exam twice. So, not mean at all! :)
"i was being a smidge hyperbolic. but, i stand by the gist of it.
nursing has low educational standards (if we're comparing it to other actual professions. if were comparing it to skilled trades, then it's about on par.) and one of the easiest licensing exams around. the nclex used to be much more comprehensive. these are facts."
fribblet,
i cannot speak for any other nclex other than the one i took, dare i say neither can you. i work in an er, which as a nurse is a much different skill set than say, med surg nursing, which is also much different skill set than nicu nursing. again for pacu, or, etc. i don't understand what you base your comment on that it's "a fact that nclex used to be much more comprehensive." it is comprehensive. let me first write that nursing school used to have very simplistic educational materials 40 or so years ago (as nursing has progressed since then), how difficult do you believe that nclex was at that time compared to now, where we have 13 or so books (just for an adn program) with many specialty books for each system. doesn't make any sense saying nclex "used" to be much more comprehensive. in fact, that's an asinine statement.
as a sidenote for "low educational standards"....
the attrition rate for where i went to school - of course not all adn programs are the same, as instructors, etc. but let me write that the attrition rate was about 50%, and that was into the second year that we were still losing students. i am calling bs on that statement of yours. low educational standards my rump. you can not be a nurse to write that junk.
I was being a smidge hyperbolic. But, I stand by the gist of it.
Nursing has low educational standards (if we're comparing it to other actual professions. If were comparing it to skilled trades, then it's about on par.) and one of the easiest licensing exams around. The NCLEX used to be much more comprehensive. These are facts.
Aw, come on.... Actually, I love George Bush! I especially love the things he says....
he's just so charming - simple no frills guy - gotta love him. He's not out to smooth talk his way anywhere - he never was.... what's so wrong with not wanting to win a popularity contest? Bet everyone's missing him now....
having studied for, taken, and passed the exam, i think i have an understanding of the how the nclex is structured. i also know i was not tested on ob, psych, or pediatrics during my exam.
how was my overall competency tested when i was not asked to demonstrate competency in several crucial areas? given that i went into the er where i deal daily with ob, psychiatric, and pediatric patients, it seems to me even more distressing.
the nclex is a cake-walk. that may offend those who had to take the exam multiple times, but it does not change the fact that compared to the bar, cpa, usmle, or even the board exams engineers take, the nclex is laughable. many people confuse the stress surrounding the exam and equate that with difficulty. they think high stress = a complex, difficult exam, but its just not the case.
and this really shouldn't surprise anyone. with the mentality still in place that nurses are in short supply, and that nurses need to be graduated and licensed as quickly as possible, it only makes sense that the licensing exam should measure only the absolute, bottom-of-the-barrel, minimum level of competency. i do agree with you on this one, it is entry level - base layer testing, if you will. the real learning begins when you're thrown into the fire.
and this should be less surprising still given the lack of understanding of what nursing is from the public and within the medical community. nursing is often viewed as grunt work that requires special training, but does not necessarily require a high level of education. and, as it turns out, one does not need a high level of education to be a nurse. ( you can get it if you want, but it's certainly not necessary.) i would have to disagree - not everyone is cut out for chemistry, statistics, a&p, etc. these courses require a bit more intelligence than your average course. "we don't need rocket scientists!," they think. "we just need warm bodies to wipe butts!" if this forum is any indication, nurses are vehemently opposed to measures that would work to dispell this attitude. increase educational requirements? u dont need a bsn 2 b a gud nurse! make licensing more difficult? but so many can't pass the nclex as it is, and we can't crush their dreams!
i just don't understand the resistance to ideas that would elevate and add to our professional cachet, nor do i understand the uproar that ensues when one suggests that the nclex is such a poor indicator of competency that they should just give graduates licenses along with their degree. *shrug*
i believe you're mixing ideas here. the nclex format can be difficult for some. from what i can remember, it tests certain areas and has a formula for determining competency before moving on to the next category of testing. i agree that there should also be advancement within our nursing educational system to elevate our professional standing. i can't imagine anyone would argue with that.
Kaplan offers a review course for the NCLEX that teaches how to take the exam. If you follow the "Kaplan Decision Tree" for answering the questions, very little medical knowledge is required to pass the exam. One of the instructors for the course proved this by giving her teenage daughter a mock NCLEX exam with the instructions on using the decision tree. The instructor said that her daughter did very well......without having attended nursing school. Kind of a slap in the face for those of us that dedicated the time and money to attend school.
Kaplan review offered pointless help - nothing on their overly priced NCLEX book and CD review was on the exam, that I remember - and for $150, or whatever the price was.... grrrrr. What a crock.
i wonder if she didn't mean it the way she said it...ie...maybe she meant, as we are all taught in nursing school, for example, someone living with an illness is likely to know more about that particular illness than even a nurse. perhaps her mom breastfed 6 kids and knew something that worked better than what the lactation consultant had taught. i know when my youngest was born...and i have 2 older children who blissfullly breastfed...he was jaundiced and due to pre-eclampsia and 6 week early delivery was a weak nurser etc... my lactation consultant advised only breastfeeding, and his bili levels increased so that he was almost readmitted. my mom and i are both nurses, but not neonatal, and between the two of us, decided since bili had to be excreted and he was not eating much (even with that tiny drippy preemie bottle) to give not only pumped milk, but similac... he started peeing, pooping, and de jaundicing . yeah, we had nursing background, but the person teaching us didn't necessarily give the best or all of the information. i believe she was an rn. anyway, benefit of the doubt.
you left out Bili lights, which are standard for a jaundiced baby - as well as breastfeeding well helps to excrete that bili quicker.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
all this talk about whether or not the nclex is easy -- i wouldn't have thought so, but if you can finish in 30 minutes, it's a lot easier than the state board exams i took years ago. that was a two day (8 hours a day) written test that was offered twice a year, and results took at least 6 weeks to arrive. you had to answer all the questions, and the monitors followed you to the bathroom to make sure you weren't cheating. i had the world's worst cold, and the monitors had to check my kleenex box every single time i needed to use one. a thirty minute exam that shuts off when you have enough right answers has got to be easier than that!
all this talk about whether or not the nclex is easy -- i wouldn't have thought so, but if you can finish in 30 minutes, it's a lot easier than the state board exams i took years ago. that was a two day (8 hours a day) written test that was offered twice a year, and results took at least 6 weeks to arrive. you had to answer all the questions, and the monitors followed you to the bathroom to make sure you weren't cheating. i had the world's worst cold, and the monitors had to check my kleenex box every single time i needed to use one. a thirty minute exam that shuts off when you have enough right answers has got to be easier than that!
i took those boards as well, and while a 30 minute cut off may be less stressful, i think it must still be hard. we knew exactly what area we were testing in; if a question was ambiguous, well, we knew we were taking the ob section , or the pysch section. also more scope for if you missed one area, there were enough questions to make up for it. what if you hit a rough patch online, and get cut off before getting a chance to show you know more in a different area?
one of my buddies got knocked off her bicycle on the way in for the second day; came in late pushing a beat up bike and covered with mud. the proctor says "gee, were you in an accident?" she takes the exam, we throw her bike in my truck at lunch, race to her house, she showers, we snarf some sandwiches, race back and take the last exam. then we went to the er to get her sore pelvis x-rayed. she passed!
. yeah, we had nursing background, but the person teaching us didn't necessarily give the best or all of the information. i believe she was an rn. anyway, benefit of the doubt.
tiredstudentmom
162 Posts
I laughed so hard I nearly spit out my diet dr pepper at the computer screen! Made me think of Futurama and when Fry becomes "telepathic" and wears foil on his head! ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!
:lol2:
