Nursing Classmate

[nerdynurse7, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Hello fellow Nurses. I am a recently graduated practical nurse. I am posting this here today because it can benefit anyone. I wanted advice on a situation I am currently experiencing. I have a classmate that was in the PN program for 15 months, which I did not necessarily like but pretty much tolerated. She wants to take the NCLEX with me, as well as apply to jobs together. Being from a small town, I recently bumped into her at a job interview she had told me about and I also had one at the same place but did not tell her. I do not know if applying to jobs together is a good idea. I am doing a job search and trying to focus on my career and goals. What are your thoughts regarding this? Let's put aside the fact that I do not necessarily like her. Would this be a good idea at all?

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

If you are stating that "I pretty much tolerate" and "do not necessarily like her", why would you want to agree to take NCLEX and apply to work in the same area? Do you want to be her new BFF? Put it out of your mind and move on with your life.

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

The image that came to mind when reading "apply to jobs together" for me was years ago, as a teenager, going into different department stores in the mall with a friend and both asking for summer job applications and then later turning in the paperwork (Showing my age with the paper aspect here). Back then, our parents would warn us that we should go in dressed professional, by ourselves, and apply for a positions that we were interested in independently. Of course we didn't listen and we spent the summer unemployed. Just from a professional viewpoint, I don't think its a good idea to go job hunting as a team, especially if the facility can see it when your applying. Plus, there's a chance that one of you will get hired and the other one not-less face it, even if she was your best friend and you did like her, she's still your competition for the jobs that you would be applying for together.

In regards to the NCLEX, I would not try to book it on the same day/time together. Years ago we had a practice NCLEX where I went to school and the vendor gave us some tips and tidbits for success. He mentioned to not plan on taking the test with a friend because of the way that the test is set up. One student may have minimal questions, the other may have the max, and this doesn't mean that one, both, or either passed the exam, but the one still testing after the other one leaves may get nervous and it could increase their test anxiety.

Even if you did like this person, I would suggest going the solo route. If you get a job and you know someone who can be a good nurse to work with based on their nursing ability, then I would suggest putting in a good word for them when they apply. However, if you know someone is a fun friend to spend time with but you know from clinicals/past work that they are the best fit for a job, then I would not do the person any favors. First, they can make you look really bad and your recommendation won't mean much later and two (from personal experience when I was in high school), that fun friend will not be so fun to work with when they do a crappy job that you helped get them the interview in the first place.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Follow your gut and forge your own path

[nerdynurse7, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Thank you NurseSpeedy, your words were great! I was thinking similar and wanted to know the general view point also.

[amoLucia]

No! No! A thousand times 'NO"!!!

EVERY article I've ever read re job searching tips & techniques, DOs & DON'Ts, recommendations, etc, all caution AGAINST being a twofer.

Per professional recruiters & experts, you can easily get dragged down by that other person. So this is not just my opinion, it's that of the

pros. Listen to them!

Your shining highlights can easily be dimmed by a less-than-stellar partner. This is YOUR opportunity to be center stage and shine.

Go for it and good luck to you!

[Scrubs_n_sirens, MSN, RN]

If you're not friends, I'd just worry about yourself. Apply for what YOU want without regard to her. If this is someone you don't plan on hanging out with after school, don't bother making an effort to be around her. Focus on your test and your job without regard to her.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

You do you, let her do her.

[CanadianAbroad]

I understand writing your boards together, but applying to the same jobs? That is just weird. I had a group of girls that went together and we wrote our boards. It felt like a rite of passage thing, and then we all went our separate ways. Perhaps your classmate does not feel confident in working alone and is using you as a security blanket; regardless, it sounds like a horrible idea and will result terribly.