Nursing Expectations...

KaylaRN2005 · Apr 28, 2003

I have applied for an AD Nursing Program and should be starting in the fall ...(if I get accepted, there's a lot of people applying for few spaces) I wanted to know, what expectations did you have of nursing school and/or nursing as a career that were completely wrong or just off a bit? I have a whole lot of thigns going through my mind about nursing, and I was just wondering about some common misconceptions.. Thanks in advance!

kayla

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2003

Well.....

I thought I would be treated as a professional, and often, we are not.

I did not realize that with the number of pts a nurse is assigned (in any setting) that there is absolutely no way to do things to the standard which we are taught in school.

I left factory work abd became a nurse, because I wanted to do something meaningful and important.

Really, production and keeping things moving are just as valued in the health care industry as they are in manufacturing.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2003

Well.....

I thought I would be treated as a professional, and often, we are not.

I did not realize that with the number of pts a nurse is assigned (in any setting) that there is absolutely no way to do things to the standard which we are taught in school.

I left factory work abd became a nurse, because I wanted to do something meaningful and important.

Really, production and keeping things moving are just as valued in the health care industry as they are in manufacturing.

susanmary · Apr 28, 2003

Although there are many commonalities among nursing schools/students, you have to go in with an open mind. Form your own opinions -- and allow yourself room to grow and change your opinions. I heard so many horror stories about certain instructors, tests, clinicals, etc. -- then realized they were just "stories." What might have been more difficult/challenging for someone else, was not for me ... and vice-versa. You need to be organized. You will need to learn to prioritize ... and reprioritize. And you need to stay away from toxic classmates. Seek support.

Nursing school cannot adequately prepare you for the demands/challenges of today's bedside nursing. The patients are extremely acute. Today's patients that are in subacute care would have been in acute care years ago. Today's patients that are in acute care would have been in critical care/ICU years ago. Today's patients that are in critical care/ICU would have been dead years ago. The acuity is staggering -- and nothing can prepare you for a full patient assignment, short staffing, challenging patients, demanding/frustrated/upset families, meds/supplies which are no where to be found, needing to get into a pyxis machine (which are frequently down or broken) -- even needing to punch in codes to take out supplies like tissue, etc. You need to be able to put in a 10 hour day into 8 hours -- you need to learn which corners can be cut and which can't. And you will realize that nursing school is just the beginning. Many of the things you will agonize/fret over in nursing school won't ever cross your mind when you become a nurse.

susanmary · Apr 28, 2003

Although there are many commonalities among nursing schools/students, you have to go in with an open mind. Form your own opinions -- and allow yourself room to grow and change your opinions. I heard so many horror stories about certain instructors, tests, clinicals, etc. -- then realized they were just "stories." What might have been more difficult/challenging for someone else, was not for me ... and vice-versa. You need to be organized. You will need to learn to prioritize ... and reprioritize. And you need to stay away from toxic classmates. Seek support.

Nursing school cannot adequately prepare you for the demands/challenges of today's bedside nursing. The patients are extremely acute. Today's patients that are in subacute care would have been in acute care years ago. Today's patients that are in acute care would have been in critical care/ICU years ago. Today's patients that are in critical care/ICU would have been dead years ago. The acuity is staggering -- and nothing can prepare you for a full patient assignment, short staffing, challenging patients, demanding/frustrated/upset families, meds/supplies which are no where to be found, needing to get into a pyxis machine (which are frequently down or broken) -- even needing to punch in codes to take out supplies like tissue, etc. You need to be able to put in a 10 hour day into 8 hours -- you need to learn which corners can be cut and which can't. And you will realize that nursing school is just the beginning. Many of the things you will agonize/fret over in nursing school won't ever cross your mind when you become a nurse.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Apr 28, 2003

Susanmary that is a perfect description.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Apr 28, 2003

Susanmary that is a perfect description.