the nursing identity

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all - Here I am dwellling on my recent rejection from the local nursing program. As I was taking the prereqs, I was acquiring the persona of a nurse. I was imagining myself as a nurse. I was sure I'd get in. I had a 3.8 GPA, hi TEAS scores and a bachelor's in an unrelated subject area ,French, Italian and linguistics. So now, the nurse persona has stuck with me and there is nothing to substantiate it. I am truly lost. I applied a second time this month and will hear again in September, but I am reluctant to get my hopes up. Despite an apparent good record, reality doesn't always reflect what one would expect. I am trying to get my mind off it by registering for an applied music course in violin and piano. I don't know if that will do the trick. I see other RNs and respiratory therapists who have been successful in their callings, but they don't seem to be particularly intelligent, polished, articulate or astute. I am don't want to be conceited, but I know where my strengths are. I believe that I fit the bill of the previous sentence. Are these attributes not important to the nursing profession? As I said, so many people I've encountered around here are simply quite ordinary.

Any thoughts? Merci beaucoup!

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Did you have to interview?

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Unfortunately, I did not have to interview. That, I believe, is the process that would weed out the haves from the have-nots.

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Specializes in Critical Care/Coronary Care Unit,.

Well, nursing schools are very competitive. You may be intelligent and well-rounded as far as your educational background is concerned. However, many nursing schools are looking for the total package...volunteer work in the healthcare field along with a very high gpa in the sciences. The best thing to do would be to talk to one of the academic advisors for the nursing program to see what they're looking for exactly. Now regarding your other comments regarding the "quite ordinary" individuals who make it into the program. You should ask them how they managed to get into the program and perhaps eat a slice of humble pie while you're at it. Quite frankly, your comments come off as rude and obnoxious. We have enough people with that attitude in the nursing profession as it is.

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I, like you, had thought of myself as a nurse, could see me reaching my goal, had great grades and scores, etc...when applying for NS, particularly the BSN program I wanted to take. I had taken all my necessary pre-reqs except for 2 social science type classes (history is what I would have chosen) when I applied and did not get in. I felt like a failure as I had just spent 4 semesters plus a summer getting all my pre-reqs done so I would be ready to begin nursing classes. It depends on where you live, the school you are applying to, and it's competitiveness. My school was a highly competitive BSN program, with 400 applications and 75 available slots per semester. Most nursing programs have their own numbering scale they use to accept people into the nursing program, which I'm sure you're aware of. While my score was right up there with a lot of the rest, I still didnt get in. I was told it's really a numbers game, kinda like a lottery so to speak, when you're dealing with high numbers of applications and qualified people. So instead of waiting another semester, because I'm no spring chicken, I applied to an ADN program and got in. I just graduated in May of this year and I couldn't be happier I chose this route. I essentially took 4 yrs to get this ADN because I took so many pre-reqs required for the BSN program I originally planned on getting into. A little frustrating but I still received my end result-getting that RN degree. I start my first job tomorrow :) And looking back, I realize it all happened for a reason and I'm glad I did the ADN program (it was an awesome program and also highly sought after in my area). I realized I really wanted to become an RN and start working and that I could pursue my BSN at a later date. I plan to go back to this original school this Jan. for my RN-BSN while I work (that's MY plan, however, experience has taught me that my plans aren't always what's best for me at the time I think they are). While I understand where you are coming from, I don't think you can make yourself look any more ready or stellar on paper. You've got the drive, ambition, grades, etc to begin your NS journey. It's just a matter of time and you will be on your way, I believe. Don't lose hope! :) :nurse:

ETA: while I feel for your plight here, I got lost in my own response and didn't address your seemingly conceited undertone. I did NOT think or feel I was more qualified than anyone else trying to get into a NS program and perhaps you do, based on your one paragraph where you put down ordinary people getting into other medical programs. Perhaps you didn't intend to come off that way except to let us all know that you've done many things you think will give you an edge. The short of it from what I've seen is they won't help. If you are going into the nursing program offices with the attitude of superiority, perhaps that is what is keeping you out? Just a thought. Keep your feelings about yourself at the "ordinary" level of the rest of us wanting into a NS program and you will fare better, I suspect.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

I was sympathetic with the OP until she started to criticize all the "inferior" people who got into nursing programs.

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Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.
Hi all - Here I am dwellling on my recent rejection from the local nursing program. As I was taking the prereqs, I was acquiring the persona of a nurse. I was imagining myself as a nurse. I was sure I'd get in. I had a 3.8 GPA, hi TEAS scores and a bachelor's in an unrelated subject area,French, Italian and linguistics. So now, the nurse persona has stuck with me and there is nothing to substantiate it. I am truly lost. I applied a second time this month and will hear again in September, but I am reluctant to get my hopes up. Despite an apparent good record, reality doesn't always reflect what one would expect. I am trying to get my mind off it by registering for an applied music course in violin and piano. I don't know if that will do the trick. I see other RNs and respiratory therapists who have been successful in their callings, but they don't seem to be particularly intelligent, polished, articulate or astute. I am don't want to be conceited, but I know where my strengths are. I believe that I fit the bill of the previous sentence. Are these attributes not important to the nursing profession? As I said, so many people I've encountered around here are simply quite ordinary.

Any thoughts? Merci beaucoup!

You may want to go back and edit a couple things before us ordinary people recognize your flaws. I am not a grammar queen, I'm just an ordinary person - BUT if you're going to make a point to us, maybe you should make sure your post is perfect. Disregarding the fact that you used the wrong "high" to explain your TEAS score, and your poor comma use; in the underline portion you say "I am don't." As an ordinary person myself, I would like to know if you are saying you ARE conceited or do not want to be the conceited person you are. Please explain to us "regular" folk.

Please note, this post is most likely grammatically incorrect. It was written by an ordinary person.

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"I see other RNs and respiratory therapists who have been successful in their callings, but they don't seem to be particularly intelligent, polished, articulate or astute. I am don't want to be conceited, but I know where my strengths are."

Um yeah, you are being conceited. Big time. And all you did was the pre-reqs so you DON'T actually know that your strengths are in nursing, not yet at least.

"Are these attributes not important to the nursing profession?"

Nope, it's not important in the nursing profession that you can play the violin or piano. Speaking French might help if you want to work in a French-speaking country or region, but not in the US.

My advice - apply again and see if you get a spot, but lose the entitled attitude. It won't get you anywhere in life except disliked by your peers (especially in nursing if you make it there).

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Specializes in ICU, Intermediate Care, Progressive Care.

RNs are amazing people, and it's not because they know three languages, play in an orchestra, or write like Shakespeare. It's not even whether or not they had a 4.0 GPA in school. The best nurse I know struggled through high school, struggled through college, and struggled through nursing school while working full time and raising 3 children. She speaks one language--English--and can't carry a tune in a bucket.

This RN--like so many others--is a great nurse because she works her ass off every day, putting her patients first, using a good dose of common sense. Book smarts will only get you so far in nursing.

Like another poster here, I spent four semesters plus at a state university trying to get into their BSN program. When I didn't get in, I felt devastated, but I soon realized that everything happens for a reason and I didn't want to waste two years finishing with a non-nursing bachelor's degree. Instead I applied to and was accepted to a local 2-year-college nursing program, and I couldn't be happier with the route I've taken so far.

If you really want to be a nurse, there are many ways to get there. Many excellent nurses start as LPNs (1 year) and bridge to ADN-RN (1 year), then many of those go on to get their BSN-RN (~2 yrs) or higher. Don't get stuck on getting into the most prestigious program in your area--you might never make it. Names don't mean as much in Nursing as they do in, say, Law. As long as you graduate from an accredited school (such as NLN, like my program) that your local hospitals will recognize, that will do you.

Do be aware that what you've written in your original post is on the verge of being quite offensive. I'd like to think I'm quite "intelligent, polished, articulate [and] astute" and so are many RNs, no matter what degree they hold. It's just that they don't go around with their noses up in the air refusing to associate with those who aren't as smart as them. :\

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Specializes in Cardiac.

When I read this post, at first I felt some form of sympathy towards the OP. But then I reread the post I felt angered. For starters what persona do you refer to? Unless you are a nurse, you do not have any idea what it takes to be a nurse. Secondly, I feel the reason that you were not accepted into nursing school, is that everything about you and your 'persona' reeks of too much ego. While in some areas of the country we are in need of nurses, we are not in need of another big headed person and their 'persona.

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I don't have a problem with the OP's post at all. I felt the same and many times still do about many nurses. I got into my program on the first try, however. I can totally understand how nurses could give the OP this feeling of contradiction. IMHO, I continually shake my head at what I meet in the nursing world. Sometimes it's OMG at what I meet in the nursing world.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Hi all - Here I am dwellling on my recent rejection from the local nursing program. As I was taking the prereqs, I was acquiring the persona of a nurse. !

You didn't acquire the persona of a real nurse. No one can do that until they have actually practiced nursing for a while.

What you DID do was solidify your fantasies and expectations -- expectations that were based on your imaginings and not of the realities of nursing. If you still want to pursue a nursing career, I am sure that you can find a way to do that. I just encourage you to base your plans and your expectations on realities -- and not put so much stock in your imaginings. You'll save yourself a lot of disappointment and heartbreak that way.

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