Nursing school is awful in so many ways....

[caffeineRx]

EDIT: FYI- Not asking for advice..I'm just venting. Common sense replies are a waste of your time and mine. Feel free to skip to another thread if this one gets you bent out of shape.

Ok, if you are looking for positivity, close this thread quick!

Reasons why *I* feel nursing school can SOMETIMES be a drag:

1) Weight gain/loss that is unwelcome

2) Breaking out like you're going through puberty again

3) Lack of sleep (6 hours sounds good)

4) 200 hours of studying and only 2 days to complete it

5) You are inclined to feel clueless and severely inexperienced

6) Crappy Administration and/or Nursing Staff

7) Cheaters

8) Classroom Politics & B.S. "Cliques"

9) Cattiness

10) Backstabbing

11) Gossiping

12) Watching those who commit #7-11 succeed equally as well as you do. WHAT A KICKER!

Has anyone been in a nursing program that they hated so much they would given anything to transfer

on to another one? Just a random question.

I'm in my mid-20s and I cannot help but to notice how terrible the nursing school environment is. I have been in college before and it just doesn't compare to nursing school. I have never dealt with so many backstabbing, gossiping, cheating, ungrateful, catty people in my LIFE. And much to your surprise, they are NOT all women! I'm sick of my college. We pay over $23k per year and the administration treats us like dirt. There is NO loyalty when it comes to us and we are blatantly lied to almost on a daily basis...and even though I get along with my class as a whole, I would say it's more that I "tolerate" them because I'm slightly easygoing. I have never met so many two-faced, shameless, jealous, shady people in my LIFE before. It creeped up out of NO WHERE!

I'm sick of my nursing program. Sick of the people who are jealous of those who make good grades..and SICK of those same people who feel they have a right to copy off their papers or pressure them into "sharing". I go to college with , generally, a bunch of flippin' idiots. That felt better. Thanks for letting me vent. I'm just shaking my head thinking that I have to go here for another 1.5 years potentially. I'm doing everything I can to transfer, but I'm not sure how easy that will be. I'm finished with my LPN portion of my program this summer.

I just had to get this off my chest. You do not have to agree with me lol. I have already started to tell my classmates some of this. If they are gonna be hateful, they will be hateful knowing the truth from me! I don't have a problem either. Done a lot of that "blunt" talk this week. lol

[2bnurseTV]

In my experience, as a patient (not as a nurse), it really sucks when your nurse is the one who hates her job. I have had quite a few nurses that cared for me who had the worst attitudes I have ever seen. If you do not love this job, please dont do it. Your patients will suffer. There is nothing worse than being seriously ill or in horrible pain and having a ***** for a nurse. Trust me.

This is not meant for the op, vent away.

[shannahan]

Wow, sorry about your situation CaffeineRx. My experience with nursing school has been *nothing* like your list. Except for the 6 hours of sleep but I've adjusted just fine to it. And the cluelessness - but that applies to anything new you start. Nursing school has been a challenge, but one I'm up for.

As far as other students - I'm lucky in that we all get along but that never mattered to me. I don't pay much attention to what everyone else is donig. I always said as long as I have one friend at nursing school I'll be fine.

But then again, I'm older, have been in various industries/businesses for years - you deal with BS everywhere. A lot of your complaints are found in many different professions.

[caffeineRx]

Wow, sorry about your situation CaffeineRx. My experience with nursing school has been *nothing* like your list. Except for the 6 hours of sleep but I've adjusted just fine to it. And the cluelessness - but that applies to anything new you start. Nursing school has been a challenge, but one I'm up for.

As far as other students - I'm lucky in that we all get along but that never mattered to me. I don't pay much attention to what everyone else is donig. I always said as long as I have one friend at nursing school I'll be fine.

But then again, I'm older, have been in various industries/businesses for years - you deal with BS everywhere. A lot of your complaints are found in many different professions.

I wish I had a nice experience like yours. And yes, these complaints apply to everywhere in the real world..but I have been in SEVERAL fields and NOTHING compares to nursing. It's an entirely different animal. I just hope these things don't interfere with me being able to help people in need. Either way, I'm just using nursing as a back up for now. I wish it would go back to what it was supposed to be in the "olden days". It sounded so much more honorable back then.

[shannahan]

Seems to be today's climate - remember when banks were honorable?

I believe that all of our experiences can benefit us in the long run, even, well, especially the worst ones. Look at it like this, if you can make it through this you can make it through anything. If nursing school is this bad for you maybe on the job will be great in comparison. With experience, you'll be able to choose the environment you can operate best in. Wishing you the best....

[caffeineRx]

No. If people listened to your advice, there would be no nurses. I'm sorry you were so traumatized by your experience. I'm done with this. I think anyone reading these can see where we are both coming from. Best wishes in your new major.

Sure there would be nurses. People are applying in the THOUSANDS to certain programs alone...and only 50 get in. I'm positive that summersent's comments wouldn't shy them all away. Some people don't care if they are miserable, they want the $$$.

I don't feel summersent was traumatized by their experience. It seems they were quite enlightened and took it as an awesome learning lesson. The were assertive and put their foot down. They had enough confidence to leave and choose a field that is/was better for them. Why does that bother you so much? It seems like any assertive replies, or those with enough dignity to call out nursing for what it is, hits a personal key with you. Maybe you should create your own thread where you can vent and express all of these feelings you are keeping pent up inside. It seems like you have a lot of sorting out to do. I encourage it.

[2bnurseTV]

I find the generalizations bothersome. I have many friends who have been thru nursing school, and have been nurses for years. They dont feel the way you do. In fact, most of them started out with an asn and went back to school, if their first school experience was like yours I doubt they would sign up for more. I am sure there are ****** schools, ****** hospitals, but there are also great schools and great hospitals.

I also disagree that nurses just want the $$$. Those are the ones with bad attitudes. The sweet, carring ones are there to help people and they enjoy it!

[2bnurseTV]

or those with enough dignity to call out nursing for what it .

If you feels this way, my advice is get out now. Maybe you guys should create your own "we hate nursing" board.

[nursel56]

caffeineRx;4129958]Sure there would be nurses. People are applying in the THOUSANDS to certain programs alone...and only 50 get in. I'm positive that summersent's comments wouldn't shy them all away. Some people don't care if they are miserable, they want the $$$.

I don't feel summersent was traumatized by their experience. It seems they were quite enlightened and took it as an awesome learning lesson. The were assertive and put their foot down. They had enough confidence to leave and choose a field that is/was better for them. Why does that bother you so much? It seems like any assertive replies, or those with enough dignity to call out nursing for what it is, hits a personal key with you. Maybe you should create your own thread where you can vent and express all of these feelings you are keeping pent up inside. It seems like you have a lot of sorting out to do. I encourage it.

. . . well, I would start my own thread to vent my pent up feelings, but since your epic vent didn't seem to resolve your issues, I'll pass for now, but thanks for the advice!! If your future career has anything to do with mind-reading skills I'd advise against it.

[tfleuter, BSN, RN]

Coming on here to vent about your school experience is one thing, but trashing the profession that so many actually enjoy their job and are handling their school experience with confidence, dignity and pride is another. Obviously summersent had some kind of horrible experience - so traumatizing that s/he feels the need to stick around on a message board to "warn" all those poor, unsuspecting students of what they are getting into. It actually reeks of bitterness more than enlightenment and the desire to help. Nursing isn't for a lot of people. And yes, there is a lot of backstabbing and lateral abuse to watch out for. I haven't encountered anything yet that has scared me away, so I'll go off my own experiences rather than some stranger's (summersent, not the OP) on the interenet. I hope to be entering the workforce soon, with my self-confidence and self-worth intact.

Also - a very large portion of my class deciding on nursing after being encouraged by a friend or family member who was already working as one. Doesn't fit this pre-concieved notion that nurses are so miserable that they wouldn't want their loved ones in the profession. Quite the opposite in my area. Your milage may vary...

[K nurse-one-day]

Sure there would be nurses. People are applying in the THOUSANDS to certain programs alone...and only 50 get in. I'm positive that summersent's comments wouldn't shy them all away. Some people don't care if they are miserable, they want the $$$.

I don't feel summersent was traumatized by their experience. It seems they were quite enlightened and took it as an awesome learning lesson. The were assertive and put their foot down. They had enough confidence to leave and choose a field that is/was better for them. Why does that bother you so much? It seems like any assertive replies, or those with enough dignity to call out nursing for what it is, hits a personal key with you. Maybe you should create your own thread where you can vent and express all of these feelings you are keeping pent up inside. It seems like you have a lot of sorting out to do. I encourage it.

I don't think that people are being "bothered" by someone venting or being assertive. What's bothering people is that Summersent is making big generalizations. She had a bad experience with her program and now she is trying to convince everyone that they will too. It has nothing to do with dignity, she is on a nursing blog bashing the profession that people are here to discuss. For everyone one person on here that hates nursing school, there are 5 who like it, and wouldn't change it if they could. For every one person who happened to pick a not so good program, there are 10 who love(d) their program. Calling nursing an abusive profession, clinical instructors abusive, hospitals abusive, saying that young student have no clue what they're getting into, all schools are the same no matter what, is painting with WAY to broad of a brush. And it is certainly not anyone else's place to try and "warn" other students what they are getting into and trying to talk them out of their dream. And as for "calling out nursing for what it is", neither of you have any clue what nursing is. Being in school for a year or 2 doesn't define what nursing is and one persons bad nursing school experience doesn't define what nursing school is for everyone else. I couldn't be happier about choosing nursing, and I have 2 family member nurses who feel the same way...and their is nothing that anyone could say to convince me otherwise at this point. I agree with summersent that you need to change your major now. We need nurses who want to be there and want to be doing what they are doing. I'm genuinely surprised there are not more people upset about some of these posts.

[summersent]

I'm not bitter nor traumatized. I noticed when someone calls it like is it, the terms "bitter" is used. I'm honest. Look around the boards. Its funny because the same ones putting my posts and caffeines post's down, mentioned the same things(hating their job, giving other kudos for quitting etc) in theirs or others. Its like a contradiction. One moment people are honest with how bad nursing is and then the next, its all sugar coated and others are put down for speaking the truth. Somethings not right with that. I mean what is it? But I guess this moment and in this thread many claim to love nursing....

Caffeine, good luck with owning your business and keep striving for the best. I am. I'm actually thinking of owning a business one day with my sister as well. I deserve a good life and you do too. I know you say you are using nursing as a back up and I do think if thats what best for you go for it. But from telling the type of person you are, I doubt you will stay long. You're the type that runs a place, demands respect and wants positive healthy people around you. Good luck again!

[2bnurseTV]

Summersent,

How can YOU possibly know what every school and every hospital or dr.s office is like. I smell sour grapes and I call BS. The fact is, anyone can have a bad experience anywhere at any time. I bet there were people in YOUR class who had a total opposite experience than yours. YOU do not speak for everyone. Stereotypes and Generalizations should be avoided at all costs. Perhaps you should find something more constructive to do with your time than stalking these boards trying to save future nursing students from this awful profession. Just a thought.