Nursing school is not a back up plan!

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So I have to get this out and rant. I know that other peoples' lives are none of my business, but this just drives me insane!!

There is this one young lady trying to get into the nursing program at a 4year, traditional BSN school.

She says that she doesn't actually want to become a nurse, but she wants to be an occupational therapist.

Her viewpoint on it is, she'll fly through nursing school and then apply to OT grad school.

I asked her why she doesn't just major in Pre-Occupational Therapy. She says this is the best option so if she doesn't get into Grad School Nursing can be her "backup plan"

This just makes me so sad for other students. The program is very competitive, and the lowest GPA typically taken is a 3.8. Lots of students are DYING to get in.

It just doesn't seem fair that somebody who doesn't want it.... Should take the spot of someone who does...

Okay.... Rant over guys :)

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

I think it's okay to have a back up plan. Being a "back up" plan doesn't mean one doesn't like that plan. If you think of it the other way around and she says, "OT/PT/RT is my back up plan if I don't get into nursing school," it would sound like a logical plan given how competitive nursing is. These are all "helping" professions and there are some common grounds.

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I think it's okay to have a back up plan. Being a "back up" plan doesn't mean one doesn't like that plan. If you think of it the other way around and she says, "OT/PT/RT is my back up plan if I don't get into nursing school," it would sound like a logical plan given how competitive nursing is. These are all "helping" professions and there are some common grounds.

I suppose you do have a point. I left out the part of the conversation where she said she didn't actually want to be a nurse. She said she just chose the career options because "nurses make a lot of money". I guess I just viewed it as selfish, because there are others who want to graduate and work as a nurse.

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Specializes in Oncology/StemCell Transplant; Psychiatry.

We all have our own reasons for attending nursing school. If I told you that nursing was my dream job, I'd be lying. I'm not saying I don't love nursing now, but when I began college, becoming a nurse was not the end goal. But things happen and life doesn't always turn out the way we plan.

As for the classmate you mentioned, I think her plan is actually pretty smart. There are so many majors that offer very few job opportunities after graduation. What could she do with a Pre-Occupational Therapy major if she did not get into grad school for OT? With a nursing degree, at least she will have marketable skills and a degree she can use if life doesn't turn out the way she plans.

As for the competitiveness of the program and all the other students who are dying to get in: if she has the GPA to get into the program and is accepted, then she is a more worthy candidate than those who don't get in, regardless of her goals. Just my thoughts...

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

As nice as it would be if everyone went to school to follow their dreams, it's not reality. Nursing is included. Yes, I can understand your perspective, where there are many people clamoring to get into nursing school that would be great nurses but are edged out by people who are "just" looking for a steady career, but people can do well in careers that aren't their dream career. Having something to fall back on isn't the worst thing in the world.

My father-in-law has a private duty nurse who HATES nursing. She says she wants to be a dog walker or something, anything to get out of nursing when she's done with this job (basically just waiting for his lawsuit to be done, and they'll be done with nurses). She got into nursing because she was a single mom and she needed a job that could pay her and her son's way. Does that make it any less valid a reason to be in school? To take a space in a nursing program? What about the person who's independently wealthy, but has always dreamed of being a nurse? She/he doesn't need the money, but she is itching to be a NICU nurse or whatever, something in acute care. Less worthy?

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Very good points. I suppose that my perspective has altered slightly. Thanks to all for new insight!

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Happy to see that you have an open mind, aspiringnurse1122. We all have/had different motivations for going to nursing school -- and we don't all have to be alike.

Most of us also all have things in life that other people don't have -- and want. Does that make us bad? I don't think so. Save your passions for topics really worthy of it.

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At least two or three people that I went to nursing school with did not end up working as nurses. Whether or not I thought that was fair, did not matter to the individuals who saw that they were accepted to nursing school. Fair to take up the space, and then not work as a nurse? Maybe not. But if you were to talk to those people, they would defend their decision and probably become upset with you that you dared to question their motives. Talk to the individuals who were unable to attend the same nursing school because these people took those spaces, and you would most likely get an entirely different viewpoint.

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Specializes in ICU/ER, Maternal, Psych.
So I have to get this out and rant. I know that other peoples' lives are none of my business, but this just drives me insane!!

There is this one young lady trying to get into the nursing program at a 4year, traditional BSN school.

She says that she doesn't actually want to become a nurse, but she wants to be an occupational therapist.

Her viewpoint on it is, she'll fly through nursing school and then apply to OT grad school.

I asked her why she doesn't just major in Pre-Occupational Therapy. She says this is the best option so if she doesn't get into Grad School Nursing can be her "backup plan"

This just makes me so sad for other students. The program is very competitive, and the lowest GPA typically taken is a 3.8. Lots of students are DYING to get in.

It just doesn't seem fair that somebody who doesn't want it.... Should take the spot of someone who does...

Okay.... Rant over guys :)

.

This ****** me off because there are so many of us that want to be in nursing school sooooooo bad and are on wait lists!

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Specializes in ICU.

I see this as the "calling" thing that many people think you need to have to become a nurse. I get where people are coming from on it. I have always been interested in the medical field but never knew exactly what I wanted to do. I started my journey back in the 90's and then I got married and life happened. I probably knew in my mid 30's I definitely wanted to go into nursing. My exhusband didn't want to pay for my school. So I filed for divorce and signed up for school in the same week last year.

I have always liked to take care of people. Clinicals is reinforcing that for me. But I don't know that I have the "calling". It's just something I wanted to do. I honestly don't care why people are in the program. I know why I am there.

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If she's got the stuff to get admitted in favor of some other people then I have no problem with her taking the spot which she's earned, regardless of whether her long-term plan is to be something other than a nurse.

Plenty of nurses would love to move out of nursing, particularly bedside nursing.

Nursing is a career, not a mission. I have no issues with someone being in nursing school as a backup or 'plan B.'

And the truth is, there are far more new grads being produced than there are good jobs for them... it's not such a bad thing if someone takes a nursing degree but never enters the job market... help to alleviate the glut.

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Once you're a nurse, I think you'll find that nursing was a lot of people's plan B.

I'm actually sort of surprised that more people trying to get into PT/OT/Med school don't do this.

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