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 Emergency Department.
Nursing school was completely my plan B. I was wait listed for dental hygiene so I went to nursing school. It's not "my calling" but it's a job that I do well. Doesn't make me a bad nurse just an honest one. I'm about to begin the final year of my BSN to DNP program.

Having Nursing school be your "Plan B" doesn't imply that it's your backup plan. It's an alternate plan from what you would prefer. You don't have to even have a "calling" to nursing... you just have to be good at it. My own particular calling (so to speak) is simply to be a caregiver. Nursing, Paramedic, and Athletic Trainer are the ways I choose to express that calling.

I also happen to do Security Guard quite well. That is a back-up. No it doesn't make much money, but there's usually a need for them and jobs can usually be found fairly quickly so it's easily a bridge job to something else that I very much prefer. Also, the training is relatively mind-numbingly boring.

Becoming a Nurse takes quite the commitment and isn't something that can be done by parking your backside in a class for a week or three. That's why I don't see Nursing as a "back up" plan but rather an alternate one.

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Specializes in Med-Surg and Neuro.
Nursing school was completely my plan B. I was wait listed for dental hygiene so I went to nursing school. It's not "my calling" but it's a job that I do well. Doesn't make me a bad nurse just an honest one. I'm about to begin the final year of my BSN to DNP program.

Be glad you didn't do dental hygiene. I went to nursing school with some hygienists who said dentist won't hire full-time, so they have to work for multiple dentists and can't get insurance benefits, 401K, sick days, etc.

To be honest, I'm not planning on doing RN nursing forever. I'm torn between moving on to NP, case management, or PT. I went BSN as a back up, because I could have just gone straight to direct-entry MSN as an NP without ever doing bedside nursing. But I decided to get the BSN and do bedside nursing as a back up, and I've actually met a former NP who went back to critical care nursing because the pay was higher for her than NP. So, yeah, the BSN was my back-up too, and still will be in the future. I'd rather have it than not, because I can always use it.

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I had another associate degree in animal medicine and couldn't work in the field due to allergies so I thought I wouldn't become allergic to humans so why not go to nursing school. I didn't have to be on a waiting list or interview for school because I had the other degree. I never chose to become a nurse, it wasn't a dream for me. Would I do anything different now? I'm not sure if it's something I want to do until I retire but for now it's a good fit.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I'm sorry. I stated at the end that I learned something and I had a new perspective on things. Many people come on here to rant, learn new things, and grow as a person. I don't appreciate the sass

I think your response has been very gracious! You just happened upon one of those hot-button topics around here without knowing it ahead of time. (see "I want to be a nurse but I don't want to be anywhere near poop" and "should overweight people be nurses?") if you want to get a further feel for these certain topics.........:eek:

All the best to you!

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Probably much of the OP's original ire came about because of the impression she was getting from the OT-Wannabe, that nursing was something 'easy' to fall back on, easy to get through the coursework and easy to graduate from any nursing progam. After all, mostly we just bring people pills and call their doctors for them, right? Primarily waitressing and telephone operator? ;)

The reality of nursing school, competitiveness of programs for admission, and difficulty of successfully getting past all that to graduate and THEN still have to pass the NCLEX......most people just don't understand it. And since I think most people's view of nurses is what they see on tv, how could they? TV nurses have time to do everything OTHER than nursing duties all day long, the job is so easy!

I recall an episode of Grey's Anatomy in which one of the new residents couldn't pass his boards, and another resident said something along the lines of "well, if you fail again, you can just be a nurse".

Wonder why nursing isn't seen as a back up plan MORE often!

You totally nailed it! These were my thoughts exactly :) But thank you to everyone for new opinions and insight! I'm glad that all of you have taken the time to express your opinion :)

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I think your response has been very gracious! You just happened upon one of those hot-button topics around here without knowing it ahead of time. (see "I want to be a nurse but I don't want to be anywhere near poop" and "should overweight people be nurses?") if you want to get a further feel for these certain topics.........:eek:

All the best to you!

Thank you so much :) I now know it's a hot button topic, LOL! Although I have learned quite a lot from everybody's opinions, I love to hear everyone's stories and points of view :)

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Once again- thanks to everyone for the stories, opinions, and insight :)

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I'm sorry. I stated at the end that I learned something and I had a new perspective on things. Many people come on here to rant, learn new things, and grow as a person. I don't appreciate the sass

You don't appreciate the SASS? I was with you up until this post. Now I think you have a lot to learn about the world, nursing and the nature of a public forum.

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Ruby, if the other poster had bothered to read ANY other posts in the thread he/she would have seen how gracious and willing to learn OP is. He/she was a little...abrupt

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.
Ruby, if the other poster had bothered to read ANY other posts in the thread he/she would have seen how gracious and willing to learn OP is. He/she was a little...abrupt

Sorry you were offended, this is a public forum and we will have different opinions. I read the post and pointed out what my thoughts were. Are you saying we aren't allowed a different opinion? Whether an opinion is abrut its a matter of how you interpret it.

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I wasn't offended. Definitely know that everyone has a right to opinions on message boards. Just defending op

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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.

Very good discussion. And I totally agree with you, BlackBettyLPN. Life doesn't turn out exactly how we plan. I never wanted to be a nurse. In fact, I said for years and years that I would never be a nurse. Ever. I live a lifestyle that is not very condusive to western medicine, at all. But then, life happened... LOL You all should have seen me on my first day of nursing school. "95% of a nurse's job is to pass medications, and do it correctly." Oh heavens! I almost puked right then and there.

I'm sorry that I took up a spot in a class that could have been used by someone who wanted to be a nurse ever since they could remember. But you know what? I had to compete and work my orifice off to apply and get into the program, just like everybody else. I think some of the worst nurses that I've ever met were the ones that "wanted to be nurses ever since they were little."

I did introduce myself on the first day of nursing school as someone who did not intend to be a nurse when I was done with nursing school. Yes, it blacklisted me the entire semester and I was even teased about it. But I work through it. I love nursing school. I love working with my fellow students, the professors, the nurses during clinicals, and of course, the patients. I'll use my nursing education in some shape or form, I'm just not exactly sure what that looks like, yet.

Nursing school IS my backup plan, and I don't mind saying so. My husband is able to financially support us without me having to work so I don't do it for the money, that's for sure. In fact, I'm already looking for international opportunities for new grads once I am finished with my program - which is still a few years away. What would happen if my husband wasn't here tomorrow? He and I have talked extensively about it. He encourages me to perserve through nursing school (and trust me, I've had my bumps along the road!) because he doesn't want me to look back in five years and say "wow, I really should have gone to nursing school when I had the chance."

I go to nursing school for the love that I have for people in general, not because of my love of nursing. I hope that makes sense.

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