Nursing school Big mistake

[Piglet68]

I am in my second semester of clinicals with two more to go to graduate in December. I have only found two helpful instructors. The rest are very condescending to students, to other nurses and to each other. I ask myself all the time if I want to be associated with a profession that seems to be hell bent on bring each other down. Its so cut throat among the students as well. If this is what the nursing field is all about I think I may have made a big mistake.

[Nepenthe Sea]

Well, for some reason it does seem that nursing attracts that kind of mentality. I have often wondered why that happens. The thing is that yes, there are some people that are like that in this field, but they exist in other fields, too. Have you known any nurses who inspire you? I used to think all nurses were judgemental and snotty because that was pretty much what I had encountered. It took my kids' extensive hospitalization to realize that there are some wonderful nurses out there, and that I want to work with them. You just have to take the good with the bad, unfortunately.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

I agree there are some awesome nurses out there!! I really think how people are treated (or how happy they are in general) plays a huge role in how they behave on the job. If there is a floor full of miserable back stabbing nurses, the environment is toxic. Further, some instructors may be miserable with their own jobs and taking it out on the students. Perhaps many of them were miserable at the bedside as well and just brought it with them into teaching.

I think you should interview potential jobs like they do you. Ask what the moral is like on the floor you're interviewing for or ask to visit the floor and get a feel for the chemistry.

[live&love&heal]

I think you will encounter many different types of students and instructors in any nursing program. You will have the following:

-lazy students

-serious students

-students who complainers

-students who cheaters

-helpful students

-students that always have something to say in class

-students who like to compete

and for teachers

-the mean teachers that put you down and make you feel like you are stupid

-the teachers that don't know how to teach

-the teachers that are passionate at teaching and inspire you

-the teachers who are great instructors and know how to teach

and so on.

I too was frustrated and just had to look at the whole perspective that:

1) nursing school will only last for a period of time then I will graduate and move on

2) that even in a workplace setting or any setting for the matter, you have to learn to be thick skinned and not let things get to you. You just can't please everyone. Also you are not going to meet very nice patients. Patients will be irritable, angry, upset, and difficult to interact with too. I think nursing school sometimes helps you early on to deal with difficult people.

3) nursing school is all about weeding the weak students out where unfortunately only the strong will survive. They will try to break you and make you crack but, focus, study hard and take care of yourself and you will do well.

I wish you all the best and hope this helps! :)