Hi! I was just wondering if everyone (anyone) out there has had ridiculous experiences in Nursing school similar to the ones below. I am in an evening program and find it frustrating beyond belief (and I'm NOT referring to the reading, studying or clinical aspects). I am talking about the total lack of organization and the abuse of the students by the instructors!! Myself and most of my classmates are getting to the point of anger. The instructors constantly talk about how you have to put your time in and do extra and come to the help classes. Meanwhile the reality is that about 90% of the class are working full time and making time in their busy work/life schedules to come to school 4 nights a week to earn this degree. Many already hold 2 and 4 year degrees and know what it takes to get the work done. I can't think that any one of us is not dedicated - we're giving up a lot of our own time for this and so far nobody has quit.
Here's why it gets me really angry. I feel that they are looking to see who is checking in at the lab and who is going online to the online course information and using that as a way to judge who is really dedicated. We have had to stay late to "get through the unit content" on more than one occasion - and I don't mean for 15 minutes I mean for over an hour each night, yet if we are 5 minutes late to class because of traffic (on LI there is ALWAYS traffic) we get an attitude from the instructor and marked as "L" on the attendance sheet. We get the "you're adult students" speech, then we're treated as children. The instructors frequently send us into the clinical area after a quick run down of what we're to expect the 30 minutes before we go on the floor and then wonder why we're all anxious and frustrated. On other occasions the class lecture info hasn't been posted until the day of class or even up to a few hours before - and then we get looked at like we're crazy when we don't have it printed out because we were working and then ran directly to class (so as not to be late of course). I love what I'm learning, but I'm hating this experience so far. I feel that the instructors could use a lesson in organization, communication and flexibility. That's what they expect from us, but somehow that whole idea of "practice what you preach" seems not to apply to them.
SO I want to know is it like this everywhere?! :angryfire
And, BTW, I did not join this thread to say *I* am having issues. I was supportive of the OP and empathetic. I thought that posters were being judgmental and harsh.
I am doing quite well in NS. I actually had fellow students that I did not have my priorities straight because I not only refused to quit working, but I had 2 back-to-back 60 hr work weeks. We did lose 3 classmates that term. I was not one of them.
None, don't have any in astrophysics credits either....but I'm sure it's a safe bet that it's different from nursing school. Are you really trying to make a case that your EE program and nursing school are the same?
Why would you care if fellow students thought you didn't have your priorities straight? You know what, never mind.....I wish you every success in your program. I'm out.
No I would never imply that the programs are the same. I have empathy for nursing students who freak about the dosage calc tests. I didn't even think hard. When my EE program started, we began with Calculus and went up from there. We had Calculus based Chemistry and Physics in 1st year. We took 18 - 21 CR per semester! No, I don't compare the educations of me or my co-workers on the Launch Team for the Hubble Space Telescope (GSFC) to be in the same category as nurses! Nor would they.
YES! Back then I believed that nursing students (like my sister) had it easy! LOL Boy was *I* fooled! My statement was just a 'back at ya' because you seemed to think that NOTHING could be as hard as NS and that would be an error in thinking - IF that is what you were thinking (the downsides of electronic communication).
I didn't say I cared about what they think. I was pointing out that this ATTITUDE is pervasive in NS and maybe some of the posters in this thread, the students in my class, the admin of NS should let the STUDENT best determine what they are capable of and give it a rest.
OVER AND OVER in this thread, those attacking me have read into my posts things I did not say.
I am not justifying being late. I don't justify the NO EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE attitude either. There are so very many things that are outside of your control.
I am not telling morningland that I HOPE God rains down on his parade and nowhere in MY post did I MENTION LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. Go ahead... look. I'll wait.
Also, if you haven't noticed, there are MANY denominations of Christian. I also said "God" not "Jesus", so I guess you would have to then include the various forms of Judaism and Islam to boot. Since you misread what I said, I have no intention on getting into a religious debate with you as well.
Good luck on your Pharm test! I hated Pharm - talk about death by powerpoint!
I remember reading in the vent threads in the regular nursing discussion where NS's would flame the RNs for their venting. They said that "this is a vent thread" if you don't like it, don't post in OUR thread. The OP was truly seeking empathy and compassion. She got flamed instead.
No I would never imply that the programs are the same. I have empathy for nursing students who freak about the dosage calc tests. I didn't even think hard. When my EE program started, we began with Calculus and went up from there. We had Calculus based Chemistry and Physics in 1st year. We took 18 - 21 CR per semester! No, I don't compare the educations of me or my co-workers on the Launch Team for the Hubble Space Telescope (GSFC) to be in the same category as nurses! Nor would they.
YES! Back then I believed that nursing students (like my sister) had it easy! LOL Boy was *I* fooled! My statement was just a 'back at ya' because you seemed to think that NOTHING could be as hard as NS and that would be an error in thinking - IF that is what you were thinking (the downsides of electronic communication).
I didn't say I cared about what they think. I was pointing out that this ATTITUDE is pervasive in NS and maybe some of the posters in this thread, the students in my class, the admin of NS should let the STUDENT best determine what they are capable of and give it a rest.
OVER AND OVER in this thread, those attacking me have read into my posts things I did not say.
I am not justifying being late. I don't justify the NO EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE attitude either. There are so very many things that are outside of your control.
I am not telling morningland that I HOPE God rains down on his parade and nowhere in MY post did I MENTION LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. Go ahead... look. I'll wait.
Also, if you haven't noticed, there are MANY denominations of Christian. I also said "God" not "Jesus", so I guess you would have to then include the various forms of Judaism and Islam to boot. Since you misread what I said, I have no intention on getting into a religious debate with you as well.
Good luck on your Pharm test! I hated Pharm - talk about death by powerpoint!
3)I remember reading in the vent threads in the regular nursing discussion where NS's would flame the RNs for their venting. They said that "this is a vent thread" if you don't like it, don't post in OUR thread. The OP was truly seeking empathy and compassion. She got flamed instead.
4)I am a bit tenacious....can you tell? :)
Good luck to you all!
yes, yes, yes, and yes.......1) it is not your "fault" that you were "over" prepared, though i would bet your instructors let you know they werent impressed, (had that happen)
2) There does appear to be a total lack of collegial attitude in NS.
3) Yup
4) lolololololol, yup.......
i do think you and I are on the same page here......and the martyr marys will just have to deal......good lluck and take care
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Yep, ya'll read into my post things I did not say.
Like I said....I am 47. I didn't say I knew what went on in YOUR life. I DID say that you didn't know what has happened in MY life. It is an arrogant thing to ASSUME that people with kids are "using it as an excuse" or even worse to IMPLY (since neither the OP nor I did) that "WE" thought that we were SMARTER than those without kids.
The way my post was read into (and same with the OP's) reminds me of what my sister-in-law used to do..... To wit:
Sis-in-law was infertile. She criticized everyone in our family (me and my siblings) and everyone in her own siblingdom....telling all of us how bad we were raising children. She, of course, knows that she would do better!
Her brother, finally fed up, said, "TS, you don't know what you are talking about! You don't know what it is like to raise children, you don't have any!" (VERY valid point)
Her response: "Oh yeah! Remind me that I am infertile!" She then goes on a tirade and doesn't speak to anyone in her family for 4 years!
What her brother said was taken out of context and transformed into something he did NOT say. I think anyone here can see the ludicracy of her response.
Back to the thread:
1.) What was said: WHEN you have a family to raise, AND work full-time, AND housework, AND AND AND AND....YOU don't have the TIME that a young childless student who lives with mommy and daddy have! You have to learn better and faster. The AVERAGE student would not succeed.
Then there are the students with families and a husband who can pick up the slack. My hubby works 16-18 hr days out of state so I am a pseudo-single mom. So I don't have someone to pickup the slack.
2.) Reality is what reality is. The bills exist. They must be paid. I must work. Of course my employer knows that the company is #1 and I shouldn't think any other way. My children and their teachers (and others) all believe that I know my children are my #1 priority and I should drop everything for them. Then nursing school says they are #1. [stating facts here]
3.) As far as being "sexist"....Men are from Mars, Women from Venus. We don't think or behave the same way. It is what it is. You can deny it. You can say it isn't right. It won't change the reality of it.
4.) With the magnitude of everything a working parent in school has, they should be able to feel free to come to this board, vent and get support.
Yes, we KNEW that it would be harder for US than that young, childless student who lives at home. We CAN vent our frustrations.
As another thread began pointing out.... "ONLY in nursing school". (my input would be....)
Only in NS are you required to take these classes in this term. (No part-time options to do it at your own pace.)
Only in NS is a 79 an F, a 92.9 a B.
Only in NS are you required to perform so many hours of community service per class.
Only in NS are you required to go to lab 15 hours outside of class/lab time.
Only in NS are you required to take 2 finals. (1 final exam, 1 HESI)
Only in NS are you expected to learn 15 - 20 chapters for 1 exam.
Only in NS do you have to go to the hospital after 5 PM to get your patient information, stay up most of the night doing a care plan and be at clinicals at 0630 the next day for a 12 hr shift.
Only in NS does 3 yrs = Associates and 5 yrs = Bachelors.
I have not found the material difficult. Getting the VOLUME done is where the challenge comes in.
So far I have been late to class only once. As I said, I am a computer programmer. We had a production problem one day and none of the dealerships could enter their sales. This had to be figured out and fixed NOW. Praise GOD that I had an understanding teacher. Also, many of my classmates who work are CNAs or LPNs. OUR teachers understand their obligation to their current profession. I feel for the OP who may not have such understanding instructors.
Nursing epitomizes this wonderful nugget:
"We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing. "
So how about a little empathy for the OP? (Thought empathy was a pre-req for nursing!)
Your original post goes on and on about how the posters that are criticizing don't know what it's like because blah blah blah (you don't know this, you just assume this) you also point out in the beginning to look at the age of the posters that criticize and go on to talk about your age and your many children. These are things YOU talk about, I didn't assume. I did ask at the end a question. I didn't assume, I asked to get clarification on whatever point you meant by bringing up the age and children.
I can have empathy with SOME parts of the OP, I didn't agree with all parts and I spoke my opinion on them. Being in nursing school does not mean we have to agree and coddle and not doing so doesn't make one a bad nurse. Childless students have their own trials and tribulation. I chose to apply for nursing school knowing I had 3 kids, I chose to have another child while I was waiting on the wait list for 3.5 years, I chose to accept my position when my number was called knowing that I had now 4 kids and knowing that for 6 months of the year I am basically a single mom because my husband works out of town. These are all choices I made and I knew what I was getting into before I even applied, I researched everything and made sure it was a commitment I could make and I don't use having children as an excuse for anything and I don't think me having kids should grant me special privileges.
Do I empathize with the fact that the instructor is unorganized and runs class an hour late, absolutely.
Do I empathize with the fact that the instructor expects students to go to lab and not be late and that their is ALWAYS traffic on the route to school, no I do not.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Darn and I do! LOL!
OVER AND OVER in this thread, those attacking me have read into my posts things I did not say.
I am not justifying being late. I don't justify the NO EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE attitude either. There are so very many things that are outside of your control.
So speaking about reading into posts, I think if you go back and reread, many of us stated that we understand ONCE IN A WHILE when you are late because something happens. Major car accident, flat tire, car didn't start and what have you. We said that it's the constant thing, not once in a blue moon. If you know traffic is always heavy on your way to school you leave earlier, if you know your car often needs a jump plan accordingly and so on. You yourself have read into quiet a few things that were posted!
You have even made a few posts regarding you and the OP and working and being a mom and stuff, maybe I am not seeing it but I don't even recall seeing the OP make mention of having kids.
For the record since you also keep bringing up this is a vent thread, the OP asked for opinions. She got them. We all have a right to our opinions. I don't feel she was flamed at all, I feel she got some people disagreeing with her or SOME of her points, but I don't see where she was flamed.
I understand where it may seem like she was "flamed". People have the right to vent about nursing school. We all know beforehand that it's going to be a long and stressful two years. That doesn't mean we still can't vent. It doesn't mean that nursing school isn't for you. Some of you seem to be taking what the OP wrote too personally.
As for my statement. That was it. A statement. No implication, but if someone wants to draw their own inferences, go ahead. I made absolutely no reference to the OP when I made my statement. I certainly have made some inferences about attitudes from posts on this thread.
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CuriousMe
2,642 Posts
None, don't have any in astrophysics credits either....but I'm sure it's a safe bet that it's different from nursing school. Are you really trying to make a case that your EE program and nursing school are the same?
Why would you care if fellow students thought you didn't have your priorities straight? You know what, never mind.....I wish you every success in your program. I'm out.