Obnoxious classmates that turn into great nurses

[newtress, LPN]

Hello all, since I graduated eight months ago, I have worked in two different facilities and ended up working the same shifts with several of my former classmates as coworkers. While in nursing school and clinical, these classmates were obnoxious and childlike, doing poorly in class and barely completing assignments or passing. Now they are licensed and on the job. I was real happy to see that they matured up and have become very good, responsible fantastic nurses. A complete 360. Have you seen this too?

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Sometimes, it just takes the kick in the a** they get when nursing in the real world for these people to get the hint and straighten their acts up.

Now if that only worked for everyone

[Katie5]

Which is why you should never judge a book by it's cover. Out of curiosity whose standards did you use to judge them and find them wanting?

[ishootu]

on a side note- i hope you mean 180. otherwise they'd be right where they started...?

[fiveofpeep]

I just graduated last december and Im curious how our obnoxious people will turn out. One is so self worshiping that I worry she will kill someone because she doesnt feel the need to ask questions and is "all knowing."

[VICEDRN, BSN, RN]

I haven't graduated yet but I know the phenomenon you are describing. I can think of sooo many classmates that I would have never have thought would have made a good nurse but in clinical, they were amazing. (Its fair to add that I have had my fair share of instructors tell me that I better "adjust my attitude" if I plan on making it in nursing cause I am outspoken.)

1. A social awkward guy with a loud mouth and a judgmental attitude. He was an exceptionally bright student but I thought now is this the guy patients want to see? In clinical, he is so soft and sweet, making the best of his book knowledge and his compassion.

2. An immature guy who watches soft Media in class and acts like a jerk during group work. He is also very very introverted, preferring not to speak. I watched him give a bed bath to a male patient and I was touched by his thoughtfulness and his attention to detail. His little old lady patients love him big time too!

3. A seriously lazy diva with a t shirt that literally says "I'm a princess" and a serious pair of fake boobs. Cheats on tests. Turns out she actually knows the material and while unlikely to volunteer to help you, will willingly lend assistance if asked and will work tirelessly on behalf of her patients. Also refuses short cuts and falsifying assessments.

4. Upper crusty female who wishes she was in med school. Thought she would die when confronted with poop covered homeless patient and other colorful patients. She not only jumped right in but turned out to have more street smarts then I gave her credit for!

This is why I cringed when I saw a post recently where some nursing faculty stated that they just "know" who will make a good nurse and who won't. They pointed to some extreme examples that are probably few and far between but most nursing students came to nursing school for a darned reason. Chances are good no matter what anybody thinks of them, they can make a darn fine nurse!

[amjowens]

I think some of the best nurses are those who aren't afraid to be different, who do their "own" thing. These are going to be the nurses who advocate for pts, who will do what they believe in, not caring along the way about what people/collegues think of them. It's the nurses who "go along" with mainstream, who are concerned with what people think of them who can easily turn into automatin-type of nurses, not confident to reach beyond their "safe" comfort level. So I can see why the extreme, often socially-unacceptable would turn out to be the best nurses!

[MauriceRC]

Awesome thread. I love reading about nurses supporting other nurses. I'm stubborn and sometimes it can take a lot for me to change my opinion about something/someone (but I'm trying to change that). It's great to read about how truly open minded you are with your coworkers!

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

it really just takes one good time of being yelled at and brought down a few pegs to make people stop and go..."gee, I better fix this attitude and start learning or else I'm going to be fired..."

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

Haha, I think you're talking about me~ I was the student everybody loved to hate. I worked harder and longer and made other students feel bad, aced my tests, always had an answer for EVERYTHING, graduated #2 in my class, and acted pretty snotty about it too. Not very nice at all. Here's a shout-out to all my classmates: I'M SORRY. I WAS AN IDIOT. PLEASE FORGIVE ME.

I did turn out to be a great nurse, though.

[medscience]

I was pulled aside after soon after I finished my nursing program by a General surgeon at the hospital where I worked. He said to me " you are very good at what you do, but you do not have enough patience and you need to do better with that." That was all it took for some reason that embarrassed me. It's true I was a very impatient person in my early twenties, I wasnt even aware it showed. Needless to say since that time I am always aware of myself in that way. Just the right thing, said by the right person at the right time- can change everything I gave up trying to figure out who would be a good nurse or not, I have been shocked in both directions!

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I will be looking for recent students to become good coworkers that can be relied upon.