People who trivialize nursing

SnMrsSmiley · Oct 16, 2011

i dont get that around here. My entire family and extended family and most of my friends are medical. Nurses, Drs, lab techs, radiologists etc etc... they ALL know that it is hard. My cousin is an ER Dr and he told me himself that nursing school wa in his opinion harder than med school because we have so little time to learn such a vast amount of material. Where he had years upon years to learn we in the ADN have 4 semesters. Its make it or break it. If you break it you buy it. In other words if you dont make it through its your own fault own up to it and move on or try again. We are almost to that point in our semester (next week actually) and alot of my very intelligent friends are going to be dropping out so that they can withdraw before the F goes on their records. It breaks my heart because I see how hard they are working and know how bad they want it. If I ran across someone that trivialized what we are doing I would find it hard not to throw a punch or two.

ILovetorun · Oct 16, 2011

Thank you so much for responding. 99% of the people I know all understand that nursing is super hard and they give me tons of respect. This was the first time and hopefully the last that someone will ever make me feel like this. I do know I'll have a better response if it does happen again. I'm also in an ADN program and it's quite difficult learning all we need to learn in such a short amount of time. I'm actually doing very well in my Fundamentals class and I'm not going to let what he said bring me down.

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Oct 16, 2011

I don't think many people do realize that it may be hard. I don't really care though what people think of my career choices. It would bother me if it was someone close to me like my husband or mother but my best friend always compares our lives and she is in her first semester and is in English 101 and Business 100 (she's a business major) and is single without kids and I am married with a home to care for, two very lil ones, and a husband that works 70+ hours a week and I'm a junior nursing student. Oh well though....too busy to really care :)

cheesecakesquared · Oct 16, 2011

My boyfriend's friend was taking calculus (all the way up to calc 3) and mentioned about how that is so much harder than nursing school. I was upset because it's not really harder imo, it's just different. I don't see calculus clinicals with people going to apprenticeship with pythagorus. I don't see people having to do these math problems on the spot that could kill someone. I don't get it.

NCRNMDM, ASN, RN · Oct 16, 2011

A lot of people don't realize how hard it is to be in nursing school, or to be a practicing nurse. My dad's parents wanted me to go to medical school, and they weren't happy to hear that I was, as they put it, "wasting my intelligence on nursing school." When I first started the program, I would tell them things at family dinners, and they would say, "well it can't be that hard, you're just going to school to be a nurse. It isn't like your a doctor who is ordering medicines, diagnosing actual diseases, and treating patients. All you have to do is follow written orders all day." I blame a lot of the misconceptions on television shows like ER and Grey's Anatomy where nurses are hardly ever seen, and doctors are depicted as doing all the work, even the jobs that nurses typically perform. Because of these shows, the general pubic believes that doctors start IVs, put in catheters and NG tubes, order and evaluate tests and labs, diagnose and treat disease and injury, and do basically everything else that gets done in the hospital. Nurses are generally portrayed as filling out paperwork, taking vital signs, giving bed baths, sitting around gossiping, or panicking in the face of a medical emergency. You will face a lot of ignorance, a lot of misconceptions, and a lot of dismissive attitudes when people find out that you are a nursing student, and, eventually, a nurse. You just have to learn to let it go and realize that these people have no idea how hard we work every day, and the difference we make in the lives of those we care for.

ILovetorun · Oct 16, 2011

Thanks so much to all of you. It felt much better just being able to vent on this site, and hearing your stories helps me know that I'm not alone in this. You're right. Who cares what anyone says or thinks? I think it just bothered me because it was my husband's brother. I have a pretty sharp tongue but even I was at a loss for words when he said that. It is annoying how the media portrays nurses as the petty, lazy, gossiping types when in reality it's the nurses that keep the whole machine running smoothly and oftentimes protects patients from arrogant doctors. Thanks again to all of you, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted and if this happens again I'll either just put them in their place or let it roll off my shoulder and keep it moving.

Streamline2010 · Oct 17, 2011

Tell them that they are mistaken about what registered nurses actually do. It's a very hard job, and a lot of difficult material to learn, because a R.N. must do the CNAs' job, the LPNs' job, and the doctors' job, all at the same time. And then there's a pile of clerical work for all of that, too. >;-)

ILovetorun · Oct 17, 2011

Thanks, I definitely won't be shy about putting then in their place next time. It was just the first time anyone has ever been that ignorant about it.

lelafin · Oct 17, 2011

That does make me mad... we work so hard! About half of my class has already had to withdraw this semester, and they are NOT dumb! Nursing is extremely difficult for many different reasons - if you are not in nursing, you just don't understand. I find it very isolating sometimes! The other day this guy I was sort of "talking to" found out I was in nursing school, and he goes, "oh so you're a butt wiper.." UH WHAT?! Is that really what the uninformed public thinks of nurses (or nursing students...)? Anyway, that was the last time I spoke with him!!!!!

SarahMaria, MSN, RN · Oct 18, 2011

It depends. All professions and educational programs are difficult or easy depending on who you are and what your perspective is. Personally, I think nursing school isn't that difficult. Although, I believe the nursing profession is challenging. I have never been to medical school, so I have no opinion. I don't think it's fair for someone to judge something without having done it for themselves.

KianaM · Oct 20, 2011

Wow! That would have gotten me upset at well. You should have put him in his place! That comment was uncalled for. I am currently in my 4th semester (one more to go!) and my significant other's brother told me the other day that he hopes his daughter doesn't grow up to be like me because "all ever do is go to school and work." Ummm hello! If he had half a brain he would know how much time and energy it takes one to go to nursing school full time, let alone keep a job while you're doing it.

I know where you're coming from and anyone who has done it knows what an accomplishment it is to even get into a program. Be proud =D