Potential nursing students who dont want to hear the truth

smartnurse1982 · Mar 19, 2012

I added pragraphs and it seems the new format didn't let me,that sucks.The "I'm in no way trying to discourage" line are me responding.

MyUserName,RN · Mar 19, 2012

Personally, I think you should just leave it alone after the first attempt. Telling them the job market is tough and they may not get a job right away and then leave it at that. People told me that too, but being I was a tech I got a job immediately. Many of my friends got jobs quickly and weren't techs. It just depends. It sounds to me like the only answer from the nursing students that will make you satisfied is if they say "ok, maybe you're right. I just won't go into nursing"....The fact is, most college degrees are like this anyways, and even worse. You don't graduate and get your dream job right away. Sadly, many other degrees get you working as a bartender or server for the rest of your life because there really are NO jobs in their chosen field.

mindlor · Mar 19, 2012

I'm so sick of being accused of trying to discourage potential nursing students when I tell them the job market is tight or that many new grads are having a hard time getting jobs. They usually say to me "well,I'm different and its really my dream and I have always wanted to be a nurse". Then I say "Well,what about the others who thought the same as you and are unemployed?"Then I add "You may end up working in a nursing home or home health,will you be okay with that?"They then respond"No,I want to work in the area I choose,and it will happen because its my dream."I am in no way trying to discourage them,but I also don't want to lie to them and say there are pkenty of jobs in any specialty you want. Then when they graduate they end up asking why no one told them the teuth. I even tell them to read Allnurses and the troubles new grads are having. They then respond" well it has always been my dream and nothing is going to stop me. Some people are trying to discourage me because they don't want others to take their jobs and make as much money as they do."Is there any other way that I could bring up the subject with statistics and without it making it seem I'm trying to discourage others?

You are not responsible for them. Not your job to say anything.....let them be......

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Mar 19, 2012

Then I say "Well,what about the others who thought the same as you and are unemployed?"

Just about every profession has to deal with unemployment.

While there is nothing wrong with telling the truth, it's not like the grass is greener in many other occupations.

gettingbsn2msn, MSN, RN · Mar 19, 2012

That is fine if they do not want to hear it. However, they need to be prepared to pay cash up front for classes, books, uniforms and ect. They need to know that student loans never ever go away. They cannot be discharged in BK. Tuition is going up at the state schools due to the states running out of $$. I am almost finished with my NP but if I had not started when I did I could no way afford it. Due your due diligence. Student loan debt is now outpacing consumer debt. We are building a bubble and nobody knows when the bubble will burst. Please be careful. This is the same advice I have given to my own children.

Merlyn · Mar 19, 2012

I'm so sick of being accused of trying to discourage potential nursing students when I tell them the job market is tight or that many new grads are having a hard time getting jobs. They usually say to me "well,I'm different and its really my dream and I have always wanted to be a nurse". Then I say "Well,what about the others who thought the same as you and are unemployed?"Then I add "You may end up working in a nursing home or home health,will you be okay with that?"They then respond"No,I want to work in the area I choose,and it will happen because its my dream."I am in no way trying to discourage them,but I also don't want to lie to them and say there are pkenty of jobs in any specialty you want. Then when they graduate they end up asking why no one told them the teuth. I even tell them to read Allnurses and the troubles new grads are having. They then respond" well it has always been my dream and nothing is going to stop me. Some people are trying to discourage me because they don't want others to take their jobs and make as much money as they do."Is there any other way that I could bring up the subject with statistics and without it making it seem I'm trying to discourage others?

To be fair, they might come out of nursing school and get what they want but chances are these days they will not. Don't make yourself crazy. when asked just say "You have as good as chance as any. You can always laugh at them when they come out of school.

Cuddleswithpuddles · Mar 19, 2012

Is there any other way that I could bring up the subject with statistics and without it making it seem I'm trying to discourage others?

There really isn't any way to do this without being overbearing, in my opinion. No amount of evidence will convince an airhead dreamer, and you just come off as a pessimist. I have never encountered anyone as clueless as you described, thank goodness, but I am sure they are out there. I suspect that their rainbows-and-unicorns line of thinking is due to deeper character flaws (such as self-centeredness and a sense of entitlement) and not due to misinformation. You cannot help that unless, perhaps, you are their mother. Or therapist lol.

OCNRN63, RN · Mar 20, 2012

That is fine if they do not want to hear it. However, they need to be prepared to pay cash up front for classes, books, uniforms and ect. They need to know that student loans never ever go away. They cannot be discharged in BK. Tuition is going up at the state schools due to the states running out of $$. I am almost finished with my NP but if I had not started when I did I could no way afford it. Due your due diligence. Student loan debt is now outpacing consumer debt. We are building a bubble and nobody knows when the bubble will burst. Please be careful. This is the same advice I have given to my own children.

I agree. There are posts here that scare me half to death. "I have 35K in student loans from my previous degree; how can I get more money in loans to pay for nursing school?"

deftonez188 · Mar 20, 2012

35k? I've seen quite a few posts mentioning over 100k! That seems absurd for anything less than medical school :eek:

I'm an RN doing a RN-BSN program, currently in my last semester. The majority of the classmates I have in some of the required Gen Ed courses I didn't have to take for my ADN are intent on being nurses. I'll agree to what some of the OP is talking about - many don't want to hear it from someone who knows, and usually attribute my more realistic outlook as pessimistic or a result of personal dissatisfaction with the field (hence why i'm going for the BSN right? lol). I usually tell them, look at the numbers: General Chem class - 130+/160 raised their hands for 'nursing majors' when asked by the instructor, mind you, this is one class, of which there are maybe 8 more sessions running concurrently! :no: The mathematics do not support a flexible job market as seen by these poor delusional individuals

We all tend to believe others will not want something as bad as we do, that we are more diligent and intelligent than those around us, but the older I get, the more I realize we're more alike than we are different. Ahh well, give realistic advice with the best intentions - if they prefer to believe differently, that's their wallet

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 20, 2012

Warn them once, then let it go. Maybe they will get their dream job...or maybe not. But they have to figure that one out on their own.

anotherone, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2012

I'm so sick of being accused of trying to discourage potential nursing students when I tell them the job market is tight or that many new grads are having a hard time getting jobs.
They usually say to me, "well, I'm different and its really my dream and I have always wanted to be a nurse". Then I say, "Well,what about the others who thought the same as you and are unemployed?" Then I add, "You may end up working in a nursing home or home health, will you be okay with that? "They then respond, "No,I want to work in the area I choose, and it will happen because it's my dream."
I am in no way trying to discourage them, but I also don't want to lie to them and say there are plenty of jobs in any specialty you want.
Then when they graduate they end up asking why no one told them the truth. I even tell them to read Allnurses and the troubles new grads are having. They then respond "well it has always been my dream and nothing is going to stop me. Some people are trying to discourage me because they don't want others to take their jobs and make as much money as they do."
Is there any other way that I could bring up the subject with statistics and without it making it seem I'm trying to discourage others?

Stop bringing it up, unless asked. When I was in school I asked new nurses, ones who seemed to know best, even peopel employeed at one place for 40 years, how the market was. These people seem like big time idiots. Unless they are from an area with a great nursing market. The areas I am from, would consider working in, have had a TERRBILE shortage of nursing jobs for YEARS since 2008, new grads were having to relocate in droves for less than ideal jobs. Then in a few months when these grads can't find jobs you can say, at least to yourself, I told you so. Some people have this type of outlook throughout their whole life on all aspects. Do not take it personally.