Good point about patient perception ... it is their reality and there is so little they can control while inpatient. Reasonable accommodation should apply here. Re the "jerk" comment ... I work critical care so if at least one patient of mine isn't unhappy at least once every week or so I'm probably not pushing them enough (pulmonary hygiene post op, PT regimen, etc) We have to find that balance between caring nurse and pushing (sometimes shoving) the patient forward on the timeline to recovery.
The school I attend is GPA based with other real world experience factors considered (ie - CNA, EMT, other non nursing degree, etc) It is color age and race blind in the entire process as it should be. We don't choose our patients and they don't choose us. We owe it to them to be the best RN we can be regardless of who we are in other categories! True?