"It shouldn't be that hard to be a nurse"

[SharonH, RN]

Competition tough for nursing school

Earning a spot in nursing school can be tough, even in the midst of a nursing shortage.

Just ask Georgia State University student Rachel Edmundson, who has failed three times to win entry to GSU's program despite carrying a 3.29 GPA.

"I don't think it should be that hard" to become a nurse, the 21-year-old said over a chilled coffee drink near the GSU campus.

Interesting. I am sure that some of our pre-nursing and current nursing students may agree but after 16 years in this business, I am convinced that it should be that hard. Nursing is a tough field which requires smart, fast-thinking people. If there is a bright side to the nursing shortage, it's that nursing schools are forced to accept the highest quality students. And raising our standards isn't a bad thing IMO especially since people's lives rely on our skills.

Here's a little gem from her daddy:

We're not talking about medical school, we're talking about nursing school," her father, Chuck Edmundson, said

Yeah, it's only nurses and everyone knows you don't need to be that smart because after all our work isn't that critical, not like a doctor.

[mm82]

Although the dad's comments are totally horrendous, I can empathize with the frustrations of being turned down. I was turned away from a ASN program with a 4.0 with all prereqs done. I was shocked, and angry. So, some of the competition is pretty ridiculous. There needs to be more focus on educating more new nurses, not lowering standards. It is hard though when a nurse educator with MSN or PhD makes less than a nurse working on the unit... P.S.-I just got my final grades tonight and am graduating from nursing school summa cum laude!!!!!!!!!

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Guess it's a good thing Miss Mocha Cooler didn't want to go to medical school, huh? Then Dad would have to whine about her failure to get in there, either.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

P.S.-I just got my final grades tonight and am graduating from nursing school summa cum laude!!!!!!!!!

Congrats! :balloons:

[tridil2000, MSN, RN]

We're not talking about medical school, we're talking about nursing school," her father, Chuck Edmundson, said

she'll never get in now.

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

It is hard though when a nurse educator with MSN or PhD makes less than a nurse working on the unit...

That is very true. Teaching doesn't pay that well. I applied to teach at an associate degree program a few years ago. Everything went well until they told me what the position paid. Huge pay cut!!! It didn't make any sense to take a position teaching where the new grads would probably make more money the day after graduation than their experienced teachers made.

As for that dad: :trout: :trout: :trout: :trout: :trout:

[Raeth]

Even my mother says things like that sometimes. I think a big portion of the public has no clue about what nurses really do.

I just started clinicals this quarter. My class was the last to be selected on a point system... from now on the college is going to a waiting list where if you pass your prereqs you will eventually get in. It's unfortunate.

[kmoonshine, RN]

Where I went to school, the BSN program turned away 3 applicants for every 1 applicant accepted. GPA cutoff was above 3.50. And, each semester there was approximately 100 clinical spots! No waiting list either; you have to reapply each semester.

I see no problem with competition and high standards. Today, nurses take on more and more responsibility and need to have the brains to adapt. Heck, I wish I had more biochemistry and another semester of pharmacology! I am offended by the father's statement, "we're not talking about medical school, we're talking about nursing school".

The lack of clinical spots is only going to get worse, since many nurse educators are reaching retirement age. There's not enough nurses to fill these spots, and not enough funding to support quality programs. The pay cut nurse educators take is a difficult pill to swallow - bless their hearts! I know so many nurses who would like to get into teaching, but can't support themselves or their families with the pay cut.

[anne74]

Lots of interesting points. I finished an accelerated bachelor's program - they took 30 students out of 300 applicants. I barely made it in with a 3.8 GPA. And, there were students who got in with great grades, but had zero common sense. I'd be frightened to have them as my nurse!

It's interesting that the requirements of getting into nursing school do not match up with the public's perception of a nurse. I had a patient the other day ask me, "How long did you go to school to be a nurse, a year?" I said, "No, four years - I have a bachelor's degree." He said, "Four years? To be a nurse?" I was pissed! :angryfire

And I think all those naughty nurse costumes, sexy nurse calendars, poor images in movies/TV shows - and that "Heart Attack Grill" restaurant in Arizona really don't help matters. I know a lot of nurses who think that kind of stuff is not a big deal and we should just lighten up about it. But, it truly does perpetuate the image of nurses being submissive and judged on looks rather than intellegence and competence. And, it doesn't help attract males to the profession either. Sorry, I digress.

[chickapin]

I really dislike how so many nursing programs only look at GPA when making admissions decisions. I was originally a biology major intending on going to either vet school or med school, and I took calculus and physics and 2 semesters of "science major" chemistry, organic chemistry, immunology, 5-credit microbiology,etc. So I got a few C's in those classes (and a lot of it had to do w/ my teachers not speaking English) and my GPA was about 3.3. Anyway, by the time I realized I wanted to follow in my mom's footsteps and be a nurse, I was told to not even bother to apply to nursing programs at 2 universities because I would have no chance of being considered w/ a 3.3 GPA. However, those w/ 3.8 GPA's who took the bare minimums of prereqs would get in. So anyway, I don't think someone's GPA should be the only factor in admissions and GPA alone does not necessarily indicate how smart you are or how much potential you have or how good of a nurse you will be.

BTW, I ended up in an accelerated BSN program and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it, so in the end I am actually happy I couldn't get in to a program as an undergrad.

[Cmariehart]

Can I see a show of hands that think she wouldn't make it past 2nd semester!!!!

I'm being mean but seriously!!!!!!!

[jill48, ASN, RN]

:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire This angers me in so many ways. It's funny that public perception of nursing never really is factual until that person is lying in a bed and actually RECIEVING nursing care. It's really a sad thing.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Well said Sharon. I agree.

Although there are some students that might make excellent nurses but who just can't get a 4.0. I hate to people that have the book smarts, but not the human touch make it through.