I have heard many people say this, particularly instructors. It all has to do with the balancing act... Studying enough to do well, but not destroying ourselves in the process to get A's. I understand that Nursing students with C's are still nurses, and that the student who recieved the A wont necessarily be a "better nurse"... But doesnt it seem like they would be?
I am mainly asking this because at clinical, I sometimes feel stupid! And I know its mostly nerves... and inexperience, of course. I know I can (and will.... !) be a good nurse, but I am thinking of one girl inparticular who just seems to have it all together at clinical all the time.. Who gets the best grades in our class... Always knows the answers. Does this mean she will be a better nurse than I will? Sometimes, I feel inadequate. Not all the time. I know I am capable of being a nurse, but.... :imbar
So, I know that "nursing students with C's are still nurses"---But does that mean they will be mediocre compared to the A students?
What do you call a medical student that graduated last in medical school.....Dr.
Unfortunately, that phrase was never intended to be a joke. It was to show people that just because someone is a doctor it doesn't mean that they are good, know anything or should be a doctor.
While I have no doubt you are a good LPN. Let me explore that. What are you good at? Do you work in LTC? In LTC I imagine that means you are a hard worker, good at passing meds and good at handling any kind of emergency that happens on your unit. What is the definition of a good nurse? Does it mean you know everything? Does it mean you can handle every situation? Does it mean you know where to get your information?
That said, if I was on a med-surg unit, I'd still not want you as my nurse if there was an A nurse around.
It's NOT because I think you are a bad nurse, you might be a top notch great nurse better than I will ever be.
It's not that. It's the perception. The first thing I think when you say you are an LPN but got a C+ in med-surg is not that you are working full time or maybe have a family or a tragedy happened or what not.
The first thing on my mind was what is a LPN getting a C+ in med surg for? What's wrong with them. While my initial reaction is most likely wrong and WAY off base, perception is 90% of reality.
I am only thankful that grades aren't public knowledge or I imagine I would be sweating everytime I was in the hospital.
That's the only reason I insist on As. I like to believe that every nurse that even takes my history is the valedictorian. That may be more indicative of a problem with me than the nurse though. Who knows.
That said, if I was on a med-surg unit, I'd still not want you as my nurse if there was an A nurse around.
Woah, that was harsh and completely uncalled for. Some people are just better test takers than others. A grade is just a letter, it means nothing in the real world. I think clinical performance is a much better predictor of a good nurse.
Unfortunately, that phrase was never intended to be a joke. It was to show people that just because someone is a doctor it doesn't mean that they are good, know anything or should be a doctor.
While I have no doubt you are a good LPN. Let me explore that. What are you good at? Do you work in LTC? In LTC I imagine that means you are a hard worker, good at passing meds and good at handling any kind of emergency that happens on your unit. What is the definition of a good nurse? Does it mean you know everything? Does it mean you can handle every situation? Does it mean you know where to get your information?
First of all I respect your opinion, although I think being focused on grades as a judge of a good nurse would NOT be what I judged my nurse on. But hey, to each his own. J judging grades when you have no idea the difficulty of the school is not probably the best idea either. I probably could have gotten an A this semester had I gone to one of the other schools in this area. But I picked a very difficult school with an excellent reputation.
Yes, I work in LTC, but I work on a respiratory unit with very sick people. I work on the night shift where critical thinking is important. But I'm not going to spend time trying to convince you that I am a good nurse. Of course, just because I'm a good LPN does not mean I'm going to make a good RN.
Listen, my point has always been that there are too many variables involved in nursing to judge someone on the grades they got in school and what kind of nurse they will be.
Woah, that was harsh and completely uncalled for. Some people are just better test takers than others. A grade is just a letter, it means nothing in the real world. I think clinical performance is a much better predictor of a good nurse.
Woah! I think I made it QUITE clear that I was NOT trying to impugne the poster. In fact I made it clear several times that it was a perception AND that it was more likely a problem of mine than of theirs.
Quite clear so please no starting flame wars.
Meh...
You rebuke was uncalled for and harsh..
Plus, the fact that the experienced nurses say clinical skills are more important OBVIOUSLY shows they are. It is just a perception I have.
And I do pretend all the nurses AND doctors that have ever even talked to me were the valedictorians.
I have no doubt that Kcochrane is a great nurse (not that my opinion matters :) ) and kcochrane is probably 100% right about their assessment that grades just don't matter as much as the other factors. It's just a perception I, and many others hold.
Listen, my point has always been that there are too many variables involved in nursing to judge someone on the grades they got in school and what kind of nurse they will be.
I totally agree. There are good nurses with book smarts, good nurses who didn't do as in the books, and other nurses who are book smart but lousy nurses. People shouldn't be judged on one criteria.
I admire anyone who does there very best and studies hard, even if they make C's. I don't think people should kill themselves for A's or consider themselves failures for making C's.
"A" students well, they are great test takers that do not have other obligations or spend all of their time studying; they tend to neglect their other responsibilities. Personally, I've quit worrying about other people's grades. I've got enough on my plate.
:yeahthat: Couldn't have said it better myself.
Being able to regurgitate information onto a scantron does not necessarily mean you've learned what you need to know. The important thing is to understand and put together information and then be able to apply it to your patients.
Being able to regurgitate information onto a scantron does not necessarily mean you've learned what you need to know. The important thing is to understand and put together information and then be able to apply it to your patients.
I have no doubt that the graduation doesn't make one a full fledged nurse and that the learning continues. It just seems that a person that can't learn well in school won't learn well at work.
A student that say can't get better than Cs in school is still a C student when it comes to ACLS or Pals or anything else you have to learn.
Experience is nice but how far can it take you?
I liken it to the difference between seeing a good artist's painting. They are good. The painting is excellent.
Then you see a Van Gogh and realize the other painter, while good, is pretty crappy next to the Van Gogh.
I would like a nurse that is compassionate and icy cold under stress and during emergencies and reliable and all that but no matter what, they are still a C student knowledge wise.
That's what scares me. Does excelling at other skills make up for not excelling at this one???
It seems to me to be kinda like socially awkward but genius shrink. Yea, the person may be a wickedly smart psychologist but their social manner is lacking. Works in reverse as well. They won't be a good shrink. They aren't balanced.
Maybe it's just something I get from other fields and I'll understand AFTER I graduate. Hmmm.
MAybe my idea of what constitutes a good nurse is skewed???
What matters more to me as a nurse? That I have 17 years of experience? Or the fact that I graduated with honors?
At this point, what makes me a fabulous nurse is my experience. I draw on that 99% of the time, rather than what I learned 17 years ago and made A's in.
What matters more to me as a nurse? That I have 17 years of experience? Or the fact that I graduated with honors?
At this point, what makes me a fabulous nurse is my experience. I draw on that 99% of the time, rather than what I learned 17 years ago and made A's in.
That's what's so scary.
Being in a situation where my smarts can't help me. What the heck are you supposed to do. Ugh.
I just hope being a CNA for so long helps a little. I imagine I'm not gonna get any help from that except when it's time to do a bed bath. Sigh...
I don't even know my NCLEX score for LPN. I was just happy to pass the first try! I think that I will end up with A's this semester but believe me I have had my share of C's and even failures!!! Yes! OMG! Failure! I think it helps to keep you grounded and refocuses your attention. The road to success is paved with potholes! Believe me I don't care if you are an A or C student, when you get out on the floor your going to make your fair share of mistakes. It is called being a human being! Only God is perfect! I don't care what anyone says on here. I have worked with a lot of good nurses over the years. Some of them were straight A students but the majority were just like me a mixed breed... good enough with the books and even better during clinicals! Failure is the mother to success! I hope that you all realize how lucky you are to be able to go to college and earn a degree in the U.S. As an experiment, travel the world and see some third world countries like the Philippines or Mexico. Don't stress yourself over the little things in life b/c somewhere else in the world there is someone doing a lot worse!!
Being in a situation where my smarts can't help me. What the heck are you supposed to do. Ugh.
I just hope being a CNA for so long helps a little. I imagine I'm not gonna get any help from that except when it's time to do a bed bath. Sigh...
Actually it's going to give you confidence in dealing with people. You're not going to afraid in how to communicate and assess them. CNA experience also gives you a feel for assessment. Trust me when a CNA says to me "can you check this patient, something just isn't quite right" I run, not walk, to assess the patient. :)
Woah, that was harsh and completely uncalled for. Some people are just better test takers than others. A grade is just a letter, it means nothing in the real world. I think clinical performance is a much better predictor of a good nurse.
That's ok. Its his loss. The fact is that behind that c+ I have excellent clinical skills (we don't get grades on that), a 3.8 average before this class, 15+ years as a volunteer EMT and former military service. I have a "gut" feeling when something is wrong. I'm not always right, but I don't excuse my mistakes, I learn from them and become a better nurse.
Stanley-RN2B, no offense, but you can have your A nurse. :wink2: I hope I get a nurse "just like me" when I'm sick.
Atheos
2,098 Posts
Unfortunately, that phrase was never intended to be a joke. It was to show people that just because someone is a doctor it doesn't mean that they are good, know anything or should be a doctor.
While I have no doubt you are a good LPN. Let me explore that. What are you good at? Do you work in LTC? In LTC I imagine that means you are a hard worker, good at passing meds and good at handling any kind of emergency that happens on your unit. What is the definition of a good nurse? Does it mean you know everything? Does it mean you can handle every situation? Does it mean you know where to get your information?
That said, if I was on a med-surg unit, I'd still not want you as my nurse if there was an A nurse around.
It's NOT because I think you are a bad nurse, you might be a top notch great nurse better than I will ever be.
It's not that. It's the perception. The first thing I think when you say you are an LPN but got a C+ in med-surg is not that you are working full time or maybe have a family or a tragedy happened or what not.
The first thing on my mind was what is a LPN getting a C+ in med surg for? What's wrong with them. While my initial reaction is most likely wrong and WAY off base, perception is 90% of reality.
I am only thankful that grades aren't public knowledge or I imagine I would be sweating everytime I was in the hospital.
That's the only reason I insist on As. I like to believe that every nurse that even takes my history is the valedictorian. That may be more indicative of a problem with me than the nurse though. Who knows.