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?
Is the girl in your class that gets great grades a CNA or has she worked in another medical field? If so--than that could explain the reason why she has alot of knowledge in the nursing field.Just try your hardest to do your best---thats what matters!
One thing I would like to comment on is that what is a "C" in your program? Where I am an instructor a C is 80%-87%. I know that sounds an extremly hard grade to attain, and for many students it is, but with NCLEX becoming more difficult, and practice in general being more technical we need safe, knowledgeable nurses in our ranks! That being said, I have some "C" students that are doing tremendous in clinical. They know the content, but they just have a difficult time when it comes to studying for class. Remember, exams are very subjective to the content being taught. Instructors strive to put on exams what might be on NCLEX, but that is impossible 100% of the time. I feel that if you are honestly putting forth the effort needed to pass your content and are doing well in clinical, you will be just as good nurse as the "A" students. Maybe the "A" student in your class could give you some study tips?
Even though clinical is scary and intimidating you shouldn't look at it that way. It is an opportunity for you to take what you learned in class and apply it to real life situations. After clinical ask yourself, "what did I learn today?", "How does this relate to what my instructors taught in class?". If you still have concerns I strongly recommend you meet with your instructors-remember they should be there to help you learn the content, not hinder it. Best of luck to you. I do have to add-our C students did pass NCLEX:heartbeat
It's a long time since I was a student (32 years) but I can tell you that it really does not make a difference as long as you really do know your stuff. Matter of fact, in my class the two people who were always at the top in class and in clinicals and who were often "teacher's pet" did not pass the state boards (as they were called back then) the first time. There was only one other student who did not and she was a consistently crummy student...none of the rest of us understood how she actually made it through the program at all. So hang in there, work hard and work on your self-confidence!
As my nursing instructors have said, and I have witnessed myself, "C" nurses make some of the best nurses around. I have seen the "so called GPA through the roof nurses that once they get on the floor they flub up everything and make one mistake after another. There is also the nurse that knows everything and you have heard that if you know everything you are "DANGEROUS".
Once you pass the NCLEX all engines are on and you are ready to go. Enough of this, are you a "C" nurse, "B" nurse, or "A" nurse. Sound mighty childish to me.
P.S. Some of those brilliant nursing grads have taken the NCLEX 2 to 3 times trying to pass. I state my point
What I feel I am seeing here is a lot of "I have witnessed myself, "C" nurses make some of the best nurses around. I have seen the "so called GPA through the roof nurses that once they get on the floor they flub up everything and make one mistake after another," ""teacher's pet" did not pass the state boards," and of course the "I hate it when the A students sit there and complain about getting a 90."
It makes me almost ashamed to be a good student and threatened when the word "hate" is used when all I wanted to do is try to strive for excellence. Why are you measuring yourself against others and feel resentment towards them? There will always be someone better no matter how good you are. I guess horizontal nursing violence does start in nursing school. But unfortunately it is not confined to nursing. I have often seen people in the workplace put down and ostracized when they strive to better themselves. Why? Not because they gave off a sense of superiority but because those criticizing gave THEMSELVES a sense of inferiority, so they carp, criticize, and balktalk in an effort to bring that person back down to their level.
Yes, some A students do fail NCLEX and when they pass make bad nurses. However, don't kid yourself. There are a lot more C students that DO NOT pass the NCLEX than A students. And for the person wanting to be a CRNA with their Cs? Good luck to you on that and I really mean it. I don't know if it's a fact but I have often heard it said that getting into CRNA school is harder than getting into medical school.
Fortunately most of my classmates are realistic and realize that their grades are a reflection of their effort. However there are some that are clueless because they often talk about the four hours of TV they watch every night, and the parties they went to during the weekend and wonder why they don't do as well as others in the classroom. They then attribute the good grades the others get to "natural smarts" and being the "teacher's pet."
I made a statement. Don't write a whole book on the subject. This is what I have seen. If you have a problem with what I have stated, it is your problem. Go out and enjoy the holidays and get off my butt. Go rake the leaves, go shopping, do something good for society. You need to get a life, just get off of my life.
There was no hate or criticism implied in my statement...I was an A student myself. I was rather encouraging the C student, as were the posts that I read. Perhaps you should look more carefully in the mirror?
I made a statement. Don't write a whole book on the subject. This is what I have seen. If you have a problem with what I have stated, it is your problem. Go out and enjoy the holidays and get off my butt. Go rake the leaves, go shopping, do something good for society. You need to get a life, just get off of my life.
I see that civil discourse and disagreement does not sit well with you. If you want to opine on a public discussion board, you must be prepared to have people disagree with you. People do that to me all the time. I try not to take it personally. We are all different people with different viewpoints. You stated yours, I stated mine...politely. Since you don't like it, I will try to remember your screen name and not respond to yours posting in the future.
To everyone obsessed with grades, please get a life, improve your life, and change the subject. We have more things to worry about than stupid grades. A student great. But get on with your life and change the subject. BORING.
There was no hate or criticism implied in my statement...I was an A student myself. I was rather encouraging the C student, as were the posts that I read. Perhaps you should look more carefully in the mirror?
Sorry about that. But when someone says "hate" that's what it usually means, or do I have to ask first what the word "hate" means? You of course did not say hate but gave a label. In my opinion, labeling is the first step to justifying attitudes and actions you would not normally have for another human being. This is my feeling and how I received the message. Maybe the error is on the receiver (me).
Hi, definitely does not mean she will be a better nurse, we had very book smart and class smart nurses in my graduating class and that doesnt mean smarts makes a good bedside manner and make you more compassionate, it all works together. We all write the same RN exam and get our license and there is always room for improvement, there is a big learning curve through out your carreer. Thats why continuing education is so important, so dont fret, lets see in 10 years who the great nurse is or who is still practising, keep on trucking! I was a C maybe a B sometimes as a student- I am a great nurse, not bragging, just telling the truth, ( you know how I rated that- I would want me looking after me :-) ) ps Merry Christmas!
[quote=fragino;"We can be the most caring people in the world, but if we don't have an understanding of what we are doing and why we are doing it, we will be the most caring and dangerous people on the floor."
This is true. If you read what i wrote, i said that the learning that you get after school and in the practice of nursing will make you a great nurse. if you dont have the knowlege to base it off of you will no have problems, but these are not the people i am talking about. the people i am talking about are the ones who study (as it seems all the C students i have talked to do, and do it more then some of the A students) and know the information but just cant translate that over into a " Good Grade". Besides, our schools teach us a little about everything in nursing. when we get out into the work force (wich you may already be, and if so should know this rains true) there are certin ways of doing things at different places. even out of the cites we have rotated through in different areas we have seen differentces and we havent gone very far yet. the point is you dont have to know what you arnt going to use. if you get into a hospital that favors to use the same drugs over and over again for sertin things then you need to know that set of drugs well but may not need as strong of a base on other drugs that are not used as offten. dont get me wrong, you need a base knowledge of everything but you need to know what is most important well and others not as much. I do agree with your statment, but just dont feel it acuratly conveyed what i ment or truely spoke to the message i was trying to convey.
statphleb SN
60 Posts
Is the girl in your class that gets great grades a CNA or has she worked in another medical field? If so--than that could explain the reason why she has alot of knowledge in the nursing field.Just try your hardest to do your best---thats what matters!