I am SICK of this stereotype. Never in any of my college career, not even my previous degree program, have I ever felt so ostrasized and punished for having good grades. Where on earth did people get the notion that just because you are book smart, means you can't be good with people skills? I have a 4.0 and my clinical instructors describe me as energetic, motivated, empathetic, patient, caring, gentle, and a leader. Yet teachers treat students who do well in school like me are absolute monsters to patients.
And this is coming from a school with the lowest NCLEX pass rates in the state! You'd think they'd want to encourage good study habits!
It's like I have to not do well in order to be considered for anything I came from a family background of violence, emotional abuse, and substance abuse. I was told repeatedly as a child I would never amount to anything. I worked my butt off to get where I am and to do well. And this makes me a much better nurse for it as I have empathy for patients and am nonjudgemental and caring because I've been there. In addition, I also KNOW my stuff. What is wrong with understanding pathophysiology and the processes of the body?
I don't care what professors say or think about me, I strive to be respectful and professional in all situations at school. I don't tell anyone my grades anymore because it's uncomfortable, I just tell people that I pass if they ask. But in my previous post the instructors are limiting our opportunities for student leadership in the classes because of our excellent grades, and that we aren't good role models, mentors, or leaders because we do so well because we have it "so easy" or must be "book smart" but not good with people or in clinicals.
I guess the good role models are those students who didn't do so well but in my clinical group, but treated my patient, who was morbidly obese at a surprisingly young age, as a freak show
Hygiene Queen - in my prereqs (this NEVER happened in my previous undergrad) EVERYONE thinks it's their right to know what your grades are. People are completely blatant about asking what you got on this, what is your average in the class so far... in my last 2 prereqs the ppl sitting next to me would even GRAB my test as it was returned to see what I got. I cannot imagine being so nosey and rude.
Thank you for the support everyone, I feel much better. To be honest I kind of felt a little whiney posting this but I got kind of sick from hearing this from my program and from a few instructors/faculty in particular.
I was not considering going to masters or graduate school if I survive the rest of my degree, but these comments from my program have made me reconsider. I'm half thinking of going now with my grades just because I can.
Hygiene Queen - in my prereqs (this NEVER happened in my previous undergrad) EVERYONE thinks it's their right to know what your grades are. People are completely blatant about asking what you got on this, what is your average in the class so far... in my last 2 prereqs the ppl sitting next to me would even GRAB my test as it was returned to see what I got. I cannot imagine being so nosey and rude.
That is extremely rude.
I just say, "I did alright", but I have used that whether I've gotten a good or a bad grade.
I don't see what purpose it serves to compare, except it's someone's ego feed.
I don't compete.
If someone grabbed my test, I'd break some fingers.
Hygiene Queen - in my prereqs (this NEVER happened in my previous undergrad) EVERYONE thinks it's their right to know what your grades are. People are completely blatant about asking what you got on this, what is your average in the class so far... in my last 2 prereqs the ppl sitting next to me would even GRAB my test as it was returned to see what I got. I cannot imagine being so nosey and rude.
Maybe it's just me, but I find this type of behavior rather rude. We're all taught about the legalities of HIPAA, it seems logical that we should also probably have a 20-30 minute seminar on FERPA. When the law states that in college your own parents aren't permitted to look at your grades without your permission(at least that's what I've been led to believe) who do your classmates think they are to demand to see what you achieved on an examination or paper?
But I digress. (I'm really not mad, this behavior just kind of rubs me the wrong way.)
I feel for you but I can understand how a teacher can incorrectly make this assumption. There are several people in my program who fit the stereotype to the letter. They blow us away on the tests and memorize all their stuff but for some reason when we go to clinical they "turn dumb". That, or sometimes the really book smart ones have zero common sense. It's awesome that you can be good at both. You just have to prove yourself to your clinical instructors. I also agree with someone else who posted earlier that maybe the teachers are the problem, because if your school has the lowest NCLEX pass rate in the state then something is not right within the faculty or the staff. Or both. Just hang in there and good luck!
I am one that does much better clinically than I did in the class room. And ive worked with nurses who graduated top in their class that I wouldnt trust to treat me. But I do not think that applies to everyone. Some of the students with the higher grades ( basically the ones who had and took the time to actually read, prepare,etc) were the ones that struggled the most with clinical. Some of them ones who struggled in clinical did not graduate with us, because of their class grades.
I'm really good at taking tests because I've got non-nursing degrees, and have spent a long time in the university environment. I work my butt off, too. And I get good grades in nursing school because I work hard, and because I know how to take tests. Yeah, people harass me at times, and it ****** me off. I always emphasize to them their own strengths. Also, that I have no kids, and I'm not working as a medic 30 hours on the weekends. Still, what REALLY gets to me is when I feel like instructors are hypercritical of me in clinicals. I have been up-front from the beginning: I'm strong with academics, a very hard worker, but had 0 experience in nursing. Sometimes I feel like instructors take some sort of pride in demonstrating that I'm not super strong in clinicals...and it's frustrating because I never CLAIMED to be the best nursing student out there. I always say "I'm good at taking tests. And I study constantly."
And it's true I study constantly. I'm overly diligent and OCD, and I also think if these kids had the time and/or interest in studying/reading as much as I did, they would blow me out of the water with grades...as it is, I get an A and they get a B and it's often a huge difference in how long we studied. Sometimes I think I'm pretty dumb for spending that much time studying. :)
Anymore, I'm decent at clinicals. I'm strong in psychosocial stuff, and weaker in the procedural stuff that someone who has been an LPN or a UAP could do with their eyes closed. I make a point to try to learn from them as much as I can, but I do get a little tired of trying to downplay the things I'm good at, or of people with sour grapes trying to prove something that I'd probably readily admit.
I've worked as a UAP for 2+ years, not that that means anything. But it has given me experience working with patients. I love caring for people and have experience so sometimes my newer co-workers come to me for help with more challenging patients. I've learned to work with and appreciate all kinds of people. Most of my co-workers are great but then there's the UAP's who don't care about anything but when their next smoke break is. So usually I'm not fumbling around in clinical too badly.
I am SICK of this stereotype. Never in any of my college career, not even my previous degree program, have I ever felt so ostrasized and punished for having good grades. Where on earth did people get the notion that just because you are book smart, means you can't be good with people skills? I have a 4.0 and my clinical instructors describe me as energetic, motivated, empathetic, patient, caring, gentle, and a leader. Yet teachers treat students who do well in school like me are absolute monsters to patients.
This was not my experience in my school...I am sad that you have this issue.
I don't think this is meant as people think book smart automatically equals hopeless with patients.
Unfortunately there are some that just don't 'have it' when it comes to actually working at the bedside and people find it surprising when that's someone who does very well at the theory side of things. It's like 'They've got all the knowledge, wouldn't you think they'd be wonderful on the floor?'
Congratulations on doing so well, hold your head up and know that you've got the best of both worlds, good at the theory and good at the practical too, blending the art and the science.
I came from a family background of violence, emotional abuse, and substance abuse. I was told repeatedly as a child I would never amount to anything. I worked my butt off to get where I am and to do well. And this makes me a much better nurse for it as I have empathy for patients and am nonjudgemental and caring because I've been there. In addition, I also KNOW my stuff. What is wrong with understanding pathophysiology and the processes of the body? 
cogath
172 Posts
I don't care what professors say or think about me, I strive to be respectful and professional in all situations at school. I don't tell anyone my grades anymore because it's uncomfortable, I just tell people that I pass if they ask. But in my previous post the instructors are limiting our opportunities for student leadership in the classes because of our excellent grades, and that we aren't good role models, mentors, or leaders because we do so well because we have it "so easy" or must be "book smart" but not good with people or in clinicals.
I guess the good role models are those students who didn't do so well but in my clinical group, but treated my patient, who was morbidly obese at a surprisingly young age, as a freak show