"Students with good grades = not good clinical nurses"

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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 :mad: 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? :mad:

"If someone grabbed my test, I'd break some fingers"

-trust me, I've had to fight the urge :)

It's when I've sat next to someone all semester and we've become friendly, study together sometimes, etc... I guess they think since they know me a bit, they have the right. Thankfully most ppl have some semblence of boundaries.

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Specializes in LDRP.

i get pretty good grades, mostly high Bs to mid As, and I dont study half as much as some of the people in my class. I am just a really strong aural learner and have a really good audiogenic recall and i understand what to look for in nclex style questions. However, I struggle with clinical. I am NOT a morning person so I am tired and sluggish for most of the day. I find myself doing a lot of standing around after i get all my stuff done because I am not really sure what to do next. I can be easily frustrated, and I am a socially awkward introvert.

i am that stereotype, and its really hard, but i am trying and slowly improving enough to make it.. i think.. i hope.. i just keep telling myself, one day this will all be over and i can work second shift! yaaaaaaay.

but i commend all of you that excel both academically and clinically, because it is freaking exhausting!

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Specializes in NICU.

Don't get too discouraged. I have heard the same stereotype over and over again: people with good grades have their heads stuck in a book and therefore have no real hands on skills. :uhoh3:

I can tell you, as a working RN, it's absolute hogwash. Each person is an individual. If someone else wants to stereotype that a certain percentage on a test = a certain hands on skill set as a nurse, you can't stop them, but DON'T let it get under your skin. Some great nurses have great grades, some great nurses have not so stellar grades, and a great deal run the gamut in between. Focus on yourself and what YOU feel you can do best to excell in your chosen career to the best of your ability.

Also, a someone who got great grades all through nursing school, I can tell you that getting A's does NOT mean that someone does not struggle. I gave birth to a baby and raised her by myself while my husband lived 800 miles away through much of nursing school. I'll tell you about struggles.....I worked my BUTT off for those 'A's. Determiniation and pushing yourself to the limits of your capabilities isn't reserved only for those making 'C's, as is so often implied by this stereotype.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Could it come down to a difference in learning styles?

Those who learn by reading and lecture thrive in the classroom and those who learn by doing thrive in clinical?

Some folks can do both... that's a blessing.

I think this has a lot to do with it. I am pretty much a B average student in my nursing program. I have gotten a couple C's and a couple A's. But mostly B's which in my program is 85%-93%. I also attended 98% of lectures and put in about an hour total of studying before each test. I learn best by doing. After that I am visual and auditory and last is reading. I always excelled in clinicals and got great reviews from Co_nurses, CI and my Preceptor. I also have a lot of real life experience that adds to how I am as a person and in clinicals, so that helps too.

But I think at the end of the day, it just comes down to how people learn best. If someone is primarily a reader to learn, then clinicals might be difficult in the beginning. But honestly, people that have had good nurses or bad, how does anyone know what their grades were. I see so many people saying "I would want the A nurse taking care of me" Really, how do you know? How do you know what grades the person that cared for you had? If it's because they told you, how do you know they were telling the truth? We had a girl that always said she did good on exams. She failed. She wasn't being honest when she was telling everyone her grades. I wouldn't doubt people on here don't embellish their grades a bit. It's all pretty subjective.

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I am a good clinical nurse but I am not an A student. I worked my butt off to make it through nursing

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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.

O M G! Are you serious? OMG.. where the hell do those people come from?? OMG I would never ever ever think of doing that to someone! Seriously, if someone grabbed my test.. I'd break her damn hand!

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