Some people are too smart for nursing

gmondina · Apr 17, 2015

You don't have to be smart to do anything. You just have want to do it, be compassionate, and willing to do it. I know a lot of nurses who are smart, but can't do nursing.

Libby1987 · Apr 17, 2015

Just think how easy it will be to skate through nursing school, NCLEX and orientation.

Let it us know how that goes

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 17, 2015

The problem is, antiintellectualism is present in nursing. Although this problem is time- and place- specific, it is here. One recent topic on this very forum was about "A" students who just can't be good at bedside nursing for this very reason, and there were quite a few participants who agreed with that.

You may want to keep your mouth shut up from day #1 in school till after your graduate, keep very low profile and carefully plan your career. It might be for your advantage to go directly to advance studies or area like nursing informatics in order to avoid bedside nursing as much as possible.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2015

Ha! That's a good one. Too smart for nursing. :)

FWIW, it's pretty commonplace to have a patient or family/visitor say to the nurse taking care of the loved one that "you're too smart to JUST be a nurse, why don't you become a doctor?" Many of us have found ourselves saying "because I wanted to be a nurse". Sometimes going further with "because my education took a lot less time, I like being out of debt and never ever being on call!"

As for your situation, being smart is uber-helpful when it comes to nursing school. Unlike many other science-based curriculums, however, there is that subjective, intangible aspect of the program that trips up many people, including very smart people. Smart is important, obviously, but by no means a guarantee of success in this profession.

With that, I wish you luck :)

PapaBearRN, BSN · Apr 17, 2015

The majority of people don't know what's involved in nursing. I will be honest, I chose nursing because I thought it would be a piece of cake lol. Obviously I was dead wrong, but so far I love it, even though I'm still a student (graduate this June!) so I know all the RNs will say I don't know what nursing truly is, which is fair.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2015

The majority of people don't know what's involved in nursing. I will be honest, I chose nursing because I thought it would be a piece of cake lol. Obviously I was dead wrong, but so far I love it, even though I'm still a student (graduate this June!) so I know all the RNs will say I don't know what nursing truly is, which is fair.

Hell, if I had had a clue what nursing REALLY was before I enrolled in school, not so sure *I* would have done it! Maybe ignorance IS bliss :)

PapaBearRN, BSN · Apr 17, 2015

Hell, if I had had a clue what nursing REALLY was before I enrolled in school, not so sure *I* would have done it! Maybe ignorance IS bliss :)

So far my mentality has been to acknowledge that whatever goes wrong during their stay be it the wrong lunch tray or the room is a little dirty or the doctor has yet to write discharge orders, it will be my fault. Lol

PapaBearRN, BSN · Apr 17, 2015

I know nothing about the unrealistic expectations management places on nurses but I'm sure I soon will.

noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 17, 2015

I sort of agree.

You have to be kind of dumb to put up with some of the BS we get handed each and every day.

I have three college degrees and I'm starting graduate school this summer. Sometime, I step back from my tasks and think wow, "I'm too educated to be mixing up drinks, getting that extra chair, wiping butts, and helping everyone and their mother to the bathroom." Delegating isn't an option because everyone wants and expects everything NOW.

The customer service mentality has nurses acting like servants. Shout out to Johnny on the spot.

happyinmyheart · Apr 17, 2015

I don't think the OP was trying to say that he thought Nursing was easy, but that's what people were telling him :)

Also I have heard about how difficult Nursing is (Yes I'm absolutely terrified for Nursing School) I think people have the "Nursing is easy" mentality due to the huge amount of easy access Nursing schools, the amount of different ways you can become a nurse (ASN/BSN/Tech School), and the fact that it's always been a female dominated field.

Don't get me wrong, I have read these forums through and through, I've heard how hard Nursing School and the profession of Nursing itself is. But to the average person.... They might not know that :)

Careerchange88 · Apr 17, 2015

OP is a she :). Engineers can be women :)