My thoughts on respect and support within this profession. Wrote about personal experiences and shared thoughts among other colleagues. Please add your input. Dying to hear some thoughts on this. We cannot demand for respect if we do not respect one another.
I don't know if it is just me but I feel like nursing is really oppressive and unsupportive. I think this all starts in nursing school. Everyone becomes for them self and no one is willing to help you out, even people who you call friends. The faculty at the school could not care less about your success/ progress and do not support you. All they care about is NCLEX passing scores and how much tuition they are receiving.
Heck, at mine all my professors care about are their PHDs rather than actually teaching us. I don't see the point in showing up for class if the professor is just going to read straight from a powerpoint that is so undetailed/ full of basic information than to stay home and teach myself.
Please stop trying to find ways to insult us and take a step back to monitor for any condescending tones in your email response.
Please only go into nursing education if you have a passion for it and not the desire to receive tuition reimbursement. To those professors who do not want to give out As any more and give the entire clinical groups a B because GPA is not important. NEWS FLASH, nursing has never been so competitive. Most of us have our heart/ mind set on becoming a NP and our chances are being hindered.
Granted if we don't deserve the A, don't give it to us. But, if your clinical setting requires us to stay longer than any other groups and we complete care plans every week while all the other clinical groups only do a few and leave early from clinicals everyday then I think we deserve that A. We put in the effort, stop cutting us down.
Don't be so naive, nowadays applying to grad school means you are just GPA to just be considered, then comes in the other factors, references, exp, etc.
Nursing professors and nurses stop automatically favoring guys. It is just plain catty and petty and downright immature for a 50 year old always giving leadership roles to males in the clinical group. And this happens right off the bat, not after those male/ female students have developed rapport with the professor.
Nurses are more willing to give medications to the male student before the female student. I have seen this happen countless of times.
GROW UP.
It's downright sad.
Then you come on here, try to ask people how you would go about becoming a CRNA or an ICU nurse and you get responses like "Tell God your plans and watch him laugh".
Okay, we get it, things don't always work out the way you want to work out. THATS LIFE. We didn't come on this forum for a philosophical discussion. We came on here for support. Support.
Where is it?
You walk into a medical school class and all you can hear the professor saying is how they are all so brilliant.
BOTTOM LINE: we cannot demand respect/ support if there is a lack of demand/ support within our own network.
Please share your thoughts on this. Hopefully, I am wrong on this but I have spoken to a lot of other fellow nursing students and they feel the same way.
I don't know if it is just me but I feel like nursing is really oppressive and unsupportive.
I think this all starts in nursing school. Everyone becomes for them self and no one is willing to help you out, even people who you call friends. The faculty at the school could not care less about your success/ progress and do not support you. All they care about is NCLEX passing scores and how much tuition they are receiving. Heck, at mine all my professors care about are their PHDs rather than actually teaching us. I don't see the point in showing up for class if the professor is just going to read straight from a powerpoint that is so undetailed/ full of basic information than to stay home and teach myself. Please stop trying to find ways to insult us and take a step back to monitor for any condescending tones in your email response.
Please only go into nursing education if you have a passion for it and not the desire to receive tuition reimbursement. To those professors who do not want to give out As any more and give the entire clinical groups a B because GPA is not important. NEWS FLASH, nursing has never been so competitive. Most of us have our heart/ mind set on becoming a NP and our chances are being hindered. Granted if we don't deserve the A, don't give it to us. But, if your clinical setting requires us to stay longer than any other groups and we complete care plans every week while all the other clinical groups only do a few and leave early from clinicals everyday then I think we deserve that A. We put in the effort, stop cutting us down. Don't be so naive, nowadays applying to grad school means you are just GPA to just be considered, then comes in the other factors, references, exp, etc.
Nursing professors and nurses stop automatically favoring guys. It is just plain catty and petty and downright immature for a 50 year old always giving leadership roles to males in the clinical group. And this happens right off the bat, not after those male/ female students have developed rapport with the professor. Nurses are more willing to give medications to the male student before the female student. I have seen this happen countless of times. GROW UP. It's downright sad.
Then you come on here, try to ask people how you would go about becoming a CRNA or an ICU nurse and you get responses like "Tell God your plans and watch him laugh". Okay, we get it, things don't always work out the way you want to work out. THATS LIFE. We didn't come on this forum for a philosophical discussion. We came on here for support. Support. Where is it? You walk into a medical school class and all you can hear the professor saying is how they are all so brilliant.
BOTTOM LINE: we cannot demand respect/ support if there is a lack of demand/ support within our own network.
Please share your thoughts on this. Hopefully, I am wrong on this but I have spoken to a lot of other fellow nursing students and they feel the same way.
Deep Breath,
You have said everything I feel verbatim, the difference being that I went to a female school so the favorites were other females. High school all over again.
Thank for understanding. I guess at this point I can just hope to be eventually hired and on to a unit/ hospital that is more supportive. Which I have been on a couple floors that I love, so it seems like those units do exist. Not to take things personally either.
Thank for understanding. I guess at this point I can just hope to be eventually hired and on to a unit/ hospital that is more supportive. Which I have been on a couple floors that I love, so it seems like those units do exist. Not to take things personally either.
I was just hired a few days ago, on the spot.
From my personal experience from professors, clinical instructors and other nurses... I could not believe that I was paying top dollars for such education. I can't see thay me being afraid to ask questions as being conducive to my education and learning experience as a new nurse.
I'm glad that not everyone has to go through what we went through. But I can say that if I encounter nursing students in my future, I would treat them with respect and compassion and remember that I was once in their shoes.
Completely agree!! No one deserves this type of treatment. I am actually considering becoming a nurse educator as well now. So I can really make sure that at least the nursing school I become a possible professor at that my classes wont be like what I have experienced. But who knows, still prefer clinical setting and patient care though.
Glad you were able to find a job!! What state are you in? I am in S.fl and the market down is terrible! Considering to apply for a couple of months after licensure and if nothing comes up I am willing to move.
Oh, I know your just venting, and you came to a good place to do that. I know nursing school is very shocking to a straight A student. The rest of the world does not understand that they don't just hand out A's like some liberal arts program. And I know what it is like to know in your heart you deserve an A but got a B. How discouraging that is and how much it hurts your GPA. Which, is sometimes the topic of conversation with relatives. I will never forget a conversation I had with my dad-in-law: "So how did you do with grades this semester?" He asked. I ecstatically replied, "I passed!" He said, "You passed....hmm."
But my only point is to remember that years down the road, when you've wiped two thousand butts, you've had the 100th phone call with an MD trying to justify why you had the nerve to page them, and you've patted the 50th shoulder of the loved one crying because they are loosing dear mom, your GPA right now will not mean a thing. All I'm saying is nursing is more than numbers. It's great that you are watching it because I have no doubt that you will graduate and pass the NCLEX, but when you get out there into the hard, harsh world of picky managers, demanding patients, and pompous physicians, you need to work on the resilience-of-self: The nurse inside that will make you keep going and support you when it feels like no one else is.
Thank you, I really appreciate your response and will keep that in mind. Work on not taking things personally. I really hope I get a job in a hospital environment thats more supportive though would make it easier but like you said resilience.
Completely agree!! No one deserves this type of treatment. I am actually considering becoming a nurse educator as well now. So I can really make sure that at least the nursing school I become a possible professor at that my classes wont be like what I have experienced. But who knows, still prefer clinical setting and patient care though.
Glad you were able to find a job!! What state are you in? I am in S.fl and the market down is terrible! Considering to apply for a couple of months after licensure and if nothing comes up I am willing to move.
I am in Boston. I found mine by connections, luck, and thank goodness I speak Spanish. A friend recommended I walk into a home health agency that she works at. She recommended me and I got the job on the spot becuase I speak Spanish. I thank my lucky stars for that. Otherwise, I would still be o the hunt in the over saturated market.
Well I have to add myself to the number of people that did not experience what you have experienced. I felt really supported and even nurtured at times. I am wondering if it is a perspective rather than a real experience. There were 3 people in my class that felt similar to you upon graduation and pinning but from my perspective they had other issues. It was my opinion that they could not take criticism and as a response they added a tremendous amount of drama. It made the rest of the class unhappy and frustrated at the end of our education. One of these unhappy people even has said that she was going to intentionally fail the NCLEX to "hurt" the programs pass rate numbers. So why did I, and six of the other graduates in my class, think that our program was either supportive of at least expected? I wish I could see it from their point of view, I would really like to know.
As far as the nursing profession and the issue of supportiveness, I do believe that their is a problem. I was lucky to be asked to join a great unit in my local facility that has been tremendously supportive. I at times feel guilty because I am still a little slower with my documentation and others pitch in and prep my rooms for me. I demand them to let me do it once I am done and all they say is that they are here for each other. Cue warm fuzzy feeling in my heart.......
But this isn't the case throughout the facility I am working at. The feeling on the Med/Surg unit is more like what you describe, although it really isn't an educational facility. Being a new nurse is a educational experience and at time we do need a great amount of support but what I have experienced on that unit is far from it.
I would suggest that no matter the situation, rise above it and be the best nurse you can be. A lot of the education I gained I sought it out for myself. You need to do the same and become a great nurse no matter the set backs. I would like more nurses working with me that is passionate about their patients and the profession of nursing. Vent now, but go do this!
Well I have to add myself to the number of people that did not experience what you have experienced. I felt really supported and even nurtured at times. I am wondering if it is a perspective rather than a real experience. There were 3 people in my class that felt similar to you upon graduation and pinning but from my perspective they had other issues. It was my opinion that they could not take criticism and as a response they added a tremendous amount of drama. It made the rest of the class unhappy and frustrated at the end of our education. One of these unhappy people even has said that she was going to intentionally fail the NCLEX to "hurt" the programs pass rate numbers. So why did I, and six of the other graduates in my class, think that our program was either supportive of at least expected? I wish I could see it from their point of view, I would really like to know.
As far as the nursing profession and the issue of supportiveness, I do believe that their is a problem. I was lucky to be asked to join a great unit in my local facility that has been tremendously supportive. I at times feel guilty because I am still a little slower with my documentation and others pitch in and prep my rooms for me. I demand them to let me do it once I am done and all they say is that they are here for each other. Cue warm fuzzy feeling in my heart.......
But this isn't the case throughout the facility I am working at. The feeling on the Med/Surg unit is more like what you describe, although it really isn't an educational facility. Being a new nurse is a educational experience and at time we do need a great amount of support but what I have experienced on that unit is far from it.
I would suggest that no matter the situation, rise above it and be the best nurse you can be. A lot of the education I gained I sought it out for myself. You need to do the same and become a great nurse no matter the set backs. I would like more nurses working with me that is passionate about their patients and the profession of nursing. Vent now, but go do this!
Lol wow as much as I dislike my program I would never intentionally fail the NCLEX. I just won't ever give a donation/ visit any of these professors again. Besides the the select few (2) who I like because they try. Okay, challenged accepted. I would really like to know more (the ins and outs) of what I am doing on the floor but it comes with time. Also, thats wonderful. I hope to be on a unit like that as well but if not I will try to start it. Thank you.
I think in general other human beings are just nosy, insensitive jerks. It's not limited to nursing.
Loved that part about responses you get to saying you want to be a CRNA. I don't know about you, but I just love overbearing condescending witches (and the gentlemanly equivalent) who believe that what I want to do with my life is any of their business. Who cares if they think your dream isn't realistic? It's your dream, it's your business. It's always amazing to me just how far human beings can stick their noses into something that has absolutely nothing to do with them. Maybe they should do something to make their own lives better if the most interesting thing they can do in the course of their days is tear other people down. It sounds like they have soul-crushingly boring lives to me.
My own experience in nursing is quite opposite of yours, but I have seen the culture of which you speak. I've stated on here before that there is a local hospital (that pays well, mind you) to which I will not apply, even as a "desperate new grad", because the culture is so poor and unsupportive, and I have heard this from every person I've come across that has or does work there, and I have seen it in my own experiences there (internships and such, prior to nursing school). Nursing culture is SO important to me, and I feel it's part of my role as a new nurse to be the change I want to see in the world (to paraphrase Ghandi). I have been fortunate enough to see nursing environments where people do work together as a team and are supportive of one another and receive their breaks and back each other up. One negative environment does not speak for all environments. The same can be said of nursing schools. I found that my instructors were INCREDIBLY supportive of us (I have several listed as job references, and I keep in touch with them regularly now). When I bombed an exam because I was very ill when I took it (fortunately had already e-mailed the instructor prior to the exam), she offered me extra credit and was willing to work with me some because she could see that I knew the material, but had rushed through the exam. However, she also didn't HAND me a grade improvement (and I was frankly too busy to do the extra credit, and my grade took a hit). Our instructors rode us hard, but it wasn't to humiliate us or to beat us down, it was to ensure we were being safe on the floor and that we knew our stuff. They wanted us to know our resources and to not "fake it 'til you make it," when it risked patient safety. I definitely haven't seen the gender favortism. We had 4 guys in our class of 23 students, and they were treated the same as anyone else.
I haven't seen a lack of support on here, but I have seen doses of reality that were much needed. We're not going to sprinkle fairy dust and tell you you can get into nursing school with a 2.1 GPA or do your homework for you or tell you everything you need to know for the NCLEX. We WILL, however, tell you that you need to do your own research about a program or be realistic about the job market if you try to go straight through for your master's or that you might have to apply for several hundred jobs before ANYTHING pans out. We will tell you if you need an attitude adjustment if classmates are picking on you and we can see from your responses that YOU are the problem. We will tell you if you seem to expect a hand out. THIS is part of our role as nurses. If we justify for our patients why they have diabetes, do we help them? Or do we help them more by telling them they need to start walking more and cutting out the soda? Our job is giving people doses of reality, and if getting that on here is too much, then nursing may not be the right field for someone.
You will see some negativity on a site like this, because people DO come here to complain. They don't come on here to gush about their program or their job and about how they hope nothing ever changes. Few people need a place to vent this. More people need to vent about their frustrations, feeling overwhelmed and unsupported, and just to feel validated that they are not alone. This site is a great place for just this. Some people may be more supportive with this than others, and again, if it's about something that we feel you bring upon yourself, we'll tell you as much.
Now, about demanding respect- I have to say that I don't feel that I DEMAND respect. However, I DO feel that I behave in a manner that I EARN respect, and there IS a difference. I can say, "RESPECT ME!! RESPECT ME!!" until I am blue in the face, or I can back you up when you're overwhelmed with your patients or get you supplies you need or cover a shift for you when you need it, and you'll feel about me how you'll feel about me in return. Part of earning respect is SHOWING it. I have worked with older nurses who are leery of new grads. I got that whole "nurses eat their young" sense about them. That's fine. You know what? I feed off of this. I show them I'm a rock star, AND I show them that I respect their experience and knowledge. I show them that I recognize their value as someone who's been around the block a few times and seen a few things and has a lot to offer. In return, I have earned their respect.
Yes, I do plan to go for my master's, and yes, I talk about it. I don't put a date on it, because I know the reality is, I DON'T know when it'll happen. I DON'T know when I'll have a few years in my desired specialty and feel ready to go back to school. I DON'T know what the job market will look like in 5 years. I DO know my end goal, and I DO know that I need to get experience in order to get there. I have also learned through life experience that trying to plan too much will bite you in the butt. Life makes its own plans, and seems to get a kick out of changing yours. Know what you plan to do, but be flexible with reality. Being amenable to change and to life's impact on your plans will serve you well. Don't be offended when people try to remind you of this.
Ultimately, you need to be an example of what you want to see. Be someone you'd want to work with. Surround yourself with positivity, and refuse to get sucked into the negativity.
I CANNOT LIKE THIS ENOUGH!!!
:redbeathe :redbeathe :redbeathe
I'm a career-changer so I can chime in with my experience in another profession to say that there will ALWAYS be challenging instructors, coworkers and bosses. RunBabyRN's comments are the smart and sane way to deal with a crazy world that we can't control... but maybe can learn to ride. (Like skiing, which has always seems like a form of controlled fall to me. If you're willing to accept the realities of gravity and adjust to the terrain, you can enjoy or at least get through just about anything.)
RunBabyRN's post is universal. I'm grateful to be reading it right before I head in to another day of work at my CNA job. (Comments on Allnurses convinced me that a CNA certification and experience is as much a prerequisite for nursing school as A&P and micro.) I targeted my job search on an institution with a great culture, really walks the talk AND... there are challenges in every Eden. I have a big one right now (details don't matter) and this perspective is exactly what I need to be master of my fate. I'm going in there today to concentrate on giving as much love, tolerance and care to every patient and coworker as I possibly can and remembering my mantra for the day: acceptance, acceptance, acceptance!
:flwrhrts:
Thanks for being my support and my mentors, youse guys.
Jazzyjazz
92 Posts
Deep Breath,
You have said everything I feel verbatim, the difference being that I went to a female school so the favorites were other females. High school all over again.