Too many Negative remarks regarding Nursing School here!! Stop the discouragement!!

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 19, 2006

As always, if you dislike the content of a thread, you have every right to abstain. I would suggest this in the future if certain topics bug you. This is a site designed for all kinds of folks, professional nurses, nursing students and potential interested parties. Some will vent about their work and school. That is normal and natural.

I might also suggest that IF you are that easily discouraged, nursing school may be VERY hard for you. If I had a buck for everyone who told me things about nursing school and nursing to discourage or sway me away from it, I would not need to work. Do not listen to naysayers; if you have a goal in mind, nothing and nobody will stop you. Unless you LET them.

Good luck in the future.

Halinja, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2006

This all sounds like a nursing intervention for a psychosocial NANDA.
HA! HA!

Grin...

Anticipatory stressing r/t negative comments secondary to allnurses venting m/b by written request to stop complaining.

(OP, I'm not making fun of you, I get a kick out of the whole nursing diagnosis thing. I do this all the time. Like...ineffective starting pattern r/t poor gas filling habits secondary to lack of money m/b minimal response to turning key.

anne74 · Oct 19, 2006

I didn't discover this site until I was already a nurse, but I think hearing all the vents actually is helpful. It makes you feel not so alone, and helps you cope and get through tough situations.

Hearing from others who struggled in nursing school, and then became great nurses is very inspiring and I think is an incentive to keep hanging in there.

Nursing school is NOTHING like real nursing. And sorry - but nursing school does suck.

MS._Jen_RN, ASN, RN · Oct 19, 2006

Grin...
Anticipatory stressing r/t negative comments secondary to allnurses venting m/b by written request to stop complaining.
(OP, I'm not making fun of you, I get a kick out of the whole nursing diagnosis thing. I do this all the time. Like...ineffective starting pattern r/t poor gas filling habits secondary to lack of money m/b minimal response to turning key.

I'm cracking up. . . Thought I was the only weirdo that did this.

~Jen

futurecnm · Oct 19, 2006

Nursing school is stressful and the most challenging thing I have ever done. There are many parts I do like about it, and it is do-able, obviously since many people DO get thru the program. But it is nice to be able to discuss the hard parts about it. We all get discouraged at times and on those down days I think it's a great place to come and vent. I think if someone with a 2.7 got into the program I am in, they woudn't get very far. Unless they changed some study habits and organizational skills. To get into the program at the CC I'm at, most students are above a 3.5, it is so competitive with so many applying each year. They have to make sure the people they let in are serious and going to do their best to get through. It is harder than any other type of class you will ever take. I say this from the perspective of having a degree in a difficult field, and nursing is harder in many ways but I think hard workers and dedicated students can make it thru just fine.

Jo Dirt · Oct 19, 2006

If you have some idealistic fantasy about nursing school I hope these negative posts will bring some reality your way. Nursing school is not rocket science but it's HARD and UNMERCIFUL.

Maybe the 24 people who failed out of my nursing class felt the same way going into nursing school...it's not that hard...but it *was* that hard or else there wouldn't have been 11 graduates out of a starting class of 35.

mariedoreen · Oct 19, 2006

I have referred to nursing school as "hell" in the past and will probably forever do so. Why? Because that was my perception of it. Do I mean it literally. Of course not. Do I mean that it was the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my entire life? Barring the death of a dear family member, Yes.

The things I read on this forum before entering nursing school were scary but they also helped me to prepare. I knew it was going to be extremely tough and I knew I had to be well organized and on top of my game from minute one. Reading the posts about how awful it was led me to the posts on different tricks and techniques to coping with the various common challenges.

When others in my class were raging against the system those first few months I was more accepting... I already knew that nursing schools had a different grading system, a ton of material to cover every week, tests that were far different than had been encountered before, etc... I was the one telling them, this is the norm, it is not that our school is militant and unfair, this is what it is like throughout the state and the country. How did I know that? Because of all the vents I had read here.

When I myself ran into problems with material, instructors, peers, clinicals, tests... whatever... I could come here and vent and find people who understood. Why is that such a big deal? Because NO ONE in my support system did. The typical response was "It's college, it's supposed to be hard" until I wanted to scream and just finally quit talking about it with them. If I had not had this forum to vent to those two years I don't know if I would have made it.

You're feeling scared and discouraged from what you're reading, I get that. Just know that we're not all engaged in a giant conspiracy to bring your spirits down, we're just trying to cope and get through the latest challenge du jour by turning to each other for support.

You'll understand what I mean soon enough.

angel337, MSN, RN · Oct 19, 2006

don't mean to be discouraging. i really don't. but trust me ....your post will be ALOT different once you are done with school and get your first job. maybe even before. venting can be good for your mental health.

nurse4theplanet, RN · Oct 19, 2006

You'll understand when you get there...

Hope nobody ever tells you NOT to vent your frustrations about your program when you are feeling discouraged/frustrated.

I feel most threads (in whole...not just individual posts) represent a very clear picture of nursing school/profession. You can not alter reality...school is difficult, nursing is even more difficult, and people are going to make that known.

It is not meant to discourage anyone so don't personalize the comments. It is meant to help remain sane and feel connected with others who are experiencing similar feelings/problems.

Still Riding · Oct 19, 2006

Nursing school sucks. that is all there is too it. there have been times that I love and soem that I hate. But i don't need support when the times are good i love to share the good. But i really need the support of everyone when it sucks.

Liek right now I am almost done and this is the worst time ever. I have dates on friday nights with my desk. and no matter how hard i try someone is always disappointed. I have two profs involved with one course each asking different things with one progect each making me and my partner redo things over and over. I didnt' really have time to do ti the first time and am resenting the four time.

So right not NS does suck, and i am bitter and angry and frustrated, and really hating my life right now.

and this may be the bitter angry frustrated part of my but who are you to tell me what I can and cna't write on a public bb? and NS is not roses and if you think it will be you have a harsh reality coming to you. It is not that I am dumb it is all the time that is required and all the crap that I have to put up with.

Halinja, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2006

i am bitter and angry and frustrated,

(((Still Riding))) Been there, done that, quite recently. Eventually the project WILL be over.

Hang in there!!!

Princess74 · Oct 19, 2006

I have referred to nursing school as "hell" in the past and will probably forever do so. Why? Because that was my perception of it. Do I mean it literally. Of course not. Do I mean that it was the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my entire life? Barring the death of a dear family member, Yes.
The things I read on this forum before entering nursing school were scary but they also helped me to prepare. I knew it was going to be extremely tough and I knew I had to be well organized and on top of my game from minute one. Reading the posts about how awful it was led me to the posts on different tricks and techniques to coping with the various common challenges.
When others in my class were raging against the system those first few months I was more accepting... I already knew that nursing schools had a different grading system, a ton of material to cover every week, tests that were far different than had been encountered before, etc... I was the one telling them, this is the norm, it is not that our school is militant and unfair, this is what it is like throughout the state and the country. How did I know that? Because of all the vents I had read here.
When I myself ran into problems with material, instructors, peers, clinicals, tests... whatever... I could come here and vent and find people who understood. Why is that such a big deal? Because NO ONE in my support system did. The typical response was "It's college, it's supposed to be hard" until I wanted to scream and just finally quit talking about it with them. If I had not had this forum to vent to those two years I don't know if I would have made it.
You're feeling scared and discouraged from what you're reading, I get that. Just know that we're not all engaged in a giant conspiracy to bring your spirits down, we're just trying to cope and get through the latest challenge du jour by turning to each other for support.
You'll understand what I mean soon enough.

Great post! I feel the same way, if it had not been for this site. I would have been in for one of the biggest shocks of my life when I started my nursing program.