Unrealistic nursing students

[dnsonthego]

Our facility was asked to host a group of soon to be graduated nursing students.

The students are taking a class in nursing leadership so they were assigned to spend the day with the nursing department's leadership. The students were provided a breakfast reception and were allowed to shadow the departments nursing managers. The chief of nursing gave a talk to the students to welcome them to the profession.

The students did not come prepared to meet potential hiring managers. Unprofessional clothes/demeanor, playing with cell phones/texting, asking about vacant positions etc.

I was asked to tour them around the facility so that they understand the complexities of the hospital. I had the opportunity to talk with them as we walked through the facility.

I was shocked how many of them were second degree nursing students had completed graduate school prior to entering nursing school. I was troubled as they did not understand that nursing positions for new grads are very difficult to obtain. They were all under the impression that if they had a BSN, the jobs they wishes for would be there for them.

I was taken aback at how these soon to be graduates did not understand what nursing was about and what the role of the nurse is.

One of the students has a degree in English and a graduate degree in Communications. She stated that she was a Journalist and a freelance writer but she could not get work so she entered nursing so that she could become a medical writer.

Another student stated that he had an undergraduate degree in Public Policy and a Law degree but could not obtain work so he went into nursing to develop knowledge about healthcare. He saw himself a the hospital's attorney.

Three other students had undergrad degrees in Business but did not find work in their field so they took nursing hoping to be a hospital manager. The other students in the group were less vocal about their backgrounds and future plans. I know it is more common today to see second career nurses but my concern is that these students really do not understand what nursing is all about.

I really could not see any of these students working as a staff nurse. Nursing is hard work and you are standing on your feet for 12-13 hours trying to complete your assigned tasks.

I know that times are tough for everywhere but I wish that the nursing schools would be more honest to the students about what nurses do. If this students came into nursing with a desire to work as a nurse, I would be excited. What I sense is that these students tried something else, did not succeed and now see nursing as a quick way to a check. Making the situation more difficult is the fact that in our area (NYC) clinical jobs are few and that management jobs are very hard to attain.

Who put the idea into our nursing student/attorney head that he will walk out of school and obtain a legal job in the hospital because he has a nursing degree? Who told the writer that a nursing degree would now make her a medical writer after she failed to succeed in her previous attempts at being a writer/journalist?

I feel bad because the school they go to charges over 80K for a 15 month accelerated BSN. That is a lot of money and these students have to put out. You would have thought they would have researched nursing before they signed up....I am shocked at how misguided these students are.

To sum up, I smiled as they spoke and gently told them that nursing positions today are competitive especially in NYC as their is presently a surplus of nurses. Do you think I did the right thing or should I have addressed their unrealistic expectations?

[cardiacfreak, ADN]

Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la la la la. Why are people so sensitive lately?

[nekozuki, LPN]

There are smatterings of those who really want to be a bedside nurse but I find a greater number interested at the bedside as a stepping stone to the "big paying" jobs.

I find these kind of sneering sentiments to be more "unrealistic" than a student working their butt off to meet CRNA requirements. There is nothing dishonorable about wanting to be involved in healthcare outside of bedside nursing. One of the best parts of this profession is its broad range, where one can utilize their skills in so many different capacities. Nursing is a great and rewarding job, but it's a job nonetheless, and looking down your nose at someone with different motivations for this job seems odd to me. In fact, I regularly see those warm, fuzzy people who dream of being a bedside nurse drop out when they realize reality is a 6:1 patient to nurse ratio, and there is little time for the care/comfort they dreamed of giving. The ones who endure? Those heathens who set high professional goals and intend to eventually move on from bedside nursing. For a forum where we all rant and rave about how ridiculous this profession can be, I'm surprised at the attitudes toward those who perhaps want to move beyond it someday.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I think what bugs nurses at the clinical site is when almost all the students say they're going to be CRNAs. And they feel the need to tell everyone. 'Cause, like, their cousin's wife is one and she totally makes, like, 200k a year.

Obviously, they can't all go on to be CRNAs. And, yeah, it's kinda funny. Like when an entire class of little kids say they're all going to be firemen or ballerinas.

Now, some will go on to reach that goal. They're the ones who are organized, focused and realistic. They know what they got to do and they do it. And they're the one's who don't feel the need to let everyone know that they're just working the floor until they can get into CRNA school.

The ones who are unrealistic with vague, uninformed plans might make it, but not without some rude schocks along the way.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Who are you to determine whether someone's ambitions are "realistic" or not?

People who have been there, done that.

I am a second career, post graduate nursing student. For many, if not most of us - we've already had full careers in other occupations, and are simply looking for something new. (I'm retired military, and collect full retirement pay, so I'm not desperate for a nursing paycheck by any stretch.) Nursing is, and has been a personal goal of mine for quite a while.

Great! Welcome! I love to see second career people come to nursing. I am one myself and feel they bring a wonderful diversity to nursing sorely lacking in most other health professions.

Now imagine that you were speaking to a group of young people who had just joined the military and were waiting to ship off to their initial training. Imagine if these people were excitedly telling you that as initial trainees they were going to get to stay in a nice hotel rather than barrack or dorms. That rather than eating in a mess hall they were going to have their meals delivered by room service. Imagine they tell you that since they already have college degrees they will never be required to deploy to a war zone. Imagine that they told you about their assumption that since they have a college education, and experience in a previous career they fully expected to all make general or admiral within 10 to 15 years.

Think of what you would be thinking in that situation and you can then understand what the OP and some of us were feeling.

[AZ_LPN_8_26_13]

But surely, you could make this thing easier to read!

I didn't find it hard to read. Somewhat long-winded maybe, but IMO his writing is excellent.

[AZ_LPN_8_26_13]

I find these kind of sneering sentiments to be more "unrealistic" than a student working their butt off to meet CRNA requirements. There is nothing dishonorable about wanting to be involved in healthcare outside of bedside nursing. One of the best parts of this profession is its broad range, where one can utilize their skills in so many different capacities. Nursing is a great and rewarding job, but it's a job nonetheless, and looking down your nose at someone with different motivations for this job seems odd to me. In fact, I regularly see those warm, fuzzy people who dream of being a bedside nurse drop out when they realize reality is a 6:1 patient to nurse ratio, and there is little time for the care/comfort they dreamed of giving. The ones who endure? Those heathens who set high professional goals and intend to eventually move on from bedside nursing. For a forum where we all rant and rave about how ridiculous this profession can be, I'm surprised at the attitudes toward those who perhaps want to move beyond it someday.

I see nothing wrong with this myself - so you do a few years of anywhere from 4:1 to 6:1 bedside nursing then move on. Do your time in purgatory cleaning poop, dealing with dementia and violent patients etc. I myself do not advertise my plans, hopes etc but maybe eventually I will have an MSN and can spend the last few years of my career as a nursing instructor - a good way IMO to finish out a career. By then I should have some interesting stories and practical advice for students.

[workingmama77, BSN]

I think they were unrealistic and didn't do their homework on what the job market is really like out there. To go back to school to get your nursing degree and think you can just get a job in the legal department of a hospital or become a medical writer is ridiculous. Those of us who went to school to get a standard floor nurse position had a hard enough time as it is. They are in for a rude awakening once they make it through their program (and good luck with that).

[Emergent, RN]

My 17 yr old daughter wants to be a CRNA. I hope you all don't try to crush her dream. I think she's awesome. I'll have to tell her to keep her mouth shut once she gets to nursing school, so she doesn't annoy anyone.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

My 17 yr old daughter wants to be a CRNA. I hope you all don't try to crush her dream. I think she's awesome. I'll have to tell her to keep her mouth shut once she gets to nursing school so she doesn't annoy anyone.[/quote']

If she is objective to the reality of nursing surely her "dreams" won't be crushed.

Two cents from an objective now nurse (8 years total counting 7 years of LPN) who had been told by a nurse NOT to go into nursing 20 years ago (aka the last financial crisis, Medicare/Healthcare upheaval/Start of corporization of health care).

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I see nothing wrong with this myself - so you do a few years of anywhere from 4:1 to 6:1 bedside nursing then move on. Do your time in purgatory cleaning poop dealing with dementia and violent patients etc. I myself do not advertise my plans, hopes etc but maybe eventually I will have an MSN and can spend the last few years of my career as a nursing instructor - a good way IMO to finish out a career. By then I should have some interesting stories and practical advice for students.[/quote']

This is my actual semi-retirement plan NP/community/clinical education ; planning on giving back to the profession is not realistic at all....call it the circle of life, lol. :)

[AZ_LPN_8_26_13]

My 17 yr old daughter wants to be a CRNA. I hope you all don't try to crush her dream. I think she's awesome. I'll have to tell her to keep her mouth shut once she gets to nursing school, so she doesn't annoy anyone.

My best wishes to her and I hope she makes it. Hey it's OK to have hopes and dreams.... One thing a person will find sometimes is that their exact route to where they eventually want to be may turn out to be a bit different than they originally imagined. But that's OK as long as you arrive at where you eventually want to be. And one word of advice you might want to pass on to her - It's actually best to keep your mouth shut in nursing school regardless of what your plans are or aren't. Just a kind word of advice from someone who's been there, done that. I really hated nursing school (some people love it) but it was something I had to go through to get to where I am now and where I want to be in the future....

There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to be a CRNA as long as you realize whats involved. I really wouldn't want to be one myself. Yes, the six figure salaries are nice, I would take that in a heartbeat, but there is a reason why CRNA's are paid that. I wouldn't want the stress to be honest. It's a job where you are not allowed to make a mistake, otherwise someone dies. But if your daughter is the type who pays close attention to detail, is a very meticulous person, logical and methodical etc etc maybe she's already a future CRNA....

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

The next financial crisis.....default of student loans.

I, too am meeting new grads who didn't succeed at their first choice profession so went for a nursing degree as a "quick fix" or a stepping stone to NP, CRNA or hospital management. Many, if not most of them truly believe they'll never have to get their hands dirty at the bedside. That seems to be a failure on the part of the new grad to research what the choice of profession actually entails as well as a failure on the part of the nursing schools to educate on the role of the nurse.

What I cannot understand is why, if you have a mountain of debt from a profession that you've already failed at, would you then go back to school and incurr more debt to try out *another* profession you haven't adequately investigated. Are parents failing to educate on debt and the consequences? Are students just too arrogant to think that job shortages, student debt or the necessity of supporting oneself are ever going to apply to them?