Why do I about people dropping out of Nursing school so often??

Dratz · Aug 14, 2006

Students drop out for many reasons. One reason might be that they did not anticipate how much work it was going to be. Another reason might be that "Life" problems cropped up unexpectedly, and another reason might be that they simply find that it is not for them. Later on, the students dissapear simply because they were asked to leave, or could not make the grades. The only student that I worry about is "Me". Although at times it can be intimidating to watch your classmates drop like flies. Does that answer your question?

LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP · Aug 14, 2006

When I was in school, the only person I was worried about was me, myself and I. I didn't have time to be worried about the people around me. Like Dratz said, the reasons are many, but you have to make sure you are doing well and not worry about the others around you. Also, do not let the dropping flies scare you at all. It becomes distracting.

barbnyc · Aug 15, 2006

Many potential nursing students are attracted to the career opportunities nursing brings and the salary benefits. However, I have observed many students don't realize that nursing carries a lot of responsibility with it and the studies are demanding, enforcing the reality that human lives are in your hands.

I have friends who are nurses and they say a lot of people who have become nurses don't care about the people and went into the profession just for the money.

I think the learning process to becoming a nurse weeds out a lot of applicants because they really don't want to take care of anyone but themselves.

Try not to listen to the negativity. Some people use the negative attitude to eliminate the competition for entrance into nursing programs.

Good luck in your studies.

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 15, 2006

Just adding to the thoughts already expressed here:

Graduating from nursing school and being a good nurse involves a lot more than just being "brilliant," as you put it. A lot of people who are good at getting top grades in their pre-reqs are not prepared for the emotional and interpersonal development tasks that becoming a nurse requires.

Those tasks vary from person to person, but may involve such things as:

1. Learning to give of yourself and your time to help another person

2. Learning to take criticism from your instructors and from nurses with more experience

3. Learning to conform to established professional and cultural norms of a nursing environment (and how to challenge those norms effectively when they should be challenged)

4. Learning to be accountable for the decisions you make and the effect they have upon other people

5. Learning to work as a team

6. Learning to take orders (and how to question them appropriately when they should be questioned)

etc. etc. etc.

Becoming a nurse involves maturing as a person and a professional in ways that go above and beyond the types of things tested and graded in prerequiste classes. Some students aren't prepared for that. They think that if they go to class and do a little reading, they should be able to pass their courses and graduate. When they discover it requires more of them than that, they drop out.

llg

studentmalenurse · Aug 16, 2006

hello , the reason i feel some people drop out is not because people dont want to study, i dont think thats the reality, I think the problem is that the nursing programs, 1) doesnt teach people how to study and 2) how to answer test questions.

im not taking any chances im taking classes part time, and i always ask students before me about the teacher and there style of teaching, and i also dont read all the books they tell us to read, The reason for that is i find out the theres information thats good to know, and theres information that u need to know in order to pass, i dont study material thats good to know, only material that u need to know.

Dratz · Aug 16, 2006

hello , the reason i feel some people drop out is not because people dont want to study, i dont think thats the reality, I think the problem is that the nursing programs, 1) doesnt teach people how to study and 2) how to answer test questions.
im not taking any chances im taking classes part time, and i always ask students before me about the teacher and there style of teaching, and i also dont read all the books they tell us to read, The reason for that is i find out the theres information thats good to know, and theres information that u need to know in order to pass, i dont study material thats good to know, only material that u need to know.

hmmm...I think a student really ought to know how to study by the time they get to college...not sure why one would expect the instructor to show someone how to study... I also think it is important especially as a nursing student to have the attitude that "The more I know, the better nurse I will be for my patient". I hope that you are not advocating that students only learn the bare essentials necessary to pass. I read everything I can get my hands on and spend a lot of time trying to figure out things on my own. I do not rely on my instructors to hold my hand ....That being said, I think the OP was wanting to know why it is that nursing schools see such a huge drop out rate.....if all nurses or nursing students took on the attitude of learning "Just what you need to learn in order to pass".yikes pity the poor patient....I hope the OP sees from all the replies that nursing school is extremely hard work and those that work hard can become exceptional nurses.

studentmalenurse · Aug 16, 2006

There is a need to learn how to study and to learn how to take test.

1)Kaplan is a perfect example of a program that teaches you how to take test.

When i was in class last semester, the class average for the first test was 59, that was the class average! Do u know what the professor did after that test she started a test taking review, and after that the class average started to climb. Most people who get into a nursing program already have a high GPA and are smart they just need guidance. Guidance because nursing classes are intense, alot of information thrown at u in a short period of time. And every teacher has a different nursing teaching style.

2) Yes students do need to be thought how to study, what they need to know from what is good to know.

That is why if you buy a book to prepare for the nclex, it will more likely teach u things that you need to know as a entry level nurse. Sure doing extra review or reading is great but not at the cost of getting low grades. And on top of that half the stuff u learn, unless u use it you will forget it. Thats why there are different specialities in nursing. OB/Gyn , Psych, Med surg, when a nurse decides to go into a specific field thats where they learn to become a expert in that subject area. Not in nursing school

As pertaining to being a good nurse, that all depends on the individual and what they do when they start working on the floor. The real learning begins when u start working as a nurse gaining experience.

Dont get me wrong i believe a person should be well informed but dont tell me to read 20 something pages in a book, and not one piece of material will come on that for the test. I have in my possessions about 200 dollars worth of books that i havent even read. But we are told to buy it and read it. But when i found out that nothing from the test will come on those books i put them by the side and studied what i needed to know.

:)

studentmalenurse · Aug 16, 2006

sorry just to add as RNsoon stated, "WHy are brilliant students dropping out of Nursing school? "

She is right these students are brilliant, can it be that these brilliant students have become unbrilliant when it comes to nursing school. No of course not.

The thing is that many just follow along with the program and end up falling on the way because they have no proper guidance. We tend to think that because somebody fails, means they didnt work hard to pass, that is a false concept. We tend to think that if someone drops out or fails out that they didnt work hard enough. Thats not necessairly true.

rainer1707 · Aug 20, 2006

I graduated in May and saw quite a few who didn't make it. It's hard not to imagine that it could be you. In my experience most that didn't make it had life issues, serious medical problems, or personal problems.

It's all about committment and if something comes up that interferes with that, you might not make it. I often used to worry, what if this or that happened in my family, I would have to drop, because you HAVE to commit your time to learn the material or you will not pass.

The nursing test questions are designed to teach you to think critically, that why the questions are often phrased with words like "except" and "most important". They want to know you are reading every word and considering all the info you are given. It's easy to miss the words "not" or "needs additional teaching" if you are rushing and think you know the answer. Take your time, read the question, read it again. I've been in the field for about 8 weeks and this is a good skill to have. When you have all this info. about you're pt. you don't want to miss a key piece because you are in a hurry and you will be in a hurry. It's all about the big picture, looking at your pt. and proceesing all the data you have to make the right decision for a good outcome. I have been lucky to have an excellent preceptor, you don't know how many times we had an order for pt. discharge, only to go and check on lab values and find their potassium was very high or their mag. was very low. Okay now what? Lets' go talk to the dr. and see what he thinks. My preceptor is thinking on her feet and knowing their diagnosis, she's checking all aspects of the clinical picture. Lucky for the docs. I digress but the main point is that nursing school gives you the foundation to think in a whole new way that you will build upon in your practice. All the material you learn is important, I did most of all the assigned reading and couldn't imagine getting through without it. I always used the N-clex review books to prepare for the tests, they are a great learning tool as well.

That's my take on the nursing curriculum, it's frustrating as a student, but when you get out there by the bedside you will see how valuable those critical thinking skills are. Good luck.