Why do a lot of people aim for the bare minimum?

[kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN]

I really don't concern myself with what other people in my class do, and how they do doesn't affect me...but...It seems almost common for people in my class to laugh and joke about how they've forgotten stuff from the past semester, the past test, or even the past week. They use their friends old careplans or copy them from online or from each other. It's almost scary in clinical when they have no idea what they're doing, like giving Digoxin even if a pt has a HR of say 40, or they have no idea what Lasix is(these are 2nd semester students who have already taken Pharm)...the teacher has to basically babysit them. But half of them get teachers that do EVERYTHING for them, and give them a satisfactory on a careplan that makes no sense. True story, one student's patient hurt their knee after playing sports and their primary dx was "ineffective airway clearance r/t chronic pain" 2nd dx was "impaired gas exchange r/t ineffective airway clearance" . The patient was breathing fine...and they got a satisfactory! Their first intervention was to educate the patient on something irrelevant. These are the same students who constantly talk about ,"Oh I'll never clean poop or do ADL's when I graduate". I'm just gonna be a CRNA and make 200k a year. In clincal they make fun of their patients sometimes, or lie on charting. A lot of them admit that they guess on the tests or have the answers from other ppl who already took the class. Some teachers have caught onto this and changed tests, but others are still slipping by with it. What really gets me, some of them get internships because their parents work at the hospital, and I haven't gotten one and I've been trying for a year now. There's the one thing that I don't like about my program, inconsistency. Some clinical instructors really do teach and expose students to things and grade meticulously. Other instructors let them leave early and give passing grades for just being there doing nothing. But I promise I hear this phrase on a daily basis,"You don't need to learn anything at all til you graduate, I just want a C...who cares about an A". Keep in mind, this isn't my whole class...just about 30% of them. 75 out the 130 ppl passed med/surg this semester, but about 20 of those who did pass...laughed and said,"I dunno how I did it! I just guessed!" A majority of them who fail blame it on the teacher...the med/surg teacher we had was REALLY good, but she didn't baby us like they wanted. But Why do some people aim so low and think nursing is a joke? Almost makes me mad when people pass who really just shouldn't..

And I know there are posts silimar to this, and people might think I'm just saying it without reason. But people show each other their grades online..and when they get a 2 out of 10 on a quiz..doesn't make sense to pull an 80 on a test with no studying..then you ask them what was on the test, they have NO clue and laugh. Or they fail each test during the semester and pull an 82 on the final and pass when you can still smell alcohol on them...the program is good, but there are those students who just I dunno.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I know it's frustrating being surrounded by people that don't seem to care. Try not to concern yourself with their problems and keep yourself focused on school. Remember, there time will come when they take NCLEX :redbeathe

[PathToRN]

Honestly it is sad that these type of people are taking the precious few nursing school seats away from others who might give a darn. I also find it scary that people like this are going into health care and depressing that some instructors are just letting them "squeak" by.

[Atheos]

This is common place everywhere.

For most people, and indeed most life, the path of least resistance is the preferred path.

Unfortunately this is not always optimum and can come back to nip you in the rear.

The best thing to do is continue to go ahead full speed. As these people fall by the wayside you feel even more secure that your choice of path was the correct one. :)

[amjowens]

If we act according to people around us, we are going to be a mess.

At the beginning of school, I used to get offended by things people would say, etc. Over time, I've learned that we each display our talents in different ways, and some of the most outwardly offensive people may turn out to be the most amazingly loyal or hardworking individuals when nobody is looking, for example. I don't mean to dismiss your claims, as I'd agree with you on initial assessment of your examples. The thing is, many people are insecure, and try to make people laugh or think they're tough or something in front of others. While this doesn't make it okay, it does help to know that it's probably just a moment, as what really matters is the core of the person, not the outward gunk necessarily.

The alcohol thing, though, needs to be reported. While I can understand those who may have good memories and not need to study as much, etc., the smell of alcohol in a nursing setting is a serious matter.

[9livesRN, BSN, RN]

Maybe they aim for the bare minimum, because they think because so, and so, that they know had passed it why cant they?

and those who are like that, are more likely to create problems, to complain about every sand grain, to be "rant-vent rats" and also to say

"well i have kids, or a job, or this and that!! i don't have time for this, this is BS!!! oh i hate such and such!"

remember the phrase that the peter parker (spiderman) uncle said to him

"with great powers comes great responsabilities"

you have the power to be in NS

now suck it up and do your best!

[Adams_Mommy_07]

I am the kind of person who is aggravated that I can't remember all of the muscles in the leg from A&P I, I can remember a great deal of 'em...but not all...so I know how you feel. I like knowing stuff and I honestly wish tests were harder so that you had to demonstrate knowlege, not select the correct answer. I am with you on this one...it is scary to think people who aren't dedicated to the subject matter are going to have people's lives at stake in the future...

[TexasCowgirl24]

I would not let it bother you. They will have to take the NCLEX. College isn't free so if those people want to sqeak by, hey thats their dollar. Our school is very good about weeding out students who will not pass nclex. They don't want anyone messing with their 99% pass rate for nclex. My 1st clinical instructor told us that they try to weed out the bottom 30%. As of now, my 3rd semester in NS, we have 57 left out of 90.

[Starfish1]

yeah, you cant get caught up with what those students say...Believe me there are more than a handful in my class that I am still stuned that they passed the first semester! I like to see some good in people and just hope that they get better and become stronger students but that's their problem. You seem like a great student- focus on what you need to do and forget the rest!

[GOMER42]

It's almost scary in clinical when they have no idea what they're doing, like giving Digoxin even if a pt has a HR of say 40

Students have to have clinical instructors with them when passing meds. Although your classmates may do this once on their own, I doubt this actually happened. The pt, would likely die or be severely symptomatic if the HR were lowered beyond this point.

[patrick1rn, MSN, RN, NP]

I hate those useless careplans, I m glad I dont have to do those anymore.

Evoke your maximum potentiol in what ever you do. Lay waste to the side those who think that the mininum effort is all it take, but on the other hand, dont , do what has to be done and still enjoy some life while in school

[nessajune21]

If they barely sketch by in class, there is no way they will be getting into a CRNA program!