Will things get better as I get educated?

weetziebat · Mar 14, 2006

I'd say in nursing school it should improve dramatically. Everyone in the nursing program, or pre-nursing, is really interested in what is beind taught, or at least aware that they have to learn it.

There is the compitition to get into a program, then you become very close to your fellow students. Its like one big family. All striving for the same thing.

Then you graduate, and depending on where you work, the drama can be the same as you describe. Especially, I've found, in LTC, where trying to motivate disinterested CNA's can turn into a full time job. A very aggravating one too. CNA's can be truly fantastic and don't know how I could have done my job without them. But others are like the ones you are dealing with now.

Depends on where you work, and there are lots of opportunities in so many areas of nursing. So, don't give up on nursing just because of that. Sounds to me like the nurse who spoke with you was right. You can find that attitude anywhere. Good luck

nursepenny · Mar 14, 2006

This is not meant as a flame toward you, but I am afraid it is going to come across that way. Please bear with me and read what I write in its entirity.

First of all, you may be "smarter" than some your co-workers, and it is probably not your knowledge that offends people, it is the way you come across. No one likes to feel as if they are the "dummy" in a situation. As you go through the nursing course, you will learn it is better to communicate on the persons level with whom you are conversing. This applies to patients, family and co-workers. You may know a lot of "big words", but if the person you are talking to does not use or hear these words, it means little to them and they feel intimitated.

Second, no one knows so much they cannot learn something from someone else. (ex. last night at work I had a 7 month baby, with a trach come to the ER. I have never taken care of a trached child before. The mother taught me some things I never knew. Even though I have more education in the medical field, the mother had more knowledge in caring for her trached child.) What I am saying is we have to learn from each other. Every one has some knowledge about something, and sometimes it is best to sit back, listen and learn.

Third, you may have the IQ of Einstein, but if you cannot apply that knowledge, what good is it? There are different types of intelligence, just as there are different types of education. Life is the best teacher in my opinion. I am 51 years old and I still learn every day, and hope to do so until the day I die, and even then I hope to learn something.

I hope I am making sense here. I know what I want to say, just not sure if I am getting my point across.

I am sure you will do fine in your nursing career. Best wishes to you as you continue on this journey.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2006

Good luck in whatever you.

When I was in college mopping floors at the Pizza Hut, I was the most educated person there (I was their equal, I was a proud "lay person"), and experienced no drama, so I'm not sure I can help you there.

Actually I experienced more "drama" in school with my peers, especially in A&P where we had daily quizzes, with a curve if no one made a 100. I busted the curve consistently and felt the wrath of my peers.

But as a nurse, you'll have to learn how to talk to your client and peers. I'm not talking about "dumbing down", just learning to communicate on a level that facilitates good relationships, teaching, etc. and no drama. Good luck!

chadash · Mar 14, 2006

Being too smart has never been an issue for me :), but I can see that you will very likely be more comfortable when you get your degree. It just sounds lke a good match for you.

I do homehealth (aide), have been in LTC, have mopped floors and cleaned toilets in a nursing home as well as housekeeping in homes etc, been a "rip girl" in shoe repair, worked in software companies years ago, and still contend the best people I have ever worked with were nursing home housekeepers. So education is not always indicative of good work place relations.

I do think that nursing assistant work can be very dog eat dog. But I doubt your education is the problem.

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2006

I agree with the above posters.

I've worked different jobs in which I the majority of coworkers were fellow college students, and the work environments were much nicer than those that employed mostly lay people.

Lay people? I had to blink and re-read that. Are we in India with a caste system here? :uhoh3: I don't think so. If your eyes are open, you may find during the course of your life some extremely wise and intelligent people who never attended college. But you won't see that if you are labeling them "lay people."

Finally, who is it that are you trying to convince that you are so superior?

Gennaver, MSN · Mar 14, 2006

Not to sound vain, but so far in life, I've usually worked in environments where I've been smarter and more edcuated than many of my coworkers (retail, CNA, waitressing). Even if I try to simplify my everyday rhetoric, I still get blank looks and demands to "speak English," like the time I used the word defecate the other day. I think that this is one of the reasons why I've encountered a lot of drama, ...QUOTE]
Hello Mirai,
It may be a good idea for you to do a simple google search on IQ and relationships. You may discover that the higher you are away from the average IQ the greater the potential for discord, (especially if you are not in an atmosphere that fosters or appreciates intelligence, such as waitressing and CNA work, both of which I have experienced myself).
It may improve but, please be aware that there will still be jealousy, people are people. It may help you to realize that not everyone is able to think like you, (as fast or as imaginative and so on).
Check out the IQ relationships too. It may be reassuring and helpful, because once you realize this too then you can modify your communication to makes things smoother too.
Best wishes,
Gen

Trauma Columnist · Mar 14, 2006

Most of my experience has come from life and simply living it. Although I have a masters degree, I still learn from everyone that I come into contact with. For instance, yesterday, I cared for an 84 y/o lady who takes care of her bedridden 95 y/o sister at home without any help whatsoever. She was inspirational! You learn more about compassion and the human spirit than you will ever learn from books.

Don't give up on learning and don't ever stop learning! Good luck...

Works2xs · Mar 14, 2006

Not to sound vain, but so far in life, I've usually worked in environments where I've been smarter and more edcuated than many of my coworkers (retail, CNA, waitressing).

Wow... big assumption. Professionals have no corner on the smarts market. And I've been around plenty o' educated folks who were about as smart as a bag of doorknobs. On the flip side, I've known plenty "blue collar" sages. About the only reliable axiom I've encountered regarding education and it's impact on smarts goes something like, "The more you learn, the more realize just how much you don't know."

As far as your "drama" concerns go, it's everywhere and is not a function of IQ, education, or professional status. Humans are incredibly social and emotions, politics, etc. will exist. The difference between a good social interation and one that's full of poison and innuendo can often be the result of the organizational culture (at the macro level) and leadership (at the micro). What I suspect that you've encountered is work environments where the owner/managers of the organization have failed to set the proper tone for the workplace. Couple that with a handful leaders or line supervisors who don't know or don't care to direct people's energies toward more constructive activites than open gossip and petty clique rivalries. Got heavy drama where you work? Just look at the "professionals" running things. Speed of the leader = speed of the pack.

chadash · Mar 14, 2006

(abridged quote)The difference between a good social interation and one that's full of poison and innuendo can often be the result of the organizational culture (at the macro level) and leadership (at the micro). What I suspect that you've encountered is work environments where the owner/managers of the organization have failed to set the proper tone for the workplace. Couple that with a handful leaders or line supervisors who don't know or don't care to direct people's energies toward more constructive activites than open gossip and petty clique rivalries. Got heavy drama where you work? Just look at the "professionals" running things. Speed of the leader = speed of the pack.

I think you have really hit the nail on the head!

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2006

Mirai, you are simply on a different page in life than your current co-workers. Continue on your path and learn some new skills. I am glad to see you have a nurse who understands you. You will always understand yourself, communicating well to others is a skill that many people don't accomplish. Nursing is a job that requires communication on many levels, telling a doctor what is happening to the patient so you can get proper orders to treat. Telling co-workers what those orders are, explaining to the patient and family what will be done in another way so they understand. Then document everything so it will stand up in court someday should something go really wrong.

DaFreak71 · Mar 14, 2006

Even in the midst of other educated people, there are varying degrees of intellectual ability.

The anti-intellectual bias still thrives even in an academic setting, although it's less socially acceptable to voice it very loudly. You'll feel it in other ways, like the palpable hostility in the voice of someone who says "Must have been nice to get a private school education while the rest of us went to public school".

My husband, who is a nurse, has co-workers who sneer at the highly educated, even if they are other nurses. So to answer your question, it will probably get better, but not to the point where you'd like it to be.