Would you be mad if a fellow nursing student did this?

[StangGang92]

So today one of my suite-mates came to me and had told me something about her I hadn't expected. She will be going into her senior year of nursing this fall, but confessed that she isn't going to become a nurse.

Since her sophomore year she has been completing the pre-reqs for medical/dental school at the local CC (to keep it as low key as possible). She has since been accepted to dental school.

She told me she hasn't told many people this because many students see it as a bad thing. She feels like she took someones spot who wanted to truly be a nurse, but she had the 4.0 and has maintained it so she was of course at the top of the admittance list. She argued to me that all pre-meds/pre-dents sign up for a major they don't use, but she is under scrutiny because its a nursing major being unused as opposed to history or chemistry.

At your schools have you seen this situation? I feel for her because she has been almost living a secret double life for a few years in fear. Would you guys see this in a "she took someone elses spot" way or in a "she chose a practical fall back major" way? Or somewhere in between?

I just thought this was very interesting, is it common in NS?

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Its called steps. Everyone takes them in life and people end up taking the same step to get to different goals. Who cares what her career ambition is.

[kbucksn]

Streamline 2010....wow I did not mean to trigger someone to be so nasty!! I am so glad that your life was able to go that way to go to college than have kids...well I have been on my own since I was 15 years old, my guardian died... I had my oldest daughter at 16 (and no i do not regret that)....and so no I did not have that opportunity...maybe some people want to raise their kids and be home with them first before beginning a career??I am not saying that people do not have a right to their degrees, but when you have someone go into the field expecting some glamorous job and when they realize its not what they thought never working in it again, its a little frustrating! I am just saying I think nursing programs should do like paramedic programs do....they have to get their EMT Basic first and then they have to work as such for 1 year before applying tot he medic program. I think that nursing should be the same, you should not only have to take a CNA class but work as one for a year. You know how many times I have heard people so shocked and bothered when they find out they have to "wipes butts"?? Too many! All I was saying is that it is frustrating when the programs have such few spots and people who have no intention of being a nurse take the spot. I did not mean to have you bite my head off about I should have done that before having kids....not all of us are perfect...sorry..

[kbucksn]

I also would like to reiterate that it is one thing to go into a program with the intent of becoming a nurse, probably what those ladies that Streamline2010 was referring to.I can understand having the intent and then working or having a family or whatever and doing something else but when you have NO INTENT of ever practicing that is crappy...like the PP who had someone on her cohort that was just trying to find herself a doctor to marry...that could have gone to someone who worked their butt off to get their. Streamline I an sorry that you evidentally think nursing school is boring, etc...but some of us do not and are really driven to get our licenses. Nobody was trying to start "drama" as you also stated but the OP asked our opinions so we gave them, not sure why you felt like jumping down my throat....not sure why you rudely put "no moral issues here folks. move along"...

[leenak]

Many people work their butt off to go to college and there are many competitive programs, nursing isn't the only one. Although I highly respect RNs, I personally don't expect to be an RN for too long as I plan to go on to a MSN program (or DNP depending how that plays out with local NP programs).

If someone wants to use a BSN as their Bachelor's degree for Dental/Medical/whatever advanced degree, then I don't see much of an issue with that. I don't know how competitive Dental schools are but there is a chance that someone who wants to go to Dental school wouldn't get in and then would be 'stuck' with a degree in History/French Literature/whatever in which they had no intentions of pursing a career related to their degree. At least with nursing, they could go on and have a career if they don't get into the advanced degree program.

[Streamline2010]

I didn't bite your head off. I just stated a practical fact: IF you want to have a career, AND your heart is set on that, then you make vocational training and establishing your career and establishing your financial security your first priority, and then you marry and have children. Protestant work ethic. I didn't grow up in a wealthy family. I knew I'd have to work for what I wanted, and I set my priorities and used birth control, accordingly.

What irks me is the sense of entitlement of this entire thread, as if fellow students have any right whatsoever to judge who is more worthy of attending nursing school. That decision is made by the nursing school, not the students in it. Just because someone else has something that you think he or she is not entitled to does not mean you have the moral high ground on the issue.

And there IS absolutely no moral issue involved. The woman referred to in the original post met all of the entrance criteria, passed the background checks, and was approved by the admissions committee. So, she has as much right as anyone else to go through nursing school, whether or not she intends to work as a nurse. Schools are in the business of selling education. In some places 50% of the class doesn't even have a job when they graduate, so whether or not she plans to work as a nurse would be a moot point if nobody in town is hiring. It doesn't matter who thinks it's "crappy" or unfair, or whatever, that she's there. Fact is, she is there, and is in the top of the class, and from the school's point of view, she is nothing but an asset to the program.

If I said "I am mad, because my neighbors have a 1978 Porsche 911 and all it does is sit in their garage. And that makes me mad, because I've always wanted a 1978 Porsche 911 and I'd definitely be driving it if I owned it," I'd come off as ridiculous and childish, would I not? Same principle.

[talaxandra]

Just because Streamline posted that after you doesn't mean she was directing it at you, Karla. Obviously she can speak (or write) for herself, but it's just as likely that her take on the question is - this isn't a moral issue, next topic.

I'm the PP who wrote about a marriage-minded colleague - although our program was competitive, I don't think getting in to it obligated any of my cohort to register, or to practice for a certain amount of time afterward.

ETA: I see Streamline posted while I was composing, and is clearly capable of speaking without need for an interpreter! I'm surprised to read, Streamline, that you've read a sense of entitlement in to this thread as a whole - I haven't seen anything of the sort. With only one exception (so far) all the posting members have said the dental-oriented student can do whatever she likes; the exception to this didn't come off as entitled to me so much as piqued that her entry in to nursing was potentially made more difficult because she had to compete with applicants who weren't interested in a career in the field she's long dreamed of.

[caliotter3]

One of my classmates got a nursing degree at UCLA only to go into missionary work after school. I do not think she even took the nursing boards. She immediately went to Bible college for a quick course then went overseas. She has been there ever since. All these years, if it had been me, I would have been practicing as a nurse. That expresses my view on the subject.

[kbucksn]

I do not get why a certain person on this board sees anything about entitlement?? I am so glad you have a wonderous "protestant work ethic" but not everyone was raised that way. you want to talk judgmental?? i think you should look in the mirror. a question was asked i answered, that is it... why you have turned this into you being so righteous because you made education and financial security your priority i have no idea. i am glad that you made those choices, i encourage my kids to do the same, but not everyone was given that ethic. in fact you want to know what i was raised by?? My mother was a prostitute. how is that for teaching your kids ethics.So before you go getting on your all mighty high horse maybe think that others walk down different roads. Just because I raised my kids before having a career does not mean i should never fulfill my own educational goals. Also I never said that I was entitled to anything, all I said was yes it is maddening, didnt say a word about I should get in before ANYONE, only that it is frustrating when you see someone not even wanting to be in that field. anyway enough said.

btw leenak that is my personal goal as well, to become an RN but eventually become an adv pract nurse/NP. But the point is that is still a route for the field of nursing. We were referring to people that plan to never have anything to do with that field. BTW I commend you in your goals, best of luck to you.

[4Karrie2]

I just wanted to chime in and say how impressive it is to hear about someone who is managing to go through a BSN program AND take additional classes at a local CC toward dental school. Talk about time management and being a brainiac! Dental school also requires passing a rigorous exam. I know someone who has a BS and scored quite high on the exam and still could not get into dental school, so it's no easy task.

Advanced degrees require the applicant to have a BS in something---sometimes anything--- and a nursing degree would certainly fill the bill. So why should she feel bad about it? Personally, I agree with the person who said that being a nurse will make the dental student a better doctor someday. Kudos to her!

[Seas]

Why would I be mad?

I hate it when people dramatize such things as saying " Oh, I wanted to be a nurse with all my heart my whole life, but somebody who is doing it for this and this reason got in and got my spot!" Well, duhh... You should have studied harder! Whatever the reason, this person tried harder and got qualified to get in the program, PERIOD. end of story. reason can be whatever, she may not practice nursing, or may change fields, whatever. This concerns only this person; she has right to go to wahatever school for whatever reason.