Nursing School: {the school that shall not be named}

Have you ever wondered… what was the happiest day of Hilary’s life?

Was it the birth of her firstborn?
Was it the day she married that prince charming Drew?
Perhaps having a girl child, or a giant child like Mr Middle.

Answer:  None of those.  My best day ever was the day I graduated from college.  I have never felt such a giant relief as I did that day. The toture, the constant checks of myself to make sure I was right… it was over.

I was done.

And I truly was.  Nursing school was probably THE hardest thing I had ever done.  It still rates up there, and if I hadn’t become a mom — it will still reign at #1.
It’s a great thing.  As long as you go in knowing:

They want to eat you.

Certain nursing professors think it is their duty to shrink you until you are so small that they can mold you into whatever they envision you to be.

I am hopeful that there are nursing schools out there that aren’t like this — but mine stretched me until I broke.

Don’t miss my post on the best gifts for nursing students.

So, enough of my drivel-dravel on.  Let’s get some facts:

1.  It was hard to get in.

I went to the BYU College of Nursing.  I didn’t get accepted one semester, and had to re-take a class I had a B- in (true story, when I re-took it, I only got a B+ — Microbiology isn’t really my thing, apparently).  Chemistry was SO hard.  I had a horrible time with it.  SO much memorizing, which I am horrible at.  Nursing students are so avid at professors to get good grades, it’s hard to just be a “normal” nursing student who’s just trying her hardest.  I also don’t test well.  All of that lumped up to provide me much pain.

2.  It starts the hardest.

Those first few semesters are meant to break you.  Don’t fight it.  Just work as hard as you can.  It gets better.  BYU breaks nursing school into blocks — probably because it’s against the  Geneva contract to allow torture for such extended periods.

3. Wait… where am I?

Now, this is only for my BYU friends. It’s a buble within a bubble.  I was actually counseled to NOT get married.  I was told it would ruin my potential and that it was a mistake.  We were also told to work full time outside the home and “not become a washer dryer nurse.”  Now I ate much of that up while I was at BYU, although never a fan that she thought she could tell me not to get maried… but in retrospect I was at BYU.  I mean, they WANT you to get married there.  The Proclamation on the Family had just been given (reminding us that a best place is in the home) It’s interesting.  Guess who’s been a “new air conditioner” nurse, a washer nurse once, and a dryer once, last summer.  I’ve become what they didn’t want me to be. So sorry.

4.  Your professor is always smarter and better than you.

I remember I had one that would suck in through her teeth at any move you would make.  Do you know that sound?  Uncap a needle (teeth suck), put something in your pocket (teeth suck).  It’s so hard to live like that.  We had class starting at 4:30 am, so you’d do that for up to 13 hours … {teeth suck, just thinking about it}

5.  I am not sure if it made me a better nurse.

I still had an awful lot of training when I came out of school.  Of course, a lot of that is unit-specific… but I am still unsure as to what it did for me.  Besides make me hate it.

6.  Your professors aren’t actually all that smart.

Many actually haven’t WORKED as a nurse for quite a while.  Nurses that we worked with on the floor often had raised eyebrows when we’d mention something we learned in class.  Take all that into account.

7.  Nurses on the floor are your friend.

I ended-up with a really poor capstone experience, but befriend the nurse you’re working with.  Ask what you can help with. Any steps you can take that she doesn’t have to  are always welcome.  You need their advice.  They can help you.  NEVER act too smart to take their advice.  And to nurses who have students…. always be honest.  My capstone nurse had me make a flowsheet for the unit, and then gave me REALLY poor scores for things she never talked to me about (while I made her flowsheet that was her assignment from her manager).  I don’t hold a grudge to many people, but to her I do, but it reminds me to be friendly and honest with student nurses. They deserve that.

8.  I’m glad I did it.

Nursing is a career that has worked out almost perfectly for our family.  We can not make our budget without me working.  I am able to make the budget with the least impact on my family as possible.  It is wonderful.  I’ll talk more about that in “the good” but the idea here with #8 is that it TRULY was worth it.  I’m amazing! 🙂

If you’re considering nursing school.  This isn’t meant to scare you.  I hope that your nursing school won’t be like mine.  My worst teacher actually left a couple of semesters after I had her.  I think maybe it just wasn’t for her.

I have considered teaching.  I do love teaching prenatal class, and teaching in general and I would love to prepare nurses instad of breaking them.

Are you a nurse? Did you love nursing school?  When you think of getting your Masters, does it make you shudder?