<p>Is this stereotype completely false? I get told to become a doctor every time I say want to be a nurse. I am in a lot of gifted, AP, and honors classes right now in high school and I scored very high on the PSAT and ACT plan. Is it true that nurses deserve a lot more respect?</p>
<p>Don’t mind what others say and do what you desire. You could always go to medical school after graduating college with nursing.</p>
<p>I think this is an old stereotype from an earlier time when many women did not have the opportunities they have now, (more men are going into nursing now) (and they were also smart but were not encouraged to take on the additional years of study). Nursing as a profession has evolved, and there are opportunities for advanced study and more autonomy in practice than there used to be a few generations ago (nurse practitioner, doctorate in nursing). Medicine and nursing are different disciplines. There are gifted students going into both of them.
If you wish to be a nurse, then do so. Whoever is making comments is not likely to be aware of the changes in nursing programs over the decades. Besides, it’s your happiness that is important.
Yes, it is possible to apply to medical school with a BSN, and it has been done. However, some of the prerequisites are different, so pay attention to them if you do change your mind.</p>
<p>A large number of students with high GPA never make it into med school. If they make it into med school, they have absurd amounts of debt. Many doctors complain that they are hamstrung by insurance companies, malpractice premiums and paperwork. </p>
<p>With nursing, you have many opportunities to continue your education - at your own pace and possibly with your employer helping to pay for it. For example, there are nurse anesthesiologists, nurse educators (with masters or doctorate degrees), nurse practitioners, and many other specialties… </p>
<p>D had the same experience…in fact, I was one of those people encouraging her to think about med school, physician’s assistant programs, dental school or other professional program. I thought she was too “smart” to settle for nursing. I was really, really dumb. I didn’t know that much about nursing, and thought that she would be under-utilizing her abilities and settling for a job that had an ok but not great pay. I worried about the “yuck factor” associated with the job, the hard work and the things that my little Princess would have to handle.</p>
<p>D was absolutely committed to nursing and patient care. She was fine with the yuck factor and hard work. I couldn’t talk her out of it. As she went through her program, I learned a lot more about nursing and nursing studies. BSN programs are tougher than I realized, and getting tougher all the time. We also went though some family medical crises, and I got to see many skilled nurses in action. My admiration for the nursing profession has grown and grown. </p>
<p>I absolutely respect D’s chosen career now. It certainly isn’t an easy program, and it isn’t an easy job. I respect D for following her dream, and I’m grateful for the students who feel a calling to become nurses. They are the backbone of patient care in the medical field. And I apologize to my daughter for trying to talk her out of it when she was in high school.</p>
<p>From what I have seen, hospitals rely upon an army of varied staffpersons, some of whom have limited training. RNs have an important role in managing and overseeing many of these “90 day wonders.”</p>
<p>I have been a nurse practitioner for 19 years and I absolutely agree with all of the above comments. I would not change a thing. I practice, teach and precept students. Nursing is an art and a science and I am glad to see that the standards are being raised. </p>
<p>No one is too smart for nursing. There are plenty smart high achieving students in school of nursing. My DD is in U of Michigan nursing, one of the best nursing programs. Sometimes I also think she is too good to just settle for being a nurse. But this is the path she chose and she is working very hard towards her goal.
Like most of the students, her dream is to be a nurse anathetist one day. In order to get into such program she needs to have very good grades. There are many advanced degree fields a nurse can choose. To brag a little, she is invited to the honor program next year and she is also on the dean’s list. She has already given the highest scholarship by the school of nursing.
If she is in the pre-med, I think she will be alright, but not as much achievements. Being one of the best really made her proud and working harder to stay there.</p>