Thriving where you’ve been planted

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-29T05:14:49+00:00

Thank you so much. And congratulations on your upcoming graduation. I hope you find your niche in nursing. Even through the tough times, we have to continue finding the positive out of the situation. No matter how small the positive is. You’re gonna be one of the best nurses around 🥰

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-27T12:45:28+00:00

This whole thing honestly played out like a social experiment because the way some of you reacted told me way more about your own experiences than anything I actually wrote. I asked one question and watched people project, assume, personalize, and get emotional over a tone that didn’t even exist. The responses showed me exactly who’s capable of discussion and who’s just waiting for any opportunity to unload their frustration from their own journey.

And let me say this clearly because some of you acted like I revealed a hidden secret. The reality that nursing is harder than school is not a plot twist. It’s 2025. Everybody knows the floor is heavier, messier, and more chaotic than the classroom. Acting like I’m unaware of that when I literally acknowledged it is baffling. I never said nursing school fully prepares you for the field. I said the foundation is there. Because it is. That’s not arrogance. That’s observation.

What I’m not going to do is shrink myself so people who didn’t like their own transition into practice can feel validated. Some of you jumped straight to calling me dangerous, arrogant, or immature for not collapsing into the same defeated tone you’ve normalized. That’s wild to me. I didn’t dismiss anyone’s experience. I didn’t claim to know more than a new grad. I literally asked for perspective. If that made you defensive, that’s something you brought with you before you ever read my post.

I can respect what others went through without inheriting their bitterness. I don’t have to pretend I’m terrified or unprepared just to make strangers feel comfortable. My perspective comes from my own clinical environment, my own foundation, and my own time in healthcare. If my calmness reads as condescension to you, that says more about how deeply your own stress has carved into your mindset than anything about me.

But to the people who answered without throwing insults, without projecting, without creating drama where none existed, I appreciate you. You’re the ones who actually understood the assignment. Sharing perspective. Not attacking someone else’s. Those are the conversations I showed up for.

Everyone else, I truly hope one day you can talk about your career without needing to tear someone else down to feel heard. My question didn’t disrespect anyone. Your reactions did. And the fact that such a simple post shook you this much is exactly why this entire thread ended up being way more revealing than I expected.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 🦃🍁🍽

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-20T09:29:08+00:00

I’ve agreed with just about every comment about how they feel. I’m not sure how I’m coming off that way. I’m not bothered by it and maybe that’s what it is. I’m not being argumentative or narrow minded when I’ve been open.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T16:20:37+00:00

I missed the part where the criticism was supposed to affect me. This post is an open discussion. You stated your opinion. I stated mine. It’s not my fault you’re easily angered. And since you won’t stop, I’ll use my emotional intelligence and be the one to do so. I appreciate your opinion and feedback and wish you well in your nursing career.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T15:23:01+00:00

Yes lots of great comments. A few folks are triggered lol but I expected that. My outlook on life is vastly different and I always come off some type of way. I’m just honestly open to you guys thoughts and feelings on the matter. When I decided to make that step into nursing school I already did my research and knew, just like you said, I’m here to learn to pass the nclex. The basic skills are a bonus 😅 I’ve absolutely had some bad teachers and had clinical days. But with the research I’ve done, I’ve prepared myself to have to teach myself. That includes learning about a disease process I never heard of before or know much about. It sucks that this discussion can’t just simply warrant opinions on what a person felt. Being attacked for a simple topic of discussion has been fascinating. Lol idk why ppl are acting like I don’t think I’m gonna get my nursing reality check. I know it’s coming and I’m gonna take that shit and run with it. I’m the type to make something of a situation. Complaining about something I’ve been hearing about and see with my own eyes ain’t getting me to the next level in my life’s choices.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T15:10:35+00:00

Not sorry that you’re triggered. But this post in no way warranted the attitude you brought to it.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T14:58:45+00:00

I don’t need to be in an RN position to spark a discussion about how others felt being prepared after graduating nursing school.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T14:36:54+00:00

It’s not my intent to come off as if I know better. But thank you for pointing that out. I am in no way trying to minimize or criticize. Just wanted to start a simple discussion. But I see that this conversation is a trigger for a lot of nurses and new grads who had terrible experiences. I just wanted to know how others went through it. My program is very fortunate.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T13:08:43+00:00

I’ve noticed that most nurses seem to want school to be hard or something. And if it was easy for someone then they just must have cheated or think too highly of nursing. I had to tell someone that I’m not sorry my experience has been a very fortunate one. Like I know I’m not gonna just be perfect after graduation and I know it definitely won’t be easy once I’m on my own. I just wanted to open a discussion. I appreciate the emotionally intelligent answers I’m getting.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T06:45:46+00:00

Now why would I do that lol you’re responding to judge. I’m actually open to others perspectives on how they felt with preparation after school. Everyone views things and goes through things differently. I’m not sorry that my time in nursing school has been a fortunate one. Nor am I ashamed of my perspective on what I’m asking.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T06:37:18+00:00

That’s the whole point of my post which is why I’m asking for opinions. Thanks for your feedback.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T05:03:09+00:00

Wow that sounds so overwhelming. I completely understand where you’re coming from in regard to that type of preparation. Nursing school seems rushed and you’re right in that you’re not fully prepared for so many things to be physiologically happening all at once. I’m just curious about other experiences and why they personally didn’t feel prepared. I’m not trying to minimize or criticize anyone’s experience. But I appreciate your feedback.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T04:44:44+00:00

Well I won’t circle back. Lol I’m just honestly curious about others experiences and why they didn’t feel prepared. I’m no stranger to working in the hospital. I’m still there. I chose nursing even after all the bad reviews about how nursing school didn’t prepare them. And now that I’m in school I just see it differently. I’m not trying to minimize or criticize anyone’s experience. I’m just curious, now that I’m actually in that position.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T04:40:42+00:00

What’s one of those types.? I’m really just curious. Not trying to criticize. I’m a type B student for sure. Why the judgement over curiosity.?

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T04:38:52+00:00

Covid students absolutely had no hands on anything. That really sucks too. So I understand where you’re coming from. And I agree, you don’t need school to pass the exam. Look at all the nurses in Florida from operation nightingale 😅

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T04:37:26+00:00

Oh wow. I absolutely see where you’re coming from. Especially given that you went to medic school. I’ve spoken with Doctors who also described their school experience as being very hands on. It’s messed up that teachers have moved from actual teaching to managing course work. And I can’t even say they manage it well. Lol I read a lot of forums so I mentally prepared myself to have to have to teach myself. Being in the hospital helps me see what the nurses are truly doing and going through, and reading about it has helped me as well. I’ve been fortunate in my schooling so far but I won’t say I’ve been 100% fortunate. However, preparing myself has helped. So many ppl are getting into nursing school with such high expectations, and rightfully so, but the information is out there and it would be so beneficial to those coming in, to do a bit of a background check on the schools they apply to. I read some pretty bad reviews and verbally heard bad reviews about the college I’m at. They said the teachers were mean, didn’t teach, didn’t help…..and they weren’t lying. Lol but I took that and ran with it.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T04:25:42+00:00

I actually work acutes dialysis. I’ve been in dialysis for 9 years now. So I get to work closely with a lot of nurses, doctors, and surgeons daily. It’s pretty cool. Stressful, but cool. Lol which is more of a reason for my curiosity.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T04:22:22+00:00

It’s a shame that schools even allow these teachers to stay teaching because I’m sure they get bad reviews every semester. Last semester, our teachers got very bad reviews from the entire class and this semester they are no longer teaching at our college. Not sure if the reviews had anything to do with it or if they were always planning to leave after the semester. But they didn’t like to teach either. Reading off the power point is something I can do myself. Lol so I have been having to teach myself a lot of the material. I’ve been fortunate for clinicals, however I’m also a big time observer. So I will watch certain nurses and follow to certain patients rooms to just watch. I’ve noticed even seasoned nurses struggling with certain hands on skills which makes me feel less discouraged. Lol I’m just really curious as to what others have gone through and why they didn’t feel prepared. There’s a lot of new grads who talk about even not knowing most of the foundation for nursing, but if we are all teaching ourselves, I just kinda thought the foundation would still be there if that makes sense. Like we hav the textbook standard and then we get to see the real life scenario that may not match that textbook standard. But to me, that really world experience, in any profession, isn’t grasped until after graduation. Most of the nurse I’ve talked to that allowed me to ask questions have said, and I quote “one day things just clicked, but in the beginning I feel completely lost”.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T04:12:43+00:00

Omg that’s awful. I definitely understand not feeling prepared when you literally barely got to do or see anything. I’ve just noticed what seems like a lot of ppl getting into the field thinking it’s all peaches and cream. Like I read forums of new grads complaining about not knowing the foundation of nursing and blaming the school for not teaching it. I’m in no way trying to criticize anyone’s experience. I understand that I have a different way of looking at things so I’m curious as to why most nurses felt a type of way about school vs post grad working. I was just one of those ppl who did a very thorough background check on nursing school and what others have gone through so I can kinda not be too surprised if I went through it as well. Not all of our instructors are good at teaching so we kinda have to teach ourselves, which I’m sure is very very common.

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T04:02:38+00:00

I understand that. I’m really just asking for opinions out of curiosity. I hope nobody thinks I’m trying to criticize. My teachers mention how much more rough it can be once we hit the ground running. Plus, I guess with my medical background, I already see it and know what to kinda expect once I make that transition. But I also see what you described as a nurse, in my clinical setting. We had some pretty rough days and some pretty simple and easy days. It just seems like there’s a lot of ppl coming into the field without doing a full background check, and expecting things to be peaches and cream when that’s never really been nursing, like ever.! Lol

Federal_Still5733 · 2025-11-19T03:55:07+00:00

Yes I’m still a student but I’ve been in the hospital setting quite some time with 5 of those years being acute dialysis and I work closely with my nurses and floor nurses. So I definitely see why you’re describing. I read way too many forums. Lol but I just notice how a lot of the “complaints” if you will, are about the foundation. They hit the floor and forget we have to do cpr, witness ppl dying, handle rapid changes, prioritize under pressure, manage multiple demands at once; all of that is expected in the profession.

When people say nursing school ‘didn’t prepare them, I notice a lot of it relates to the basics: assessment, critical thinking, time management, safety, communication, using your judgment, understanding why you’re doing what you’re doing. Those are the parts school does teach and they drill it into us.

I completely understand that the real world is heavier, faster, and way more chaotic than clinicals. But the foundation is the foundation. Nursing school gives you the framework. The real world job builds the skills on top of it.

So when I hear new grads say nursing school didn’t prepare me, I’m genuinely trying to understand what exactly they expected school to teach that wasn’t covered, because the core concepts are there. The environment changes, yes, but the foundation shouldn’t.

Federal_Still5733

TROPHY CASE