Letter to Future Nursing Students
Dear Students,
Congratulations on starting this nursing program! I am not sure what brought you here- maybe this is your first college experience, or maybe you are transferring from another college or university. Maybe this is your first career, or maybe you are starting over. You all come from different backgrounds, and I know that you all have different reasons for choosing a career in nursing. I want to start out by giving you a warning… I can tell you right now that nursing is not an easy job. I can guarantee that there will be many challenges ahead… You will meet and interact with people when they are at their worst. You will most likely be yelled and cursed at, blamed (even when it is not your fault), and possibly even be physically assaulted. You will not always be recognized or thanked for what you do. You will feel exhausted-both physically and emotionally. You will be expected to work off-shifts, weekends, and holidays. You will have many days where you don’t get a lunch or bathroom break during your shift. You will shed many tears-and you may even question why you chose this career path…
Now you are probably wondering why I am telling you this (please don’t be scared off yet)… Along with the frustrations, there are also so many rewards to choosing this profession. There are so many opportunities that are awaiting you in this career path! You will meet so many people and have the chance to hear their stories. You will reassure anxious patients as they undergo testing and surgeries. You will hold the hands of those who are dying. You will laugh and cry with your patients and their loved ones. I can guarantee that you will have the chance to learn something new every day! Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to save lives!
You will notice that our classroom is different from what you may have expected (or what you may have experienced in the past). You will not just be sitting in lectures, but you will be participating in classroom activities… You will not be expected to memorize content, but you will be introduced to various concepts that will be applied across the curriculum. You will have opportunities to apply what you are learning in simulations and during your clinical rotations. This may sound overwhelming, and trust me, it is so different than when I was a nursing student! But it is our hope that this approach towards education will prepare you for your future roles in the nursing field! As your teacher I am committed to giving you the tools that will help you be successful in this program. I want to encourage you to take responsibility for your own learning… Do your best to complete the assigned readings/homework assignments before class (this will help you to be successful in this program), and I encourage you to build relationships with your classmates (as we expect collaboration and teamwork in the classroom/clinical settings). Don’t be afraid to ask questions, but also use the resources that we have provided you to seek out answers on your own (this is a part of lifelong learning)!! I just want you to know that I am so excited to be a part of your educational journey!!
Jennifer Austin
(March 28, 2015)
Congratulations on starting this nursing program! I am not sure what brought you here- maybe this is your first college experience, or maybe you are transferring from another college or university. Maybe this is your first career, or maybe you are starting over. You all come from different backgrounds, and I know that you all have different reasons for choosing a career in nursing. I want to start out by giving you a warning… I can tell you right now that nursing is not an easy job. I can guarantee that there will be many challenges ahead… You will meet and interact with people when they are at their worst. You will most likely be yelled and cursed at, blamed (even when it is not your fault), and possibly even be physically assaulted. You will not always be recognized or thanked for what you do. You will feel exhausted-both physically and emotionally. You will be expected to work off-shifts, weekends, and holidays. You will have many days where you don’t get a lunch or bathroom break during your shift. You will shed many tears-and you may even question why you chose this career path…
Now you are probably wondering why I am telling you this (please don’t be scared off yet)… Along with the frustrations, there are also so many rewards to choosing this profession. There are so many opportunities that are awaiting you in this career path! You will meet so many people and have the chance to hear their stories. You will reassure anxious patients as they undergo testing and surgeries. You will hold the hands of those who are dying. You will laugh and cry with your patients and their loved ones. I can guarantee that you will have the chance to learn something new every day! Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to save lives!
You will notice that our classroom is different from what you may have expected (or what you may have experienced in the past). You will not just be sitting in lectures, but you will be participating in classroom activities… You will not be expected to memorize content, but you will be introduced to various concepts that will be applied across the curriculum. You will have opportunities to apply what you are learning in simulations and during your clinical rotations. This may sound overwhelming, and trust me, it is so different than when I was a nursing student! But it is our hope that this approach towards education will prepare you for your future roles in the nursing field! As your teacher I am committed to giving you the tools that will help you be successful in this program. I want to encourage you to take responsibility for your own learning… Do your best to complete the assigned readings/homework assignments before class (this will help you to be successful in this program), and I encourage you to build relationships with your classmates (as we expect collaboration and teamwork in the classroom/clinical settings). Don’t be afraid to ask questions, but also use the resources that we have provided you to seek out answers on your own (this is a part of lifelong learning)!! I just want you to know that I am so excited to be a part of your educational journey!!
Jennifer Austin
(March 28, 2015)