The School That Won't be Named

I've mentioned my time in nursing school a few times here on the blog, and every time I refer to the school I attended I call it "The School That Won't be Named".  The reason for that is that, while I was greatly disappointed in many aspects of my time at my school, I don't feel the need to run their name through the mud, and bash them here on a public website.  It's not really my style, and I think it would reflect poorly on myself just as much as said school.

However, today I'd like to share a little bit about my time at The School, and some things that I've changed my mind about over the last few years since I've graduated.

The main problem with The School was a huge lack of organization, and professionalism.  I had never attended an educational institute that was so disorganized, and so wildly innapropriate.  The professors were not professors - in fact, we often called them "Nurses Who Read Slides", because that was really their main purpose.  I have to mention that there were one or two Nurses who taught at the school who greatly impacted my education and the nurse I am today, and to those women, I will always be greatful.  But as a whole?  Their staff was lacking in their training and the essential traits it takes to make a good teacher.  The exams were hardly fair, and they were often not on what we had been told they would be on.  There were constantly debates about the exams post-grade-handing-out, which was both bizarre and warrented, considering how out of left field the exam questions often were.  It was a lot of memorization and less learning, but I think that has a bit more to do with nursing and science in general than the school.

The clinicals were better in some ways and worse in others.  The sites we were sent to were often unfriendly, ill-managed, and unhelpful to as as learning future nurses.  There were certainly exceptions to that rule, but in general?  Not so much.  There were days that Nurse Sarcasm and I spent 50% of our clinical time walking in circles around one nursing home because there was literally nothing for us to do.  I will always be greatful to one of my Clinical Instructors however, who pushed me beyond my limits, paired me with an inspiring preceptor, and made me feel more like a nurse and less like a scared student.

There were times throughout the thirteen months I was enrolled at The School that I truly did not know if I was going to make it.  I didn't know how many more surprise exams, random canceled classes, dramatic high-school fights, and unprofessional Nurses Reading Slides I could possibly deal with.  But at the end of the day, my education and my future career was more important to me and I pushed through the bullshit to get to the other side.

What have I changed my mind about in the nearly three years it's been since I graduated (wow I can't believe it's been that long)?  My attitude was part of the problem.  Not the entire problem by any means, but I went in with an attitude and it certainly affected my time at The School.  I could have been much more positive, and I think I might have caught more flies with honey, if you know what I mean.  Another thing I've gotta give credit to The School for, is that it taught me some pretty valuable study skills.  Sure, part of that is because there was so little guidance on what you needed to know that you basically had to know everything, but those skills have stayed with me and they are great skills to have, as I have big plans for continuing my education.

So there you have it.  The reason I don't refer to The School That Won't be Named by it's actual name, the parts that made me hate it, and the personal growth that brought me to where I am today about the whole situation.

Have you ever changed your attitude about something after you've been removed from it for a few years?