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We learned so much in nursing school, right? Remember EKG strips? Man, those things were tough. But we’re nurses, so we all start out as generalists.
What I don’t understand is how we missed so much in nursing school. They packed in the clinical practice, but they didn’t cover so many other aspects to the trade. And I get that we can’t do it all. But, there are some things I’ll never encounter as a nurse, but that I definitely encounter and was not taught. There are stark differences between what I learned in the classroom and what I encountered in real life as a nurse.
Burnout – A Silent Epidemic:
One of the most profound lessons I've learned in my nursing career is the prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals. Nursing school may have briefly touched upon the concept of burnout, but it failed to convey the sheer magnitude of its impact. Burnout effects nurses' mental, emotional, and physical well-being to the core.
The relentless demands of patient care, coupled with staffing shortages and bureaucratic red tape, create a breeding ground for burnout in the healthcare setting. I've witnessed colleagues succumb to burnout, their passion for nursing eclipsed by feelings of exhaustion and cynicism. Nursing school may have prepared us to care for others, but it didn't adequately prepare us to care for ourselves in the face of burnout.
And it didn’t mention how common it was. Almost ⅔ of nurses will experience burnout. That’s a big problem, and we haven’t been trained on how to deal with it.
Entrepreneurship – Exploring Unconventional Paths
Another lesson conspicuously absent from nursing school is the concept of entrepreneurship. Nurses are all placed into the same cookie cutter mold of working at the bedside. And we hear time and time again that we need to start off on a medical surgical floor. But that’s just not true.
While the traditional trajectory for nurses may involve bedside care in hospitals or clinics, there are alternative career paths available. You could become a writer. Or you could launch a telemedicine platform. You could even develop medical devices. Entrepreneurship offers nurses the opportunity to leverage their clinical expertise in unconventional ways. Nursing school may have instilled in us a passion for patient care, but it didn't encourage us to think outside the box and pursue entrepreneurial ventures that could revolutionize the healthcare world.
Unsafe Ratios
Nursing school may have taught us the importance of patient safety and advocacy, but it failed to address the pervasive issue of unsafe nurse-to-patient ratios. In nursing school, we had one or two patients at a time. In the nursing home, I had 25. That’s a huge jump that they didn’t prepare us for.
As I navigated the realities of clinical practice, I was confronted with situations where I was caring overwhelming number of patients with limited resources and support. Unsafe staffing ratios compromise patient care. Patient safety is jeopardized, and nurse burnout rises. We never learned how to navigate the ethical dilemmas and moral quandaries inherent in providing care amidst unsafe working conditions.
Working Holidays – Sacrifices for the Greater Good
Nursing school never taught us what it would feel like to work holidays away from the people we love. Long hours, rotating shifts, and working holidays are typical. We’re encouraged to sacrifice our personal lives and well-being in service of others.
It’s no wonder more nurses are leaving the bedside. Being the only one to miss a major holiday can be heartbreaking. Nursing school may have instilled in us a sense of duty and dedication to patient care, but it didn't fully prepare us for the toll that working irregular hours and missing out on important milestones can take on our mental and emotional health.
Scarcity of Supplies
One of the most sobering lessons I've learned is the harsh reality of working with limited supplies and resources. I’ll go to grab a bandage, and its not there. Or, I’ll go grab a vitals machine, but there’s only one in the floor. How am I supposed to do my job without the resources to do it? Nursing school didn't prepare us for the challenges of navigating resource constraints in the clinical setting.
From shortages of essential medications and equipment to inadequate staffing and infrastructure, nurses are often forced to make do with less. This may mean compromising patient outcomes and exacerbating feelings of frustration and helplessness. We’re taught to do the best we can for our patients, but we aren’t even given the tools to do that.
Lack of Support – Feeling Alone in a Crowd
Nursing school may have emphasized the importance of collaboration and teamwork in nursing practice, but it didn't fully prepare us for the challenges of navigating hierarchical structures. As nurses, we rely on our nurse managers for support, guidance, and advocacy.
All too often, we find ourselves feeling isolated and unsupported in our roles. Our managers may be nowhere to be found during a critical moment. Or, they’re burned out themselves and unwilling to help on the floor. Many of them haven't touched a patient in years.
Summary
Nursing school provides us with a solid foundation of clinical knowledge and skills. But, there were critical aspects of the nursing profession that were conspicuously absent from the curriculum. From the prevalence of burnout and the importance of entrepreneurship to the challenges of navigating unsafe ratios, long hours, working holidays, and scarcity of supplies, there is a stark disconnect between what I learned in nursing school and what I encountered in clinical practice. As nurses, we must advocate for comprehensive education and training that prepares us not only for the technical aspects of the profession but also for the realities of navigating the complexities and challenges of the healthcare system.
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