Now that I'm in nursing school...
That sounds incredible. I can't believe I am in nursing school.
But now that I am, I have saved up sufficient cause to need to vent. One professor listed this term on a Power Point as "ventilating" rather than venting. Same thing, I guess.
What I want to air out is my sadness/irritation/annoyance at the unnecessary rudeness and general brusqueness of things. Our society continues to descend into that pit of madness in which boils the broth of intolerance and exclusionism. This election year is a sad offering with mostly choices between Hell No and Not Good Enough. The ultra right continues its drive into the 12th century, attempting to take everyone with it.
In my daughter's middle school we have bible verse numbers on the board in History class, and in another Texas town we have public school cheerleaders making butcher paper banners with bible verses for the players to burst though before a game. In the mentioned middle school, kids are coming to confide in my daughter because of her attitude in support of Gay-Lesbian people as humans. And other kids asking the G and L kids why they are that way and telling them Jesus doesn't love them.
On my nursing exams I have deep questions about nursing theories, conceptual models and philosophies which were not discussed live in class with sufficient examples to be able to identify a statement as being of one approach versus another. Is a kind hand squeeze to a patient to be categorized as Peplau's Therapeutic Use of Self, or is it Watson's Carative philosophy? We also had questions not as substantial but on a deep topic. If I am to be a transculturally competent nurse, which question would be more essential to understand: What ingredient should be reduced in x culture's cooking to make the diet more in line with the Healthy Pyramid? - OR - What are some topics that a nurse should be aware will have different cultural attitudes about?
Also, how is a nursing student to improve if no feedback/grades are given back for assignments handed in well before the final exam? What about providing examples of well done projects and a few reminders of the highlights if what is expected?
In my husband's online Pharmacology class there is a cold wind blowing through the online portal. He uploads his Drug Cards to the Homework box instead of the Drug Card box and gets a zero. He uploads his four drug cards the next week to the correct box and the prof swears she only sees one of the four he completed, so that's a 25%. No second chances, no kind or warm communication.
I contend that the general atmosphere in the society at large is permeating the school environment at all levels. Going right seems to equate with pea brained small mindedness and just plain rude rejectionism. What's the point of being human and being here?
My brother went to a drum circle a few months ago. One woman asked if a window could be opened to release the negative energy -- I supposed from the drumming out of pent up bad feelings. My brother made some choice sarcastic comments about this on Facebook. I laughed. But perhaps the joke is on us. I think the ultra right has had their window open this whole time. The rest of us need to wake up and find somewhere else for this negative energy to go, or better yet stop the flow of negativity from its sources by passing some good laws about inclusion and sharing, about ending bullying and discrimination, and about people being treated with respect and dignity.
