why being 'smart' doesn't matter . . . and here's what actually does

NURSING.com sent this email to their subscribers on November 2, 2024.

NURSING.com,

Can I share something personal with you? I didn’t excel in school—not in undergrad, and not in the earlier years either. In fact, my academic track record might surprise you:

2.1 freshman GPA
1030 SAT score (55th percentile)
22 ACT score (63rd percentile)
39th percentile on grade school 'intelligence' tests

Now, I’m curious—have you ever felt “dumb” or wondered if you’re cut out for nursing school? Do these grades and tests really define our ability to become great nurses?

I want to hear from YOU. I want to know what we can do to help YOU regain confidence. What do YOU need?

Will you go to NURSING.com/vote HERE and let me know?

'SMART' is an Illusion

Honestly, I’ve always hated the word “smart.”

It creates this black-and-white idea: you’re either “smart” or you’re not. But nursing isn’t that simple, and neither are you.

Krista, a second-semester nursing student, recently shared something with me:

"I went from straight A’s to barely getting by since starting nursing classes. It’s so frustrating."

And Annabelle wrote:

"I failed my Med Surg 1 course yesterday by 1.14%. My overall grade was 77%, but my exam average was 73.86%. I feel like a failure."

I get it.

Nursing school has a way of making us question ourselves and feel “less than.”

But here’s the truth: Grades don’t make the nurse. I’ve met nurses who flew through nursing school but struggled on the floor, and others who fought for every grade and went on to excel in practice.

How did my story end?

Let me tell you how things turned out for me, despite my grades:

Neuro ICU nurse
New nurse preceptor
ICU charge nurse
Code team nurse
Donor patient nurse
CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse)
Teacher to over 300,000 nurses

Grades and scores didn’t make me a better nurse—determination, compassion, and resilience did. And these are the same qualities I see in so many of you, no matter what your transcripts say.

So, I’d love to hear from you. What do you need right now? How can I help lighten the load for you?

Please go to NURSING.com/vote and tell me what would make this journey easier for you.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me. You’re not alone, and together, we’re going to get through the hardest days.

Happy Nursing!

-Jon Haws, RN

Text-only version of this email

NURSING.com, Can I share something personal with you? I didn’t excel in school—not in undergrad, and not in the earlier years either. In fact, my academic track record might surprise you: * 2.1 freshman GPA * 1030 SAT score (55th percentile) * 22 ACT score (63rd percentile) * 39th percentile on grade school 'intelligence' tests Now, I’m curious—have you ever felt “dumb” or wondered if you’re cut out for nursing school? Do these grades and tests really define our ability to become great nurses? I want to hear from YOU. I want to know what we can do to help YOU regain confidence. What do YOU need? Will you go to NURSING.com/vote HERE and let me know? 'SMART' is an Illusion Honestly, I’ve always hated the word “smart.” It creates this black-and-white idea: you’re either “smart” or you’re not. But nursing isn’t that simple, and neither are you. Krista, a second-semester nursing student, recently shared something with me: > "I went from straight A’s to barely getting by since starting nursing classes. It’s so frustrating." And Annabelle wrote: > "I failed my Med Surg 1 course yesterday by 1.14%. My overall grade was 77%, but my exam average was 73.86%. I feel like a > failure." I get it. Nursing school has a way of making us question ourselves and feel “less than.” But here’s the truth: Grades don’t make the nurse. I’ve met nurses who flew through nursing school but struggled on the floor, and others who fought for every grade and went on to excel in practice. nurse jon How did my story end? Let me tell you how things turned out for me, despite my grades: * Neuro ICU nurse * New nurse preceptor * ICU charge nurse * Code team nurse * Donor patient nurse * CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse) * Teacher to over 300,000 nurses Grades and scores didn’t make me a better nurse—determination, compassion, and resilience did. And these are the same qualities I see in so many of you, no matter what your transcripts say. So, I’d love to hear from you. What do you need right now? How can I help lighten the load for you? Please go to NURSING.com/vote and tell me what would make this journey easier for you. Thank you for being part of this journey with me. You’re not alone, and together, we’re going to get through the hardest days. Happy Nursing! -Jon Haws, RN NURSING.com, 11918 Division Street #2114, PORTLAND, Oregon 97266, United States

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