[Shell26]

to be a nurse. I am still wanting to start nursing school but I am scared I am making the right choice. I do not want to quit my job of 15 years, be in debt and then find out I made the wrong choice. Please help. How do you know???

[NewNurse2003]

Honestly, I didn't know until I did it.
Now I couldn't think of doing anything else.

I don't know what your job is now, but..you really can't go wrong in the healthcare field. Good luck with your decision.

[llg]

You might try some volunteer work in a hospital or nursing home. Put yourself in a health care environment and learn more about the type of work you would be doing as a nurse. See how you respond ... how you feel ... etc. That's one way to start.

llg

[Nalini]

I don't know if there is a way to tell if you are "right for this" before trying it. Maybe try volunteering like llg said, but also ask yourself would you regret not doing this in a few years. Even waiting only a few years to go back to college, I really regret not going to nursing school sooner. Best of luck either way you choose

[Califlower]

I chose nursing for many reasons. One of the reason is that you can get a job anywhere doing anything! There's just so many options -- you can work with babies, kids, adults, or you can teach students, you can do camp nursing, school nursing, hospital nursing, home nursing, join the army or the navy, you can travel, you can stay where you are, or you can do multiples of these things.

Whatever you decide to do, I think with a nursing background, multiple options will be there.

[GingerSue]

Hi Shell26 - these are good suggestions above, and I had thought of the volunteering possibility as a suggestion - but - I didn't do that - I decided earlier in the year, was accepted, then just started the program and everything went smoothly from there. You just start. And learn. And do. There is a lot of satisfaction about being knowledgable when helping others. Many areas for satisfaction in this field. And you are appreciated by patients and co-workers.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Volunteer and shadow some nurses. This will help you decide if you have what it takes or not.