Should I go to nursing school??

Nurses General Nursing

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I need to decide whether I want nursing, physical therapy, or sonograms? Any advice from any of you?? My mother was a nurse before I was born, but unfortunatley she passed away, so I cannot get any advise from her? I am all done with my core classes so I need to decide what to do from here.

any advicce would help greatly !

thanks Nikki

Hi Nikki,

My Mom was a nurse and her advice tended to be, learn how to do something that will get you a job. I'll add a bit to that and say, find something that you like to do, that lets you do some of the things you're good at, and that is flexible. The flexible part has always been important to me. And that's perhaps the best advice anyone can give you--figure out what things are important to you in life and work situations. Nursing and PT work very intimately with people and all of their weaknesses and strengths. Are you interested in doing that day after day. Are you physically, emotionally, and spiritually up to it?

Consider volunteering at a hospital, it's a good way to see what the different disciplines do. You might want to make an appointment with the Director of education at a couple of local hospitals for what is called an information interview. Let him or her know you are interested in finding out more about nursing. Time limit it, stay no more than 15-30 minutes. Ask if there is anyone else they might suggest you talk to. Ask people in healthcare what they do, how they got into the positions they're in. Why they went into nursing, PT, X-Ray, whatever.

Consider going to your campus career center. They can help you identify your interests and strengths, teach you how to research professions and jobs, how to evaluate potential careers in light of your strengths.

Good luck.

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Howdy yall

from deep in the heat of texas

Just determine what is right for you and go for it.

Stargazer

859 Posts

Nikki, my advice would be to call around to area hospitals and ask to "shadow" a member of the discipline in which you're interested for a day. This would give you an opportunity to see what a more or less typical day is like, see what their duties and responsibilities actually are, how they interact with patients and other health professionals, how much autonomy they have, etc. It will also give you a chance to observe and then ask questions as they occur to you, rather than trying to do a static 15-minute interview where you might not even know the most important questions to ask.

I have had hospital pharmacists and radiology techs offer to let let friends of mine shadow them for a day. It's really a much better way to see what you might be getting yourself into. Good luck!

RNIAM, BSN, RN

1,214 Posts

My advice is to volunteer in those areas that you find interesting. You can then decide which is right for you. Remember that you are your best guide.

Love-A-Nurse

3,932 Posts

Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.

hello! you have received some great advice. all the best to you!

Rosemary4126

4 Posts

Dr. Kate and Stargazer

Thanks for the advice about ways to gather information from my local area. If our local hospital would allow me to "shadow" someone for a day that would be fantastic. If not I can see about volunteering. That is sure to be a good source for info too.

Thanks again!

Rosemary

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