Do I really want to do this?

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I'm in my first semester of nursing school and the last month has been an emotional roller coaster of if i really want to be a nurse or not. One week I'll hate it and question why I'm here in the first place, then I go to clinical the next day and love it. I keep going back and forth like its a love/ hate relationship. Do any of you fellow nursing students or RNs go through this? Idk what to do

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

make a list of what you love and hate and then rank them "Can't tolerate", "Can Tolerate", " Like it:, "Love it". If one column has more Can't tolerates in it that tells you a lot.

You then can determine from the Likes and Loves if another career choice offers similar opportunities. For instance, I sometimes believe I would have really enjoyed the work of a lab technologist.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I think becoming a nurse is so intense, it would be weird to not have doubts. If I'd graduated NS and never once worked as an RN, I still would've been forever changed.

I probably went through one period of every semester where I seriously considered that maybe this path wasn't for me. It wasn't ever grade/success related....just growing pains, I think.

Now that I'm a practicing baby RN, I still have those thoughts. Some days I can't imagine not being a nurse. Other days I'm on the Internet trying to figure out how to get OUT. But I'm not going anywhere.

That being said, it isn't for everyone. I know plenty of people who decided to go a different way and have zero regrets.

If you're torn, I think I'd at least stick it out until the end of your first year. Getting into the groove of NS can eliminate that temporary stress from your decision making.

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We all have doubts. Some days are great and some days you ask yourself what the heck you were thinking. It is normal. Being a nursing student and being a nurse are two different things. If you really have no idea if this is for you I would shadow a nurse for a day or week and see if this is a good fit for you. You will never really know if being a nurse is for you until YOU are actually a nurse and out there practicing.

Even as a practicing nurse I have doubts some days. You are not alone. Many of us share your feelings. Nobody can truly tell you if this is what you want to do, however, I would give it some time. Best wishes.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

There have been several of these posts lately. It's about that time! First semester is a serious beating.

What do you love about it? How can you cope with what you hate? Why do you hate what you hate?

I doubt if ANYONE gets through the first semester without seriously questioning their decision!

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I think if you love it during clinical then that should be a good indicator that you love nursing. Nursing school is intense and super stressful. We all have our moments of doubt while in school. You're not alone.

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Specializes in ICU.

I honestly love it. Certain days my nerves can get the best of me, but I really enjoy every part of it. My fellow nursing students say it is almost natural for me. I just absolutely love taking care of people and the science side of it. I can go from hardcore in the science part to switching over to being sweet and caring the next. We were doing scenarios in sim lab the other day and I was the head nurse with our instructor throwing all kinds of stuff at us and I loved every second.

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