How about some positive nursing school/job stories for us newbies?

Nursing Students General Students

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I officially start "real" nursing school next week. No more prereq's. Time for the real deal. Of course, I'm super nervous, as are all of us newbies. It's a bit off putting to see all the recent posts of frustrated RN's and other students posting horror stories about how hard it all is.

So, who LOVES their job?

Who think's school has been challenging, but not 10 miles uphill both ways?

Inspire and encourage us please. :)

Nursing school WAS hard, but I am happy to say that I met some of my best friends while in the program- friends who I am certain will be with me for life, as well as secured a job before I graduated school! (I graduated less than a month ago).

Nursing school success with social life AND sleep is possible- you just need to really focus and let yourself cut loose sometimes! :up:

Good luck!!

Specializes in Sleep medicine,Floor nursing, OR, Trauma.

Well, Purple, I would be remiss if I paint a picture of all sunshine and rainbows.

But Nursing school, as with all things good in this life worth having or doing, is work--a struggle--a moment when you realize just what you are made of and who you are.

Do I love my job? It's all good. It has it's moments of triumph and defeat, of politics and parties, of ups and downs. Just like anything else.

For some, part of the challenge is that nursing school makes you rethink and reflect who you are as a person--such as the nursing field itself. For some, this moment of growing pains causes some of the out bursts you see here on the forum. But remember that these are but snapshots, moments, flashes in the pan and not the constant.

It's like eating at a restaurant. What stands out more readily? The earthworm in your salad? Or the scrumptious hot fudge sundae served afterwards as an apology.

Don't get distracted by all the earthworms, my friend. If you need to vent, to talk, to question, we're all here.

Good luck to you. My door is always open.

~~CP~~

Nursing school was hard, but far from impossible. Just don't compare yourself to others.

I had 2 job offers before I graduated. I consider that my success story!

I officially start "real" nursing school next week. No more prereq's. Time for the real deal. Of course, I'm super nervous, as are all of us newbies. It's a bit off putting to see all the recent posts of frustrated RN's and other students posting horror stories about how hard it all is.

So, who LOVES their job?

Who think's school has been challenging, but not 10 miles uphill both ways?

Inspire and encourage us please. :)

Thank you so much for posting this!

I too am beginning my nursing program this Spring, in 9 days... eeeekkkkk! I am nervous, excited, anxious, and all that jazz... I am worried about what will be waiting for me after I graduate (job, no job, etc) but I know that health care is what I was made for! I have been an intern at a large hospital here for the last year and I work in the Surgery/Trauma ICU as of right now, I just LOVE it. I worked 8 hours on the floor today and in the first hour I wanted to run out as fast as possible (combative patient ripping out ventilator tubes and IV lines while yelling at me), but the rest of the day turned out to be one of the most educational and lovely experiences I have had this rotation. :)

I too have seen the bajillion posts about how crappy the nursing feild is, but take it with a grain of salt... it's a way to vent and get reassurance from others feeling the same way, or get a whole new point of view. :)

Congrats on starting your nursing program!! Good luck and God speed! May we both love as many moments as possible of this crazy journey we are about to embark on!

Keep your chin up and take it one day at a time...

Clinicals;;

It will melt your heart the first time that little old lady tells you that you're her favorite student nurse she's had. Then every week your there she finds you just to talk. I think as a student it is the time to take time to talk to the pt. and actually listen, ill have time to run around and worry about passing meds next semester/when im a RN. Pt. can teach you more about things then some professors can. Also never turn down an opportunity to watch anything!!

Also some of the time you spend with fellow students it irreplacable!

**I just completed my 1st semester.

Specializes in Med/Surg,Cardiac.

Nursing school was awesome in my opinion. I didn't work and lived on campus. I partied hard except I had clinical the next day. I asked tons of questions and had a great time. Met great people and networked a lot. Enjoy nursing school. I wish I could go back to it. And as far as my job, I'd rather to this than make a third working a minimum wage position

~ No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent -Eleanor Roosevelt ~

Thank you ladies! :) Your posts are refreshing.

CheesePotato ~ The part about growing pains makes a lot of sense to me. :)

I liked nursing school, didn't work as hard as I could have because I was supporting myself and running a household too, but I graduated with an acceptable (if not stellar) GPA. I went to work in a job I didn't plan on taking but it was the only one available at the time and then I ended up loving it. It led me to increasing responsibility and wider experiences, and then to graduate school so I could teach. It was a great couple of decades and I just loved it.

I'm not doing bedside now but I am still a nurse and I am still absolutely loving what I do and the people with whom I do it. Having a good nursing education made that all possible.

There are a lot of us out here. We don't make a fraction as much clamor as the whiners, haters, and complainers, but by god we're out here doing the work.

You can grow up to be ... us. Please do. We need you out here.

Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

I started LVN school this past fall. I was prepared for the worst, as I'd read it all here on AN. However, the coursework hasn't been nearly as challenging as I expected. I don't come home and study for hours every night as the horror stories told me I would. And so far, Ive earned all As.

The hardest part for me has been the disorganization of some teachers and the school. But, I have had to learn to not have high / anal / OCD expectations in that area.

I am also starting nursing school in a week, and am thankful for this post! I really need some encouragement. I have been reading quite a bit on AN hoping I would find some great advice, but I have mostly become discouraged. It has caused me have doubts on whether I am making the right decision by going to nursing school.

This is my second round with school, as I have previously earned a Bachelors Degree. After learning I was accepted into the nursing program, I finally felt like I was headed in the right direction for once in my life. It is difficult and discouraging to read about how unhappy people are with their jobs and how difficult it has been for people to find jobs. I have always heard so many great things about the field, which is why I have always wanted to become a nurse and after visiting this site I am nervous that I have made a mistake. I know that school as well as working as a nurse, is not a cake walk, but ultimately so rewarding. I feel like I can't waste any more time as I would like to start a family with my husband and finally have a secure job making decent money. Any positive feedback and encouragement from all you veteran nurses out there would be GREATLY appreciated. I need some reassurance! :bored:

Nursing school is hard. I'm in a 4 year BSN program, with our gen-ed courses worked in freshman year, so I've been at it for awhile now, and have been seeing patients since Freshman year of college. And I'm a Junior now. It's so hard to believe that I only have 3 semesters left...

But this is what I will say. Nursing school is hard, it will push you, you may (probably will) cry and there will be times when you think you just can't do it anymore. BUT you will have those clinical days where you want to cry from JOY. You will find what you love. There are SO SO SO many job options out there during school and even more after graduation. If you hate one clinical rotation, you may love another....Don't judge anything before you experience it for yourself.

The best advice I can give is work hard, save time for fun and keep an OPEN MIND!! :)

Good luck to all the newbies out there!

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