Want to quit nursing school

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I'm about a year away from graduating nursing school, but I don't know if I can make it to the end. The stress and anxiety from nursing school is making me very depressed. I do get good grades in my classes, but in clinical I lack a lot of confidence. The low confidence gets worse when I start making mistakes, and then I feel awful about myself for a long time. I'm terrified that one day I will make a mistake so bad that I'll kill someone. Although my clinical instructor says that I'm performing well, she also worries about my lack of confidence... I do enjoy some aspects of nursing, such as doing interesting skills and being genuinely thanked by my patients. I just can't stand the stress, and when I make mistakes it ruins my experience. I already have a degree in biology, but I found I didn't like research/lab work, so I thought nursing would be a better fit since I enjoy helping others. Now it feels like I made a huge mistake... But all the money and time I've spent is making it hard to back out at this point. I have been told by my advisors/counselors that nursing is a very broad field, and that I can find a niche that will make me happy, but I know that I'll have to push through at least 2 years of med/surg experience before entering non-bed side nursing. I'm not sure if I can survive it to be honest, there have been many times that I have thought about suicide to escape it all. Thankfully I have very good support, but it might not be enough to save me if I keep feeling this miserable and depressed... Should I continue and finish my degree? Should I try switching to something else, maybe occupational or physical therapy, is that less stressful?? Anyone have similar experiences and but have found a specialty they enjoy?

I think the core issue here is your lack of confidence, not your profession. You could pursue all of the degrees and professions in the world, but until you figure out how to manage the core issue, I don't believe you'll be happy or satisfied.

I'm very sorry you're going through this. Sometimes our minds are horrible places to live. I do believe your best course of action at this point would be to seek psychiatric help, especially since you've considered suicide as an escape route.

I truly wish you the best.

I'm sorry you're struggling so much. First of all, do you see a therapist? If not, please call and make an appointment to see one right now. It's imperative that you seek professional help about your depression and suicidal ideation. I struggle with chronic depression and anxiety so I know how that goes.

You don't HAVE to start out working as a nurse in Med Surg if you don't want to. There are other avenues you can take. Try to stay positive and remember, everyone makes mistakes - it's how we learn. You'll never make that mistake again. Be very conscious of everything you do and think twice before you do anything. Keep trying! You are still a student and still have so much to learn! You will get through this!

Thank you for your support everyone. I really do hope to become a stronger, more confident person if I survive through this. And I currently see a counselor, it helps a bit. I guess I should see a psychiatrist instead for more treatment, maybe get medication too? I hope your depression and anxiety is getting better as well, @summerly. I wish making mistakes wasn't so painful haha, but you're right I ensure I don't make those mistakes again.

Do you think public health would be a good option? It seems more focused on patient teaching, maybe immunizations. I guess the only drawback is that I might lose a lot of my skills. Maybe something like working in a diabetes clinic would be cool? I'm just throwing ideas out there, anyone here in non-bedside nursing, and can you tell me whether or not you needed med-surg experience to get your position?

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I got a non hospital job as a new grad and have done the same for 23 years now. You can do it.

Specializes in ICU.

There are research nurses too, and many do more than just taking patient histories. Public health could be a good option too.

I hated nursing school so much I almost dropped out. I also had a previous degree and thought that I wanted to do research, but found that the lab was not for me. The only thing that prevented me dropping out (other than I couldn't figure out what else to do) was watching an open heart patient land in the ICU after a valve replacement. I knew immediately that I wanted to work in the ICU. That's all I've ever done, and although some days are really hard, I love it. Stick with it, you can find something that fits you.

Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

You don't automatically have to "push through" 2 years of med/surg experience to get to a specialty you desire. I know a lot of people feel that the best way to get skills down is to do a general experience like that but I can't really agree. I work on a hematology/oncology floor in pediatrics as a nursing assistant and am currently preparing to interview for an RN residency program for this specialty. Part of why I don't agree with the statement of being "stuck" in med/surg is that we get kids from other units when the med/surg census is too high so the skills remain relevant and that's very challenging on it's own (especially when there are months where all many of the RNs have are non-hemonc).

I write the above with the disclaimer that I have absolutely beat myself to death to get here. It has not been easy. I work full time and am 9 weeks away from graduating nursing school. My fingers are crossed and I am hopeful for the best outcome for all my efforts (plus plenty of other extracurricular things I have done). At the moment, the situation is looking extremely good so, no, you don't have to settle for med/surg if you feel like that isn't for you.

There were many times in the earlier stages of nursing school that I thought it wasn't for me. One of the worst floors I had ever been to made me feel like I couldn't possibly be a nurse and that it would be miserable. Interestingly enough, our school ended their contract with that facility because of how poorly things were going for students and staff alike (I mean, our clinical instructor was agonizing over reporting some of the things going on to state because it was so appalling). So, wait until you find a specialty to like/love. Then, set your sights entirely on that and work as hard as you can for it. You will find what you love about nursing if you keep an open mind (I was convinced from the start hemonc was not for me but I couldn't have been more wrong -- it is my passion!).

I think if confidence / anxiety is your main issue, maybe look into getting more help for that.

I could have practically written this post myself.

I'm a shy introvert that has never had confidence in anything. I'm almost finished with my second semester and confidence has been my #1 issue in clinicals. It seemed to get worse this semester, especially as I find my CI very intimidating (don't get me wrong, she's awesome, smart, and I feel very lucky to have had her this semester, but she's intimidating). My first two clinicals she and I had met after clinical to discuss my confidence. She was nice about it, but we tried coming up with some ideas to get me a little more comfortable. We deduced that more experience would really do me some good so I could get more comfortable with a care giver role, but it's just not possible with all of my classes and two small kids.

There were 5 weeks between my second clinical and my next as I had some lab days, two OR rotations, and spring break. I went back determined to be more confident. I was. Sort of. My CI noted that I appeared more comfortable. It really was faking being comfortable. On the inside I was a wreck. I'd blunder which would throw me off even more which would lead to another.

I left that clinical wanting to cry. I almost decided to quit because I felt that I would never get where I needed to be, and I really needed to get over it by summer semester. I did a lot of reflecting before deciding. I absolutely love the things I do in clinical, but it's my confidence and anxiety that just bring me down.

I scheduled an appointment with my GP. I told him about my anxiety, about being in nursing school, and that I'm just not coping with everything. I even told him the same thing that you wrote, that someone was going to end up hurt because I'm eventually going to make a huge mistake because one mistake leads to another as I get more and more flustered.

I started buspar. I had it before, temporarily, and knew that it didn't affect me in a way that would make me unsafe in patient care. I started it a few weeks ago, maybe a month. I still feel jitters as I'm waiting for us to get started for the day, but since I started taking it, once I get on the floor I feel like a different person. It's no longer about what I'm feeling, and it's all about the patient (as it should be). I was able to converse and work with my classmates and the nurses in ways that I couldn't before. It was like a 180. My instructor writes notes about each clinical performance. It was always "not comfortable, not confident" etc. It went to "appears more confident", and then finally it was that I've shown a lot of growth over the semester. I honestly almost cried when I read that considering I was really considering quitting.

I think if you enjoy what you do and it's mostly about confidence / anxiety, please talk to your doctor if you think it'd help, and hopefully the two of you can find something that'd help you. It may or may not help in the way that it did for me, but I think if it's something you want to do, it's worth a try.

The stress and anxiety from nursing school is making me very depressed. I do get good grades in my classes, but in clinical I lack a lot of confidence. The low confidence gets worse when I start making mistakes, and then I feel awful about myself for a long time. I'm terrified that one day I will make a mistake so bad that I'll kill someone. Although my clinical instructor says that I'm performing well, she also worries about my lack of confidence...

I'm also in nursing school. It's sort of hard to deal with the fact that there are some patients we can't help enough. You seem very conscientious about your nursing, and I have also been worried that I might miss something important which could hurt my patient. I mean, there is only so much one nurse can keep track of. So I discussed this with a professor, who told me that this feeling is very normal in the beginning, and that is why it is so important for nurses to work together as a team - instead of individually - so there will be more "eyes" and "ears" keeping the patients safe.

Or maybe you love precision, (since you are from a science background) and find it nursing stressful because nursing care is something where we have to be ready for our plans to change on a dime.

Hopefully you can find a counselor to discuss your concerns. You have to take care of yourself. Maybe nursing isn't the easiest career choice for you, but regardless of your future jobs, you need to treat yourself well.

Please don't give up. If you are thinking about suicide, please seek help. There are anonymous hotlines that you can call that will help you.

I'm in nursing school and I struggled with anxiety and self confidence as well. I came into nursing not knowing anything and while I did well on tests, I struggled with skills. I was always fearful and in clinical I stumbled a lot. I made mistakes, stupid ones etc. in front of my peers who liked to harp on my mistakes. I felt bad too. I thought I was dumb but what helped me is this:

1. Everyone makes mistakes (even the people that make things look effortless)

2. Practice makes perfect. (the more I practiced my skills, the better I became and my anxiety lessened)

3. It's ok to be afraid but make your fear work for you instead of against you.

4. Take it one day at a time. (Right now, focus on doing the best you can do at this moment in nursing school. Instead of what might happen in the future.)

5. MEDITATE ON GOOD OUTCOMES. (Today is going to be a good day, I am going to try my best and improve)

Right now, in my last semester, my anxiety is a lot less than it was when I started. You will get there too. Just believe that everything will work out. You are stronger than you think.

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