What to do? :(

[Toaster]

Hi,

So, I was out of high school for two years(I am 20 years old now, turning 21 in January) because I didn't know what to do with my life. I decided to enroll in nursing school and here I am, in my first semester. I feel like it's too much, I can't handle it anymore. I want to switch my program but my parents will get mad because I already wasted 2 years and now another. What should I do? If I do drop it my courses, it'll say F on my academic record. I just can't take it anymore. My parents don't know yet.

Any advice?

[Stephalump]

Umm I work 36 hours over night and do the ADN program and am acing the first semester if I can do it anyone can !

No. The world doesn't work that way. Just because you can do something doesn't mean everyone can or should.

OP, sounds like you've had a rough time of It. Sorry you ended up withdrawing - I'm sure that hasn't been easy to deal with!

I don't know if you should go back or not. It's one of those "what will be different this time?" kinds of things. If you couldn't cut it last time, you probably can't cut it a second time without changing something - stopping working? Better time management? Tutoring from professors?

[AOx1]

OP, do you like nursing school, or do you enjoy nursing as a career? There is a big difference. Consider shadowing nurses in several specialties. I ask because you mention that you miss your classmates, but I don't hear you saying that you love what you're studying, love clinicals (if you have started them), or enjoy caring for patients.

A career is a long-term decision. It can certainly be changed later, but this does have an opportunity cost. You probably wouldn't become engaged to someone you just broke up with because you missed one aspect of that person. Take time and decide if nursing is the right fit for you. Will you enjoy this career for the next 30+ years? You owe it to yourself to decide what your own goals are for your life and if nursing will help you achieve it.

[Toaster]

@ A0x1, honestly, in the beginning of semester I didn't like it at first because we did interviews with our classmates, I felt uncomfortable even if I did multiple times. As weeks went by, we began to do blood pressure, lifting patients, etc... It was fun and enjoying. Even if I wanted to stay, I could not because I did not have the confidence since I was really behind in 2 nursing courses. My placement doesn't start till March.

I don't think its allowed to shadow a nurse in Canada unless the individual is a nurse from other country.

As I mentioned in my previous post, should I email one of my nursing professors and apologize for not telling her that I was going to drop nursing? @_@ Now that I think about it, it was really inappropriate to just leave the program without talking to her. What if I do decide to go back to nursing and end up being in her class again? I'll get bad vibes from her. How should I start the conversation? :| Or is it too late? (I am still attending the school and finishing up my other courses that I have not dropped out of)

[AOx1]

I would not think badly of a student who quit abruptly, but a quick conversation could be beneficial. The most upsetting thing I've ever encountered was a disappearing student, who vanished from the radar. The student did not notify anyone(friends, family, professors) and we feared for the student's safety. That said, to do something like that, I knew that the student was in a really bad place. I didn't care what choice the student made, as long as the student was safe and made the choice freely.

Most professors want the same things: competent, happy, committed students who care about and for patients. I might make an appointment to discuss your reasoning behind your initial decision, and how you have changed, are committed to success, and your plan for achieving it.

If you must work, it might help build your confidence to work as a nurse's aide. I admit that I am woefully ignorant of what this job is called in Canada, but here in the US it is called CNA, AUA, PCA, etc. I did find an old thread on allnurses where this job is called Personal Support Worker in Canada, but the thread is old, so I'm not sure if that is still accurate. It might help you build confidence working with patients and in basic skills.

[mrsboots87]

Was nursing something you felt pressured in to? Like, did your parents make you feel like you needed to do something with yourself and you jumped into school? I only ask because that is why I started school my first time around and subsequently failed out. I am also concerned with you missing the people in your class and no the nursing profession itself. Unless that was just worded poorly. I still stand by my original advice that you need some soul searching. Sit down with your parents and explain that you want to make something of yourself, but your not sure what that something is. If you find you are onl attracted to nursing, the reapply and take another shot at it down the road. Whether it be next year, or 5 years from now. But for now, just take some broad classes that will get you closer to a liberal arts degree or science degree or whatever. You don't have to finish the degree, but if you do then that's great. Taking the various classes may just help you see what you want to do for sure. Or stop school completely for now and have fun. Come back to school when you are ready and past the burnout. As for the instructor, if you feel like it will leave a bad impression not to notify her why you left then send her an email stating that you reached a burnout and found you weren't sure if nursing was for you. Your are no the first student, nor will you be the last to realize this. You can also state that you may consider returning at a later date is you find yourself circling back to nursing. Good luck in whatever you find to be your passion.

[Toaster]

Thank you for your input.

@AOx1, You are right, its called personal social worker and I think it would take 2-3 years to complete the diploma.

@mrsboot87, believe or not, I made the decision to enroll in nursing, not my parents..my parents don't even know what I do in school. They never looked at my grades whether its in elementary school, high school or anything and they always compared me to my cousins. I forgot to mention in my original post that at first I didn't like it because all we did was interview each other...which I was really uncomfortable regardless of how many times I did it but when we did learned how to take someone's blood pressure, i enjoyed it.

I will email the professor tomorrow and see how it goes :)

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

I'm concerned about your sleep habits. This isn't necessarily something you can just decide to fix on your own, but do consider getting a referral to a sleep medicine clinic or specialist who can help you. Sleepwalking like a zombie through your day is not a good plan to follow in a rigorous course of study, and it's unhealthy in general.