I don't like nursing school :( will I hate nursing?

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Jan 13, 2013

I don't think you should do anything you hate. Especially don't think you should make that thing a career.

Camperhead · Jan 13, 2013

I don't necessarily think that hating clinicals will mean that you hate nursing. Working with patients does get easier. I used to be extremely shy when I was younger, but I've managed to overcome a lot of that. I also have always felt like a scientist more than a nurse and felt that I belonged in a lab. I still enjoy nursing for the most part. I think you just need to find the right area for you. It may not even have to be in direct patient care.

Applehead · Jan 14, 2013

I don't think that will have any impact on what kind of nurse you will be. Just hang in there and keep your head up! It's a tough road but every nurse gets through it!

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 14, 2013

I agree with those that are warning you away from nursing. Even if you can "get used" to dealing with patients, it would undoubtedly be a continuous source of stress for you. Living an inauthentic life is a quick trip to bahootie-ville.

Have you considered a 'behind the scenes' healthcare career such as clinical lab technology?

jujubeee · Jan 16, 2013

Time to re-evaluate?

I didn't look some clinicals in nursing school; TERRIFIED with the ICU, but eventually had to tell myself every morning before clinicals that I want to be a nurse and my passion is to help people.

Some classmates couldn't get used to the idea of needles and injecting people and had to drop out of the program.

Person-to-person contact is not for everybody. Especially when you yourself know that it is a stressful environment for you. But maybe nursing school can help you get used to more patient contact? Otherwise, I agree with the previous poster...maybe something more behind-the-scenes will be better for you if you feel that patient contact will be stressful.

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2013

I love my nursing career, and even days I dread coming to work, I'm fine after I get there- and usually have a mixed bag of enjoyment, reward, and some worries that were no where as big as what I "dreaded" happening. On the other hand, I severely disliked Nursing School's ADN program. It was like boot camp for the spirit, and left me kind of damaged inside.

My first year of Nursing healed those wounds, and I went on to greatly enjoy and appreciate the more (authentic) "academic" feel of my BSN, MSN, and MPH. Back to ADN, I never slept good, lost a ton of weight, went from depression to anxiety like a roller-coaster, and came out feeling emotionally numb. I had a really bad experience with an instructor who was later fired for doing the same thing to the wrong person that I was to shy and scared to report. So I take part of the blame, I just felt like they would take her side if anyone complained. She became the dean for a while before several students came forward, past and present, and some with proof. I still have nightmares! But, even had I not had that hell semester (which strengthened my character and killed the naïveté I possessed), I would have still strongly disliked school.

I miss my close friends, our bizarre study groups where we found some real crazy ways to retain and critically think the material through(we called it "Digesting.") I also loved the Outpatient Clinic where I helped out a Rural Pediatrician over the Summer and received a heart for Med School. I too enjoyed the Academic parts better than Clinical. I perform well under pressure, but I like to learn in a positive environment without the anxiety.

FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I · Jan 16, 2013

My nursing school experience was a nightmare. Not the clinical experience that I loved nor even the bookwork where I learned so much, but my classmates were another story altogether. They were so snotty and picked on me a lot. most even shunned me. I suppose a lot had to do with the difference in ages. I was the oldest student in the class, and several were just out of high school. I have been in healthcare most of my life in different ways, because I love it so much. If it is your calling, nothing will stop you. Good luck with your choice.

mariebailey, MSN, RN · Jan 17, 2013

Maybe the hospital setting is not for you. There are other areas of nursing to consider. Also, do you plan on eventually continuing your education and going for an advanced practice degree?

nolegirl96 · Jan 17, 2013

I am doing well in school - I have gotten a 4.0 in the last two semesters. I loved learning pathophysiology and pharmacology and the skills. But as I go through the program each continuing semester involves having more clinical time and less class time, and I dread going to clinical sites. But clinical is what nursing will be like, isn't it? If I hate clinical, will I hate nursing? I'm starting to believe I belong in a research lab or something since I am a pretty shy person, which I feel like makes it harder to enjoy nursing...[/quote']
I completely understand how you feel. I got my Rn license almost 6 yrs ago after having a bachelors degree in another area so nursing was a second career for me. Quite a few people recommended nursing as I am good with people and was looking for a stable career. When I was in school, I felt the same way-I loved class and learning about medicine but did not like clinicals- I actually dreaded most of them. I only liked being in specialty areas where you were not doing "floor nursing". I get stressed out easily and although I love a challenge I found that this type of nursing was not for me at all. I saw how stressed those nurses were and knew it would not work for me. Are you ok when in specialty areas while in clinicals? It is true that there are so many areas within nursing that you may find your niche that wasn't accessible to you during clinicals. There are many non-patient care type jobs. Try not to give up completely-hopefully you will find your niche.

serenitylove14 · Jan 19, 2013

Clinicals was so nerve wrecking! Hang in there! Everyone feels the sameway!

MissKay912 · Jan 20, 2013

I'm in LPN school right now and we just started our second round of clinical rotations in the hospital. Last semester we were in the nursing home and I was experiencing the same "hate for clinical." My anxiety made me miserable to say the least. One day I was 5 mins late and fell to pieces crying in the bathroom. I just pulled myself together that morning and realized that I cant let the pt see me like this. After that Friday, i was like if I got through that ill be fine from here. Just get in there and give it your all. Don't let the nurses intimidate you either. Remember they were students before they became nurses, they know what we are going through. It's all about your approach. Make sure you have the right questions (open-ended) and you know what you're talking about. They're very busy so hospitality is not something they're really thinking about when these students "invade". And sure we wouldn't want to compromise a pt's airway or have them fall or something crazy like that (origins of my anxiety..lol) but we're in a profession where doing is learning so just keep calm & nurse!!! ?

ufo8micats · Jan 20, 2013

I think that "hate" is such a powerful word. It takes energy to hate something, meaning that what ever is expending energy from you is gaining energy from you also. I really did not care for nursing school. The instructors verbatim from the books, and were consistently late. To which we the students had to stay past class time to pay for their tardiness. As for clinically I dreaded the OB and med surge/critical care rotation. For me the most nerve wrecking part of clinicals was being watched and scrutinized. You know that feeling you get when a cop follows you for a long time and you start wondering if you stole your own car? Well that was the feeling I got everyday in clinicals