Is Nursing for me?

Jules A, MSN · May 6, 2011

Hi, being a CNA is helpful in that it you will become comfortable with things like doing vitals, some schools give preferential admission to CNAs and you might be able to secure a job on your unit prior to graduation. If you are bright when you focus you should be fine because imo the nursing curriculum isn't difficult just a lot of material to stay on top of and memorize. I graduated feeling like I didn't remember a thing but even years later things still come back to me. Nursing can be a bit physically and sometimes emotionally draining but I love it. Good luck!

aernurse · May 9, 2011

I think you should go for it! It took me years to figure out that nursing was for me. The one thing that held me back was that I didn't think i was smart enough. I didn't care about my grades in high school and I've taken years of college courses at random trying to figure out what i wanted to do. My grades were okay but once I realized that I wanted to nursing it became my life. Before i started nursing school it was required to have your Nurse aide License which was helpful because it opened my eyes to what i would be doing. I think it is very helpful to be an aide first. Also, once you are a nurse you understand and appreciate the aides a whole lot more. Nursing school is hard, but I've never cared so much about my classes before.

I can see how nursing can be very draining. As in any job, there are good days and bad days. The great thing about being a nurse is that there are sooo many different opportunities! You can find your specialty.

Good luck in whatever you decide!

kag1992 · May 11, 2011

Thanks for your reply! It's always nice getting another's perspective who has gone through some of the same things :)

kag1992 · May 11, 2011

Yeah I'm really looking forward to it! thanks for the advice!

NurseVoldemort, BSN, RN · May 12, 2011

I'm only 19... I'm scared that maybe I don't have the brains for it.

I graduated high school last year but I hardly remember a thing... I was one of those students who didn't necessarily pay attention in class and did what I could just to pass so I could graduate.

I learn quickly though if I put my mind to it. Especially if I'm interested.

i'm thinking about going to nursing school in the fall.... I need advice and pointers as to if maybe this career is for me.

Answers to questions like:

What classes did you take all through college?

What classes were the hardest?

Being a nurse, is it emotionally draining?

What are all the positive outcomes?

Do you think I can do it?

- I think you could. It is definatly a program that you have to work on, its not a "pass then forget" program cause you will need all that info when your patients lives are in your hands. But if you feel that passionatly about it, I think that your experiances will make you a great nurse!

AnP was hardest (pre-req), that was harder than the program because its "memorization" and I'm more of a reasoning person, so once I got into the program and we were learning the "why's" it makes more sense to me... connecting the dots ya know?

Emotionally draining - every nurse has good and bad days. There are some days you leave work crying, family members expecting too much of you, not getting everything you needed to do done, and kinda feeling like you did a "mediocre" job. But most of the time, I leave feeling like I made a difference! I usually leave feeling good about myself! I don't know a single nurse though that hasn't "broke down" at least once at work... it happens. Its not an easy job! You're taking care of someone family member and they want the best for them, and sometimes there's just too much to do, and not enough time. (But remember, these days are RARE! at least for me...)

I say go for it! Just don't forget to ask for help! That's what caused my first breakdown, I didn't ask my co-workers for help and tried to do it all myself... but I learned, and it's made me a better nurse! :up:

kag1992 · May 13, 2011

That makes me feel better :)

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

I hope I can do it... Some schools expect you to already have experience or expect you to know what you're doing already in some classes.

For me, going to school I will be starting ALL over again..

I don't want to get in too deep over my head thinking it will be easy if I put my mind to it... I think I have too much confidence for someone who isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed :/

I over think everything, which messes me up most of the time!

GamerGirL337 · May 16, 2011

That makes me feel better :)
Thanks for taking the time to reply!
I hope I can do it... Some schools expect you to already have experience or expect you to know what you're doing already in some classes.
For me, going to school I will be starting ALL over again..
I don't want to get in too deep over my head thinking it will be easy if I put my mind to it... I think I have too much confidence for someone who isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed :/
I over think everything, which messes me up most of the time!

You know me and you have a lot in common, I chose nursing because of an accident that should have killed me when I was 14 (80mph head first into an embankment, not wearing a seat belt and partially went through the windshield)

I also barely remember anything from high school (nearly 5 years ago, i'm 22 btw) and I have an associates in psychology and barely remember anything from that! lol...unless it pertains to me, or its something i can use, I rarely remember it. Plus I'm scared about nursing school (I start September 7th) and i've heard so many horror stories, and the fact that nursing school is NOTHING like regular college classes, with all the clinicals and care plans and "different" types of tests.

I'm scared...i'll admit it, I know this is what I want to do, but I'm scared that i'll fail or it'll be too hard and i'll give up, or because of all the time spent in classes/clinicals and homework I won't have time with my family, my husband, my pets or my current job.

ALSO

I know how you feel with the whole "i don't know if i have the brains for it" In school, i scraped by, in my first 2 years of college I almost gave up multiple times and again, just scraped by with a 2.8 GPA.

But when I decided I Wanted to go into nursing, finally, everything changed, I knew i had to change my ways of studying and thinking to do it, and I did. I have made it on the Dean's list the past two semesters (all pre-req's for nursing classes) and Got accepted into my first choice nursing school this fall. I DIDN'T think I had the brains for it, but now, even though i'm scared out of my mind, I know I have the brains for it, its all about doing what you love, enjoying what your learning and finding new ways to learn and remember everything.

I'd love to share some tips with you for studying and memorizing if you need help!

Again you CAN do this!

kag1992 · May 18, 2011

Thanks for your reply!

I'm sorry to hear that. Glad you're okay though!

That makes me feel better... I believe if you really are interested in something, then you can achieve it.

I'm so excited for it, yet so nervous! We'll see though.

Thanks for all the encouragement! makes me feel a whole lot better! Even the negative stuff prepares me and makes me try even harder:)