Advice or whatever....

natalie · Apr 20, 2001

fulwood,

Of late, quite a few of us would have a hard time recommending the nursing profession due to all the hardships. As you say, you can see all the frustration here.

Having said that, my intuition tells me you should pursue this. The nursing profession may reward you greatly. It can be exhausting, but now that my kids are grown, I am more able to put my heart and soul into my local community hospital. I see you will be able to do this also.

My sister is 42, younger than I am, and makes more money than me in desktop publishing, with no schooling beyond high school. You echo her exactly in your words of wanting to make a contribution. She sits at her computer all day making a profit for someone else. She will be attending school in the fall for Respiratory Therapist. For her it was a compromise, because she felt nursing would be too difficult-this is more due to her wanting to tend to her family at the same time.

I hope you have familiarized yourself with nursing. Do you have any experience in a hospital setting? Do you visit anyone in a nursing home? Have you been a patient before?

These experiences will help you to make your decision.

Overall, if you want to make a difference, you will indeed in nursing. The internal rewards are immeasurable.

mustangsheba · Apr 20, 2001

What is it exactly that you are afraid of, Fulwood? Change? Loss of income? Whether you will like nursing? You say you've taken almost all the classes, so you've invested a lot of time already. Natalie's question about whether or not you've actually familiarized yourself with a nursing atmosphere is important. If you haven't, actually being in the nursing milieu can be a shock. Do that first. It should help you make up your mind. If it's just plain, every day jitters, most of us experienced that. You describe some symptoms of depression. If you are, it could be immobilizing you. It's hard too being alone; on the other hand, it can be an advantage in that you can devote yourself totally to accomplishing your goal. When you start nursing school, if you find it's not what you want, you can stop. It's not like joining the army. Figure out what's holding you back. I have never, ever been sorry that I'm a nurse. If you want daily challenges and to belong to a profession where there is always something new to learn, where you truly can make a difference in someone's day, get your little butt off that office chair and keep your eyes on your goal. Keep us posted.

fulwood · Apr 20, 2001

Mustangsheba - I have read many of your emails before and always like what you have to say. I think right now I am scared of all the things you referred to. I have been with same company for 13 years so scared of leaving and the loss of income. Nursing doesn't scare me I wonder whether I have what it takes to be a nurse. . But what I am scared of most of all is not changing my life at all and continuing on as I am at present. I have taken a CNA course before and enjoyed the patients. I learned one thing from that course and that is that CNAs have my utmost admiration for doing a crappy (pardon pun) and absolutely backbreaking job for not very much pay. I also recently volunteered in an ER but just quit because I wanted to be more involved with the patients than I did with brooms and mops! I am not going into nursing for the money - it's more for the personal reward(s). I like what you wrote about getting off my office chair as well. Thanks for your input. I do read and take everything in.

puzzler · Apr 20, 2001

Here goes fulwood

I do come here to vent (the family is rather tired of hearing it)BUT and it is a big BUT

I was not always a nurse. I have had a number of different jobs (most in the accounting areas of business). I went into nursing at the age of, well, I was not in my 20's anymore.

I have been a nurse now for 25 years. Would I do it again? Yes in a heart beat. One of my daughters and a niece are also nurses.

It is a very physically and mentally demanding job. But as in any other profession, you reap what you sow. I can not imagine doing any other job. The rewards I gain are far removed from money (although I really would like a little more of that green stuff LOL). The feeling I have when I know that I have touched another person in some way and enhanced their life is like no other feeling there is.

Soooooo--If you want to be a nurse the only thing holding you back is YOU. Do not let fear of the unknown win out. Take that chance on life and experience one of the greatest "highs" I have ever encountered.

------------------

Sheryl www.CrosswordsForNurses.com

journeyy · Apr 21, 2001

Hi Fulwood,

I worked as a secretary for years before deciding to try nursing. I worked as a CNA for four years (major cut in pay-incredibly hard work). Finally, at 37, I went back to school. Now, I am a nurse. It may be different for everyone...I can only tell you that I believe nursing comes from the heart. You have to want to do it, for reasons that exceed money or 'uniform'. Fear can be an incapacitating emotion. I was scared lots of times during the process. Examine your motives, and, your personal needs. Maybe try some volunteer work before you chuck everything you have going on now. Are the sacrifices in nursing 'worth' it? Only you know the answer to that one. Good luck & God bless whatever you choose.

Kaliko69 · Apr 21, 2001

Hi!

I thought I'd tell my short story of working insurance (commercial) for 10 years, raising 2 kids and suddenly when I turned 30 thinking to myself "i hate this job". I started slowly, taking off early to take classes, then taking off half days to take more classes and finally holding my nose and jumping in.. in other words I quit work and began full time. I was definately scared to death. But like you I want to make a difference, feel like my life has made a differnce. I am still in Nursing school, and it is really hard. But I know it is the thing for me. (plus like the other person said, you can always quit )

I say go for it. You have to do what you can in the time you are allowed. Don't want to hit 80 and have this on your list of "wish I'd had dones)

I wish you well

Kali

st4304 · Apr 21, 2001

I was the secretary to the Med. Director of a worker's comp clinic for 10 years, and during that time, I was always jealous of the nurses. It just looked like a fun job. I always dreamed of opening the door of the waiting room in my white uniform (this was the 80's), and saying, "Mr. Jones, would you like to follow me?", placing the patient into the exam room and saying, "The doctor will be with you in a moment" and having the patient look at me respectfully, thinking "Wow, she's a Nurse!" Boy, was I naive!!! It was a nice fantasy though. Anyway, to make a long story short, I finally got my a** out of my chair (there were other things going on at the time with my employer) and I took the dive. I have been an RN ADN for six years and I have never regretted it. (Well, I can't honestly say "never"!) I have days when I come home ready to fight the world, but I still have this wonderful pride whenever I respond "I am a nurse!"

I say go for it. Like a previous poster wrote, you don't want to look back and think "Why didn't I?". Good Luck! (Let this BB know when you decide to go for it! I be looking for ya!)

[This message has been edited by st4304 (edited April 21, 2001).]

mustangsheba · Apr 21, 2001

You have had enough contact with nursing to know what it's like. If you worry about whether or not you'll do be a good nurse, you have an excellent chance of being one. It is hard work, but infinitely rewarding. You sound like you have the normal "pre-wedding" jitters. Betcha once you step through that classroom door, you'll never look back. As mentioned before, it's usually better to be sorry for the things we've done than the things we haven't done - especially if we let fear dictate our actions. You'll be fine once you're in the program. Take heart.