As good as, Better or Worse than you thought it would be...

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello,

I'm a pre-nursing student due to start my prereqs in August. Before I do, I wanted to make sure that being a nurse is something that I really can handle...if my dreams of being a nurse is realistic.

For those who have graduated and now working as nurses--is being a nurse as good, better or worse than you thought it would be and why?

Couldn't have said it better myself. It seems like I'm in the same boat you are. I've realized that nursing was a HUGE mistake. Now I've got bills to pay and no way of going back to school to get a different degree. I'm stuck in this h*ll hole of a job and I'm miserable. When someone asks if they should go to nursing school I say NO, don't even consider it!!

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Specializes in Pediatric ICU.
Couldn't have said it better myself. It seems like I'm in the same boat you are. I've realized that nursing was a HUGE mistake. Now I've got bills to pay and no way of going back to school to get a different degree. I'm stuck in this h*ll hole of a job and I'm miserable. When someone asks if they should go to nursing school I say NO, don't even consider it!!

Hi can you share with me why you do not like it? Why it was a mistake to go into nursing?

Thank you!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
Couldn't have said it better myself. It seems like I'm in the same boat you are. I've realized that nursing was a HUGE mistake. Now I've got bills to pay and no way of going back to school to get a different degree. I'm stuck in this h*ll hole of a job and I'm miserable. When someone asks if they should go to nursing school I say NO, don't even consider it!!

What kind of degree WOULD you get???

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).
I'm really glad you posted this question! I am in a similiar boat; in fact, I found this post by googling "will i enjoy nursing?" I, too, am feeling uncertain about this path even though I have thought about it for 10+ years. I'm finally starting school this fall. My question for nurses is, what about for LPNs???? I live in a more rural area so decided that being a LPN and working in long-term care is more realistic for me. Other than "don't-waste-your-time-go-get-your-RN-instead" (which I hear all the time), what thoughts does anyone have on life as a LPN?

I think there is a great deal to be said for CNA-LPN-RN as a career path. I've worked with several present and former LPNs, and there were several in my class working toward their RN. My LPN classmates were miles ahead of the rest of us in clinicals. The LPN's I work with are rock-solid. The RN's who started as LPNs...well, they've been a nurse of what sort or another for decades, so of course they're very good. Still, whatever the entry route, I think the better grounded you are in the practical aspects of nursing, the better chance you have to do some critical thinking. When you're up to your butt in alligators, you don't have much time to ponder their role in the ecosystem.

I've known a couple of people who've gone from acute-care RN to LTC management. Knowing them, I imagine they'll do okay. Still, all else being the same, I'm sure their staffs would rather see a manager with solid experience as an LPN in LTC who then moved to RN.

So I don't think you're wasting your time. But hospital LPNs do get paid crap.

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