would you have continued thru nursing school if you had shadowed first?

[thekid]

I often wonder if I would have gone on to earn my ADN had I been able to shadow an RN for a few weeks and had really 'seen' the job/requirements/stress. I'm one of those optimists that went into school thinking nursing would be like it is on TV shows :) And I just wonder..how many students would have continued on in school had they really been aware of what the role involved.

[Nepenthe Sea]

I have participated in a nursing externship for the last six weeks, and I am DFEFINITELY happy to be going into nursing! I observe alot, but get to actually use my skills, too. I work three twelves a week, but it almost doesn't even feel like work because I enjoy it so much. I know it will be different in the real world, don't get me wrong, but I also knew going in that it was going to always be a fun job by any means. I have been through two semesters of clinicals, and this is WAY better than clinicals, which I don't think always give you a realistic idea of what is to be a nurse.

[Williss2]

I think I probably would have. The things that I dislike about nursing couldn't have been taught by a shadowing experience. Like admin. BS, lack of respect from other nurses and professions, etc.