Done with school but don't want to start work as a nurse...

Nurses General Nursing

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I recently finished an accelerated BSN nursing degree. I did well. However throughout school, especially at the start of every new semester, i had these intense desires to drop out. It was interesting to learn the material, but i just wasn't that into it and the atmosphere & reality of nursing produced a lot of anxiety for me. Nevertheless it was just a year so i stuck it out.

Now I'm done. I even have a job I'm supposed to start in a couple months. But I really, really don't want to. I'm not excited at all, even the pay (which seems to get everyone else all riled up) is hardly consoling for when i think about the day to day reality of my life to come. I tried being numb to this fact and just sticking it out but my body's rebelling and I'm not sleeping, i'm waking up with nightmares and have rather textbook panic-attack-ish experiences.

Every time I look back on school I wish I had just done it and dropped out. I have another bachelors degree and I could get a job doing something else and be fine. When I consider allowing myself this possibility it feels like a giant weight of dread lifts off my shoulders.

I am also worried because I accepted a position. I don't want to let people down. But I also really don't want them to invest the time & money and train me for a couple months & have me let them down then.

Honestly I know all the benefits of this field, i know the variety of jobs out there too but could it be that it's just not for someone? At what point to you accept that fact & is that a selfish thing to do? So many people work at jobs they don't love and I have respect for that too...just don't know if I can do it the way they do.

I would appreciate any advice or personal stories. Has anyone ever known of anyone who got a nursing degree & didn't use it to be a nurse... or tried for a short time and then stopped?

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"I am also worried because I accepted a position. I don't want to let people down. But I also really don't want them to invest the time & money and train me for a couple months & have me let them down then. "

I think this hits the nail on the head. Even though you've been through school, hospitals still have to invest thousands in you to get you oriented. It would be a waste of resources. I feel that if any nurse starts a new grad position, they should be willing to commit 1-2 years to that organization.

However, I also feel that you may be experiences a type of nursing school PTSD. A 1 yr accelerated BSN!!! Holy cow!! I did an accelerated 16 month ADN and still feel traumatized. It may be that the pure hell of school has you still in a state of panic. What kind of floor are you going to be working on? Is it something that interests you or that you dread? (For me that would be OR. I'd have panic attacks daily if I had to work there)

Ultimately its up to you. You need to do some soul searching, maybe talk to a working nurse, and get a good look at what your days would really be like. And then decide from there. And go back to the reasons why you went to nursing school to begin with.

Good Luck!

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

If you quit now, there are 50 new grad RNs who would LOVE to take your spot. So I wouldn't be too worried about letting them down, especially since they haven't yet invested any training in you.

Every time I look back on school I wish I had just done it and dropped out. I have another bachelors degree and I could get a job doing something else and be fine. When I consider allowing myself this possibility it feels like a giant weight of dread lifts off my shoulders

I think you already know your answer.

But let's just explore other options for a moment. What about nursing leaves you with a feeling of dread? Are there other options in the field that you might be interested in (such as research or administration)? I don't think I would necessarily make any decisions to quit the field of nursing altogether without exploring all your options.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

What was your first BS degree in? When you finished that, did you feel the same way about that degree as you do about this one?

What made you decide to apply for the ABSN program to begin with? Did you want to be a nurse to begin with?

Is there any other field you'd rather be working in? If so, is this a new desire of was it there when you finished your first and now second degree? And if so, why didn't you do that in the first place?

I'm not trying to be rude but I think you need to ask yourself some hard questions.. Two degrees and hard work and you are no closer to being happy with a possible career as you were before you started.

You should also ask yourself if you're a 'career student'. Some people love the education and continuously learning new things but when it comes to putting those degrees to work they can't seem to get it together. Do you find yourself wanting to go back to school for 'something' else?

Good luck... if you're not going to be happy working as a nurse, you should turn down the position offered to you, there are 1000s of other new grads wanting that position.

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You've already got the job, so go ahead and try it.

You might find that you like it after all.

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A few questions to the OP; are you afraid of the job and worried you might make a mistake? Are you scared of all the horror stories you hear about nurses and how they are treated? What made you pursue nursing?

If nursing is not for you, then it is just not for you. There is no harm in admitting it's just not the correct fit for you at this point in your life. If you truly think that you will be miserable, then put your first degree to work for you. However, if this is a case of nerves, perhaps you just need to take some time off. As for not liking nursing school...well, a lot of people will agree with you. Nursing school really sucked at times. I would figure out first where the problem lies and work on it from there. In either case starting a new nursing job right now just does not seem practical or sensible. Call the recruiter and professionally decline the job. Thank them for their time and the opportunity, but state that you are pursing other options.

While you are considering other options and what you want to do with your life, DO NOT let that license lapse. Continue to do your CEU's (a lot of free sites on the web) and pay your renewal fees. Maybe in 5 years you may want to revisit nursing again. Many states offer refresher courses (at your expense). Keep the license up until you know with certainty that you will never, ever want to go into this line of work.

You have wasted nothing. You gained an education in another field and another degree. At worst, you now know something about the disease Great Uncle Chuck died from.

I wish you the best.

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Life is too short to be unhappy. Go with what you really want and if nursing isn't it then give yourself permission to be okay with that. I never used my first degree. I have a small amount of guilt that I spent the time completing it instead of dropping out like I wanted to but I definitely DO NOT regret going into a different career.

Good luck! :hug:

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

It's ok. The reality is not for everyone.

I worked in hospitals for 15 years before becoming a nurse. When I graduated I know I did not want anything to do with acute care.

However, I had a great 10 years in office nursing and now almost 7 years in research. You just need to find something like these types of alternatives. Hands on care isn't for everyone and it isn't the only thing out there!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

My main question is if you already had a degree and didn't want to be a nurse, why did you apply?

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I commend you for being honest and thoughtful with your decisions. Was there any area of nursing that you were exposed to during school that was appealing? I would have hated most of the rotations we did but found my niche. Maybe the job you have accepted just isn't the one for you? Best of luck with whatever you decide.

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Sometimes in life you have to buck up. You are an adult. Don't give up before you have even started.

Work is work.

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Specializes in Emergency, Corrections, Adv Practice.

Did you spend most of your clinicals in an inpatient setting? Maybe hospital based medicine just isn't for you. Have you considered working in a clinic, home health, etc? If you simply don't want to be a nurse, then get out while you still can. However, if you weren't exposed to enough areas of nursing then maybe you just need to explore your options.

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