Good evening. I've been a member of Allnurses since last year. It has helped guide me through my prenursing journey to acceptance into the competitive ADN program I applied to. I worked hard, through last summer all of the way through this previous spring semester to achieve the 3.6 gpa I have. I scored in the 99th percentile on the Pax-Rn. I was very proud to get accepted into the AND program I applied to.
Well, it just so happens that, this previous January during thr spring semester, I lost my job that I had been on for 7 years. I was devastated. I had given that job much of myself, and they just threw me away like a piece of trash. I applied for unemployment, which I was approved for. I've obviously encountered some financial hardship since, being that my unemployment is less than half of what I was making.
After no luck finding a job, I went ahead and enrolled full-time this summer. This made me a trainee as far as the Dept of Labor said, which means that I was to cease my work search and concntrate on my studies. I began to look at what happened with my job as possibly a blessing in disguise, as I would have had to probably leave anyway once the nursing program started.
The problem I'm encountering is my family. Both of my sisters are not supportive at all. They call me lazy....say I'm too sorry to work. I've worked since I was 16 (I'm now 29), oftentimes two jobs. The job that I lost...I was salaried, working close to 60 hrs/wk. I thought the circumstances lined up perfectly for me to pursue my dream of being in nursing.
They constantly make me feel like crap. They talk about me to other members of my family. They say "they went to work and went to school....you can too". They don't realize that I did as well when I was younger, maintaining almost 4.0gpa while doing so for two years.
Nursing school is very unique: they don't understand that, for most, they can't work while in RN school at all. At best, some manage to hold down a part time job. Most don't work at all. They faculty even advises us not to work. Working a part time job wouldn't even pay me more than I receive with my benefits.
The only people that have supported me are my parents. My mother is a nurse, and she understands the rigors of nursing school. She told me she thought I made an excellent choice, making a short-term sacrifice for long-term security and happiness. My father also supported me, telling me that it was time I went for it, doing something for a living that was a rewarding and that I could actually enjoy somewhat. Sadly, he passed away last month.
Now, I'm still excited. I can't wait for school to start this fall. My mother continues to support me, as well as my friends. However, I can't help but feel discouraged at times when some of my family feels like they do about me. Well, sorry for the long post. Just needed to vent. I'm gonna stay the course and do the best I can.Anyone else encountered anything similar?
Everyone won't be supportive when you're accomplishing your goals. One of my best friends, who inspired me to go into nursing, told me (last year, when I found out that I was accepted into the program) she didn't want to "wipe butts for a living". Mind you, she was the one who wanted to go into nursing. Needless to say, we're no longer friends. I guess she no longer wanted to hear/see how happy I was. She stopped answering my calls. Anyway, congrats to you. I don't know you and I'm proud if you. Keep your eyes on the prize and good luck!
i always taught my kids that making somebody else feel smaller is no way to make yourself feel bigger. i also told them that it's stupid to spend time around people who want to make you feel bad.
very well said. i will be stealing these pearls of wisdom for use with my children. hope you don't mind :)
Sounds to me as though they are jealous. They do not want to see you suceed and do good. Also, seeing that your mom is a nurse, they may be jealous in that way because now you and your mother are going to share something. Do not let them discourage you. When I first started with school my parents were very discouraging. They kept telling me things about how awful it would be to be a nurse and how there are no jobs out there (even though I am always seeing jobs in my area for RNs). My mother even went so low as to accuse me of wanting to be the kind of nurse that took care of my grandfather who had just recently died. They finally stopped saying things when they saw that I was not chaning my mind about it. I think they just did not want to see me do better than them in my career. It is sad really when your family is so discouraging, but you have to think about yourself and live your life the way you want.
Have you considered not going into nursing because if you can't take a little bit of heat from your family, I wonder how cut out you will be taking heat from your nursing manager, nursing peer group, and the patients. You may want to reconsider another career path in my opinion.
HOW DARE YOU TRY TO DISCOURAGE HIM FROM GOING TO NURSING SCHOOL!!!!!! He is not saying that he can't take the heat from the pressures of nursing school!! The man just needed to vent about a family situation that is OBVIOUSLY hurting him!!!!!! We ALLLLLLL want and need the love and support from our families and it can be a little upsetting when we can't get it.SMH!!!!!!!!
Jc1882 I am glad that you have your parents in your corner, to me that is one of the strongest support systems that you can have!!! I can't understand why your sisters are so negative,other than jealousy as so many others have said. Just keep your head up, surround yourself with positive people and keep it moving. Oh and when you feel like you need a little extra love and support we are right here!!!!! I have your back!!!!! :hug:
See, I thought the rest was clear. There is a surplus of nurses=poor work conditions=nurses leaving. More new nurses to be used/abused. Medicine controls the output of new docs, nursing does not control output of new nurses, until then,when creation of new fodder for corporate health care canon is stopped, we will see no improvement. This has been exacerbated by the economy.
My confusion as far as that post goes further than "honwar." It was a bit loaded with no explanation!
Well if your not happy with your choice to be a nurse then the answer seems very clear...... CHOOSE ANOTHER PROFESSION!!!!!!! No negativity needed here!!!!!!
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177 Posts
Everyone won't be supportive when you're accomplishing your goals. One of my best friends, who inspired me to go into nursing, told me (last year, when I found out that I was accepted into the program) she didn't want to "wipe butts for a living". Mind you, she was the one who wanted to go into nursing. Needless to say, we're no longer friends. I guess she no longer wanted to hear/see how happy I was. She stopped answering my calls. Anyway, congrats to you. I don't know you and I'm proud if you. Keep your eyes on the prize and good luck!