Finally done with the worst two years of my life

Published

Where do I start?

The month before nursing school I went through a divorce. During that time, the last three years were spent working two jobs while doing my prerequisites at night. I had a son and a daughter on the way. Just before making my dream a reality, the wife made an ultimatum. You either come home to the east coast and hold your dream or you stay in California and go to nursing school. I couldn't just drop what I worked so hard for especially since I had a 2.8 gpa and got into a nursing school which is almost impossible. Nursing school drained the life out of me. Every care plan, every test, ever skills check off. After the first couple months, I was mentally and physically drained. Plus on top of that, I was heartbroken and missing my children daily. I don't know how I got through nursing school but prayer and patience were key. I loved every second of patient care, even the difficult patients were quite interesting. I found my love in each hospital, in the late nights and early mornings. Often times I'd be dreaming about my patients and how their lives turned out the way they did. Nursing was and still is in my blood. It's a life of service and giving. We sacrifice ourselves to make other people's lives better. Complete strangers. Nursing isn't for everyone. In fact, almost 30% of my class didn't make it. I wanted to write this post to those of you out there who want to go into nursing and are still unsure. Don't waste anymore time thinking about it. If this is what you truly love, a selfless profession, go for it. You won't regret it one bit. To the care plans and endless paperwork, I'll never miss you ever again. To my fellow classmates, it was a wild two year journey. For me, it was a nightmare that felt like it would never end.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Congrats on finishing! You faced a lot of challenges. I'm glad they're behind you now.

I will say though it's not a selfless profession for me. I work for a living and to support my family. And if a nursing student is about that too, it's totally ok. Still go for it.

Congrats again!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Where do I start?

The month before nursing school I went through a divorce. During that time, the last three years were spent working two jobs while doing my prerequisites at night. I had a son and a daughter on the way. Just before making my dream a reality, the wife made an ultimatum. You either come home to the east coast and hold your dream or you stay in California and go to nursing school. I couldn't just drop what I worked so hard for especially since I had a 2.8 gpa and got into a nursing school which is almost impossible. Nursing school drained the life out of me. Every care plan, every test, ever skills check off. After the first couple months, I was mentally and physically drained. Plus on top of that, I was heartbroken and missing my children daily. I don't know how I got through nursing school but prayer and patience were key. I loved every second of patient care, even the difficult patients were quite interesting. I found my love in each hospital, in the late nights and early mornings. Often times I'd be dreaming about my patients and how their lives turned out the way they did. Nursing was and still is in my blood. It's a life of service and giving. We sacrifice ourselves to make other people's lives better. Complete strangers. Nursing isn't for everyone. In fact, almost 30% of my class didn't make it. I wanted to write this post to those of you out there who want to go into nursing and are still unsure. Don't waste anymore time thinking about it. If this is what you truly love, a selfless profession, go for it. You won't regret it one bit. To the care plans and endless paperwork, I'll never miss you ever again. To my fellow classmates, it was a wild two year journey. For me, it was a nightmare that felt like it would never end.

That's a promise you really shouldn't make. This forum is full of stories written by people who were SURE that they would truly love nursing, or that it was their "calling," only to find out once they actually began working the real life of a nurse (vs. the TV life or the life they envisioned) that they hated it-and regretted it A LOT.

It's not for everyone. It's really hard to truly understand what you're actually getting into before you are knee deep in it.

I hope you truly do end up loving it. Good luck in finding a good job, and I hope you get to see more of your children very soon. It's in their best interests to have a mom AND a dad in their lives. Also, congrats on finishing what you started.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.

I don't sacrifice myself to make other people's lives better. I go to work, do what I was hired to do and collect a paycheck twice a month. It is not a selfless profession for me. That being said, if you find it to be so for you and you love it, well rock on then. Congrats on finishing nursing school and best wishes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Glad you made it through , it's a tough time. The real tough times are ahead.

"It's a life of service and giving. We sacrifice ourselves to make other people's lives better". NO, just NO. It's a job. We are nurses, not martyrs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Nursing school is pretty much the easiest part of this whole nursing thing. It really should be much harder than it is. Too many get through who are going to wash out. They see it as an easy job opportunity. Most of them had a 'calling'. Don't be that guy.

The whole mentality of nursing being a "calling" and "selfless profession", is what is truly holding the profession down and allowing nurses to be taken advantage of. Get that out of your head right now. And for God's sake, do not ever entertain the mindset to "sacrifice your self" for this job.

Nursing is a kicked-in profession. The corporate suits love and push the 'calling' mentality because it allows insufficient staffing. They know it's easy to just get the staff to suck it up and deal because that's the mindset most of their staff already has. So now they can get by with less staff and more heavy work loads. This leads to frustration, bullying, mistakes, exhuastion and burnout, Sure.nurses complain, but they really don't do much about it. Individual facility unions are weak, because of the mentality of the members, once again, the 'calling'. Some strides are being made in some places in bits and pieces, but by and large, it will probably take another generation or two to really get anywhere. One can only hope.

Listen, I love and miss nursing. I am a factory worker who had started school while still in the plant. I was a nurse for several years but went back to my factory work. I wasn't going to work under the conditions of any of my nursing jobs any longer. I still like people, always did, and I still 'help people', always did. However, I never have and will not ever, 'sacrifice' myself and work under those conditions of nursing again. I have too much self-respect and that transfers to the kind of employee and overall person that I am.

Good luck with your children.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Congrats. I guess I have a hard time understanding being across the country from your children for it though.

For some reason it's completely acceptable for a man to do this. It's acceptable for a man to decide to a parent when it's convenient for them and dump all of the parenting responsibilities on the woman.

I don't sacrifice my family for my job, ever. I may work an hour late here or there, but I don't miss games or school events. I check and ensure homework is done, and do school projects with them.

Children need two parents. And dumping all of the responsibilities onto one is not fair. I do have a little understanding in this area. My oldest son is much closer to his stepdad than his own dad. It's because his own dad constantly puts his job ahead of his child and his stepdad spends time with him.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The relationship wasn't black and white. Obviously there were a lot more issues than nursing school. Risk my dream and knowing full well it wasn't going to work out? Naw, not me. I'm willing to do whatever I can to make amends but that's not possible if the other person isn't interested. It's called life. It's not fair. All I can do is try my best. Blessings :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Congratulations !

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Congrats on finishing school.

I'll join in with the crowd advising you to look at this as a job, not a call to self sacrifice.

When it is needed, I work my a** off. I wasn't called, I am not selfless, etc. It is what I signed up for.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.

Nursing for dollars.

Dollars allows a better standard of living.

Never forget what and who are important. Show up, put up, put out, go home. Boom. I mean do a great job. I always worked to be better tomorrow than I was today and give my patients the very best I had to give. There was no excuse for mediocrity - get it right, the first time, every time, someone's life was on the line. I always took the extra classes, did the speciality certifications, even read the new articles in Annals of Emergency Medicine, went to the conferences, taught the classes or what the hell ever else and worked to take the extra time with patients and families BECAUSE it all MATTERED and getting it right always MATTERED to me. Sure, I made some mistakes, but never the same one twice.

But, make no mistake, when I was home, I was home. I know who I am. Don't forget who you are.

What really matters when everything falls away, is you. Your job will axe you in a half-hearbeart IF it serves their purpose, but home & family should be your safe place to "land". Make sure you build a build a life that is not focused on nursing. Just my advice.

Onward.

You sound like you've faced some tough stuff. Divorce. Kids on an opposite coast. I hope life brings you an easy joy.

Nursing has its own tough stuff. Leave it where it belongs - at work.

:angel:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pedi.
To the care plans and endless paperwork, I'll never miss you ever again.

You think endless paperwork doesn't exist in the real nursing world?:roflmao:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion