For the Nursing Student Who Feels They Aren't Meant to Be a Nurse

Many nursing students have doubts if they are cut out to be a nurse and experience situational low self-esteem. I was one of them, and this is my story. Nursing Students General Students Article

I remember looking around the room during orientation before the nursing program started. There we were, the chosen 60. We were told that this year the school had over 800 applicants and only 120 were accepted (the other 60 were at another campus). So automatically I assumed most, if not all, were almost straight "A" students, as the average GPA was 3.8 to enter the program.

As the year went on and the classes got harder, keeping up my GPA also got harder. There also seemed to be an unspoken competition about grades, and therefore I found myself keeping my B's, and my *gasp* C's to myself. This my friend, is when the first ounce of self-doubt crept into my mind.

Consequently, my self-esteem went down too. I felt like I had nothing to make me stand out, not my performance in class, not my grades, nada. Heck, I was sure some of the professors didn't even know my name.

Then came clinicals - and boy, they sure came with a fury.

Call lights, bed rails, bed pans, Foley bags, med passes, a unfamiliar supply closet, IV machines, and dose darn bedside tables (why do they have to be different at every clinical?!) Oh and to top it off many, many, uncomfortable "firsts" (and hoping the patient didn't ask if this was your first time!).

And I hated it.

It was then that I started to consider that nursing wasn't for me. Why wasn't I comfortable with simple things like dumping out the Foley bag or simply toileting a patient? How was I supposed to be a nurse if patient contact made me uneasy?

Every new skill, and every rotation seemed to rub in the fact that I was not made for the nursing world. But I didn't quit, and my first year came and went.

As year two started, I realized that I had retained more information than I thought. I could actually answer questions I was being asked. It was like magical nursing osmosis. I couldn't believe it! I did know a thing or two. Not only had my database of information and skills increased, but so did my self-confidence.

I started to accept that I was a B student (and that C's get degrees! *wink*), and became comfortable with my classmates' achievements. This, along with the strength and support from my close-knit friends in school, fueled me to finish.

Years have passed and I'm still not a bedside nurse, nor do I think I will ever be one. I enjoy more slow passed, one-on-one work and that's okay! (I work as a school nurse/home health nurse).

Now, enough about me, let's talk about you. If you clicked on this article, then most likely you are either questioning, or have questioned if you are cut out to be a nurse. Listen (or read I guess) carefully, you chose to be a nurse for a reason. Don't let situational low self-esteem get in the way of your goal. You already have the great accomplishment of getting into nursing school, now finish it. Once you are a nurse, the world if yours. There are so many different specialties in nursing that at least one will fit you.

In the meantime, stop comparing yourself to that nursing student who is so confident they call themselves the nurse when going into a patient's room (true story!). Also, remember it's okay to stumble, cry, vent, dislike a rotation or two, get a few C's, eat your feelings in ice cream, run solely on caffeine, and...did I mention run solely on caffeine?

Bottom line is that if you want to finish, you will finish and in a few years this will be your story too.

This article resonated with me so much that I may as well have been the author. I had almost zero confidence in nursing school, I barely scraped by on exams and during clinical I was a clumsy, unorganized mess for all twelve hours. I was certain that nursing was not for me and that I should go back to waiting tables.

I took my time to learn, never gave up, and kept fighting for that nursing degree.

I am now three years into my nursing career. I have been a guest lecturer at an Ivy league nursing school in my area, currently applying to grad school, and kicking *** and taking names as an RN in the ER of a busy level-one trauma center.

Advice I would give myself three years ago while in nursing school? You may in your deepest core feel unsure of what you're doing and what career path you've chosen, but try your very best to not let it show. People notice when you're unsure or lack self-esteem, and unfortunately they feed off of it.

Good luck.

Specializes in School Nursing, Home Health.

Great success story!!

Specializes in L&D, OBED, NICU, Lactation.

At what point do we actually have this conversation with people that nursing might not ACTUALLY be for them? I'm all for supporting colleagues and classmates, but I can guarantee that there are people who are probably better off in another field.

Thank you I needed to hear this. I'm in my final preceptorship, my last month of school and still feel like a clumsy mess. I feel embarrassed and full of anxiety every time I'm at the hospital. I hate feeling like this and have been questioning if this field is for me after all, since i feel like i should be more proficient by now. I do love interacting with patients though. I'm hoping it gets better. Thanks for sharing your story

My God I hated nursing school until my psych rotation and I finally felt like I was doing the right thing. Nursing school does not paint a good picture of what the real world will be always and I think a lot get discouraged when they shouldn't be.

Specializes in School Nursing, Home Health.

My personal opinion would be that it comes down to safety. That's just me though. I also think if somebody is not meant to be a nurse they will chose themselves to get out of the profession, even after finishing nursing school.

Specializes in School Nursing, Home Health.
My God I hated nursing school until my psych rotation and I finally felt like I was doing the right thing. Nursing school does not paint a good picture of what the real world will be always and I think a lot get discouraged when they shouldn't be.

On the job training for sure.

Specializes in Emergency Dept, ICU.

I wish more people realized nursing wasn't for them. Instead they just do a horrible job at work, make everyone else's day much harder, and risk the lives of the patient's they 'take care of'.

I have 3 semesters left in school and I stumbled on this inspiring article while looking for motivations to finish. Glad I come to Allnurses! I started last year of May looking forward on getting A's just like what I always get in my pre-reqs, but now I believed in C's get degrees!! because that's all I get, *lol. Thank you so much for posting this!

Specializes in School Nursing, Home Health.

I'm so glad this helped! Pass nursing school and then pass the NCLEX! you can do it!

Specializes in School Nursing, Home Health.
Heylove said:
Right on!

Thank you!

Specializes in School Nursing, Home Health.
detrelibre said:
This article resonated with me so much that I may as well have been the author. I had almost zero confidence in nursing school, I barely scraped by on exams and during clinical I was a clumsy, unorganized mess for all twelve hours. I was certain that nursing was not for me and that I should go back to waiting tables.

I took my time to learn, never gave up, and kept fighting for that nursing degree.

I am now three years into my nursing career. I have been a guest lecturer at an Ivy league nursing school in my area, currently applying to grad school, and kicking *** and taking names as an RN in the ER of a busy level-one trauma center.

Advice I would give myself three years ago while in nursing school? You may in your deepest core feel unsure of what you're doing and what career path you've chosen, but try your very best to not let it show. People notice when you're unsure or lack self-esteem, and unfortunately they feed off of it.

Good luck.

Good advice !