Frustrated - Questioning Choice of Career

[BrightFirefly]

This is my first post here - though I've lurked on these boards for years.

I'm in my first year of an Associate's degree nursing program. It's my second degree. My first is an Associate's of Science centered on Medical Assisting. I worked three years as a Medical Assistant before returning to school for Nursing.

I adored my job as a Medical Assistant..which was both clinical and clerical.

and I dislike nursing school. -_- It's not that it's "hard" - my grades have been all A's, and one B. I've had raving reviews from my professors about my confidence and competency in skills, but

We just started Clinical in a hospital two weeks ago (The first two quarters were nursing home clinical which I didn't mind at all) and I just don't enjoy it. I don't want to place a catheter, or an NG tube. It's not that I can't, I just don't want to. I love patient education and I don't mind passing medications and I find assessments to be interesting and critical..but I could do without the rest.

I just feel really down because I'm over 6,000 dollars into this, and 8 months of my life - and I'm having second thoughts. I made decent money as an MA - 15 an hour. I've always wanted to work OBGYN - so I'm considering just going back to being an MA and maybe eventually working my way up to more money with more experience.

Anyone else have second thoughts and just work through 'em and are happy they did?

[cndn_grl08]

One thing to keep in mind, is as a nurse you can do almost anything! For example, nurses work in hospitals, in clinics, in schools, in the community. Many nurses don't put in catheters and NG tubes. Even in the hospital, there are other options. One that I can think of off the top of my head is Mother/Baby (Postpartum). Lots of assessments, mostly patient education, and rarely a catheter or IV insertion.

Also, you're only 8 months into it. I don't know about you, but the program where I am is 4 years. You may change your mind in that time, as you do it more and get different experiences.

In the end, it's totally up to you. We definitely don't need nurses out there who don't WANT to be nurses. However, if it were me, I would tough it out and keep in mind that although you have to do what THEY want you to do now, in the end, you can do anything you want to with the degree! Good luck!

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

oh, heck, i haven't put a foley or an ng in anybody for years. i hear you, and i am also weary (though understanding) of the student nurse lab-check-off mindset. "ooohhh, you got to do that? you're sooo lucky!" in a few years they'll be saying to themselves, "oh, good grief, another foley? is there a student around?" :rotfl:

all those psychomotor skills are just that-- tasks. even in ob you may have to sink an ng once in awhile, and you will certainly need to put in foleys now and then. but your major focus will be exactly what you want wherever you choose to work: patient education and support and assessments. they may be different (mine certainly are) but they are still nursing.

eyes on the prize here. you're doing well, you'll have a great credential that will open more doors than you can know now, and you'll have a world of choices out here. and it's early days yet-- your years as an ma really didn't give you much insight into what nurses are, as opposed to the tasks you see nurses do, even though you think they might have. keep an open mind, and keep going.

stay in touch! good luck!