a little help please?

[balutboi]

So I'm only 17 years old and I guess I'm at the point of my life where I'm thinking about my future, since my senior year is coming up and I'll be off to college. Both of my parents are nurses and they always push me to do it, and I just wasn't all too sure about it. Music is my passion, I'm the leader of a 125 member band, and well in music I've been fairly successful at it, thanks to God of course, I had a talk with my mom and she told me about all the jobs there are in nursing and I told her that I wasn't sure if nursing was what i saw myself doing for the rest of my life. So I was like, hey why not look for a nursing forum, googled one up and found this one. But some questions I have is, do you guys love nursing and love what you're doing? Do you have time for yourself and for your family? Do you still get to do what you love doing (like for me play music). Another thing is, I don't want to spend the rest of my life as another face in the crowd, cause it just isn't my personality. Is there a job where I can express leadership and stuff like that in the nursing field? If you guys could help out sort out my life, that would be great. Oh and if you do plan on responding, don't make it sound like there are absolutely no flaws and absolutely nothing negative about nursing, explain your experiences and tell me where you guys are now. Tell me about what to expect and the things that you hated. Well, I think I did more than stop in, say hello, and introduce myself. Oh my name is Jason by the way. Hopefully somebody reads this and helps me out...

[goats'r'us, ASN, RN]

if you don't want to be a nurse, don't let yourself get pushed into it, because you'll grow to resent the work.

why don't you look at jobs that can incorporate your music talents, like music teaching? in that job, you're not another face, and you get to do your own thing.

[begalli]

Lots of good stuff here.

One thing I want to mention is that nursing is smart. You will know so much about so many things. There is really no limit to what you can learn and then do and then teach.

You will be a decision maker, frequently making quick decisions based on your unbelieveable knowledge in sometimes very stressful situations. This is the part of nursing that I think I appreciate most - the smart part. I also think this is the most difficult part of nursing to describe.

Being present for a dying patient is such a priviledge. Being able to articulate the complicated things that are happening with a dying patient to families who are facing perhaps the most profoundly sad time of their lives makes me feel so necessary (for lack of a better term) and proud.

Communicating, collaborating and working with brillliant and innovative healthcare providers (other nurses, doctors, therapists, etc) is awesome.

The opportunities in leadership are endless. Nursing is good and best of all, nursing is what you make of it for yourself.

[bbcewalters, NP]

OK so here is my story:

When I was in your place I applied to college and recieved numerous scholarships for music. I went to school with the idea of doing both Music and Pre-med (I know not nursing, but wait). After a year of no life because of rehersals, practicing, and studying I dropped pre med and focused on Music. I graduated with a BM in performance, joined the Army as a Musician, and was happy for several years. However there was always something in me that missed the medical profession. About 3 years ago I went back to school on the Army's dime and completed pre reqs for Nursing school (I had since decided RN was much better than MD ) and finished with my BSN about 1 year ago.

Point is I'm glad I did music and I will always be a musician and I will always look for local gigs, but for me there came a time that I wanted to grow up and get a "real job". I love nursing and music. Music will give you a background in MANY things that other people would not think is involved with music. Mainly things like leadership, responsibility, time management, working well with others, listening skills (like you could never imagine), and a lot of self directed disipline. All of these qualities are very important in many other jobs.....

There are MANY musicians who are now MDs, RNs, Lawers, and other high stress jobs, WHY????? because music is about as high stress as you can ever get, and also very self directed no one is at your home telling you to practice you have to do it because you want to....

My thoughts only, you have lots of time to decide, but music will always be a part of you...

Bobbi

[balutboi]

Thanks for the advice, it helps a lot. I think I like decision making jobs. I don't always like being told what to do, and making decisions is just what I do I think. You seem to enjoy your job, and I'm just caught between people telling me to follow my love for music and people saying nursing is wonderful. I mean, I think nursing seems to be a very good job, and I think I would love to experience the things you probably have, and if I do, I will make sure I have time for music, cause without it, I just don't know. Thanks a lot

[IndyGal]

My husband is a professional orchestral musician. He LOVES what he does, but it's a very tough field to get into... he sits on audition committees and it's not unusual to have 200-300 people auditioning for a single opening. I second whoever it was who said follow your dreams, but also be realistic. If you went into music, what type of career would you want? (Performing? Teaching?) If you're interested in performance, also keep in mind that performance involves a LOT of compromise... you don't get to make all the decisions yourself, even as a soloist!

[momdebo, BSN, RN]

Jason, remember that you must always be true to yourself, first of all. Nursing is not the kind of job you can do for the money, not for long anyway. There is a huge variety of things that nurses are doing these days. I would suggest that you might try some volunteer work, maybe even be a CNA , get some behind the scenes practical experience and see how you feel about it. I have several kids, the oldest is now entering school, she will be an MA and then plans to go on for nursing. She wasn't always sure about that, she tried several things out and found that it was her calling after all. Some parents have thier kids lives all planned out. All you can do is ask for their support and understanding, if that doesn't work, do what my husband did and say, "this is my life, get your own!" (just kidding) Good luck, God bless you and keep us posted!:)

[RN2B07]

Hi Jason...I am a new grad, working 6 months now. I am not gonna lie, its hard work getting thru school. Now I am working its stressful, but extremely rewarding. I love what I do, and wouldnt change it. I work 3 12 hr shifts and then have 4 days off per week. Plenty of time to do whatever intersts you. Its not for everyone. but good luck in whatever you decide to do. :welcome: