Am I really cut out for this career?

Nurses General Nursing

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Ok, for all of you who have been nurses for a while

I'm about to start my prerequisites for Nursing, but I'm sitting here thinking that it might not be for me. Ive always been interested in the health care field and I've worked for a major health insurance carrier :devil:

until I decided to be a SAHM when my daughter was born. I always thought nursing was a good career choice because of the different specialties, job availability and pretty good money. But I'm not sure if I'm cut out for the blood, puke, and the fact that it's such demanding work. I'm married with a small child and my husband makes a nice living for us. I want a more satisfying career, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to give up all of the weekends and holidays and have a super stressful career. A friend of mine suggested I look into a Diagnostic Medical Sonography program or another allied health profession. What do you think? My sister is a nurse, now in a management position and she says if your heart isn't in it you can become miserable and burnt out. Sorry this is so long, but I just want to hear from some of you.

April

Yes, it is true if your heart is not into it you will become miserable and brunt out. Giving up your nights and weekends is something you need to think about before going into the nursing program. Clinics, dialysis, chemo, mangement, and schools may be areas of interest you could consider. However, the nurse programs are very demanding of your time.

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your description of the nursing profession brings hope to me. I have read a lot of negative things on here about nursing, and it kind of scares me. I have returned to school in Jan 07 this year to get my pre-reqs out of the way to go to nursing school in Fall 08. I should know by March whether I have been accepted into nursing school. I am excited to go to nursing school and try nursing as a second career. I will be 51 by the time I graduae (unless I can do it sooner!). My GPA is good right now (and I hope higher by the end of this semester!) so I am excited about a career that I think will be rewarding. I just hope I am nursing material, but I guess I won't know until I try . . . right?!

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

You are the only one that can answer that question for yourself eh?

Write down the pro's and con's about this.

Step back and decide.

If you do decide to go this route it is going to take all of your concentration and commitment.

I wish you well in your decision making. :)

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I have thought about nursing for a long time . . . I am ready to make the commitment. Working holidays, weekends, etc., won't be an issue for me. My husband and I have a dairy farm so we know all about working around the clock! As with dairying, you don't get vacations when you want them (unless you are a very big dairy), the cows have to be fed and milked 24/7. So the nursing schedule won't be an issue with me. My only concern right now is whether I am going to be able to handle all the medical stuff. I've seen calves born, scooped up lots of cow manure, etc., but haven't hard much experience in the medical field. Whole new ballgame for me.

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.
I have thought about nursing for a long time . . . I am ready to make the commitment. Working holidays, weekends, etc., won't be an issue for me. My husband and I have a dairy farm so we know all about working around the clock! As with dairying, you don't get vacations when you want them (unless you are a very big dairy), the cows have to be fed and milked 24/7. So the nursing schedule won't be an issue with me. My only concern right now is whether I am going to be able to handle all the medical stuff. I've seen calves born, scooped up lots of cow manure, etc., but haven't hard much experience in the medical field. Whole new ballgame for me.

:) You will get the experience. ;)

If this is what your heart is telling you to do then run with it and I wish you all the success this can bring you :)

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Specializes in Home Health Care.
Did you have trouble finding a PRN job right out of RN school?

Not for the job I currently have. I precepted there, so it was nice they considered me for any position I wanted.

I did apply to a couple other jobs for PRN, but was never called in for an interview.

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It's really hard on the body too particularly as one gets older. All that standing, walking, running around takes a toll on the musculoskeletal system. You may not feel it now but you will later!

As far as prn, some places require so many weekend shifts and so many holidays as a prn, and you may not get to work days as a prn because the need will be on the off shifts and that is when you will have to work and the only time the work will be available.

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It's really hard on the body too particularly as one gets older. All that standing, walking, running around takes a toll on the musculoskeletal system. You may not feel it now but you will later!

As far as prn, some places require so many weekend shifts and so many holidays as a prn, and you may not get to work days as a prn because the need will be on the off shifts and that is when you will have to work and the only time the work will be available.

Thank you for your feedback. I feel really silly asking this question, but what is a PRN? Thanks again.

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PRN is also called Casual.

You submit a list of dates and shifts you are available. Staffing will call and offer you shifts. ONLY after they have called all of the regular staff. You wind up with all the lousy shifts. You won't get stat holidays often because of the extra pay involved.

My hospital hires new grads for these positons and orients them to the units they will work on and it works fine in 99 out of 100 hires. It soon weeds out those with time management or people skills issues.

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Specializes in Operating Room.
You could work in a doctor's office or the OR, or some of the areas like dialysis.

But it is demanding and stressful, and if a regular hospital nurse you will NOT have Christmas, Purim, Eid al Fitr etc. with your family.

That depends on what dept. you work in...In most ORs, you only have to work 1 or 2 holidays, and they're call shifts, which means you don't come in unless they call you. My OR now does 4 hour call shifts on the major holidays, which is nice. My last OR, some people went 3 years or more without ever having to work Christmas/New Years/Thanksgiving.

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