Help... not sure if nursing is for me

suri_wild · Jan 4, 2011

I don't think you are alone in this feeling. It can be scary. My first set of clinicals was scary and I was doubting my nursing capabilities and whether or not I liked it. But you should realize that nursing has such a broad spectrum. You won't like every part of it, and def not every department. But most professions you won't like everything about your job. You mentioned you like the newborns, so that is probably your niche and you will make a great nurse there! Or perhaps you would like working in L&D or pediatrics office.

I think you should take some time to shadow nurses in def departments, volunteer or take a leap of faith and get a job in nursing. If all else fails and its not for you, start shadowing other careers like Med Techs, Rad Techs, Pharmacists. But don't consider switching until you give nursing a try. And don't commit to the new education until you shadowed your new choice.

rn/writer, RN · Jan 4, 2011

It may not be the nursing itself that's the problem, but rather your lack of confidence and the feeling that you can't do anything right. Who in their right mind would want to jump into a job where they feel intimidated and scared all the time.

I suggest that you take a step back from the brink and think of ways to work on these peripheral issues before you decide to ditch nursing entirely.

Think of specialty areas that don't have you freaked. Postpartum, newborn nursery, clinic nursing--these might be good places to start.

I came to postpartum nursing after doing psych for a long time. I had never worked in an acute care setting, and, even though I took a refresher course to update my skills, I still felt kind of shaky. Postpartum has turned out to be my home. Lots of teaching. A few scary moments here and there, but mostly a happy place that lets you leave feeling very satisfied.

Above all, don't panic. Many students feel edgy when they get close to graduation. Think about it. School is pretty sheltered. It may be challenging, but you have lots of direction and structure. You're supervised and have ready resources along with classmates who understand what you're going through.

The transition to functioning independently can be daunting, but if you can set the emotions aside and try to think rationally, you may find yourself navigating these waters far better than you thought you could.

I would suggest doing some job shadowing, if that's an option. Try to find a unit or a clinic that will give a new nurse a chance to grow and develop a sense of competence. Some hospitals offer nurse residencies that give more help than a regular orientation.

You didn't make it this far by being incapable.

Use allnurses as a sounding board and a support system. I'm rooting for you. :yeah:

tablefor9, RN · Jan 4, 2011

One of the great things about nursing is that there really are so many different things you can do as a nurse. Public health, education, school/clinic nursing, nursing research...list not exhaustive.

L&D in the hospital setting is pretty darn invasive (but that's another thread), so maybe not that...and even babies need labs/blood cultures/IVs, etc.

Do your homework about opportunities and know that what drew you to nursing may help guide you to your niche, but understand that it's pretty common to feel very stressed within the last year of school/first year out.

travelgurl18 · Jan 4, 2011

I would look into maybe some counseling to work on your confidence and perhaps look into and job shadow nurses in other specialities. Their are 50 different types of nursing careers, you don't have to work in a high stress clinical environment. Thats the beauty of it!

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2011

When I was an aid, I was enamoured with caring for people and loved the daily routines.

I went to school and liked it a lot at times, but, for the most part, started to hate nursing. The reasons are varied and plentiful.

Bare in mind though: Nursing School DOES NOT reflect nursing. Being on the unit, in RL in no way is anything like going to school. Nursing school exist to prepare you for state boards, not help you gain confidence/experience with the more technical aspects of the field. It only lays the most basic foundation for your career, nothing more.

Point is, don't hate nursing school and decide you hate nursing. I almost did that. I still have my little peeves and annoyances with nursing, but I am nowhere near as annoyed as I was with school.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Jan 4, 2011

Hang in there, there are so many areas to work in you should be able to find your niche. Don't give up. Just look at all the threads in the specialy section...

cara1017 · Jan 4, 2011

How about trying to shadow, or do a clinical/practicum rotation in the neonatal ICU? It might give you more experience with IVs, so you will feel more comfortable with them and you might like it since you liked the newborn nursery.

SoundofMusic · Jan 4, 2011

I remember feelling like that in school. I loved school, and was interested in what I was learning, but in NO way was in any hurry to get out on the floors and actually do it. We also didn't get much clinical time, so I arrived on a unit very, very green. It was pretty pitiful and I laugh when I think back to it.

But I just had to get through that, and work through those fears. I just jumped onto a unit, into the preceptorship, did my best, smiled a lot, and did what they told me to do and just got out on my own and flailed around for a long, long time. One thing I can say is that on most units in larger hospitals, they do a pretty good job of precepting (general statement, I know), and you are not "alone" on the job for at least 4-5 months. You are with another nurse and she will show you and then allow you to do it and make sure you are doing it right before you are allowed to be on your own. They are very particular about this and won't let you be on your own until they think you are ready. A lot of nurses like to teach -- not all, but some are great at it. Just find those nurses and latch onto them if you can. Also have a good and loving support system around you as you learn to be a nurse. Go home and enjoy life on your breaks and don't let the bad stuff get you too down. There WILL be bad stuff and there WILL be jerky nurses along the way .. .just jump over them and move on.

So, you develop your confidence bit by bit in your preceptorship and then one day you don't feel ready, but you're out there off of your preceptorship and functioning independently as a "novice" new nurse ....and every other nurse has gone through the exact same thing, so they know you're scared and most good nurses are right there to help you everyday. And, as you get going as an everyday staff nurse, you always have your team to rely on. You are never truly alone as a nurse, unless you stay to yourself and don't ask for help. I had to get used to this concept as I was always an independent self starter type ...but in nursing, it's a team effort entirely. If you have a patient go bad, 10 nurses will automatically surround you and begin to help out, even take over because they know you are not ready to deal with it totally.

And you will have extremely tough days as you move up the learning curve. You will go home and cry, you will go home exhausted, stressed and vowing never to return ...but you do. You just put one foot in front of the other and GO BACK the next day. You learn and learn and learn like never before. It's an amazing thing -- and then one day about 2-3 years later you feel like a veteran ... But it takes time and you have to go through the fire before you become a more seasoned nurse. You just have to SEE AND DO to be a nurse ...not just study in books.

It's why a lot of nurses are amazing, tough, and respected individuals ...they have made it through some tough times and developed a very huge body of knowledge. But pretty soon, honestly, you will know more than the new interns do. And you'll be telling them what to do sometimes. :nurse:

OldNurseEducator · Jan 4, 2011

Get out and do something you are comfortable with! Life is too short. You deserve to be completely comfortable with your life's work. It might make you feel better about yourself to pursue another line of work that deals with babies and children. Just my 2 cents which is worth nothing.....

luvapug · Jan 4, 2011

Wow-your post got my attention because that's exactly how I felt at that point in my life many years ago!!!! The only area I liked was post-partum too -how funny. The reason you are so scared and stressed out is because you don't have enough experience in those areas yet. I used to be terrified of starting an IV and my nursing instructor would find people for me to try on every clinical and I could never get them-uggh! When I graduated and was hired at a local hospital they taught me everything I needed to know and I did it enough that eventually I became good at it and was not longer stressed by it. You just aren't there yet but you shouldn't be expected to either so give yourself a break. By the way, I LOVED working post-partum and did full-time for a while but now I do school nursing and love it as well so you will find your own niche as well! Good luck and hang in there-you're almost done with school!:yelclap:

Dazglue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 4, 2011

From one nursing student in her last semester to another I know how you are feeling. I think it is just that we are getting so close to the end that we are terrified because we don't know everything we "think" we should know. I have been told that is normal! I still don't think I'm comfortable with putting in foley's but that is only because I have only had TWO opportunities to do it my entire nursing school experience! I've also been told if you aren't nervous then you should be! Lol. I used to feel bad when people asked what dept I want to work in because everytime I said postparturm people would frown. But that's where I had the most fun and enjoyed the most. Now I don't care because if I have a choice after graduation that's where I am going! So good luck to both of us! I think soon enough we will find our niche!