How do you know if your fit to be a nurse?

Sarah010101 · Mar 5, 2010

hellloooo, my name is sarah, and i just finished my first year of nursing school to be an RN. I am in a fast track course that the University of the Fraser Valley has in BC, Canada, it is 3 years, and goes through summer. I will grad with a BSN degree.

All i can say is you need to be super sure you want to put yourself through nursing school. Its extremely demanding and time consuming. I feel like i am always studying, always reviewing, always prepping for an exam or clinical. It is VERY intense. I dont even know how to describe it.

I dont really know what it takes to be a nurse since I am not one yet. I have been on the med/surg unit and it is very overwhelming. However, i have seen some amazing nurses, and some who are not so amazing. I feel like going through the whole school process is not only to learn the material, but to actual partake in the role AS a nurse.

As for the blood thing, a fellow classmate dropped to the floor when one of my maternity patients was delivering her placenta. I guess the gush of blood just made her pass right out, but it only happened once. :) More or less I havent worked with a lot of blood, im only a first year student, but I do work with a lot of urine, and i mean a lot of urine. Also feces. Yes.... My first day in ECU and we assessed my resident who was on like day 6 without a BM. Turns out he was impacted. And I got the lovely job of digitally (with my fingers) disimpacting him.

Yes to be a nurse you need to learn to smile at everything. Its all about the control of the facial expressions. No matter how gross it looks, smells, etc... people are relying on you to make them feel better and be professional. Trust me, once you get good at communicating with your pts, there is nothing they wont tell you.

SO far, communication- you need to be able to talk to people, teach people, understand people, and generally be a people person. Nursing is the "caring" profession... and honestly, if you have the passion, and motivation to be a nurse, i say do it. Yes school sucks, yes some of the nurse mentors will be all but excited to have you there, yes its going to be a very LONG and BUSY journey, and while im still in the process, I know it will be worth it in the end.

As for a couple of your questions: My class has 48 in it. We are all expected to grad at the end. They take you through the program as a group and they really do want you to do well!!! As long as you pass and meet the expected outcomes. lol

In Canada we have LPN's... and im pretty sure the only difference is the LPN works under the RN in a hospital, well they work as a team and split the pt load, but the RN is ultimatly responsible for all of those pts. LPNs cannot start IVs as well. However in Canada i know they are pushing for RN's to specialize... there is not a lot of LPN jobs out there right now... however ive been told by some nurses ive worked with that there are TONS of things you can do with your RN , like research, education, any specialty you can think of. ALSO, now the whole Nurse practioner thing is coming in, but they only get hired so far in like Northern places... where there isnt really any doctors etc.

ANYWAYS, back to studying for my Anatomy and Physiology exam hahaha... which i should be doing but i cant help myself! :) goodluck! message me if you need any fellow student support, if your going through nursing school your gonna need some

bebexoxo · Mar 5, 2010

Hey Sarah thanks for takin time to reply. Sounds intense. I wish you the best! And your so lucky you found a 3 year rn program. We have a 2 year rn program here but I believe you have to have a previous degree to apply. I was just wondering what a typical semester is like? Is it like group work, essays, class presentations or is it all just lectures, exams and clinicals ? Cause it sounds like you zoom right through it. I also herd for nursing you have to pass each class with a least a C? But overall it sounds like an intense gross adventure lol! Its nice to know its hands on and not just classroom. Good luck on your exam!

RN1298 · Mar 5, 2010

hahaha yes, intense gross adventure! That's hilarious and I think that's exactly what it is. Yes, you do have to make a C to pass, and a typical semester has all of the things you mentioned--lectures, exams, clinicals etc. I guess every school is different, but for mine we had class 1-3 days a week (depending on the semester), and clinicals 2-4 days a week. Lots of group work in my program...about 1 or 2 papers a semester...exams about every 2 or 3 weeks, depending on the semester. I just graduated so I'm not experienced or anything, but it sounds to me like you'd be a great nurse. :) compassion and a desire to learn... I know I'd want my nurse to have those qualities! Good luck!

sistasoul · Mar 5, 2010

Nursing school is the hardest thing I have ever done. I went to a 2 year school and I had all of my prereqs out of the way. The Anatomy and physiology, microbiology, English, math, etc. I only had to take the nursing theory and clinicals but I still studied ALL of the time. I felt like I was going crazy at times. It is not that the material is rocket science it is the amount of it. Assigned readings would be 100's of pages in a week. I would also have to go to the hospital the night before and get my patient assignment. Look up all relevant info on that patient including past history, meds, etc. We had to handcopy everything from the patients chart as we were not allowed to photocopy information because of privacy issues. Then at home I would have to look up all of the meds the pateint was on and know what they were for, the side affects and what affects they may have on labs, plus interactions. Some patients were on 15-20 meds and it would take hours and hours just to do this part. Whatever their diagnosis was I would have to write down the pathophysiology of it in my own words and have some idea of their secondary diagnoses. I would also have to look up all abnormal labs and know what those all pertained too. I would also have to have interventions or what the nurse was going to do for this patient with that certain diagnosis. This would take so long to do. Sometimes I would be up till 2am doing this and then have to get up at 5am to get to clinical on time at 6:45. If you had two patients you usually only had to do all of this work on one of your patients but still had to know about the meds on both patients. SO MUCH WORK. In clinical we would do all care on the patient including washing them up, vitals, feeding if necessary, assessments and meds. THen we would chart on them. I was always nervous during clinical. Clinical was usually twice a week. At the end of the clinical day we would meet and talk about our patients. I also had to meet clinical objectives every semester. These would also take a long time to do. Sometimes they would be simple things Like what are patients rights, etc. We had to do care plans for each patient to include at least 3 interventions. Each semester we would also have to make sure we had patients that had certain diagnosis for certain types of care plans like heart failure and lung disease. Every week during clinical one pf the students had to have prepared a presentation on ans assigned topic. We also had to gather information using the functional health patterns which consisted of spiritual, psychsocial, sexual, physical,etc, etc. I can go on but you get my picture.

Then there would be other presentations that we would have to prepare. With these we would have to meet weekly with our assigned groups. THe reading for theory was very heavy. I never managed to get through all of it. First of all, there was so much that you could never remember what you read if you managed to get to the end of it. The testing was not just memorization. You had to be able to apply what you had learned in class or clinical and decide the best answers. This was to teach us how to think critically. We also had to make these crazy poster boards and do a presentation to the community. I hate presentations with a passion but had to do it if I wanted my nursing degree.

The first semester you also go to a lab where they teach you how to give a bed bath, injections, foley catheters, assessment skills, vital signs, etc. Pretty much basic skills you would use as a nurse. The last three semesters we would have labs once a semester to learn advanced skills like how totake care of dress PICC lines.

The best part of nursing school for me was the relationships I built with my fellow students. No one else understands what it is like to go to nursing school and hos hard it is but another nurse or another student. I also enjoyed my patients immensely. I loved having the time to take care of them and talk to them. As a nurse your time is spread to thin. My school was exceptionally hard as I have talked to other students from other schools and they were not doing half of the work we were required to do. I guess it depends on where you go. Half of my class did not make it to graduation. I was told this wqs typical of 2 year nursing degrees. A couple left because they decided that nursing wasn't for them. some it was grades, some ot was family committments, and some got failed at clinical. It was not an easy road but it was worth it. I love working as a nurse better that the process of going to school for it. Nursing school was harder and more work than my 4 year finance degree.

I woukd take an anatomy and physiology class and see how you like that. It is a hard class with a lot of memorization. Iwould get all of the science classes out of the way while you are waiting to get into nursing school. Do really well in these classes because nursing schools are highly competetive to get in. Even if you decide against nursing these science classes can be applied to other degrees if you decide to go a different route.

If you feel you would like to take care of people I would tell you to definitely go for it. Nursing is a tough job but there is not another job I would rather do. Plus, in nursing you can go to different areas of nursing if you decide you don't like a certain area. I would definitely go for your RN. Here in the US LPNs are not allowed to work in hospitals and mostly work in long term care, MDs offices, and home health. At leat that is the way it is here in the north east but I think the country is trending towards this all over. With the RN you will have more flexibility and make more money than an LPN.

Did you ever think about becoming a nursing assistant? I was one while I was in college. In this psoition you help the patients with toileting, eating, dressing, ambulating, and other basic tasks. If you work in a hospital as a nursing assistant you get to do blood pressures, temperatures, blood sugar finger sticks, draw blood (phlebotomy), EKGs, etc. It really depends on the hopital you work in and what they allow the nursing assistants to do. It is really physical work as you are constantly answering the call lights. The nursing asssitant reports to the nurse any abnormal blood pressures, temps, etc. I loved working as a nursing assistant as I like hands on care.

Sarah010101 · Mar 5, 2010

hey bebexoxo,

yes you do need 60% in the classes to pass. My schedual is different than a regular university timetable. This semester I finished off my first year, We are a class of 48, and we have 3 different clinical rotations throughout the semester. So Monday, Tues, Wed will be clinical days, and Thurs, Fri is class days. You do 2/3 clinical rotations. This semester was Maternity and ECU. So some of us have a 3 week period where we have no clinical which is nice.

Right now im in N104, N105, N106, HSC 112 (anatomy and physiology 2), HSC 116 (pharm), and Eng 105.

However, when I was originally accepted into the program i did not have any of the electives (english, stats,psych) out of the way... so i have extra work to do. Which i reccommend if you do not get into the program, try and get your A & P out of the way along with your eng, stats, psych. There are ppl in my class who are only taking the basic nursing classes N104, N105, N106(Simul. Lab), because they got their electives done while waiting to be accepted into the program.

Me... I was accepted right out of highschool... so i had no chance :)

My classes are schedualed randomly throughout the week... a usual day is like 8:30-3:30... and they spread the N104, N105 (theory classes) throughout those days, and then N106(lab) is where we learn the basic psychomotor skills like mechanical lifts, inserting/removing catheters, pt assessment, etc.

A lot of it is note taking, uhm seminars.. we break down into smaller groups and talk and do assessments on eachother. The sim lab is cool.. we have been doing resp. assessment right now, which is perfect since i have bronchitis... everyone is having a good listen to my lungs lol

Usually it is one big paper a semester.. my last one was on social support. In first semester they gave us THREE though, on Caring, Transitions, and a Health interview and analysis. these papers are like 7 pages long.. you learn APA citation SUPER fast.

We go to community things such as support groups for different things... uhm stuff at the YMCA for older adults that have osteoporosis.... there is a big focus on health promotion :) Which is what nurses do. We promote health and wellbeing :)

There are clinical assignments... when i was in ECU we had to assess each physiological dimension.. and write about it and it takes FOREVER. And then we have to fill out learning needs and our progress with those.. write care plans for our patients (usually you get a light one who is fairly independent, and then you get one who is very dependent). We also have to do clinical progress records (CPRs :) haa ) and meet each criteria, with examples and rationals.. reflections etc.

There is one group presentation at the end of each semester.. the one i have coming up is teaching, communicating with a visually impaired patient. This semester is all about pt teaching and transitions as we finish off our maternity stuff. Now the LPNs can access the program to gain their full BSN.

Ohhh there is SOOOO much to tell.. you have no idea. LOL. Im so happy im done working for Care aids... no more residential care for meeeeee!!!! :) its something you have to do to learn the basics. ha, and i mean for some ppl they love it. Its just not my thing. And plus, its unusual to find RNs in a long term care facility... usually there is only one, and then a couple LPNS... and then RCA (care aides)... but yaaaa Nurses eat their young... seriously, if you choose this profession i swear when im an RN and there are little scared students around... i will literally take them under my wing. Some of them are just not interested in teaching... which makes it so hard and overwhelming.

Anyways... Anatomy and Physiology is still waiting to be learned hahaha :) I promise i dont procrastinate when im giving meds lol. bad habit.

bebexoxo · Mar 5, 2010

wow...that was very descriptive, sounds crazy! Its insane and it is true no one would understand what its like to be a nurse or nursing student unless they are one. I had no idea it was so intense. Nurses always look so calm in the hospitals. But apparently are mean to one another. I didn't know some schools were so heavy on the workload compared to others.

And I HATE presentations! Omg when I get in front I still turn red and forget my words! Omg I better try and get over that fear. And group work omg... I really hate relying on others for my grades. But if thats what it will take ... *sigh*.

I think I'll go ahead with taking some courses first and then enrolling into the PN program. In Canada the PN program is pretty good from what I hear. They are allowed to work in hospitals and have their own patients but an RN is in charge and does the IVS ect...from what I've been reading. So I think I'll do that first and then finnish for RN later. I just can't imagine going into the 4 yr program right now and full-time. Theirs just too much on my hands right now.

Im really glad the program is split between books and hands on. I would hate doing full-time classes. Right now I go to school mon-fri 8am and work right after till 9:30. So maybe thats good practice for not having a life and being up and about more then 18 hours a day. So I'm assuming its impossible to hold a job as a nursing student? I wonder how mom students do it!

sistasoul · Mar 5, 2010

wow...that was very descriptive, sounds crazy! Its insane and it is true no one would understand what its like to be a nurse or nursing student unless they are one. I had no idea it was so intense. Nurses always look so calm in the hospitals. But apparently are mean to one another. I didn't know some schools were so heavy on the workload compared to others.
And I HATE presentations! Omg when I get in front I still turn red and forget my words! Omg I better try and get over that fear. And group work omg... I really hate relying on others for my grades. But if thats what it will take ... *sigh*.
I think I'll go ahead with taking some courses first and then enrolling into the PN program. In Canada the PN program is pretty good from what I hear. They are allowed to work in hospitals and have their own patients but an RN is in charge and does the IVS ect...from what I've been reading. So I think I'll do that first and then finnish for RN later. I just can't imagine going into the 4 yr program right now and full-time. Theirs just too much on my hands right now.
Im really glad the program is split between books and hands on. I would hate doing full-time classes. Right now I go to school mon-fri 8am and work right after till 9:30. So maybe thats good practice for not having a life and being up and about more then 18 hours a day. So I'm assuming its impossible to hold a job as a nursing student? I wonder how mom students do it!

Not all nurses are mean to one another. I was lucky and I work on a unit with fabulous nurses. I am a very kind person and especially so to students. I only had to do 5 presentations during school. One was pretty informal and the other 4 were in a group setting. It is nerve wracking but your fellow students understand and somehow you get through it.

Perserverance is the key to nurisng school. I worked part time as a nursing assitant while in school. I lived off of savings and lived very frugally.

allnurses Guide · Mar 5, 2010

Wow, you've got some really great answers about what nursing school is like! It's been a long time since I was in school, but I will just say I was a lot like you when I was younger in that I loved art, but I also did love science. It is important to have a caring nature, but I think you do need an affinity for the subject matter itself. You've said you developed a fascination for all things medical and that's a great sign. It's certainly enough to get you started!

The decisions regarding the specifics of your education are so dependent on personal factors we don't know, it's difficult to advise you on a specific path in that direction. One really great thing about nursing is that there is always another rung up, and often some very good bridge programs to get you from here to there. I would recommend spending time on the board here and reading threads that pique your interest, or start a thread yourself on a specific issue.

While it looks and sounds overwhelming, remember you will take it all one step at a time. Should you go ahead and start reading nursing books? My opinion- heck yeah! Why not? I read medical journals sometimes. Following your enthusiasm can lead to some really rewarding choices in life. Best wishes to you! :)

jane_doe · Mar 5, 2010

To be a good nurse you have to compationate, stubborn, organized, and motivated. To pass classes you HAVE TO STUDY. However, if you are interested in science the topics will be interesting to you. The farther I got into nursing the more I loved it.

RN1298 · Mar 5, 2010

I still haven't figured out how to quote on here, lol, but in regards to your current schedule--class at 8am and then work until 9:30--I definitely think that's going to help you a lot! I rarely had days that were longer than that in nursing school. Personally I think it's harder to study than to work (usually, depending on what you're studying and where you're working), but I think being used to that kind of schedule is really going to help you a lot! I don't know about working during school though... A lot of people do it, and I'm just in awe of them. The ones I'm REALLY in awe of work and have a social life... I don't know how they do it. If you have non-nursing friends that you're close to now, it's really important to maintain those friendships during nursing school in my opinion. But good luck! You're already giving it more thought than I did before I changed to nursing, so I think you're off to a good start :)

bebexoxo · Mar 9, 2010

Does anyone know if the hospital will fund my education for nursing? Since ill be working there as a sterile processor for the next year. IV decided to take a few courses while I'm working full time like medical terminology. Anatomy and physi.. And then enroll in the full nursing program. It would be great if the hospital I'm working for would pay for my education. ; )