I think I made a mistake.

Nurses General Nursing

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I have never posted on here before but have been a long time reader ever since I decided to become a nurse about a year ago. I decided to go to LPN school, got accepted, and started classes a little over a month ago. I have already taken a couple of tests, learned some basic skills, and started clinicals last week. Here is my problem... I am miserable. I just do not think nursing is for me. I wanted to become a nurse because I cared for my grandfather for many years during my late teenage years and early 20's and remembered how fullfilling that was for me. I wanted to do the same for other people. But now that I have been in nursing school for this time I learned that I really do not have the compassion for other people that I had with someone I really loved. I went to a community college before entering LPN school for about a year and took general study courses and found out through the many elective classes I took that I have many interests. Interests that I now wish I persued. I know I couldn't have learned this lesson with out at least trying but hear I am 4 weeks later and $3000 poorer feeling like a complete failure/quitter. :(

I'm not sure what kind of responses i'm looking for, I just needed to vent and know this is a good crowd that will listen. Thanks.

whatever path you eventually choose, none of your education thus far, nor your life experiences, will ever be wasted.

My suggestion, like many other posters have said, is to stick out this semester...learn all you can...even if you do not stay in nursing the knowledge gained can be useful to you in real life. Plus...you may have an attitude adjustment along the way.

The first semester of nursing school is tough, and can challenge even those with strong resolve.

I would also take a truthful look at what else is going on with you and possibly draining your emotional energy. Relationships, unresolved feelings about your family member that you cared for, etc....Psych is not my specialty, but I have enough life experience to have learned that too many drains on your emotions can leave you questioning everything and being happy with nothing. Just a thought.

Wherever you end up, good luck and many blessings.

If you would be happier building networks or working for an accounting firm or something, you should do what makes you happy. You are going to do this for 40+ years. 3k is nothing. I hope its not a case of bad teachers or unsupportive friends or family, though. Do what you know is right for YOU.

Specializes in MR Peds, geris, psych, DON,ADON,SSD.

You need to do something that fulfills you personally and you will succeed in all tat you do

Specializes in cardiac/education.

I really know how you feel.

I am opposite of you though. When I started school I was worried that I did not have the compassion for people that I should have to be successful as a nurse. After three semesters I now have seen enough suffering that I have tons of compassion but wonder if I will ever be able to make a difference in the current state of nursing. Plus, I find myself just always wanting to talk with the patients...make them feel better somehow...but now I see that nurses don't have the time!! :rolleyes: I also wonder if I have the skill to work with my hands. Never thought about that before getting in. I always thought that if you had the brains the ability with the technical skills would come with time and practice. I wonder if I will forever feel nervous and clumsy.:(

If I followed what was "in my heart" I suppose that would be something exercise oriented. But, I wouldn't be able to find a job!! Plus, I don't know that I wouldn't grow tired of doing the same type of work forever. Nursing appealed to me because you can always change to something new.

I knew I'd make a good living in nursing but never thought I'd be rich. Now, I see that nurses don't get paid anywhere near what they are worth and they put up with a lot of BS. That is also discouraging.

Being in school, in clinicals, really opens your eyes to the field. You are really naive before you get into nursing school. And STILL naive to some extent when you get out and the real learning begins. I just hope there are aspects that seem to get better...

I am in the group that is pushing onward to get my degree. I am hoping that I end up being pleasantly suprised by the actual work when I get out of school but if I don't, well, I can alwys pursue something else. It'll never hurt to have the degree. That is my feeling. But it is hard to push through school when you aren't sure. Really hard.

Good Luck to you in whatever you decide!!

I am not sure how old you are but when I was 20 I started nursing school, got all the prereq's and sciences done, and did one and a half out of four clinical semesters and realized that it was not for me. I quit school, got a job, did the whole raising of the family thing.

Later on, I realized that maybe I wanted to investigate nursing again....and I graduated a few months ago and obtained my RN.

My 16 years off of school gave me the life lessons and the maturity that I needed to pursue this career with all my heart.

You may need more time. So stop if you feel its right to stop and don't call yourself a quitter. You are not a quitter because if you were, you'd have stopped looking for what you want to do and just settled.

Nursing may or may not come back into your field of vision someday. If not, oh well, you are just continuing on your path.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

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