Is it right for me?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi. I'm a sophomore in high school that has always dreamed of being a nurse since i was little. However I'm beginning to think that I can't do it. Im scared that i won't be able to do the "dirty work". Like people vomiting, Changing wound dressing, changing diapers?? Is this stuff even involved in a typical day as an RN? I'm not even sure if they handle all that kind of stuff lol. But basically my question is, if I'm kind of squeamish, could I become a nurse? Is it right for me?

Thanks! and sorry for all the rambling

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Like people vomiting, Changing wound dressing, changing diapers?? Is this stuff even involved in a typical day as an RN?

Oh, yes ...very much so. No one likes "dirty" work, but it's something you'll need to get over if you have any chance of making it through nursing school.

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Specializes in ICU.

Yes, these are a part of daily work in some areas of nursing. But then there are other areas that you won't have contact with any of these things. Nursing is a very broad and diverse field. You will 100% be exposed to blood, poop, vomit, wounds, etc in nursing school, but if you decide that you don't want any further contact with that kind of stuff you will have other options. I was a little grossed out by poop at first, but trust me, you get over it really fast once you've seen it hundreds of times.

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Specializes in LTC.

You say you don't know if you could deal with vomiting, poop, etc. You could always test the waters by taking a CNA course.

I won't lie though, it took me a long time to get used to poop. Now I'm just used to it, although every once in a great while I still gag involuntarily if the smell is really bad.

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Thank you. It's nice to hear nurses also had these fears. I guess i'm still young so still have time to think. I've just always wanted to be a nurse and don't wanna let the fear of unknowing stop me!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

You have plenty of time to decide. My daughter had NO desire to be an RN all the way through high school until she graduated with her associate's degree (along with high school at 18, with an emphasis on pre-nursing and science coursework). She asked me about becoming a patient care tech, and had decided nursing *might* be for her after all.

She got the job as a PCT ( as I advised she do) and it made her mind up for her. She has begun her final two pre-requisite courses for RN school. She has decided she loves caring for people and definitely wants to be an RN as soon as she possibly can. At her pace, that will be before she is 21 or 22.

Get experience as a CNA or patient care partner/tech and then decide if it's for you. Also talk to lots of real world nurses of all ages and time of experience.

You are young and smart. You will come to a decision if it's for you if you do these things.

Good luck.

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