My daughter is quitting nursing school!

Nurses General Nursing

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My daughter just finished her first year of nursing school, called us up extremely upset that she hates it and wants to quit. I'm basically ok with it but my husband is freaking out.

Some background; I'm a nurse and our daughter, since graduating college, has been a teacher, a paralegal, and a Physical therapy aide (which she LOVED) She has always worked, we helped her out with her BA and with nursing school.

so now she hates it, school, her externship, everything, and wants to go back to being a PT aide , with some administrative duties, for $20 an hour :uhoh3: Maybe since I'm a nurse I understand, and feel she should do what she loves.My husband feels she is making a big mistake and will be left making a marginal living.

We have always been close, there's lots of love, but emotions are running high.

Any advice, for me in the middle?

I wouldnt stop pursuing what she really wanted to do. Nursing as u know is a very stressful job. Unlike being a PT tech is way less stressful. Maybe she can pursue being a PT. If I would have known long time ago, I would have choose being a PT than RN and be really happy. But its too late now. I hope she doesnt have to go through what ive been to. Yes, money is a big factor in making a decision. But money isnt everything. Whats important is youre happy and proud of your profession. Unfortunately, many posts here ive read talks about how unsatisfied they re with nursing. Just to let u know, PT makes good money too. And theyre happy with what they do.

Well, I suspect she is doing the right thing. BTW, I really don't think that nursing holds much in the way of dramatically better salaries for most nurses. Chances are she won't experience any sort of demand for her skills. Sure she will make more than $20, maybe as a new nurse. In my area it's $24-$27 usually. Other areas it's in the upper teens. But your husband needs to know it's not going to shoot up to the rafters. Nurses are a dime a dozen. These days we are not worth much. If she likes it maybe she might go for PT/OT- it has a better future on the whole than nursing, IMHO. Be glad she left nursing before the damage was done.

I am a newly graduate of nursing school and I have to say there were many times I wanted to quit. Not because I hated, but because of faculty members. I am glad I stuck with it, but not everyone is meant to be a nurse. I am a strong believer in you should be happy and love what you do. If you don't love what you do then not only are you unhappy but so are your patients. If she loves being a PT aide, then that is what she should do. As another mentioned earlier she can advance to become a PT which makes really good money too. But I think you should support her whether it is in nursing or not.

Pale, Onaclearday, mllnjll, thanks for your thoughts, and I agree. But going for a degree in physical therapy would be very pricey, I can't afford to fund any more education and my daughter can't right now also (still paying off student loans from her non nursing BA) so that is off the plate for now.

But hey, she loves that pt aide job, she can live on it, so I say ok for now. My husband is very upset though, he feels she just has to suffer thru one more year and then she will have more options. Personally I don't think we can "make " her go back. She's a big girl now. My husband worries so

Specializes in OR.

It is very easy to quit. Ask your daughter to reconsider.

Nobody trips over mountains, it is a small pebble that causes you to stumble.

Pass all the small pebbles and you will find you have crossed the mountain.~ Author Unknown

(I am with your husband on this) :hdvwl::hdvwl::hdvwl::hdvwl::hdvwl::hdvwl::hdvwl::hdvwl:

Tell your daughter, once she is a nurse she will have the option of working as a PT aide if she still wants to!

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

She's an adult. She needs to make her own decisions (and mistakes). I would rather make $20 in a job I love, and learn to live within my means, than make $30+ in a job I hate.

Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

Have your daughter look into physical therapy assistant and occupational therapy assistant. Both are equivalent to associate degree in nursing ie: 2 year degrees with a national test.

I was a PTA before nursing and it is a great job, but I always wished I had done OTA instead.

Feel free to PM me if you would like more info.

Even if she finish her nursing school yet didn't have the passion for it, then she wouldn't be successful in the future. Just continue supporting her in what she thought would be good for her. Everybody's success lies in inner peace and contentment.

Onaclearday, mllnjll, thanks for your thoughts, and I agree. But going for a degree in physical therapy would be very pricey, I can't affair to fund any more education and my daughter can't right now also (still paying off student loans from her non nursing BA) so that is off the plate for now.

But hey, she loves that pt aide job, she can live on it, so I say ok for now. My husband is very upset though, he feels she just has to suffer thru one more year and then she will have more options. Personally I don't think we can "make " her go back. She's a big girl now. My husband worries so

I'd bargain with her, just one more year. Have the degree and then do what her heart desires- the PT aide. As parents, it's great to say let your kids do what they want, but sometimes when it comes to actually doing that- it'sa hard ball to swallow.

Have another cushion to fall back on, and the money already spent- Child, you WILL be finishing nursing school!:D

She's an adult. She needs to make her own decisions (and mistakes). I would rather make $20 in a job I love, and learn to live within my means, than make $30+ in a job I hate.

Sometimes the jobs we "hate" helps support the lifestyle or hobby we love,....just saying:)

Yeah, OP, but maybe you had great success in nursing and he thinks there is a shortage, etc. Chances are your daughter might not get a job for years as a new grad. Your husband needs some edu on that issue.

I will say this. I think she might not feel that nursing is difficult, but, that she has seen how nurses are treated and rightly is all Wiskey Tang Foxtrot about that. I have what I call extreme issues with that aspect as a second degree nurse, and especially since I have worked my previous degree for many, many years. I will never get used to the undervalued aspect. I have never felt "that" in my previous career or even while in college for the first time or even when I was working as a teen!.

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