Not sure if nursing is for me anymore

Nursing Students General Students

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I'm in my third quarter of RN school right now, and I'm finally coming to the point where I'm not sure if this is for me anymore. I've been a medical assistant for a few years prior and did not realize how different nursing is. I just don't like working with acute care and long-term care. I enjoy working in the health care field, but I prefer a less complicated and stressful setting. I just don't want to end up being a nurse who is not dedicated to his/her work which would be unfair to patients and coworkers. I find it difficult to make my decision on whether or not I should leave nursing school because I've worked hard to get into the program, I continue to have an average of 3.8, and especially because of the fact that everyone tells me I will make more money as a nurse and have more opportunities. But I think money isn't everything, and as a medical assistant I have many opportunities and am able to perform a wide range of skills. I hate complaining, but I wish I could figure things out without people thinking I'm crazy for leaving such a great program (which is difficult to get into). I would love advice from anyone who is willing to share their thoughts thanks!

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Hey,

I'm going to start a nursing program next Fall. I have been working and volunteering in the healthcare field (I'm CNA certified) for the last 3-4 years. I'm in the same spot as you. I'm not sure if I want to do nursing but it's sucha great opportunity. What exactly turned you off from nursing? The clinicals?

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Complete your education and get an RN license. You can then get a job as a medical assistant and your employer will have a highly qualified employee. As long as you maintain your medical assistant certification, nothing stops you from getting this type of position. There are also other office type jobs that you can look into once you get your RN license. Now that you have come this far, it would be a shame to miss out on the boost you can give your resume and your career.

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go ahead and quit. if you dont like it now, you are not magically going to like it 6 months from now. some people might give you a hard time for being just a medical assistant, but if thats what you are cut out for, that's what you are cut out for. clinics need medical assistants and if thats all you want to be and will be happy doing it, so much the better for everyone.

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Hey there, what turned me off from nursing is the different type of work nurses do, compared to what I'm used to. It is not quite what I expected.There is a great amount of assessing and making a care plan, and teaching, and the types of skills I don't enjoy doing (catheterizations, IV monitoring, trachiotomy care,). I'm used to giving injections, performing venipuncture, ear lavages, applying and removing casts, removing staples and stitches, doing EKG's, vital signs, data entry, etc. front and back office skills...but the big difference is that I'm used to working side by side by a doctor, no license held over my shoulders,and not working with as serious of medical conditions. I feel some people can handle more intense skills and stress. A lot of nursing requires monitoring the patient and creating a care plan and adjusting care plans accordingly (not just performing a variety skills all day long). You have to be competent with your skills and be very knowledgable about acute conditions, and enjoy the area you are working in. It is not a field where you can just be trained and excel at doing the skills you are experienced doing over and over again, nursing is an ongoing learning process, it doesn't end with school. Also, I feel that I fit in more in a clinic setting and nursing is more of a hospital/long-term care field which is quite different (which I realized after going to clinicals). yes, there is a great deal of opportunities for nurses which is great, but there also is for other health care positions (that is...if money is not your main priority and working with people and helping them get better is) I just think there are different healthcare positions that are suitable for different types of people, it just takes time to figure out the right one.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Hi there,

I am in an ADN RN program, right now in the 2nd semester of my first year. I also work as a medical assistant for a family practice. I decided to go into nursing after working as a MA because I love patient care and wanted to do more. As a RN, you can do so many things. You dont have to work in acute or long term care. You can work in doctor's office, my office has two RNs with one as the manager and the other is triage. The decision is up to you, but nursing is more than what you see at the hospital if that is what you dont like. Explore your options. You work hard to get where you are today.

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Just the opposite here. I liked medical assisting, and what I thought it was going to be, but in my area, they just don't use MA's or CMA's to do much of anything besides paperwork. It's very frustrating, I didn't go to school and learn all these other skills to file insurance. I wanted variety. I have a world of opportunities with nursing.

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If you want to do clinic work, you can do clinic work as an RN or as an MA. Up to you. But I still would not advise you to quit on nursing now. You don't know what the future holds for you.

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I don't know why you think that you will be stuck only caring for acutely ill people with IVs when you graduate? You can work anywhere you want! I wouldn't blow this opportunity when you are so close to being finished. Nurse aides make less than half what a nurse can make. In this economy I would want to make the most income I can.

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Look at this possibility: the perfect clinic job for you is waiting, but the job requirement states "RN". You apply for the job with your RN license and get it. You are completely satisfied. The job has all the duties and responsibilities that you are used to and want. You would not have applied to the job if you didn't have the RN license because you were lacking the basic qualification stated in the job posting. You are only expanding your opportunity by getting an RN license. You keep trying to see your opportunities as limited instead of looking at the picture and seeing what is really there. You can't guarantee that you might want to or need to change something 12 years from now. Don't limit yourself. Good luck with completing school and getting the job you want.

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Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

there are alot of opportunities for RN's outside of acute and LT care. you can still work in a doctors office, outpatient setting, medi-center, clinic, etc. the opportunities for you will be endless once you have your license. you are very limited as a CMA.

don't give up a great opportunity, yet!!

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