Student trying to decide to Stay in Nursing School or Not

[paola1422]

Hey everyone,

I really really need people's advice on my staying in nursing school or not. I've always said I wanted to work in healthcare since I could remember, but after 2 semesters in nursing school, I just don't think this is the right fit for me anymore. I used to say I wanted to work in healthcare because I wanted to help people. Now I'm wondering if this isn't the way I'm supposed to be doing it.

I'm really really miserable in class and in clinicals. I also started working as an aid a few months ago, and I'm absolutely miserable there as well. It really scares me because I had thought this job would help me figure out what area of nursing I would like to specialize in (in a float pool, so I get a different floor nearly every assignment). The really scary thing is, is that I've hated every unit I've been assigned to.

The only classes I have enjoyed in the program have been pathophysiology. I liked learning about the diseases, but everything else? not so much. I'm not interested in the content and find myself doing other things in class.

I almost quit once before, but I told myself to hold on and see if it got better. "Maybe you'll like it better once you start going to the hospital and taking care of real patients." And so far, going to the hospital has been my least favorite part. I cry nearly every day about having to go to clinicals and to my shifts at work. And sometimes I will go hide in the bathroom and cry for a few minutes while I'm at there.

I know everyone says that every person in nursing school feels like quitting at least once and that it's normal to feel like that. I just still don't think that what I'm feeling is normal. It shouldn't be normal to cry every day and have anxiety attacks in the car before going into the hospital for your shift.

The only thing that is holding me back from quitting is all the time I've invested already in nursing school.

Anyway I guess my question is, based on everything I wrote, am I right to believe nursing isn't meant for me?

[Oldmahubbard]

In my case, I cried plenty, but never on the job or in clinicals. The time for crying was long, long past.

As a nursing student, I was a single college graduate, who at age 30, could not make a living after multiple trials of different things.

There was no man to support me, and no trust fund.

I had no choices. I had to buckle in, and do things I didn't care for, in order to support myself.

It was do or die. Sink or swim.

So that is my sad advice.

At age 30, I had extensive experience as an unemployed person. I was ready for the realities.

If you think you can go into some other field, and be guaranteed a wage of 60-80k, then have at it.

If you are young enough that don't really have to support yourself yet , then go ahead, and try to find a field you really like.

I know I sound bitter, but this is the truth of "work".

[Avill, BSN, RN]

I sent you a private message. Check your inbox :)

[direw0lf, BSN]

You hate every unit you've worked on.

You hate the nursing content in class (not how it is taught?)

You cry before clinical.

You are asking here if you should stay or not because of the time you invested.

It's normal to feel in denial and depressed when we have such high hopes about something, and we put a lot into it and it turns out to be something we didn't expect or want. I think that is what you are feeling right now, kind of like a grief for what you hoped nursing would be like? (Although I have to say for me, I never saw what nursing was "really" like until I did my internship, but I don't think that would change your feelings.)

It was not a waste of your time to try something you thought was for you. You tried something. It turned out to be something you hate. Moving on is ok.

I just want to add though that I think sometimes nursing students think of nursing as MORE than what it is... it is a profession. But it is not your total existence and your only defining factor. I don't know if that helps put it into perspective and changes anything though. Good luck.