Has anyone discouraged you from nursing?

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I recently decided I wanted to be a nurse. I'm 20 and have changed my mind many times about what I've wanted to do, but I know the medical field is for me and I have what it takes to be a good nurse (I hope :laugh: ). Of course I still have doubts like if I will be smart enough, compassionate enough, if I can get through school, if I can do everything and work and not give up... but I try to keep positive. I have been keeping really quiet about this decision and have only told a few people, but I'm not necessarily receiving the most positive feedback. These remarks include:

-A nurse? Oh... well... you know what they have to do, right? You know you have to clean bedpans and deal with all that gross stuff! :yuck:

-I think you could do it but I don't know if it fits your personality

-Isn't it really hard to find a job?

-Are you sure you can deal with people dying?

-What if you end up not liking it... I thought you liked working in a lab why don't you stick with that?

I can understand where the people who replied like that are coming from. Before I decided on nursing, I was wandering and taking school off/on, but this last summer quarter I took my first round of pre-reqs while working full time and received a 4.0. I am naturally an introvert, and patient interaction may be draining for me, but I am also naturally a caring and helpful person so I know I could do it and feel rewarded.

Like I said, I obviously still have doubts (even if I am determined to stick with nursing), and though I know close friends and family with support me, there are still people who make me feel like I am making the wrong decision.

My question to the allnurses community is if you had these kinds of responses while you went through pre-nursing and nursing school, or maybe you are currently in the same situation. How did you deal with it? Do you think these responses come from people who are uneducated about what nursing is really like or have a stereotypical or outdated image of a nurse in their mind? What would you respond to things like, "nurses just feed patients jello and clean their messes."

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The responses you quote play to ignorance, fear, and stereotyping. Don't give them a second thought.

If you want to get an idea of the opportunities in nursing (and they are waaaaaaay beyond that limited horizon) check out the Specialties and Careers links above. Then ... go do it. We need you out here.

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Usually when I tell people I'm going into nursing they ask why I don't just become a doctor instead. My standard response is because I would like to travel, and I dont want to wait until my mid 30's to start doing that.

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Yes, the "counselor" at a college that I was attending for a short time. She took a look at my 3.2 GPA transcript and said "oh, you need a 4.0 GPA in all classes to even be considered for our nursing program. Why don't you try an easier major since you are not smart enough for nursing". Well I wish I could go back to her now and show her my acceptance letter to a better school that has a higher NCLEX pass rate so she could eat her words :p

I have also had plenty of people that have told me I should become a doctor. I just tel them something like "I actually have a desire to spend time to care for patients, which doctors don't/can't do". Those are the people that have no clue what a nurse does. They think nurses are simply a doctor's assistant and not an autonomous healthcare provider.

Then there's the actual nurses that have told me that I shouldn't be a nurse (especially those that don't know me). That makes me think that they should have reconsidered their career path. I honestly feel bad for them when they say that.

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Yes, the "counselor" at a college that I was attending for a short time. She took a look at my 3.2 GPA transcript and said "oh, you need a 4.0 GPA in all classes to even be considered for our nursing program. Why don't you try an easier major since you are not smart enough for nursing". Well I wish I could go back to her now and show her my acceptance letter to a better school that has a higher NCLEX pass rate so she could eat her words :p

I have also had plenty of people that have told me I should become a doctor. I just tel them something like "I actually have a desire to spend time to care for patients, which doctors don't/can't do". Those are the people that have no clue what a nurse does. They think nurses are simply a doctor's assistant and not an autonomous healthcare provider.

Then there's the actual nurses that have told me that I shouldn't be a nurse (especially those that don't know me). That makes me think that they should have reconsidered their career path. I honestly feel bad for them when they say that.

You made a lot of good points. Good on you for proving that counselor wrong! I definitely heard the "Why not a doctor??" question as well, and I even believed it as well before I researched nursing. I really don't have the desire to dedicate myself to the doctor lifestyle, if I became a doctor it wouldn't be for the right reasons.

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The responses you quote play to ignorance, fear, and stereotyping. Don't give them a second thought.

If you want to get an idea of the opportunities in nursing (and they are waaaaaaay beyond that limited horizon) check out the Specialties and Careers links above. Then ... go do it. We need you out here.

I'm pretty new to allnurses so I didn't look at the specialties yet, it's awesome! Thank you for the reply, simple and sweet.

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Specializes in Family Practice.

I had to stop an ADN program to care for my husband after an accident and a nurse that I know made a comment about her chasing me off from nursing. That definitely wasn't the case and she always tried to talk me out of it. Now I'm going back instead of going for the ADN program that she went to I'm going to a BSN program. I just try not to let other people's opinions get in my way. I know what I should do.

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Specializes in NICU.

What you need to do is to set aside a block of time to Google and read everything you can about nurses and the specialties that are out there. The more informed you are about the profession of nursing, the better you are able to ignore and defend your decision to the naysayers. There are many specialties (ex. trauma nurse and flight nurse) that are definitely more than feeding jello and wiping butts. One of the problems is that television doesn't accurately represent what the roles of a nurse are, that is the image that the people you are talking about have about nursing. I am fortunate to surround myself with friends and family that are in healthcare and have an accurate portrayal of a nurse and they are supportive of my decision.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

There will be people like this everywhere. I didn't encounter this much since I come from a family of nurses and doctors but my oldest daughter is getting this from her Dad and his side of the family. She drifted for 3 years since she left high school. Every other week she wanted to do something else.She always said she wouldn't be a nurse. She starts her second semester in a couple of weeks.I think she will be a good nurse.

Don't let those that are unsupportive get you down.

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No one ever tried to discourage me from OneNote but they did try to discourage me from graduating High School a year early. I even had my principle tell me that I WOULD NOT do it! I knew what I wanted and it was the greatest decision I ever made. I am so happy with my life. I am 18 years old and start my junior year in my BSN next week. My advise, tune them out. You know what is right and what you want. You have to achieve your own goals, not others.

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That OneNote, is suppose to be nursing**

And now that I think of it I did have an RN that tried to discourage me. For me, it was insulting! But like someone else said, they chose the wrong career for themselves. They may have just got in the field for the money. If this is what you are passionate about, go for it!

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My father actually was initially dissappointed that I went into nursing. He wanted me to go into business or real estate, which is SO not me.

Then when he realized I wasn't budging, he tried to throw the "Why don't you go further and become a doctor?" card at me.

When he understood that that wasn't happening, he accepted it.

Then when he heard that nursing programs were hard to get into, he got all excited about having a child get into a "prized specialty program."

But then when he found out I got into a local community college ADN program instead of the University of Washington in Seattle (I live in WA), he was dissappointed again, even though I told him I'll be bridging to UW to get my BSN.

Sigh. Some people you just can't please, nor is it worth trying.

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