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 ). 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!
-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think these responses come from people who are uneducated about what nursing is really like or have a stereotypical or outdated image of a nurse in their mind?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."
I am a non-traditional student, just getting ready to begin nursing school at age 35. I have a Bachelor's & Master's in another field and am changing careers entirely. Many of my colleagues at the job I just resigned from think I'm crazy to do it. But I've spent a lot of time thinking about & talking to my family & closest friends (who say it's a perfect fit for me). My only regret is that I hadn't done it earlier but my previous career (as a psychotherapist) may have helped me get to this point.
I think most all of us who are making big decisions like nursing school feel pretty anxious and at times, unsure. Hoping that all goes well but worried that we may not be cut out for it or not enjoy it. It's worth thinking about what drives you personally to pursue this goal. I'm reminded of theories from ACT (Acceptance & commitment therapy). The more that our lives are congruent with our priorities & values, the more content we're likely to be.
I've noticed that while I love working w/patients on taking better care of their health, coping w/illness & adjusting to changes in functioning, I'm not well suited to sit in a little office all day, in session. I need to be much more active, w/opportunities for a variety of activities throughout my day. I still hope to use some of the aspects of my previous job in my nursing career. Especially in helping patients to actively participate in their own care, asking pertinent questions & advocating for themselves. Working with folks dealing w/chronic illness (as well as depression, anxiety, etc) has been very rewarding... particularly when you see them develop better self-care and confidence in themselves.
Best of luck to you & remember, we sometimes may not know where we want to go in our careers in our teens & 20s. It's okay to re-evaluate our choices from time to time & determine if they continue to fit us.
P.S. I'm a natural introvert too, don't let that discourage you! I've also worked Full-time while in school (even through grad school & externships). Surround yourself with your biggest supporters & spend less time w/the naysayers. They likely lack the courage to take these steps for themselves so your willingness to pursue your goal may remind them of their thwarted progress.
I'm a non-traditional student. I have a husband and 2 kids, 33 years old. My parents have been the biggest nay Sayers. I was so stupid when I was younger. My parents were paying for my college and I had no loans. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do, I wanted to be a nurse but several people I knew who were nurses talked me out of it, and I let them. I was only doing school part time last 2 years because I couldn't decide and focus on a major. I met a boy at 22 and we got married when I was 24. my dad quit paying for my school. I don't blame him. I was getting no where. I ended up finding out I was pregnant unexpectedly 7 months after ring married and a month later exactly found out my new husband was cheating on me and wanted a divorce to be with his new girl friend. SO I became a single mother and had to work a full time job making $14 an hour just to make ends meet (which they barely ever met, and if it weren't for my parents my child and I would've been homeless). I wanted to go back to school but with the cost of daycare and not being able to go to school or work at night bc daycare closed at 6 I was trapped. My parents helped financially but refused to put their lives on hold to babysit for me. My dad actually said, "You passed your time, suck it up and work your crappy job to provide what you can and that is all you can do with your life." I felt so defeated. I didn't know anything about student loans because I never had to deal with financial aid office before. I felt my dad was right and i didn't even talk to financial aid office about loans at that time. I felt hopeless and one day I DECIDED instead of listening to my parents that I needed to do what I thought was best for me and my child and go back to school. It wasn't easy, but I met an incredible man a few years later and we eventually got married and my husband has been incredibly supportive of my decision to go back to school. So I didn't even tell anyone I was going back (besides my husband and son of course). It's really nice to not have all the negative talk, and to know that I am going to school to do something I'm passionate about and know I will get great satisfaction from doing.
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.
I'm from WA and I plan on doing RN-BSN at UW as well. When you get your BSN I'm sure he will turn around and be proud again! And hopefully stay that way
I'm from WA and I plan on doing RN-BSN at UW as well. When you get your BSN I'm sure he will turn around and be proud again! And hopefully stay that way
Ugh, I can only hope! Where are you going to school now?
yes, when i was in highschool i did not have the best grades...my counselor and i where reviewing my grades for college and she asked me what i wanted to major in..I said "somewhere in the medical field" then she told me "well not with these grades your not". she did not say it with the best attitude which bothered me...few years later i graduated with A BSN degree...now im working on my nclex-rn.
GOD will Guide you, do not let anyone tell you cannot do something...MIND over MATTER people!!!
My thoughts for what they are worth: Keep peace with yourself and God (if you are a believer) which means suit yourself not others; follow your heart. As the Bard said "To thine own self be true". I just turned 58, my Mom thinks I'm nuts because I quit work and am working on my prerequisites full time for nursing school, I left a good paying job as a Principal of a middle school to pursue a life long dream working in medicine. Don't listen to others, negativity abounds, even on this website. This will be my third career (retired US Marine and Educator), keep your head down, these people thrive on dragging others down, lift yourself up!
I'm a non-traditional student. I have a husband and 2 kids 33 years old. My parents have been the biggest nay Sayers. I was so stupid when I was younger. My parents were paying for my college and I had no loans. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do, I wanted to be a nurse but several people I knew who were nurses talked me out of it, and I let them. I was only doing school part time last 2 years because I couldn't decide and focus on a major. I met a boy at 22 and we got married when I was 24. my dad quit paying for my school. I don't blame him. I was getting no where. I ended up finding out I was pregnant unexpectedly 7 months after ring married and a month later exactly found out my new husband was cheating on me and wanted a divorce to be with his new girl friend. SO I became a single mother and had to work a full time job making $14 an hour just to make ends meet (which they barely ever met, and if it weren't for my parents my child and I would've been homeless). I wanted to go back to school but with the cost of daycare and not being able to go to school or work at night bc daycare closed at 6 I was trapped. My parents helped financially but refused to put their lives on hold to babysit for me. My dad actually said, "You passed your time, suck it up and work your crappy job to provide what you can and that is all you can do with your life." I felt so defeated. I didn't know anything about student loans because I never had to deal with financial aid office before. I felt my dad was right and i didn't even talk to financial aid office about loans at that time. I felt hopeless and one day I DECIDED instead of listening to my parents that I needed to do what I thought was best for me and my child and go back to school. It wasn't easy, but I met an incredible man a few years later and we eventually got married and my husband has been incredibly supportive of my decision to go back to school. So I didn't even tell anyone I was going back (besides my husband and son of course). It's really nice to not have all the negative talk, and to know that I am going to school to do something I'm passionate about and know I will get great satisfaction from doing.[/quote']
This sure hit home for me! I'm actually a certified legal assistant. I graduated w/ an Assoc. Degree in 1998. Throughout my childhood, I always wanted to be a nurse. My grandma was a nurse & worked in the same hospital for over forty years!!! When I graduated high school, my parents told me they, of course, would be paying for my college education. Where I lived, there were no 2 year nursing programs around, and the closest 4 year one was 'too far away' as far as my parents were concerned. They, especially my Dad, very much discouraged me from nursing. I was told the following: you have to be really good at math...why do you want to wipe people's butts and change bed pans all day...that kind of work is just too hard for you...you don't like blood...you can't stand the smell of rubbing alcohol...you don't like those gloves...you might get HIV or some other disease...you can't work 12 hour shifts...nursing is dirty work...do you want to have to see people naked all the time...and the list goes on. I already had Eng. 101 & Eng. 102, as well as speech from my 1st degree, and last year, I took the other co-reqs. including theatre (We had to pick among theatre, art, or music.) Gen. Psy. (I have taken Lifespan, but my school uses Gen. Psy. for the nursing program.) A&P I, & A&P II the last two semesters. I start the nursing program in one day, on Monday!!!!!! I didn't even tell my Dad I was taking pre-reqs. (A&P I & II) until two weeks ago! He keeps telling me that I should go to law school, and if I like my job, then why do I need to go back to school...I already have one degree he reminds me. Ugh! I'm sooooo tired of hearing that I should go to law school! I should have pursued nursing when I was just out of hs, but unfortunately, I let my parents influence me way too much! Because they didn't want me 'too far away', I had to 'settle' w/ legal assisting/paralegal. It required only one math class. My Dad would be livid if he knew I (gasp) quit a good, full time job to be a nursing student 100%! In fact, I wasn't planning on even telling him about getting accepted, but once again, I let other people influence me and I but the bullet and told him...the first words out if his mouth were, you can't do that...how are you going to pay for that, you must really hate your job, what are you going to do about work? Do they care at work that you're going to school. I can't deal w/ negativity right now. Sorry this is so long!
Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
Yep. "You like to wipe @$$?" Stuff like that. My usual response to them is, "I'd rather clean people up 3 days a week and earn double or triple what you make" :)
It's such a disappointment hearing about how many people out there think 99% of our job is wiping butts. Well, I pity those whose job involves sitting for eight hours on their butts at a computer! And how sadly.misinformed they are about nursing!
Specializes in ICU, Radiology,Infectious Disease,Forensic Nursing.
A while ago I went to my friend's mother who has been a nurse for a while, to ask about school advice. She blatantly told me it is a horrible career and to pick a different major before I regret it.
). 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:
golightly8
6 Posts
I am a non-traditional student, just getting ready to begin nursing school at age 35. I have a Bachelor's & Master's in another field and am changing careers entirely. Many of my colleagues at the job I just resigned from think I'm crazy to do it. But I've spent a lot of time thinking about & talking to my family & closest friends (who say it's a perfect fit for me). My only regret is that I hadn't done it earlier but my previous career (as a psychotherapist) may have helped me get to this point.
I think most all of us who are making big decisions like nursing school feel pretty anxious and at times, unsure. Hoping that all goes well but worried that we may not be cut out for it or not enjoy it. It's worth thinking about what drives you personally to pursue this goal. I'm reminded of theories from ACT (Acceptance & commitment therapy). The more that our lives are congruent with our priorities & values, the more content we're likely to be.
This may be helpful. http://media.psychologytools.org/Worksheets/English/Values.pdf
I've noticed that while I love working w/patients on taking better care of their health, coping w/illness & adjusting to changes in functioning, I'm not well suited to sit in a little office all day, in session. I need to be much more active, w/opportunities for a variety of activities throughout my day. I still hope to use some of the aspects of my previous job in my nursing career. Especially in helping patients to actively participate in their own care, asking pertinent questions & advocating for themselves. Working with folks dealing w/chronic illness (as well as depression, anxiety, etc) has been very rewarding... particularly when you see them develop better self-care and confidence in themselves.
Best of luck to you & remember, we sometimes may not know where we want to go in our careers in our teens & 20s. It's okay to re-evaluate our choices from time to time & determine if they continue to fit us.
P.S. I'm a natural introvert too, don't let that discourage you! I've also worked Full-time while in school (even through grad school & externships). Surround yourself with your biggest supporters & spend less time w/the naysayers. They likely lack the courage to take these steps for themselves so your willingness to pursue your goal may remind them of their thwarted progress.
I wish you the best!