How do I KNOW???

[Yayamaya, RN]

I have not yet begun my BSN program and in this long process of endless waiting lists, I find myself questioning if nursing is for me. I have an opportunity to shadow a nurse in GYN surgery which is a field of interest and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what I may want to look for, questions to ask, etc that would help me in better making an informed decision about whether the field is the "right" fit for me??

[Krystljoy]

Hi, I'm about to start the last two years of my BSN degree. I think shadowing a nurse is a great idea, I volunteered in an NICU all last summer and just being in the environment helped solidify my decision to continue with nursing. I asked the nurses how they liked their jobs, what a typical day was like, how long they'd worked in nursing & in that unit, and about all of the machinery. Most of the nurses were very supportive, especially when they realized I was thinking of nursing school.

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Volunteering is a good suggestion! Unfortunately, you won't fully know what it's like to have the responsibility and workload of a nurse until you actually do it. The good thing is that there are a ton of settings where nurses work, so I think there's a place for just about everyone.