How do you know if nursing is for you?

[KalipsoRed]

I just graduated in May and have passed my boards. I worked as a secretary, tech, and a registrar for the last three years in a 65 bed ER while I was getting my BSN. It was a very stressful work environment, even though I had good nurses and doctors to work with I still felt unsupported and utterly disheartened about health care everyday I left work. I thought these feelings were due to the overwhelming stress of work, schook and bills, but I have since moved to a smaller hospital on a 20 bed telemetry unit and my feelings have only improved slightly. I work with a wonderful, supportive staff and the pace is much slower than the ER, but I'm still depressed. I'm two weeks away from being off orientation and there is all this stuff that I haven't finished...like the on-line essintials of critical care class I have to take, the EKG test that I've taken twice and failed, and the continuing education hours I will need to complete before the end of the year because none of the rest of the stuff they are making me do at work counts for continuing education. I guess my point is that while I understood that I was going to need to continue to learn even after I got out of school, I don't like feeling like I don't really have any free time even though I have 4 days off a week because I have all this stuff to learn. I don't see that issue is really ever going to change. I don't want to give crappy care or hurt someone because I'm not educated enough, but I don't want to continue to have no life because I'm spending so much time learning nursing stuff. This issue is stressing me out and I don't know if anyone else feels that way or if it is just me. Like maybe it is a sign that I'm not willing to put forth the effort needed to be a good nurse and therefore entered the wrong career...I just don't know.

[Snowranger19, MSN, APRN]

My advice to you about the EKG stuff - talk with an experienced staff nurse that is willing to help you. I asked one of the nurses who taught ACLS to go over the EKG stuff with me.. she took 20minutes and explained things and bam.. I have it down now.

[sunray12]

I'm not a nurse yet but I've been in the workforce for a long time and for what it's worth the first 6-12 months in any new field/profession are probably going to be grueling while you learn the ropes. Then eventually it gets easier. Sure there are some easier jobs but they don't come with the security and benefits or flex of a field like nursing (which is why I'm moving into nursing). So my advice would be don't get discouraged. Hang in there and things will get easier and better and you'll be glad you did.