How do i know if nursing is for me?

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · May 28, 2012

Welcome To AN! The largest online nursing community.

Bodily fluids are unfortunately a part of nursing. You will never "like it" but will develop a tolerance. Most nurses have specific bodily fluids/functions that they can't stand and will avoid if at all possible. It doesn't make you a bad nurse just an honest one.

There is a thread that was written by one of the frequent contributors here at AN Ruby Vee.......stop there and take a read. I wish you the best in your endeavours.

https://allnurses.com/nursing-career-advice/those-considering-career-653061.html

loriangel14, RN · May 28, 2012

You may be able to avoid bodily fluids in some nursing jobs but consider that you will still have to get through nursing school clinicals.Nursing jobs with limited patient contact may be hard to get right out of school. You may work some where with aids that assist but you still have to be willing to do the personal care yourself.Refusing to provide your patients personal care needs will not fly with an employer. You cannot be " too posh to wash". Plus you will deal with other bodily fluids during procedures that aids do not do i.e. dressing changes and suctioning trachs.If a patient is going to vomit you can't hunt for someone else to hand the bowl over and then do the clean up.

Don't think that anyone here is trying to be discouraging but rather realistic.Do not go into nursing thinking that the letters RN mean you don't deal with any of the dirty work.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · May 28, 2012

"Horrible at math" and adverse to body fluids would indicate nursing is probably not for you.

You could probably learn the math(it is a STRONG requirement for nursing)..

and MAYBE get over the body fluids( you will see all of them, over and over again).

Why ARE you interested in the field? That will guide further answers.

Stephalump · May 28, 2012

Ok so i am taking my gen ed classes to get into Nursing school. I am really serious about it but a little nervous because i am horrible at math and absolutely cannot handle bodily fluids! But i was told that to be a nurse i don't necessarily need to deal with fluids just depending on the kind of nurse i am. I so tired of going back and forth with this its driving me and my husband nuts! Can anyone please help?? Thank you!

Volunteer at a hospital. Become a CNA. You don't have to be a mathematician...you will have to be able to do math, but it'll be limited to the same types of math. Once you get them down, t's just a matter of application.

You don't have to like body fluids. You just have to get used to it. If it sends you screaming, crying, or vomiting, that might be more difficult than it's worth.

I would get some time in observing nurses in action. The question why DO you want to be a nurse?

movingforward12 · May 28, 2012

Some areas of nursing will most likely not expose you to bodily fluids, but eventually they might. Suppose you work in a doctors office and have to do blood draw, would you be comfortable with that? You have to get through nursing program to become an RN. While in the nursing program, you have to learn the basics of patient care like giving a bed bath. During med-surg rotation you might have to fully clean a bed-ridden person.

I dont think you have to be really good at math but at least know the basics.

♑ Capricorn ♑ · May 29, 2012

Alot of the ladies above have said it best. What I'd like to add is, the more you're around it the easier it gets, or the easier it should get. I feel, the more you expose yourself to the negative, unpleasant things, the easier it is to cope and tolerate. You should also remember that nurses wear PPE (personal protective equipment - gloves, masks, gowns, goggles, face shields etc.) to protect not only themselves from pathogens & bodily fluids, but also to protect their patients. This is essential! Along with using proper techniques (sterile or non-sterile) when performing procedures and frequent handwashing. By all means, nurses want to practice their craft with safety and confidence that they are doing the best thing not only for themselves, but for their patients as well.

If it is only the sight and smell of bodily fluids that you are worried about. I'd suggest putting yourself in a position where you are around it. Volunteer and or work at a hospital. Just know, that if you do decide that nursing is for you, and you attend nursing school, that you will come in contact with "unpleasant things". It goes with the territory with doing what nurses do. That doesn't mean you have to like it, they all don't like it on some level. But, they do it because they are nurses and that is what they do.

As for math, well, its not calculus. As far as I know, its simple math (addition, subtraction, multiplication and divison) along with fractions, decimals and percentages. You will be doing dosage calculations using simple math for medications. My RN program didn't require a specific math course for my program. However, in my nursing school they will teach me what I need to know, as far as med. math is concerned.

I hope this has helped some and welcome to AN. :)

Nickyg1225 · May 29, 2012

Hi,

Well maybe you need to pray about it? If you don't have peace, then it may not be the time or just not for you. No one can tell you what is your path, but you. So I would say find peace. I don't particulary like bodily fluids myself, but that is not my main focus. I don't look at the negative first, its always the positive first. I have a sister who is completely immobile who cant walk or talk and she is 30 years old. I've had to deal with her diapers and so forth for years, but like the previous post said, you learn to tolerate it. So find peace. That will guide you.

Juniper248 · May 29, 2012

One note about math.

While nursing may only require 7th or 8th grade level math, the prereq courses may require a lot higher level, such as chemistry. Just keep that in mind too.